Have you ever wondered about Lunar New Year? Roughly 1.5 billion people celebrate it annually! This episode covers the very basics of the holiday to give us a little more understanding and clarity on this important holiday. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on ...
Jan 18, 2023•13 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of Iran from 1980 to 2022. What are the rights given to women in Iran? How is the government set up? What happened during the Iran-Iraq War? Why is the Iran Nuclear Deal so controversial? How do Iranians express discontent with the government, and what happens when they do? What is life like in Iran today and what are some of the current issues Iranians are facing? We will learn the answers to these questions and more in this episode. *Note: I simplify the Iran Nu...
Oct 26, 2022•43 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of Iran from 1950s through the 1979/1980 Revolution. How did Iran change under the rule of Mohammed Reza Shah? Who is Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and how did he change Iran? What happened during the Revolution in Iran in 1978 to 1979, and how did Iran become an Islamic Republic? How did this change the lives of Iranians? What is the Iranian Hostage Crisis and how did it end? We will learn the answers to these questions and more in this episode. *Note: I make an er...
Oct 26, 2022•44 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of Iran from the late 1800s to mid-1950s. What is the difference between Persia and Iran? What is a shah? Who were the major leaders from the late 1800s until 1953? When was oil discovered in Iran? How did the British and Russians influence Iran? Who was Mohammed Mossadegh and how did he affect the Iran we know today? We will learn the answers to these questions and more in this episode. *Correction: When discussing the AIOC (Anglo Iranian Oil Company)'s revenue, ...
Oct 26, 2022•45 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the the 1990s to present day (2022). What was life like in North Korea during the 1990s for the average person? How do people defect from North Korea and where do they go? How did the current leader, Kim Jong-Un rise to power? How does North Korea’s nuclear weapons program affect the future of the international community? We will learn the answers to these questions in this episode. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Vis...
Jun 15, 2022•39 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the the 1950s to 1990s. What kind of lifestyle have the Kim leaders lived, and how do they pull it off? How did North Korea do economically after the Korean War? What is the Songbun caste system and how did it affect all lives in North Korea? What is Juche and why did Kim Il Sung believe in it? Why did the economy collapse in the late 1980s? How did widespread famine affect nearly every person in North Korea? We learn the answers to these quest...
Jun 15, 2022•37 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast A concise, foundational history of North Korea from the early 1900s to mid-1950s. What was the Korean peninsula like before it split into two countries? How did Japan rule Korea from 1910 to 1945? How do many Koreans feel about Japan as a result? How did Korea become divided, and how did the United States and the Soviet Union play into that? What happened during the Korean War? Who is Kim Il-Sung and how did he create a personality cult that’s still alive in North Korea today? We learn the answe...
Jun 15, 2022•33 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast How do some Taiwanese feel about reunifying with China? Do they live in fear of an invasion? What is filial piety and how does it affect the young people of Taiwan today? What is it like to get an education in Taiwan? How do Taiwanese treat outsiders? Today I have two guests living in Taiwan answering all these questions and more. Thank you to my friends Jessica Lu and Cassia (last name withheld) for their insights and perspectives. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visi...
Jun 01, 2022•36 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast A brief, concise history of Taiwan from 1970 to 2022. This episode covers: Chinese/Taiwanese/US relations from 1970 to 2022 The end of martial law and transition to a multi-party democratic system The transfer of power from a mainlander (Chiang Ching-kuo) to a native islander (Lee Teng-hui) The first free elections and subsequent back and forth between KMT and DPP parties The future of Taiwan—possibilities and concerns + more Notes: - I make the mistake a time or two of calling the "Republic of ...
May 18, 2022•44 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast A brief, concise history of Taiwan from the late 1800s to 1970. This episode covers: Colonial rule in Taiwan (Portuguese & Dutch, Chinese, Japanese... etc) Sub-ethnicities within the Taiwanese people — Native Indigenous (many tribes), Hokkien, Hakka, and mainlander Japanese rule of Taiwan from 1895 to 1945. Post-WII change from Japanese rule back to Chinese rule 228 Incident in 1947 KMT exile to the island of Taiwan and the repercussions, White Terror Relations with US, China, and Taiwan + more ...
