The History Guy

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If you love history, this is the podcast for you! Stories of forgotten history, presented by Josh Geiger with Lance Geiger, The History Guy, from the hit YouTube channel The History Guy: History Deserves to be Remembered. Visit the channel here: www.youtube.com/TheHistoryGuyChannel We believe that history does not have to be boring. At its heart, history is storytelling, and we believe that it should be told with passion and genuine love for the material. History might be tragic, it might be comic, but it is the story of who we are, and we should not be afraid to enjoy that story and be moved by it.

The History Guy


    • Jun 17, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 1h AVG DURATION
    • 110 EPISODES

    4.9 from 150 ratings Listeners of The History Guy that love the show mention: youtube, great, love.


    Ivy Insights

    The The History Guy podcast has been a long-awaited addition to my podcast collection. As someone who has followed their YouTube channel for quite some time, I was thrilled to see that they had now ventured into the world of audio content. The convenience of being able to listen to their great research on-the-go is a game-changer for me.

    One of the best aspects of The History Guy podcast is the quality and depth of research that goes into each episode. Just like their YouTube videos, the podcast provides fascinating historical information on a range of topics. From forgotten battles to obscure inventors, there is always something new and intriguing to learn from The History Guy. The hosts have a knack for storytelling and present the information in an engaging and captivating manner, making it easy to get lost in the episodes.

    Another notable aspect of this podcast is the variety of topics covered. Each episode delves into a different piece of history, ensuring that there is something for everyone. Whether you're interested in military history, technological advancements, or cultural shifts, The History Guy covers it all with meticulous detail and enthusiasm. It's refreshing to have such a diverse range of topics within one podcast.

    However, like any form of media, there are a few aspects that could be improved upon. One potential drawback is the length of each episode. While some listeners may appreciate longer episodes, others may find it difficult to find the time to listen to an hour-long episode in one sitting. It would be beneficial if there were options for shorter episodes or even mini-series within the podcast that could cater to different preferences.

    In conclusion, The History Guy podcast is an exciting addition to the world of historical podcasts. With its well-researched content and diverse range of topics, it has quickly become a favorite among history enthusiasts like myself. While there are areas for improvement such as episode length options, overall, I am thoroughly impressed with this podcast and eagerly await more episodes to come.



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    Latest episodes from The History Guy

    Counterfactuals: Rome and Hannibal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2025 54:57


    On today's episode, we talk about one of the most famous battle in Roman history, when 50,000 Romans were killed in a single day. How would the world be different if that battle went differently?

    Counterfactuals: Task Force 34 and Leyte Gulf

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 68:52


    On today's episode, we talk about one of the largest naval battles in history, Leyte Gulf, and the task group that was never created: Task Force 34. A series of decisions often called mistakes led to one of the most famous underdog fights when the small force called Taffy 3 faced down Japanese battleships in the Battle off Samar. If any of those decisions had gone differently, the world might have taken a different path.

    Counterfactuals: The Great Lisbon Earthquake

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 63:46


    Today we discuss one of the most powerful earthquakes to strike Europe in recorded history, an earthquake which knocked down Lisbon in a single, violent day in 1755. The aftershocks would be felt throughout history, however, as a shocked Europe came to terms with the power of nature. What might have happened if it went a little differently?

    Counterfactuals: The Axumite Empire

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 65:26


    On today's episode, we tackle a forgotten empire that once ruled the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa, and that once ranked with the likes of Persia, China, and Rome. The mighty Aksum declined before 1000 AD - but what might have happened if it all went a bit differently?

    Counterfactuals: The Battle of Tsushima and the 20th Century

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 60:59


    On today's episode we talk about one of the most important naval events in modern history: the pivotal battle of Tsushima, fought during the Russo-Japanese war. The battle was crucial in the rise of Japan as a military and imperial power, setting the stage for huge parts of the 20th century. But what might have happened if it all went different?

