Key Battles of American History

Tired of selling war bonds, Basilone requests a combat assignment and is transferred to the 5th Marine Division where he trains Marines for combat as a gunnery sergeant. He meets and marries Lena Riggi. Basilone lands at Iwo Jima, but is killed in action on the first day. Join Sean and James as they discuss this gut-wrenching episode.

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The American Navy was birthed in the Barbary Wars. Sure, there was a token navy in the Revolutionary War, but battles were mostly won in that war by American privateers (or, if you were British, pirates). To understand where the U.S. Navy came from, we need to take a step back and look at the stake of naval warfare in the 18th century.

The early American Navy resembled the British Navy in its use of British ship designs, naval tactics, and organizational structures, largely inherited from the colonial period when the colonies relied on British maritime power. Many American naval officers had British training or were influenced by British traditions, such as ship discipline, officer ranks, and the use of frigates for protecting trade routes.

However, the U.S. Navy was different in its focus and scale. While the British Navy was a vast global force designed for empire-building and large-scale warfare, the early American Navy was smaller and more focused on defending American merchant ships, often relying on nimble frigates rather than large ships-of-the-line. Additionally, the U.S. Navy operated with a more democratic ethos, as naval officers in America were often more accountable to elected officials, reflecting the values of the new republic.

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In this episode, Sean and James discuss Part 5 of The Pacific, in which Eugene Sledge goes into combat for the first time. Sledge is briefly reunited with Phillips on Pavuvu before Phillips departs to return home to Mobile. Sledge meets Merriell "Snafu" Shelton, R.V. Burgin, Bill Leyden, Gunny Haney, and his company commander Andy Haldane, all of whom will be his companions in the fighting come. Later, the 1st Marine Division lands at Peleliu, where they encounter stiff resistance from the Japanese defenders.

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In this final episode of our series on the Barbary Wars, we look at the fates of the Barbary States. After 1815, the Barbary States lost their independence, with Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, and Morocco succumbing to European powers through military defeats and colonization, culminating in French and Spanish protectorates by the 19th century. We also look at how the Barbary Wars placed the United States on a pathway to global naval hegemony.

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In this episode, Dave and James discuss the second episode of HBO’s The Pacific. This episode deals primarily with the Battle of Henderson Field, especially Sgt. John Basilone’s role in the battle. Basilone and the Seventh Marines land on Guadalcanal to bolster the defenses around Henderson Field. During the Japanese attack on the Marine perimeter, Basilone, attempting to relocate his machine gun to a better position, bare-handedly cradles the hot barrel and severely burns his arms. Despite this, he continues fighting and kills scores of Japanese troops. Later, Basilone is awarded the Medal of Honor for his conduct during the battle.

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