May 18, 2022•46 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast A brief, concise history of China from 1972 to 2022. Deng Xiaoping leadership, Four Modernizations Economic reform, Special Economic Zones Tiananmen Square, 1989 Hong Kong returns to China 90s - 2010s general basics 2014 Umbrella Revolution Uyghur Genocide Censorship Chinese militarization of man made islands, military potential Disappearances Chinese yuan + more Note: I pronounced the Chinese currency "yuan" incorrectly. It is supposed to be pronounced something like "you-en". Additional Learni...
Mar 31, 2022•43 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast A brief, concise history of China from 1949 to 1976. Covers: First steps of CCP/Mao Zedong consolidating power in PRC Purges Great Leap Forward (Mao’s Great Famine) Cultural Revolution (Red guards, little red book, propaganda, violence, Cult of Mao) Mao Zedong leadership, legacy, opinions Beginning of Deng Xiaoping leadership A transcript for this episode is found here. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and ed...
Mar 31, 2022•41 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast A brief, concise history of China from the 1850s to 1949. Covers: Qing Dynasty Opium Wars / Relationships with Western nations in late 1800s-early 1900s Sino-Japanese Wars Establishment of ROC (Republic of China), Sun Yat-sen, Nationalist Party, Chiang Kai-shek WWI, Warlord Era, WWII Rise of CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Mao Zedong, Long March Civil War between Nationalist & Communists Nationalists leave for Taiwan PRC (People’s Republic of China) born, 1949 A Transcript of this episode is found...
Mar 31, 2022•38 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is a very concise and basic review of Ukraine’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers the late 1800s to 1945, and Part 2 covers 1945 - early 2022. In the U.S., we aren’t taught much at all about Eastern European countries, like Ukraine, in school. They are largely mysteries. My hope is that these episodes change that. A transcript for this episode can be found here. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fant...
Mar 09, 2022•30 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is a very concise and basic review of Ukraine’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers the late 1800s to 1945, and Part 2 covers 1945 - early 2022. In the U.S., we aren’t taught much at all about Eastern European countries, like Ukraine, in school. They are largely mysteries. My hope is that these episodes change that. A transcript for this episode is found here. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantasti...
Mar 09, 2022•39 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is a VERY concise and basic review of Russia’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers pre-1917 to 1949, and Part 2 covers 1949 - early 2022. Albert Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” I am no genius, but I definitely tried to do the genius thing here. It was a challenge, for sure. Obviously, I leave a LOT out and I gloss over tons of things we could spend days and weeks learning about. But I did my best to share historical ...
Mar 01, 2022•28 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast This episode is a very concise and basic review of Russia’s history in the past 100-ish years: Part 1 covers pre-1917 to 1949, and Part 2 covers 1949 - early 2022. Albert Einstein said, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” I am no genius, but I definitely tried to do the genius thing here. It was a challenge, for sure. Obviously, I leave a LOT out and I gloss over tons of things we could spend days and weeks learning about. But I did my best to share historical ...
Mar 01, 2022•25 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Why do we need to know about countries, culture, governments, economies different from our own? In this episode I give you four reasons for why having a regular diet of world material in your life benefits not just you, but everyone. *CORRECTION: At the end of this episode, I say I will launch in Season 1 on the Middle East in Episode 3. This did not happen—I pivoted according to the needs of the time. The transcript for this episode. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Vi...
Feb 25, 2022•20 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Everything you need to know about the podcast! How it came to be, how episodes will work, and what you need to know before you start listening. *Correction: I never did go with a seasonal approach. I ended up pivoting with the current events of the day! This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit airwavemedia.com to learn about other fantastic history and education-centric shows that are created for curious, thoughtful people. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if y...
Feb 25, 2022•20 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast