What If? | A Lasting Peace at Tilsit

What If? | A Lasting Peace at Tilsit

The raft floated in the midst of the River Niemen. On it were two beautiful pavilions, one for the Emperor of the French and the other for the Czar and Autocrat of All the Russias. In the French tent, Napoleon Bonaparte argued with his foreign minister, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, over how harsh the peace terms with the defeated Russians should be. Talleyrand, a servant of every revolutionary government since 1789, was a snake in silk stockings, but he knew foreign policy better than anyone else in the emperor’s entourage. He begged the emperor to treat Russia gently and put an end to fifteen years of war. But Napoleon, flush with the victory at Friedland earlier that year, was determined to humiliate Alexander I, and Talleyrand, ever the obedient servant in public, fell silent.

What if Napoleon had heeded Talleyrand’s advice in 1807 and treated the Russians with more respect? What would our world look like today if history had taken a different course?

In this series of bonus episodes on “15-Minute History,” Joe and I will be sharing some of our favorite “What If?” scenarios from this series with you. Building on the theme of Season Four, learning from history, we hope to provide some lessons on how individuals shape the destinies of large groups and entire nations.

Episoder(399)

Colt, Gatling, and Browning | A Discussion on Gun Pioneers

Colt, Gatling, and Browning | A Discussion on Gun Pioneers

Join us as we discuss Samuel Colt, Richard Gatling, and John Browning. We talk about their work, their impact on history, and how their names are culturally relevant - beyond the brand - in our world today.

4 Apr 202245min

Colt, Gatling, and Browning | Gun Pioneers

Colt, Gatling, and Browning | Gun Pioneers

Samuel Colt’s name is forever linked to the company he founded and the revolver he called the “Peacemaker.” Born in Connecticut in 1814, he was steeped in America’s gun culture from an early age. His grandfather had served in George Washington’s army, and Samuel inherited an old flintlock pistol from the family hero when he was only six. At the age of fifteen, while working in his father’s textile plant, he built a galvanic cell (basically an early battery) and used it to set off explosives beneath the surface of a nearby pond during the Fourth of July. He continued to experiment with chemicals and combustion—as many young men do—and became fascinated by inventors’ work to create a firearm that could shoot more than bullets before needing to reload. Join us as we teach you about Samuel Colt, Richard Gatling, and John Browning. In this episode you'll learn about their work, their impact on history, and how their names are culturally relevant - beyond the brand - in our world today.

21 Mar 202215min

Che Guevara | A Discussion on the Symbol of Revolution

Che Guevara | A Discussion on the Symbol of Revolution

Join us as we discuss Che Guevara, his life, beliefs, and impact on our world today.

14 Mar 202239min

Che Guevara | Symbol of Revolution

Che Guevara | Symbol of Revolution

Join us as we teach you about Che Guevara, his influence, actions, and the effects of his Marxist beliefs.

7 Mar 202215min

Three Great Generals | A Special Discussion

Three Great Generals | A Special Discussion

Join us in this special episode as we discuss six famous generals, their lives, their methods, and what we can learn from them.

28 Feb 202256min

Joseph Stalin: A Discussion on the Intellectual and Killer

Joseph Stalin: A Discussion on the Intellectual and Killer

Join us as we discuss Joseph Stalin, his life, rise to power, effect on world history, and his insanity.

21 Feb 202253min

Joseph Stalin | Intellectual and Killer

Joseph Stalin | Intellectual and Killer

The great revolutionary's body lay in a red coffin as it wound its way through the streets of Moscow toward the House of Trade Unions. Six men carried it, surrounded by a phalanx of guards, through the gathered throng of mourners—some genuine, others paid. Each hoped to succeed Vladimir Lenin as leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, but only one could, and did. The mustachioed man known to his friends as "Koba" who had spent decades fighting to bring communism to his homeland was now General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and he held in his hands the keys to ultimate power in the world's largest state. His rivals, especially Lenin's closest ally Leon Trotsky, were already plotting against him, but the general secretary controlled the Party's political apparatus and had the support of leaders across the country. When Lenin was laid to rest, three men formed an uneasy alliance, a troika, to rule collectively, but Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was determined to rule alone. Join us as we teach you about Joseph Stalin, his life, rise to power, and his lasting effect on our world today.

14 Feb 202222min

Alexander the Great | A Discussion on the Conqueror of the World

Alexander the Great | A Discussion on the Conqueror of the World

Join us as we discuss Alexander the Great and how he became the ruler of the known world (with some Star Trek references).

7 Feb 202235min

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