Who knows? Not me. Why wasn't Kyoto destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II? Rumor has it, the Secretary of War at the time, Henry Stimson, had fallen in love with the city during his honeymoon years earlier. But is this a STORY or REALITY?  

To get some answers, Bob calls up historian Alex Wellerstein. 

Was Kyoto spared because of military strategy? Political calculations? Or the personal intervention of Stimson? And if Kyoto was spared, which city took its place? 

It's a fascinating story about war, power, culture, and one of the most consequential decisions in American history.

Guest: Alex Wellerstein, historian of science at Stevens Institute of Technology and author of The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for the Atomic Age.

 

Who knows? Not me. Why wasn't Kyoto destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II? Rumor has it, the Secretary of War at the time, Henry Stimson, had fallen in love with the city during his honeymoon years earlier. But is this a STORY or REALITY?&nbsp;&nbsp;
To get some answers, Bob calls up historian Alex Wellerstein.&nbsp;
Was Kyoto spared because of military strategy? Political calculations? Or the personal intervention of Stimson? And if Kyoto was spared, which city took its place?&nbsp;
It's a fascinating story about war, power, culture, and one of the most consequential decisions in American history.
Guest: Alex Wellerstein, historian of science at Stevens Institute of Technology and author of <a href="https://alexwellerstein.com/writing/books/the-most-awful-responsibility/">The Most Awful Responsibility: Truman and the Secret Struggle for the Atomic Age.</a>
&nbsp;

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history — from the Revolutionary War to rock & roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

Bob Crawford searches for the best historians and experts to answer listener questions about American history &mdash; from the Revolutionary War to rock &amp; roll feuds. Got a question? Send it to AmericanHistoryHotline@gmail.com.

American History Hotline

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts. 

Listen to this collection of top episodes from iHeartRadio and iHeartPodcasts.&nbsp;

Podcasts from iHeartRadio

American History Hotline with Bob Crawford

The Man Who Saved Kyoto? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6e676833-b060-4b1b-bc40-b46b0120e2a8/transcript

In Part 2 of our Amelia Earhart series, Bob examines one of the most controversial and fascinating theories surrounding aviation's greatest mystery.

Last week, former Smithsonian curator Dorothy Cochrane argued that Amelia Earhart likely crashed into the Pacific Ocean after failing to locate tiny Howland Island. This week, Earhart expert Ric Gillespie, shares his theory. 

Drawing on decades of research, radio logs, navigation records, and expeditions to the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro, he argues that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan may have successfully landed after becoming lost—and that Earhart may have survived for weeks as a castaway.

In this episode:

• The communication failures that doomed the flight
• Why Earhart may never have found Howland Island
• The mysterious radio signals reported after her disappearance
• Evidence linking Earhart to Nikumaroro Island
• Why researchers still debate what happened in July 1937

Nearly ninety years later, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart remains one of history's most enduring mysteries. Could the answer have been hiding in plain sight all along?

Listen now and decide for yourself.

In Part 2 of our Amelia Earhart series, Bob examines one of the most controversial and fascinating theories surrounding aviation's greatest mystery.
Last week, former Smithsonian curator Dorothy Cochrane argued that Amelia Earhart likely crashed into the Pacific Ocean after failing to locate tiny Howland Island. This week, Earhart expert&nbsp;Ric Gillespie, shares his theory.&nbsp;
Drawing on decades of research, radio logs, navigation records, and expeditions to the remote Pacific island of Nikumaroro, he argues that Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan may have successfully landed after becoming lost&mdash;and that Earhart may have survived for weeks as a castaway.
In this episode:
&bull; The communication failures that doomed the flight &bull; Why Earhart may never have found Howland Island &bull; The mysterious radio signals reported after her disappearance &bull; Evidence linking Earhart to Nikumaroro Island &bull; Why researchers still debate what happened in July 1937
Nearly ninety years later, the disappearance of Amelia Earhart remains one of history's most enduring mysteries. Could the answer have been hiding in plain sight all along?
Listen now and decide for yourself.

Did Amelia Earhart survive her disappearance? (Part 2)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/caa25ddc-2cf6-479e-a9ae-b47301033d9c/transcript

Are we close to finding out what happened to Amelia Earhart? Some experts say "yes!" 

Nearly 90 years after her disappearance, researchers believe they are are getting closer to solving one of the world's greatest mysteries. But, what do they think happened? 

In Part 1 of this special two-part episode, Bob calls up aviation historian Dorothy Cochrane to explore the remarkable life and career of Amelia Earhart before her disappearance in 1937.

