History That Doesn't Suck

“Will young, freewheeling American boys take the iron discipline of wartime? … In my judgment the answer is Yes! ... if the answers they get are worth fighting and dying for.”

This is the story of propaganda on the home front. 

The word “propaganda” has some messy connotations, but it’s fundamentally about pushing a narrative, which can be good or evil. Leaders on all sides of the war thought about how to spur the populace to join in the war effort, and in America, it fell to entertainers and artists to really rally the nation to war. 

They utilized every form imaginable: films, comics, cartoons, posters, anything. Movie and comedy stars put on road shows for soldiers. Animation studios enlisted beloved cartoon figures like Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny to sell war bonds, and even invented the hilariously inept Private Snafu to teach soldiers what NOT to do. Captain America, on the other hand, was born ready to punch Hitler’s lights out. We’ll also cover that unassailable masterpiece, Casablanca, as well as some propaganda aimed at US soldiers from the other side: the siren known as “Tokyo Rose.” 

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Family Lore is a weekly narrative podcast that celebrates and investigates ancestral mystique. Each episode begins with a guest sharing a fascinating family legend, followed by a historical deep-dive to uncover the truth and meaning behind the tale.

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“I suggest that while we keep defense and victory in the forefront, that we don't lose sight of our fight for true democracy at home.”

This is the story of life on the American home front. 

While millions of brave men and women are sacrificing life and limb “over there,” those left behind are making sacrifices of their own—heeding the call to grow gardens in their backyards or on community lots, combing their homes for spare scrap metal and rubber, rationing so there’s enough to go ‘round, and buying up war bonds. 

The economy changes drastically; for one thing, the Great Depression is definitely over. Unemployment drops to just about nil as millions join the military or the workforce. Small towns swell with floods of people following industrial government contracts, and women and teenagers take on new roles to fill critical gaps. 

And yet, though every American is asked to make these sacrifices to win the war, not even close to every American receives the same protections and benefits from wartime contracts and legislation. Black Americans, still stifled by Jim Crow, fight for a Double Victory—against the Axis powers, and against prejudice back home. The “Good War” is not an evenly distributed burden by any means, but all in all, the home front is pulling its weight in this war. 

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Been There, Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome, Prof. Jackson’s new book publishing June 16th, takes us on a chronological journey—from the very start of the republic in 1789, through the end of the nineteenth century—while telling stories not heard in the podcast, tales that engage such topics as political violence, fake news, and contested elections.

Pre-order a copy ⁠HERE⁠ or come see him on ON TOUR.

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“Everybody’s dead. Don’t ask me about anybody. Everybody’s dead.” 

This is the story of the Final Solution. 

From Anne Frank’s annex to countless ghettos, Jews who have thus far avoided the concentration camps are increasingly being funneled there. Jewish leaders like Chaim Rumkowski face impossible dilemmas—who should be sent to the camps? On the other hand, some Warsaw Ghetto inhabitants choose to fight back, their last ditch efforts to resist and escape living on in the words of only a few survivors. 

Even as the ghettos and their inhabitants are liquidated, Dr. Josef Mengele and others at Auschwitz continue their own work of death. We’ll witness, in order, how people go from cramped cattle car to crematoria; and keep in mind, Auschwitz is but one of many. All together, these accounts from survivors will hopefully provide as complete an overview of the Holocaust’s extermination camps as one episode can. 

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Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and


preorder Prof. Jackson’s new book


go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations


join discussions in our Facebook community


get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette 


come see a live show


get HTDS merch


or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks.

HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com

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