    Counterfactuals: What if We Used a Different Calendar?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 61:16


    On today's episode, we talk about Calendars - specificall the Gregorian Calendar, and how and why it became the calendar we all use today. What does the calendar mean to us, and what might it mean if we used a different one?

    Counterfactuals- The White Ship and the Anarchy

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 63:03


    On today's episode, we visit one of the most significant maritime accidents of the middle ages, when William Adelin, grandson of William the Conqueror and the only legitimate male heir to the throne of England, was killed with the sinking of the White Ship in 1120. His death would have dramatic consequences for the European continent and English history. But what if it had all gone differently?

    Counterfactuals: The Forgotten WWII Battle of Thala

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 62:54


    On today's episode, we travel to 1943, and one of the earliest battles American soldiers fought with Nazi Germany, in the mountainous regions of Tunisia. There, the fortuitous arrival of artillery stemmed the tide after German forces broke through American defenses at Kasserine pass. But what might have happened if it all went differently?

    Counterfactuals: A World Without Potatoes

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 64:02


    On today's episode of the History Guy Podcast, we talk about one of the most important parts of the Columbian exchange, and possibly the reason that Europe was able to colonize and dominate much of the world in the early modern period: The Potato.

    Counterfactuals: Viking North America

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2025 72:48


    On today's episode we tackle the counterfactuals of some of the most popular peoples in history: The Vikings. In the tenth century norse colonists began settling in Greenland, where they found surprising success in some far-northern reaches, before making landfall in North America. The settlements had all faded away by the 1400s, but what might have happened if it had all gone differently?

    Counterfactuals: Westward Expansion and Ashley's 100

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2025 67:03


    On this special, 100th episode of The History Guy Podcast, we head back to the 1800s and the beginning of America's expansion into the Rocky Mountains by taking a look at Ashley's 100, a group of trappers, mountain men, and explorers who ventured into the West, helping to define an era and open up the land for settlement. How might things be different if they didn't?

    Counterfactuals: What if there were no Transistors?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 71:41


    On today's episode, we talk about the development of one of some of teh most important communication technologies in history, from the telegraph to the transistor, and what the world might be like if we went without them.

    Counterfactuals: The Dmitriads

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 76:00


    Ivan the Terrible transformed Russia during his rule, but in a fit of insanity, he seems to have killed his eldest son and heir, leaving the future of the realm uncertain. His youngest, Dmitry, died years later under suspicious circumstances. When Ivan's second son, the Tsar Feodor, died without heir, the tsardom faced catstrophe. And into the choas came not one, not two, but at least three people claiming to be Dmitry, who had miraculousy escaped death.  The Time of Troubles, as the Russians called it, was defined in part by a series of wars called the "Dmitriads". But what might have happened if it had gone differently?

    Counterfactuals: 732 - The End of Chrisitian Europe?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 65:14


    On today's episode, we talk about one of the most talked about battles in European History: The 732 battle of Tours. Variously called one of the most important battles in European history or a minor skirmish, the battle had a large impact on the minds of Medieval Europeans. But what might have happened if it had gone different?

    Counterfactuals: A World Without Cats

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 3, 2024 68:44


    On today's episode, we talk about cats. While today they are usually just pets, they played a vital role in the history of civilization. So what might have happened if cats were never domesticated?

    Counterfactuals: The Inca

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 72:38


    On today's episode, we travel to the lofty heights of the Andes, where in the early 1500s Spanish under Francisco Pizarro came across the Inca Empire. The Spanish found the Inca at an opportune time, immediately following the end of a civil war, while wounds were still fresh and tensions ran high, soon culminating in the destruction of the empire. But it was a near thing: and the world could have turned out a lot different if events had gone differently.

    Counterfactuals: Alexandrian India

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 5, 2024 72:09


    On today's episode, we journey back to the fourth century BC on the shores of an Indian river, where an army that had set out from Macedon, more than 3000 miles away had a choice: cross and battle a new Empire and a new army, or turn back home. The ramifications of that decision would be massive. It is history that deserves to be remembered.

