Episode 47: Barbarossa Barred

Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa

On June 22, 1941, Germany launched its invasion of the Soviet Union codenamed "Operation Barbarossa"--the largest military operation in history and opening the Eastern Front of WWII.  The ultimate death toll in that theatre of the war includes over 26 million civilians and soldiers.

How might history have been different if Germany had embarked on a different strategy to achieve the resources, particularly oil, that was a driving factor in the decision to launch the offensive?  Was a clash between Germany and the Soviet Union inevitable or avoidable?

Guest hosts Brant Frost and Chris Coppola return to discuss the topic.

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Episode 46: Republic Reigns

On March 15th 44BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated in one of the most well-known events in world political history. How might things have been different if Caesar had not died at the hands of those defending the Roman Republic on the now-infamous "Ides of March"?

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Episode 45: No Cigar (as in "Close, But....)

In 1890, Buffalo Bill's Wild West show toured Europe and during a performance in Berlin, American exhibitionist sharpshooter Annie Oakley shot the ashes off the cigar held in the mouth of a volunteer from the audience--Kaiser Friedrich Willhelm II. What if Oakley had missed and accidentally killed the young German ruler? How might the late 19th and early 20th century have taken a different turn?

Listener Chris Coppola joins to discuss this topic that he suggested.

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