Podcasts · History

Hostile History

David Borys / Curiouscast

24 episodes

Since the dawn of time humanity has been at war. Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since we first walked the earth.

More about the show

While conflict and armed rebellion have evolved to look very differently over the centuries, if it feels like we’ve been here before it's because we have.

Join military historian David Borys who has spent his entire career studying armed conflict as he brings together some of the brightest minds to take you inside the world's most defining conflicts and rebellions. From Genghis Khan, and the Crusades to Vietnam and the war in Iran. If you want to understand the world today you need to go back because history doesn't just repeat itself, it echoes.

Episodes

  1. Hidden in Plain Sight: Uncovering Queer Voices in Military History

    · 28 min

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by Emily Gioskos from the Queer Collective. Together they discuss the challenges and triumphs of uncovering queer voices within a historical discipline that has…

  2. Dissent in the Barracks: Queer Voices in the GI Underground

    · 48 min · S1 E12

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian Travis Salley as they explore how, during the Vietnam War, the GI underground press became more than a voice of dissent...it became a lifeline.…

  3. Neighbours not Enemies: The Canadian-American Alliance during the Second World War

    · 28 min

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by the hosts of two award- winning podcasts. From Canadian History Ehx Craig Baird and from the Webby and Ambies nominated show American History Tellers,…

  4. The Good Allies: Canada and the US in WW2

    · 31 min · S1 E12

    Join David Borys as he interviews renowned historian Tim Cook about how Canada and the United States forged one of history's most important wartime alliances during the Second World War. Together they explore shared…

  5. Announcement: Hostile History and World War Two

    · 0:30

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. The Birth, Death and Rebirth of Captain America

    · 30 min

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by pop culture historian Robert Weiner as they look at how the Second World War birthed one of the world’s most famous superheroes. They explore how the war…

  7. Beyond the Panels: Comic Books and the World Wars

    · 39 min · S1 E11

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian Cord Scott to explore how the world wars became a catalyst for the mass production of comic books. While the First World War saw their introduction…

  8. Commit to the Myth – Nazi War Crimes and the Problem of Guilt

    · 16 min · Bonus

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian and drag queen Karla Marx as they dive deep into the reasons that the myth of the clean Wehrmacht became so powerful in the years after the war.…

  9. Innocent Until Proven Guilty: The Myth of the Clean Wehrmacht

    · 41 min · S1 E10

    How much of the German army’s conduct during the Second World War can really be separated from Nazi Germany’s crimes? In this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian Waitman Beorn to examine one…

  10. Unpacked – Hannah Snell

    · 16 min · Bonus

    The Woman Who Went to War Show Notes: Hannah Snell was an 18th-century English woman who defied every expectation, disguising herself as a man to join the British military. She fought in brutal battles, survived…

  11. Women at War: Europe’s forgotten fighters

    · 46 min

    History remembers the generals, the kings, and the men who marched beneath national flags. But buried are other stories of support systems and networks that included spies, resistance fighters, smugglers, and…

  12. Star Wars:Unpacked – In a Galaxy Not So Far Away

    · 31 min · Bonus

    On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by broadcaster, comic writer, and lifelong Star Wars fan Fred Kennedy to explore how George Lucas's space opera evolved from a simple adventure story into one…

  13. Star Wars and Modern Warfare

    · 51 min · S1 E8

    When George Lucas created Star Wars, he imagined a space fantasy filled with laser swords, galactic empires, and battles between good and evil. But beneath the aliens and starships was something far more grounded and…

  14. Unpacked – Baldwin IV - The Man Behind the Silver Mask

    · 12 min · Bonus

    How closely did Hollywood capture the remarkable life of Baldwin IV, the leper king of Jerusalem? Separating fact from fiction, this exploration examines his leadership, military skill, political challenges, and the…

  15. The Crusades

    · 41 min · S1 E7

    The Crusades are often remembered as a holy war between Christianity and Islam with images of armored knights marching east beneath blood-red crosses, driven by faith, glory, and the promise of salvation. In this…

  16. Unpacked – The Odyssey – From Fable to Film

    · 36 min · Bonus

    Christopher Nolan’s epic film The Odyssey released in July 2026 made much ado about casting and approach to Homer’s epic. In this episode David chats with author and host of the podcast Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby Liv…

  17. Democracy: From the ashes of Athenian wars

    · 43 min · S1 E6

    Democracy is often treated like humanity’s greatest political achievement. A system built on freedom, equality, and the voice of the people. But its origins were anything but peaceful. Democracy was born in chaos,…

  18. Unpacked – The Hitlerian Conspiracies

    · 9:20 · Bonus

    Did Adolf Hitler really die in his Berlin bunker? Explore the enduring conspiracy theories, alleged sightings, Soviet secrecy, and the historical evidence separating fact from fiction surrounding Hitler's death.…

  19. Hitler's DNA

    · 47 min

    For decades, Adolf Hitler sold the world a fantasy of racial purity . A myth so powerful it fueled one of history’s darkest regimes. In this episode, we dive into the strange and controversial story behind Hitler’s…

  20. Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part Four: Axis and Allies

    · 32 min · S1 E4

    In the final part of our series, we follow Iran beyond its borders and examine how the Islamic Republic built a powerful network of allies, militias, and proxy movements across the Middle East. Emerging from the…

  21. Iran: Oil, Power and Protest – Part Three: The Ayatollah’s Iran

    · 42 min · S1 E3

    In Part 3 of our four-part series, we explore what happened after the revolution and how Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini transformed Iran from a monarchy into an Islamic Republic that would reshape politics across the…

  22. Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part Two: The Road to Revolution

    · 34 min · S1 E2

    In Part Two of our four-part series on modern Iran, we move from the oil boom years of the 1970s to the collapse of the Shah’s regime and the birth of the Islamic Republic. Fueled by soaring oil prices, Mohammad Reza…

  23. Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part One: In the Shadow of the Shah.

    · 45 min · S1 E1

    In the first episode of this four part series, we travel back in time to Iran to chart how a modern monarchy which was armed, wealthy, and globally backed lost control with the help of historian Roham Alvandi from the…

  24. Coming Soon

    · 2:25 · Trailer

    Conflict in one form or another has been part of our existence since the dawn of time. Although war has evolved over the centuries, if it feels familiar, it's because it is. Every other week, military historian David…

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