Hostile History
Hostile History is a podcast that explores humanity's enduring relationship with conflict, from ancient wars to modern rebellions. Hosted by military historian David Borys, it brings together experts to analyze defining battles and their echoes in today's world. Episodes cover topics like Genghis Khan, the Crusades, Vietnam, and the Iran war, aiming to show how history repeats and reverberates.
Episodes
Dissent in the Barracks: Queer Voices in the GI Underground
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. These underground newspapers, created by service personnel, created rare spaces where queer service members could find community, share experiences, challenge discrimination, and connec
Neighbours not Enemies: The Canadian-American Alliance during the Second World War
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, Lindsay Graham.
Together, they explore how the Second World War became the catalyst for cooperation between Canada and the United States and, in the process, transformed both natio
The Good Allies: Canada and the US in WW2
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 sacrifice, military cooperation, and the partnership that helped reshape North America and the outcome of the global conflict.
Guest: Tim Cook
Contact:
Instagram: @canyonenter
Announcement: Hostile History and World War Two
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The Birth, Death and Rebirth of Captain America
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 provided clear villains for Captain America and his sidekick Bucky in the form of the Axis powers, but in the aftermath of the war, Captain America suddenly found himself on rocky groun
Beyond the Panels: Comic Books and the World Wars
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 as comic strips, the success of these ‘strips’ resulted in a comic book boom in the inter-war period. Superheroes like Batman and Superman were the result, making their de
Commit to the Myth – Nazi War Crimes and the Problem of Guilt
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. The war became both a landscape for righteousness by those who fought against the Nazi’s but also a vehicle by which morality and ideology could be judged and justified. As a post-war
Innocent Until Proven Guilty: The Myth of the Clean Wehrmacht
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 of the most persistent myths surrounding the Second World War: the idea that the German armed forces were largely honourable and professional, while responsibility for Nazi atrociti
Unpacked – Hannah Snell
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 multiple wounds while hiding her identity, and returned home to reveal one of history's most astonishing stories of courage, endurance, and reinvention.
Contact:
Instagram: @canyonentert
Women at War: Europe’s forgotten fighters
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 revolutionaries. Women, who stepped into battle while the world tried to erase them from it.
In this episode, we are joined by Margaret Hunt, emeritus from Uppsala University in Sweden, as
Star Wars:Unpacked – In a Galaxy Not So Far Away
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 of the most influential cultural phenomena in modern history. Along the way, they discuss how the franchise has reflected our world and the generations of fans who have made it their
Star Wars and Modern Warfare
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 shaped by real-world war, political paranoia, insurgencies, and the machinery of modern conflict.
In this episode, we investigate the surprisingly direct connection between Star Wars
Unpacked – Baldwin IV - The Man Behind the Silver Mask
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 dramatic liberties taken by Kingdom of Heaven, revealing the complex and important historical figure behind the cinematic legend.
Contact:
Instagram: @canyonentertainment
Fac
The Crusades
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 episode I’m joined by historian Niall Christie, as we travel back to the Holy Land between the 11th and 13th centuries to try and to help me understand what exactly happened during
Unpacked – The Odyssey – From Fable to Film
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 Albert about one of the oldest surviving works of literature.
Contact:
Instagram: @canyonentertainment
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehi
Democracy: From the ashes of Athenian wars
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, shaped by violence, and war.
In this episode, we travel back with historian Jennifer Roberts from the City College of New York and the City University of New York Graduate Center to anc
Unpacked – The Hitlerian Conspiracies
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.
Contact:
Instagram: @canyonentertainment
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/
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Hitler's DNA
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 DNA. From modern genetic testing and explosive media headlines, we unravel how scientists, journalists, and historians are trying to answer a question that still fascinates the world:
Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part Four: Axis and Allies
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 trauma of the Iran–Iraq War and decades of isolation, Iran’s leadership developed a new strategy for survival: project influence without direct confrontation. Instead of relying solely on
Iran: Oil, Power and Protest – Part Three: The Ayatollah’s Iran
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 Middle East because once the monarchy fell, the battle over Iran’s future had only just begun.
Hostile History is once again joined by historian Roham Alvandi from the London School of
Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part Two: The Road to Revolution
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 Shah Pahlavi appeared stronger than ever. Tehran was transforming into a modern global capital, the military was expanding at breakneck speed, and Iran had become one of America’s mo
Iran: Oil, Power and Protest - Part One: In the Shadow of the Shah.
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 London School of Economics and Political Science.
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Coming Soon
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 Borys is joined by the world's brightest minds to take you inside defining conflicts and rebellions to better understand what's happening today.
Because history doesn't just re
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