American History Hit cover art

American History Hit

American History Hit

By: History Hit
Listen for free

About this listen

Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.

We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.

From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past.

New episodes every Monday and Thursday.

Brought to you by History Hit, the award-winning podcast network and world’s best history channel on demand, featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, Not Just The Tudors and Betwixt the Sheets.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

History Hit
World
Episodes
  • Was the American Revolution a World War?
    Oct 27 2025

    What makes a war a World War? If it's the involvement of multiple major world powers, will France, Spain and the Netherlands do?


    If it's battles fought globally, do Canada, West Africa, India and the Mediterranean count? On top of the 13 colonies?


    In this episode, Don is joined by Richard Bell from the University of Maryland. Richard is the author of ‘The American Revolution and the Fate of the World'.


    Edited by Tim Arstall and Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


    Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


    You can take part in our listener survey here.


    All music from Epidemic Sounds.


    American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    44 mins
  • What If George Washington Became King?
    Oct 23 2025

    ‘No occurrence in the course of the war has given me more painful sensations.' This was George Washington's response when the idea of his becoming 'King' was put to him.


    But what if he had? What would an American royalty look like? Who would have succeeded Washington? And why did this not happen?


    Don is joined for this episode by Michael Hattem, author of The Memory of ’76: The Revolution in American History’ and ‘Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution’.


    Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


    Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


    You can take part in our listener survey here.


    All music from Epidemic Sounds.


    American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    51 mins
  • What if the Cuban Missile Crisis Sparked WW3?
    Oct 20 2025

    On October 22 1962, President John F. Kennedy announced that Soviet missiles has been discovered in Cuba. Over the following days, the fate of the Americas was on the line.


    In this episode, Don is joined once again by Renata Keller to explore the causes and events of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to discuss what might have happened had the situation not been resolved.


    Renata's new book 'The Fate of the Americas: The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Hemispheric Cold War' shows how this was not just a Soviet-US event. She explores how leaders and citizens throughout South America, the area at most risk from nuclear missiles, impacted on the events of October 1962.


    Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


    Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


    You can take part in our listener survey here.


    All music from Epidemic Sounds.


    American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    28 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.