    Counterfactuals: 1815 Tambora Eruption

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2024 79:19


    On today's episode, we discuss the impacts of the largest volcanic eruption in human history - the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, which would impact the entire world and bring on a volcanic winter: the so called “year without a summer”.

    Counterfactuals: The Duels of Alexander Hamilton

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2024 72:36


    On today's episode, we talk about the series of events that connect several duels in the life of Alexander Hamilton, and about how the history of the early American republic could have hinged on the choices of a series of prominent men who couldn't keep their guns in their pockets.

    Counterfactuals: Death of a President Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2024 39:26


    Welcome to the second episode of our new take on the podcast: Counterfactuals. This is part 2 of our season opener, talking about what might have happened if a significant president died at a moment where in real life he narrowly escaped death. After talking about Franklin Pierce and Teddy Roosevelt, we turn to the only president who was elected to four terms, who might have been killed before he was inauguarated to his first.

    Counterfactuals: Death of A President Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2024 52:01


    In 1902, Teddy Roosevelt was involved in a carriage accident which nearly killed him. In 1853, President-Elect Franklin Pierce watched hs son die in a train accident mere weeks before his inauguration. But what if those events went differently, and those presidents were killed?What is a counterfactual? In the context of studying history, it is a kind of analysis where we examine what might have happened had historical events gone differently. As a thought experiment, the goal is too learn and understand history as it is by talking about what it could have been.

    Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2024 56:21


    On today's episode the History Guy tells the story of Butch Cassidy and the Sudnance Kid, examining the long history to figure out what we know about the two legendary outlaws, and very often, what we don't.As the History Guy is out of the country for the month of June for Travel with the History Guy in England and Germany, we will be taking a short hiatus on the podcast! If you have any comments, advice, or ideas for the podcast please feel free to email me (Josh) at jgeiger@thehistoryguy.net . We'll be back soon!

    A History of Making the Perfect Smile

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2024 62:31


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories of dental health, examining humanities long relationship with our teeth. First, he tells the story of toothpaste and basic dentistry, and the many ways that dental care has changed. Then he turns to orthodontics, and our centuries-long quest for the perfect smile.

    Episode 87 Civil war Navy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2024 52:55


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories of the forgotten naval war of the American civil war. First, he talks about the CSS Albermarle, and its brief but successful career against the Union navy. Then he tells the story of the Black Terror, one of the most successful union navy ships of the war.

    Modern Marvels: Celluloid and Transistors

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2024 63:48


    On today's episode, The History Guy tells two stories about important inventions that have become part of the foundation of modern life. First he tells the story of celluloid, the material that jumpstarted the plastic revolution. Then he tells the story behind nearly all of our modern electronics: Transistors.

    Hurricanes that Made History

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 58:33


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories of how hurricanes affected history in dramatic ways. First he tells the story of the ill-fortuned 1715 treasure fleet, meant to rescue Spain from economic distress. Then he tells the story of the Samoan Crisis, how the US and European powers threatened to go to war over the tiny islands of Samoa, and the hurricane that determined Samoa's fate.

    Volcanoes: Vesuvius & Tambora

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 62:26


    On Today's episode the history guy tells two stories of volcanic eruptions, and the dramatic ways these eruptions affected human history. First he talks about the lesser known victims of Vesuvius in 79AD, and then he talks about one of the most powerful eruptions in human history, Mount Tambora.

    Movie Stars in WWII

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 64:06


    On today's episode, The History Guy tells three stories of movie stars and their service during World War II. First he tells the story of Hedy Lamarr, the beautiful and brilliant film star who had personal connections to the war and patented an idea that has become the basis for lots of modern technology. Then he tells the stories of Douglas Fairbanks Jr, and Eddie Heimberger, famous men who chose to serve in combat roles and performed significant acts of wartime bravery. Without further ado, let me introduce the History Guy.

