In this episode, Sean and James continue their discussion and review of The Pacific. In this episode, Sledge and the 5th Marines move into Peleliu's Bloody Nose Ridge to face the Japanese. In the ensuing battle, both Lieutenant "Hillbilly" Jones and Captain Andrew "Ack-Ack" Haldane are killed in the fighting about Hill 140. K company grieves while trying to finish securing the island.

In this episode, Sean and James continue their discussion and review of The Pacific. In this episode, Sledge and the 5th Marines move into Peleliu's Bloody Nose Ridge to face the Japanese. In the ensuing battle, both Lieutenant "Hillbilly" Jones and Captain Andrew "Ack-Ack" Haldane are killed in the fighting about Hill 140. K company grieves while trying to finish securing the island.

War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present.  Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower.  Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars.  James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX.  He has published one book and two scholarly articles.  He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts.

War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present.  Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower.  Understanding...

Key Battles of American History

War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present. Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars. James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX. He has published one book and two scholarly articles. He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts.

War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present. Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars. James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX. He has published one book and two scholarly articles. He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts.

The Pacific Episode 7

The 1807 Treaty with Tripoli ended the First Barbary War, allowing American ships to sail freely in the Mediterranean without tribute payments. This victory spurred national pride, with many Americans viewing the war as a continuation of their revolutionary ideals. However, new challenges emerged in the Atlantic as the Napoleonic Wars intensified, pressuring U.S. trade. Jefferson's attempt to protect American neutrality through an embargo on Britain and France faced domestic resistance and ultimately proved ineffective. Tensions boiled over with the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, where a British warship attacked the U.S. Chesapeake, pushing the nations closer to conflict.

In the Mediterranean, American withdrawals left U.S. ships vulnerable, leading to renewed pirate attacks that forced the U.S. to resume tribute payments. Jefferson's preference for a small, defensive fleet backfired, and America soon found itself unable to protect its Mediterranean interests. By 1812, escalating disputes with Britain led the U.S. to declare war, hoping British preoccupation with France would offer an advantage. American victories, particularly the USS Constitution's successes and the Battle of New Orleans, bolstered U.S. morale. The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 without territorial gains, but American resilience was solidified, and the British eventually ceased impressing American sailors.

The 1807 Treaty with Tripoli ended the First Barbary War, allowing American ships to sail freely in the Mediterranean without tribute payments. This victory spurred national pride, with many Americans viewing the war as a continuation of their revolutionary ideals. However, new challenges emerged in the Atlantic as the Napoleonic Wars intensified, pressuring U.S. trade. Jefferson's attempt to protect American neutrality through an embargo on Britain and France faced domestic resistance and ultimately proved ineffective. Tensions boiled over with the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, where a British warship attacked the U.S. Chesapeake, pushing the nations closer to conflict.
In the Mediterranean, American withdrawals left U.S. ships vulnerable, leading to renewed pirate attacks that forced the U.S. to resume tribute payments. Jefferson's preference for a small, defensive fleet backfired, and America soon found itself unable to protect its Mediterranean interests. By 1812, escalating disputes with Britain led the U.S. to declare war, hoping British preoccupation with France would offer an advantage. American victories, particularly the USS Constitution's successes and the Battle of New Orleans, bolstered U.S. morale. The Treaty of Ghent ended the War of 1812 without territorial gains, but American resilience was solidified, and the British eventually ceased impressing American sailors.

Key Battles of the Barbary War, Episode 7:  An Uneasy Peace -- The Interbellum Period and the War of 1812

Sustaining heavy losses and fighting in exceedingly hot conditions with little drinkable water, the Marines move to capture Peleliu's vital airfield. Leckie is wounded by a blast concussion while trying to find a corpsman and a radio. With a face full of shrapnel and limited mobility, he is evacuated and sent to recuperate on a hospital ship. Meanwhile, Sledge and K Company of the 5th Marines prepare to attack the toughest Japanese defensive position on the island.  Join Sean and James as they discuss this incredibly intense sixth episode of The Pacific.

Sustaining heavy losses and fighting in exceedingly hot conditions with little drinkable water, the Marines move to capture Peleliu's vital airfield. Leckie is wounded by a blast concussion while trying to find a corpsman and a radio. With a face full of shrapnel and limited mobility, he is evacuated and sent to recuperate on a hospital ship. Meanwhile, Sledge and K Company of the 5th Marines prepare to attack the toughest Japanese defensive position on the island.  Join Sean and James as they discuss this incredibly intense sixth episode of The Pacific.

The Pacific Episode 6

In Episode 6, we dive into two pivotal battles in the First Barbary War: Tripoli and Derne. It starts with  Stephen Decatur's dramatic assault on Tripoli Harbor in August 1804, where he led American gunboats against a larger Tripolitanian fleet, avenging his brother's death in single combat and shelling the city. Commodore Preble's daring attempts to destroy Tripoli's defenses are followed by the tragic loss of the USS Intrepid crew. 

We then move to William Eaton’s ambitious overland march with a small band of Marines and mercenaries across the Libyan desert to Derne. Facing hunger, mutiny, and harsh terrain, Eaton's force managed to surprise Derne’s defenders, capturing the city in America’s first coordinated land-sea assault. Despite Eaton’s victory, peace talks led by Tobias Lear overshadowed Eaton’s campaign, forcing a strategic withdrawal that left Hamet Karamanli, Eaton’s ally, without power. Eaton returned home as a hero, but haunted by the treaty’s outcome. This episode captures the challenges of America’s first overseas conflict and the complicated peace that followed. 

In Episode 6, we dive into two pivotal battles in the First Barbary War: Tripoli and Derne. It starts with  Stephen Decatur's dramatic assault on Tripoli Harbor in August 1804, where he led American gunboats against a larger Tripolitanian fleet, avenging his brother's death in single combat and shelling the city. Commodore Preble's daring attempts to destroy Tripoli's defenses are followed by the tragic loss of the USS Intrepid crew. 
We then move to William Eaton’s ambitious overland march with a small band of Marines and mercenaries across the Libyan desert to Derne. Facing hunger, mutiny, and harsh terrain, Eaton's force managed to surprise Derne’s defenders, capturing the city in America’s first coordinated land-sea assault. Despite Eaton’s victory, peace talks led by Tobias Lear overshadowed Eaton’s campaign, forcing a strategic withdrawal that left Hamet Karamanli, Eaton’s ally, without power. Eaton returned home as a hero, but haunted by the treaty’s outcome. This episode captures the challenges of America’s first overseas conflict and the complicated peace that followed.

The Pacific Episode 7

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