History

History's Devils

by James Crossland

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Latest episodes

At War With Mankind: The True Story of the Murderous Harp Brothers

October 20, 2026 · 57 min

In this week’s episode, James Crossland is joined by Katherine Grandjean (author of Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution) the explore the story of Micajah “Big Harp” and Wiley “Little Harp,” two…
The USS Indianapolis Disaster, Pt.2 - How The US Navy Sent 800 Sailors to their Deaths and Scapegoated a Captain

October 14, 2026 · 44 min

The second part of History’s Devils’ investigation into the sinking of USS Indianapolis examines why more than 800 sailors were left in the Pacific for four days after the Japanese submarine I-58 torpedoed the cruiser in July 1945. James…
The USS Indianapolis Disaster, Pt.1 - A Secret Mission, A Submarine and the Worst Shark Attack in History

October 13, 2026 · 41 min

In the final weeks of the Second World War, the USS Indianapolis secretly transported components for the "Little Boy" atomic bomb from San Francisco to Tinian Island, for assembly ahead of it being dropped over Hiroshima. After completing…
Jim Bakker Part 2: From Selling Apocalypse to Grifting COVID

October 6, 2026 · 1 hr 7 min

In episode two, James and Jayne discuss how Jim Bakker's evangelical empire reaches its peak in the 1980s with the PTL network and Heritage USA, but reckless spending, fraudulent fundraising and the sexual assault of Jessica Hahn expose…
Jim Bakker Part 1: The Rise of America's Most Shameless TV Evangelist

October 6, 2026 · 53 min

In part one of this week’s episode, James Crossland and Jayne Friend examine the foremost religious grifter of his age – Jim Bakker, and his marriage to the charismatic Tammy Faye Messner, who together created a TV partnership that would…

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Heroes of the Old West? The Dark Side of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday

September 29, 2026 · 48 min

Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday are remembered as legendary lawmen and gunfighters of the American Old West, but their real lives were far more complicated than the heroic images created by films such as Tombstone? In this week's episode of…
Gavrilo Princip Part 2: The Most Consequential Assassination in History?

September 22, 2026 · 1 hr 0 min

In episode two of our examination of Gavrilo Princip, Tim Wilson is back to help James piece together the events leading up to the fateful summer afternoon in Sarajevo in 1914, when Princip and his conspirators attacked Franz Ferdinand…
Gavrilo Princip Part 1: The Making of the Most Important Assassin in History

September 22, 2026 · 45 min

Can a single bullet change history? This episode examines Gavrilo Princip’s path from Pan-Slavic radical to the assassin who on June 28, 1914, murdered Archduke Franz Ferdinand, providing the catalyst for the First World War. Joined by…
Calculating Crusader or Bloody-Minded Bandit? Reynald de Châtillon and the Fall of Jerusalem

September 15, 2026 · 1 hr 12 min

This week, James Crossland is joined by Nicholas Morton (Author of The Crusader Storm: A Global History of the Wars for the Middle East) to discuss the life and times of the most notorious crusader of his age, Reynald de Châtillon. From…
Claus von Stauffenberg and the Plot to Kill Hitler: The German Resistance Reconsidered

September 8, 2026 · 1 hr 15 min

On this week’s episode of History’s Devils, we’re asking a difficult question – how do you find the devil in a hero? We’re talking about Claus von Stauffenberg, the man who on 20 July 1944, tried to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Sounds like a…
Timothy McVeigh Part 2: The Oklahoma City Bombing and the Re-Shaping of America's Far-Right

September 1, 2026 · 46 min

In part two of the Timothy McVeigh episode, James is joined once again by Craig Johnson, host of 15 Minutes of Fascism, to explain how the Oklahoma City bombing was planned and executed. James and Craig also break down the means by which…
Timothy McVeigh Part 1: From Gun-Loving Loner to America's Most Notorious Terrorist

September 1, 2026 · 52 min

This week's episodes explores how Timothy McVeigh became the Oklahoma City bomber, tracing his path from disillusioned Gulf War veteran to the deadliest domestic terrorist in American history, while examining the far-right movements…

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About the show

What makes someone evil? HISTORY'S DEVILS is a weekly deep-dive podcast that investigates the world's most infamous historical figures. Each episode explores the life, actions, and legacy of a terrible person from history, sorting through myths to examine the facts behind their reputation and to judge just how wicked they truly were. Hosted by Professor James Crossland, HISTORY'S DEVILS covers dictators, tyrants, war criminals, cult leaders, revolutionaries, con-artists, conspiracy theorists and just plain terrible people, combining deep research with compelling storytelling to reveal the darker side of human history. A show for fans of dark history, historical biographies and in-depth explorations of people who changed the world for better - or for worse. All the devils are here. And we are ready to tell their stories.