    Explorers: Magellan and Bering

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2024 57:31


    On today's episode, The History Guy tells two stories of the age of exploration, and explorers whose names you likely know, but whose stories you might not. First is the story of Ferdinand Magellan, and the ignominious end to his famous expedition. Then the History Guy tells the story of Vitus Bering, a Danish sailor who explored the Russian far east and Alaska.

    New York Engineering: The Secret Subway and Brooklyn Bridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2024 54:27


    On today's episode The History Guy tells two stories of engineering feats in New York City. First he tells the story of Alfred Beech's secret subway, and then he talks about some of the lesser known historical tales of the Brooklyn Bridge.

    The "Proto-Mafia"

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 55:47


    On today's episode the History Guy tells two stories of the early mafia, decades before the mob as we know it formed. First he tells the story of two crime families battling it out in New Orleans, and the police officer who tried to take them down. Then he tells the story of Joseph Petrosino, and his efforts to stop the Black Hand. It is history that deserves to be remembered.

    Stolen Art: The "Just Judges" and Goya's Wellington

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2024 66:55


    On today's episode The History Guy tells two stories of daring and unlikely art heists. First he talks about the Renaissance "Ghent Altarpiece", one of the most stolen works of art in history, and the one theft that was never solved. Then he tells the story of the audacious theft of a portrait of Wellington in England, done in the name of charity.

    Grape Blights and Grasshopper Plagues

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2024 62:00


    On today's episode the History Guy tells two stories of bugs and destruction. First he talks about the great Wine Blight, where pests nearly wiped out the French wine industry. Then he talks about the Rocky Mountain Locust and the plague of 1874.

    Governors Assassinated

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2023 53:01


    Today the History Guy tells two stories of American political assassinations at the turn of the 19th century. First he talks about the only assassination of a sitting US governor. Then he talks about the former governor killed by dynamite. While they happened in different parts of the country, together they illustrate some of the biggest political battles of the time, and the lengths some went to get their way.

    Pearl Harbor: The first Shot and the Aftermath

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2023 65:47


    On today's podcast the History Guy tells two stories surrounding the day that lives in infamy: December 7th. First he tells the story of the first shots fired, and the first ship sunk in the Pacific war. Then he tells the story of what happened afterward, on December 8th.

    Hygiene History: Soap and Semmelweiss

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2023 54:16


    On today's episode the History Guy tells two stories of hygiene history. First he talks about the long history of soap, and then he tells the story of Ignaz Semmelweiss, one of the first doctors to argue that doctors should wash their hands to prevent spreading disease.

    Mad Monarchs: Charles VI and Ludwig II

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2023 61:06


    On today's episode, The History Guy talks about two Mad Monarchs. The first is Charles VI of France, whose mental illness changed the fortunes of France and who was nearly set aflame in the Ball of the Burning Men. The second is Bavarian “Mad” King Ludwig II, whose obsession with fairy tale and opera led him to build one of the most iconic castles in history.

    Ancient Egypt: The Pyramids and the Silver Pharoah

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2023 59:35


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories of Ancient Egypt. First he talks about the far off period of the Old Kingdom, and how the ancient Egyptians transitioned to building the massive monumental pyramids we see today. Then he talks about one of the most astounding forgotten egyptian finds - a fully intact tomb buried beneath the sands in Tanis, that was overshadowed and forgotten by other world-altering events.

    Terror in the Air: TACA 110 and China Airlines 006

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2023 57:40


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories of harrowing passenger plane incidents in the 80s. First he tells the story of TACA 110, where pilots did everything right only to find themselves in an unprecedented hail storm - and that was just the beginning. Then he tells the story of China Flight 006, when a small technical error quickly cascaded into a disaster.

    The P-38 Lightning

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2023 62:06


    On today's episode the History Guy talks about one of the most iconic planes of WWII: The P-38 Lightning. First he tells the unlikely tale of how such a radical design even made it to production, and then he tells the story of possibly the best pilot to ever fly in one: Richard Ira Bong, Ace of Aces.

