While history books and Hollywood like their stories in simple black and white, real life is much more complicated. So, what made Major General Butler the ideal candidate to lead a coup? In this week’s episode – against Smedley’s wishes – Ben and Alex dive into the Major General’s dark backstory to explore why the bankers believed he was the man they were looking for.

While history books and Hollywood like their stories in simple black and white, real life is much more complicated. So, what made Major General Butler the ideal candidate to lead a coup? In this week’s episode – against Smedley’s wishes – Ben and Alex dive into the Major General’s dark backstory to explore why the bankers believed he was the man they were looking for.

What would you do if a secret cabal of the nation’s most powerful people asked you to overthrow the President? Weirdly enough – it’s not a hypothetical. It almost happened to FDR in the 1930s, were it not for a very intense, very problematic Marine named Major General Smedley Butler. 



Join Ben Bowlin, Alex French, and a cast of historical characters brought to life by Joe Kinosian for a darkly comedic – and terrifying –​ retelling of one of the weirdest forgotten schemes in American history.

What would you do if a secret cabal of the nation’s most powerful people asked you to overthrow the President? Weirdly enough – it’s not a hypothetical. It almost happened to FDR in the 1930s, were it not for a very intense, very problematic Marine named Major General Smedley Butler. 
 
Join Ben Bowlin, Alex French, and a cast of historical characters brought to life by Joe Kinosian for a darkly comedic – and terrifying –​ retelling of one of the weirdest forgotten schemes in American history.

Let's Start a Coup!

Ep 2 – A Man Most Méchant

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d104ce90-0fc4-4ab5-8b9c-afba0185c77e/transcript

Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan.Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks  life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?

Listen here and subscribe to Escape From Zaqistan on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by robots, Zaqistan nonetheless welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks  life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?
Listen <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-escape-from-zaqistan-235468044/">here</a> and subscribe to Escape From Zaqistan on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

Introducing: Escape From Zaqistan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d266dccf-eeba-4453-b6bb-b230016c8f62/transcript

The Congressional investigation is, surprise, a farce. Those in office – heavily influenced by their powerful donors – seem determined to prevent any genuine attempt at investigating Smedley’s evidence. The press, controlled by the same forces, dismisses his claims as the paranoid ramblings of an old, no longer relevant relic of a bygone age.

Yet the nation is listening. The original gonzo journalist John Spivak digs into the story – and he is able to prove Smedley’s claims. What happens next? 

LINK: http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf

(Page 8 for conspiracy board)

The Congressional investigation is, surprise, a farce. Those in office – heavily influenced by their powerful donors – seem determined to prevent any genuine attempt at investigating Smedley’s evidence. The press, controlled by the same forces, dismisses his claims as the paranoid ramblings of an old, no longer relevant relic of a bygone age.
Yet the nation is listening. The original gonzo journalist John Spivak digs into the story – and he is able to prove Smedley’s claims. What happens next? 
LINK: <a href="http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf">http://coat.ncf.ca/our_magazine/links/53/spivak-NewMasses.pdf</a> 
(Page 8 for conspiracy board)

Ep 6 – The Real Coup

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/15374004-6d15-4e87-8651-afd9001142ba/transcript

As the conspiracy to overthrow the United States government rushes from idea to action, Major General Smedley Butler draws a line in the sand. From what he can tell, the country’s most powerful people have both the money and the political will to betray their own nation. And he knows the plotters' mercenary army could outnumber U.S. forces. Smedley orders a pizza and then blows the whistle, triggering a Congressional investigation.

Yet, it seems, Smedley forgot one important thing: the shadowy forces plotting the coup may have already bought Congress.

As the conspiracy to overthrow the United States government rushes from idea to action, Major General Smedley Butler draws a line in the sand. From what he can tell, the country’s most powerful people have both the money and the political will to betray their own nation. And he knows the plotters' mercenary army could outnumber U.S. forces. Smedley orders a pizza and then blows the whistle, triggering a Congressional investigation.
Yet, it seems, Smedley forgot one important thing: the shadowy forces plotting the coup may have already bought Congress.

Ep 5 – Ham on Half

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/78391693-ab0d-4057-b00d-afcf017009a1/transcript

Ep 2 – A Man Most Méchant

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