Conflicted: A History Podcast

Conflicted: A History Podcast

Untangling history’s greatest controversies. Every month, we take a hard look at the historical conflicts that raise difficult questions, stoke controversy, and send our moral compasses spinning.

Recent Episodes

Feb. 22, 2025

When Justinian Met Theodora – Part 1

From 527 to 565 AD, Emperor Justinian I and his Empress Theodora ruled over the Byzantine Empire in Constantinople. Together, they reshaped the Mediterranean world, weathering political upheaval, wars of conquest, and an out…
Dec. 20, 2024

The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 5: Thank God, They’ve Attacked Us

On December 3rd, 1971, India and Pakistan go to war on two fronts, battling for the future of Bangladesh. In the East, the Indian army races against time, hoping to capture Dacca and force a Pakistani surrender before the Un…
Nov. 2, 2024

The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 4: Casus Belli

As Yahya Khan’s crackdown in East Pakistan sparks a refugee crisis and a guerilla insurgency, the neighboring nation of India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, must decide how to respond. Meanwhile, President Richard Nix…
Oct. 10, 2024

Introducing...BEEF

Join me for a special featured episode of BEEF, a scripted podcast narrated by award-winning host Bridget Todd. This episode tells the story of explorers Sir Richard Burton and Captain John Hanning Speke as they face unimagi…
Sept. 23, 2024

The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 3: A Man Named Blood

On March 25th, 1971, President Yahya Khan launches Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan, a brutal military crackdown intended to snuff out Bengali separatism and restore West Pakistani authority. Meanwhile, an American dip…
July 26, 2024

The 1971 Bangladesh War – Part 2: Bhutto’s Game

In the wake of the deadly Bhola Cyclone, 50 million Pakistanis go to the polls on December 7th, 1970 and cast their votes in a national election, which yields unexpected and destabilizing results. As the emergent factions fi…