    New York Riots

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2023 63:58


    On today's episode the History Guy tells the stories of two New York City riots, both of which began over seemingly trivial issues. First he tells the story of the Shakespeare riot, when a disagreement over who played the better Macbeth turned deadly. Then he tells the story of the straw hat riots, when fashion and a particularly warm day ended with thousands of hats smashed on the streets of New York City.

    Forgotten Naval Battles of WWI

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 58:57


    On this episode, the History Guy talks about two forgotten stories of the naval front of the Great War. First, he talks about the first naval battle of the war, which took place on a large lake in east Africa. Then he tells the story of U-156 and the only German attack on the American mainland in WWI - the battle of Orleans.

    "My Name is Aaron Burr"

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2023 71:36


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells two stories about one of the most famous ‘villains' of the early American republic, the much maligned third vice president of the United States, Aaron Burr, and the man whose life he took, Alexander Hamilton.

    What You Didn't Learn in School: Continents and the Seven Seas

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2023 68:45


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells histories that we didn't learn in school. First he tells the history of the term “Continent”, and how our understanding of how many and even what a continent is has changed over time. Then he looks deep into the past to answer an age-old question: why are there seven seas, and which seas are they?

    Weird economics: Tulips and Chickens

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2023 64:32


    Today the History Guy tells two stories of economic history. First he tells the story about Tulip Mania, when beautiful tulips in the Netherlands were worth as much as a house. Then he tells the story of how Queen Victoria's interest in Fancy chickens helped to create the modern chicken industry we know today. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

    The Space Race: Pioneer 10 and Voyager 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2023 60:34


    On today's episode the History Guy tells two stories of the space race and Nasa's efforts to better understand our solar system and the universe. First he tells the story of Pioneer 10, the first spacecraft to pass through the asteroid belt and the first human-made device sent to study the outer solar system up-close. Then he tells the remarkable story of Voyager 2, and the incredible journey it took to examine the furthest planets in our solar system.MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

    The Age of Airships: The Shenandoah and Macon

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2023 59:32


    On today's episode The History Guy tells two stories about the age of American airships. First he tells the story of the first America-built rigid airship, the Shenandoah, from its inception to its tragic end. Then he tells the story of the experimental airship Macon, which hoped to usher in an era of air-based carriers.

    History Behind the Legends

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 67:41


    On today's episode The History Guy tells three stories about the history behind legendary figures. First he tells the story of Bass Reeves, whose incredible life has similarities to the famous fictional lawman The Lone Ranger. Then he takes a look at Lady Godiva, and her famous ride. Finally, he tells the incredible true story behind an American folk hero, Johnny Appleseed. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

    American Foods: Hot Dogs and Ketchup

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2023 61:28


    On today's episode, the History Guy tells the stories of two of America's famous foods: hot dogs and ketchup. First he talks about how a method of food preservation has become a staple at American barbecues, and then he tells the long and winding tale of how ketchup went from being made of fish guts to Heinz 57.MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

    Unbroken: Poland & Norway in WWII

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 58:45


    On today's episode, the history guy tells stories about the contributions of two often forgotten nations that fought with the allies during WWII. First he tells the incredible story of the OrzeĊ‚, a Polish submarine which escaped the Kriegsmarine in the opening days of the war. Then he tells the story of Nortraship, and the vital contributions of Norway's merchant fleet to the war effort.MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

    Two Earthquakes that Altered History

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 59:46


    On today's episode, The History Guy tells two stories of nature's fury in the form of earthquakes. First he talks about the 1693 Sicily Earthquake, which transformed the architecture and culture of the island forever. Then he talks about the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, which in a day devastated a powerful kingdom which never fully recovered.MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, series, and exclusive playlists across the major genres, with particular depth in Ancient History, Modern History, War and Military. Check out their curated history playlist, designed with you in mind. Claim your free month trial at: https://try.magellantv.com/historyguy

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