Sometime in the 800s AD, a Chinese alchemist wrote the first description of what he called "huo yao" or "fire medicine." This was the birth of a technology that some described as inhuman, devilish, satanic, like it was too wicked to be made by human hands - but no one could afford to ignore it. Beca…
The Unknown Soldiers Podcast
by James Houser
Host James Houser tackles forgotten wars, battles, and perspectives of military history from across the ages and across the globe. Whether it's the women of the American Revolution, lost Indian kingdoms, neglected World War II campaigns or medieval power struggles, this podcast sheds light on real people with real stories...who don't deserve to be Unknown Soldiers.
Latest Episodes
The Hussite Revolution has defeated two crusades, the might of the Catholic Church and the Holy Roman Empire and the medieval nobility - but now the internal struggles begin. Moderates against radicals, cities versus countryside, upper class versus lower classes. The Hussites stand ascendant over al…
A simple priest named Jan Hus gently suggests that the Catholic Church might be wrong about a few things - so they burn him at the stake, and ignite a holy war. The Church calls a crusade against Hus’s followers, the Hussites and all of Europe takes up arms against the heretics. The Hussites’ only h…
In the year 1302, the people of Flanders revolted against their French overlords. They were just a bunch of peasants and townspeople, with simple weapons and little armor - but the French knights were in for a surprise. It’s time to take a deep dive into a single medieval battle - the Battle of Cour…
In the year 1361, a ragged band of veteran mercenaries called the White Company marched across the Alps into Italy. One of their leaders was a middle-aged English knight named Sir John Hawkwood. He would the most infamous mercenary captain in Europe, the terror of Italy…and the harbinger of change, …
A five-year-old boy is marched to his execution, but at the last minute he is spared. So begins the story of William Marshal. Tournament champion, feudal lord, father, husband, hero, rebel, loyal servant to five kings, one of the most legendary knights of the Middle Ages. And in his final years, at …
After surviving Boudicca's Rebellion, the Roman province of Britannia was more or less stagnant - until a general arrived with an ambition to complete the conquest. Gnaeus Julius Agricola came to Britain in 77 AD with the ambition to lead the legions into the wild northern regions of Caledonia, a.k.…
In 43 AD, the Roman Empire set out to conquer the mysterious land of Britannia. But the Roman province was barely established when a massive uprising threatened to destroy their achievements. The revolt’s leader was Boudicca, a Celtic warrior queen on a quest for freedom and revenge. This is a story…
The Romans have come to the walls of holy Jerusalem, where the Jews await their assault and pray for a miracle. The epic Siege of Jerusalem, and the smaller Siege of Masada, mark the twin climaxes of the First Roman-Jewish War, but their mythology...and their impact...endure into the modern day. Thi…
Our story begins not in Israel, not in Palestine, but in Judaea. The Romans had oppressed the Jewish people for decades, and by 66 AD, they had finally had enough. The First Roman-Jewish War was one of the most cataclysmic wars of the ancient world, told to us by a historian who saw it all happen - …
Brief update on the current status and future direction of the Unknown Soldiers Podcast...and what's coming up next!
To send me more suggestions or any ideas about future episodes, or just your commentary on the state of the pod, send them to: unknownsoldierspodcast@gmail.com
Check the Website: http…
Just a barely scripted episode talking about my sources, themes, missing bits and some final thoughts on the Soviet-Afghan War. Content is content.
Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-and-sources
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldier…
The Soviet-Afghan War is over, but for both countries, the struggle has only begun. The Soviet Union begins to crumble, a collapse that is not inevitable or predictable, as the world watches in disbelief. But the world isn't watching Afghanistan, which descends into civil war, anarchy, and violence.…
In this supplement to the Soviet-Afghan war series, we examine the experiences of both Soviet and Afghan women on either side of this conflict.
Soviet women served in many roles, including military and civilian, and endured many of the same experiences of the men - though one group of Soviet women,…
The Soviets have decided that it’s time to leave Afghanistan…but as we all know, it’s much harder to get OUT of the graveyard of Empires than it is to get in. Battles still remain, as the Americans send Stinger missiles to the Mujahideen and the Soviets launch their last major attack in Operation Ma…
What was the experience of a Soviet conscript in Afghanistan? In this supplement to the Soviet-Afghan war series, we dive into the Soviet soldier's experience in the Graveyard of Empires. We'll see what his everyday life was like, what combat was like, what his living conditions were like. But we'll…
The Soviet-Afghan War reaches its climax from 1983 to 1985, as atrocities and destruction ravage the civilian population. The Mujahideen are starting to lose the war, but they have outside support: from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and even the United States, from people like Ronald Reagan and Charlie Wi…
The Soviet military, a powerful force designed for World War III, was not prepared for Afghanistan. The Russian bear was overstretched, fighting a dangerous, resilient enemy called the Mujahideen, with no way forward and no way out. Its weaknesses became most apparent in a place called the Panjshir …
The Soviet Armed Forces were the juggernaut of a nuclear superpower, the largest army on Earth, the embodiment of the massive, powerful Russian bear. But they were also deeply flawed. Their soldiers were mistreated, their equipment was crude, and they suffered from the paradoxes of the socialist emp…
In the late 1970s, two neighboring countries were in turmoil: the Soviet Union was beginning its decline and fall, and Afghanistan was roiled by political chaos. When a socialist, pro-Soviet government comes to power in Afghanistan, it immediately comes under attack by its own people - and the Sovie…