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History That Sucks

History That Sucks

By: Nathan Pali
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About this listen

History That Sucks is a history and leadership podcast about the worst decisions ever made—and the people who made them.

While most history shows celebrate victories, heroes, and turning points, this podcast focuses on the moments when everything went wrong: leadership failures, disastrous judgment calls, power gone to someone’s head, and decisions that should never have been made—but were.

Each episode explores real historical cases of bad leadership, catastrophic mistakes, and unintended consequences. From military disasters and political collapses to corporate implosions and cultural breakdowns, these are stories of leaders who ignored warnings, trusted bad advice, doubled down on the wrong plan, or confused confidence with competence.

This isn’t a polite history podcast or a collection of inspirational lessons. It’s a narrative-driven look at how leaders fail, why smart people make terrible decisions, and how power turns small mistakes into world-changing disasters.

If you’re fascinated by leadership history, historical failures, bad decisions, power dynamics, and the messy reality behind how the world actually got shaped—this podcast is for you.

History That Sucks Because some parts of history aren’t glorious. They’re just embarrassing, tragic, and completely avoidable.

© 2026 History That Sucks 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
  • Fort Sumter and the Cost of Waiting
    Jan 19 2026

    Buchanan refused to reinforce Fort Sumter. He refused to abandon it. So he waited. This episode explores how indecision at critical moments can be more destructive than choosing the “wrong” option outright.

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    10 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
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