Is Benedict Arnold the biggest traitor in American History? In this episode, Don is joined by author Stephen Brumwell to examine how Arnold went from hero to villain.

How important was he to the Revolutionary cause? Why did he decide to go against it? And do his actions even count as treason?

Stephen Brumwell is a writer and independent historian specialising in British-American military affairs of the eighteenth century. He is the author of a number of books, the most recent being ‘Turncoat: Benedict Arnold and the Crisis of American Liberty’.

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

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

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On August 14, 1945, the Japanese government accepted Allied terms of surrender. The war in the Pacific was over. But how had it come to this?

Don is joined for this episode by Ian W. Toll, author of a three-volume history of the Pacific War. They discuss the Japanese view of surrender, the Allied offensive, Midway, Okinawa and finally the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan.

Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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From Columbus onwards, Italians have been a part of American culture. Don explores this rich history with Professor Anthony Tamburri, Dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute in New York.

Produced by Sophie Gee and Freddy Chick. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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The largest ever surrender of American forces occurred in May 1942. The event resulted in medals of honour for two American military leaders - one who escaped, another who became the highest ranking prisoner of war of the Second World War.

In this episode, Don is joined by Jonathan Horn to discuss the loss of the Philippines, and the fight to get it back.

Jonathan, who previously came onto the podcast to talk about Robert E. Lee, is a former White House presidential speechwriter and author of 'The Man Who Would Not Be Washington'. His new book on this subject is ‘The Fate of the Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright, and the Epic Battle for the Philippines’.

Edited by Tim Arstall, produced by Sophie Gee. The Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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How did new weapons shape the Civil War? Why were the muskets so deadly? What on earth were the Ironclads all about? Don explores five key weapons of the civil war with a favourite guest, Cecily Zander from the University of Wyoming, author of "The Army Under Fire".

Edited by Tim Arstall, produced by Freddy Chick. The Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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In 1928, President Teddy Roosevelt's sons Teddy and Kermit set out on an expedition to hunt a semi-mythical beast: the Panda. Don's guest today to help tell the incredible story of what happened next is Nathalia Holt whose new book brings this tale to life: The Beast in the Clouds: The Roosevelt Brothers' Deadly Quest to Find the Mythical Giant Panda.

Edited by Tim Arstall, produced by Freddy Chick. The Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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Francis Marion aka the 'Swamp Fox' is a legend of the Revolutionary War. He was the basis for the movie The Patriot. But what is the truth about this guerilla warrior who harried the British in the South? Don is joined by historian Patrick O'Kelley, author of 'Be Cool and Do Mischief: Francis Marion's Orderly Book' and 'Nothing But Blood and Slaughter: The Revolutionary War in the Carolinas' to find out.

Edited by Tim Arstall, produced by Freddy Chick. The Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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In 1624 the first Dutch settlers arrived on Manhattan and established New Amsterdam, what is now New York. We hear about life in that Dutch colony and meet some of the very first New Yorkers. Don's guest is Andrea Mosterman, author of Spaces of Enslavement: A History of Slavery and Resistance in Dutch New York.

To find out more about how the Sail4th 250 parade of tall ships will help celebrate America’s birthday on July 4, 2026, visit https://www.sail4th.org.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan, produced by Freddy Chick. The 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.

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All music from Epidemic Sounds.

American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.