How did Earhart become the most famous female aviator in the world? What made her transatlantic flights so groundbreaking? And how did her ambitious attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world set the stage for one of history's biggest mysteries?

Dorothy takes us through Earhart's rise to fame, her record-breaking flights, her partnership with navigator Fred Noonan, and the challenges of planning a round-the-world journey in the early days of aviation.

We'll also hear what Dorothy thinks happened to Earhart ... and why we haven't found the truth yet. 

In this episode:

• How Amelia Earhart first fell in love with flying
• The flight that made her an international celebrity
• Why she insisted on proving herself as a pilot
• The ambitious around-the-world flight of 1937
• The communication problems that may have sealed her fate

Next week in Part 2, Ric Gillespie of TIGHAR explains his theory surrounding Earhart's disappearance and explains why he thinks she was marooned on a deserted island. 

If you've ever wondered what really happened to Amelia Earhart, this is where the story begins!

Are we close to finding out what happened to Amelia Earhart? Some experts say "yes!"&nbsp;
Nearly 90 years after her disappearance, researchers believe they are are getting closer to solving one of the world's greatest mysteries. But, what do they think happened?&nbsp;
In Part 1 of this special two-part episode,&nbsp;Bob calls up aviation historian Dorothy Cochrane to explore the remarkable life and career of Amelia Earhart before her disappearance in 1937.
How did Earhart become the most famous female aviator in the world? What made her transatlantic flights so groundbreaking? And how did her ambitious attempt to become the first woman to fly around the world set the stage for one of history's biggest mysteries?
Dorothy takes us through Earhart's rise to fame, her record-breaking flights, her partnership with navigator Fred Noonan, and the challenges of planning a round-the-world journey in the early days of aviation.
We'll also hear what Dorothy thinks happened to Earhart ... and why we haven't found the truth yet.&nbsp;
In this episode:
&bull; How Amelia Earhart first fell in love with flying &bull; The flight that made her an international celebrity &bull; Why she insisted on proving herself as a pilot &bull; The ambitious around-the-world flight of 1937 &bull; The communication problems that may have sealed her fate
Next week in Part 2, Ric Gillespie of TIGHAR explains his theory surrounding Earhart's disappearance and explains why he thinks she was marooned on a deserted island.&nbsp;
If you've ever wondered what really happened to Amelia Earhart, this is where the story begins!

What Happened to Amelia Earhart? Inside the World's Greatest Aviation Mystery (Part 1)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/23a9421f-3877-47d0-9b12-b47300f988ef/transcript

How much should Americans know about the health of their president?

From secret illnesses and hidden disabilities to modern debates over transparency, the health of the commander in chief has long been a subject of controversy. But where should we draw the line between medical privacy and the public's right to know?

In this episode, Bob calls up presidential historian Barbara A. Perry to explore how presidents and their administrations have handled serious health issues throughout American history.

You'll hear the remarkable story of Woodrow Wilson's debilitating stroke. The hidden realities of Franklin D. Roosevelt's declining health during World War II. John F. Kennedy's secret medical conditions. Questions surrounding Ronald Reagan's later years. And the ongoing public debates about the health of Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

When a president's health affects the nation, how much information should be public? And what can history teach us about the consequences of secrecy?

Guest: Barbara A. Perry, author of the book Reconcilable Differences: The Unlikely Political Alliance of John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt

How much should Americans know about the health of their president?
From secret illnesses and hidden disabilities to modern debates over transparency, the health of the commander in chief has long been a subject of controversy. But where should we draw the line between medical privacy and the public's right to know?
In this episode, Bob calls up presidential historian Barbara A. Perry to explore how presidents and their administrations have handled serious health issues throughout American history.
You'll hear the remarkable story of Woodrow Wilson's debilitating stroke. The hidden realities of Franklin D. Roosevelt's declining health during World War II. John F. Kennedy's secret medical conditions. Questions surrounding Ronald Reagan's later years. And the ongoing public debates about the health of Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
When a president's health affects the nation, how much information should be public? And what can history teach us about the consequences of secrecy?
Guest: <a href="https://millercenter.org/experts/barbara-perry">Barbara A. Perry</a>, author of the book <a href="https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/10228/">Reconcilable Differences:&nbsp;The Unlikely Political Alliance of John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt</a>

Do Americans Have a Right to Know the President's Health?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b87e6112-6f4d-4499-9133-b46b0145fbba/transcript

The Man Who Saved Kyoto?

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