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Hardcore History Failures

Hardcore History Failures

By: Nathan Pali
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About this listen

Hardcore History Failures is a history and leadership podcast about the most devastating decisions ever made—and the people who made them.

Each episode dives into the darkest corners of history to examine catastrophic leadership failures, disastrous judgment calls, and power-driven mistakes that changed the world for the worse. These are not footnotes or minor errors. These are moments when one decision triggered wars, collapsed empires, destroyed organizations, or condemned millions.

From military disasters and political breakdowns to religious authority, corporate implosions, and cultural collapse, the show explores leadership mistakes from history, decision-making under extreme pressure, hubris, miscalculation, and how power amplifies every error.

This podcast isn’t about inspiration or success stories. It’s about what went wrong, why it went wrong, and how intelligent, experienced leaders repeatedly made choices that led to irreversible consequences.

If you’re fascinated by hard history, leadership failure, historical disasters, power dynamics, decision-making, and the brutal reality of how the world is actually shaped—this show is for you.

Hardcore History Failures Because the most important stories in history are the ones about how everything broke.

© 2026 Hardcore History Failures -All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • Nikolai Vavilov: Science vs. Ideology and Starvation
    Feb 15 2026
    In this episode, we explore the compelling story of Nikolai Vavilov, a botanist and geneticist who risked everything to collect seeds and prevent famine in the Soviet Union. We examine his conflict with Trofim Lysenko and illustrate how ideology and the pursuit of certainty can lead to devastating consequences when prioritized over scientific truth and reality.          Chapters    00:00 Introduction to Vavilov    00:37 Vavilov's Vision and Work    03:33 The Rise of Lysenkoism    08:21 Vavilov's Arrest and Legacy
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    8 mins
  • The Irish Brigade at Fredericksburg's Mary's Heights
    Feb 14 2026
    In this episode, we explore the devastating leadership failure during the Battle of Fredericksburg, focusing on the Irish Brigade's doomed advance at Mary's Heights. We discuss the strategic missteps, the immense casualties, and the lingering questions about why the brigade was sent forward into an unwinnable battle.          Chapters    00:00 Introduction to Fredericksburg    00:43 Burnside's Ill-Fated Plan    04:44 The Irish Brigade's Advance    10:55 Lessons in Leadership Failure
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    9 mins
  • Napoleon's Ulm Maneuver of 1805
    Feb 13 2026
    In this episode, we explore Napoleon Bonaparte's Ulm maneuver of 1805, a brilliant campaign where an entire army surrendered without a major battle. We analyze the strategic missteps of Austrian commander Karl Mack von Lieberich and the psychological impact of Napoleon's unconventional tactics.          Chapters    00:00 The Ulm Maneuver of 1805    00:40 Austrian Misconceptions    04:07 Pressure Over Position    07:07 Surrender and Leadership Failure
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    6 mins
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