Dictators

Introducing American Terror | EP1: Infiltrated

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Get an inside look at far-right extremism and domestic terror groups. From Gimlet and VICE News, American Terror follows reporter Ben Makuch as he investigates the ideologies and inside workings of hate groups in America. Listen to the first episode right here, then follow American Terror to catch the rest of this eight-episode series.

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Thanksgiving Special: Just Add Arsenic

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Over the ages, arsenic has had many lives — beauty fad, household product, medical prescription… and weapon of choice wielded by killers everywhere from Alabama to ancient Rome. Brine your turkey, knead your dough, and listen to our Thanksgiving Special on the regime-changing, assassination-aiding King of Poisons.

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Famous Revolutionaries: Maximilien Robespierre Pt. 2

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:01:00 -0000

In 1791, France adopted a new constitution, placing power in the hands of the people. Robespierre’s job was done... or so he thought. War was coming, and with it, the growing threat of enemies both internal and external. In his quest to squash the counter-revolution, Robespierre plunges the country into the merciless and bloody Reign of Terror.

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Famous Revolutionaries: Maximilien Robespierre Pt. 1

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 07:01:00 -0000

He entered the Age of Enlightenment as a young, well-educated student who saw the French nobility and clergy as corrupt — and society as ripe for an overhaul. As France plunged into crisis after crisis, Robespierre transformed from idealistic lawyer… to agitator for revolution.

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Unsolved Murders: The Death of King Tut Pt. 2

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Since the 1920s, many archaeologists have examined the mummified remains of King Tut. But one Egyptologist believes that King Tut’s murder shouldn’t be solved by examining his body but by exploring what happened in Egypt after he died. This episode originally aired on Unsolved Murders.

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Unsolved Murders: The Death of King Tut Pt. 1

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Before becoming the world’s most famous mummy, King Tut was a teenage pharoah coming out of his father’s shadow. When he suddenly died at age 19, it sent shockwaves through his empire. But it wasn’t until the 1920s that a new theory came into play: King Tut was murdered. This episode originally aired on Unsolved Murders.

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Conquistadors: Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Pt. 2

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Still harboring an unquenchable thirst for gold, Coronado takes his expedition north from Mexico on a wild goose chase through “Tierra Nueva.” They unleash their brutality on indigenous villages. But ultimately all Coronado will have to show for it is a single piece of copper, and the bitter resentment of his countrymen.

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Conquistadors: Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Pt. 1

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 07:01:00 -0000

In 1535, the second son of a wealthy Spanish family sailed to Mexico and married into a wealthy estate. But he wanted more. He wanted fame. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado raises himself out of obscurity to become one of the most powerful men in the region. Then sets out in pursuit of the rumored Seven Cities of Gold.

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Conquistadors: Pedro de Alvarado

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 07:01:00 -0000

He was one of the most ruthless conquistadors of the era, epitomizing the unbound cruelty of the most reckless Spanish invaders. Pedro de Alvarado served as Hernán Cortés’s right-hand man during their expedition into Tenochtitlan. His paranoia there led to the slaughter of thousands. He continued to spread the carnage in Guatemala in campaigns against the K’iche, the Tz’utujil, and the Pipil.

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Conquistadors: Hérnan Cortés Pt. 2

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Emperor Moctezuma couldn’t stop Cortés from reaching his legendary city. But the conquistador’s plans for conquest and glory had more than a few hiccups. Still contending with an old rival, Cortés was forced to march out of Tenochtitlan — and when he returned, the city fought back. La Noche Triste, or the Night of Sorrows, cost thousands of Spanish and Tlaxcalan lives. And still, the ruthless Cortés pressed on.

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Conquistadors: Hernán Cortés Pt. 1

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 07:01:00 -0000

In the 16th century a spate of European explorers pursued gold and glory across the so-called New World. Among them was Hernán Cortés, a fame-seeking descendant of Spanish warriors who became a soldier on Diego Velazquez’s expedition to Cuba. His ambition ever rising, Cortés set his sights on a conquest he could call his own — the great capital city of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan.

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African Dictators: Mobutu Sese Seko

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 07:01:00 -0000

After experiencing a brutal colonization in the late 19th century, and years of political corruption afterward, the Congolese people desperately needed a virtuous leader. In 1965, they got Mobutu Sese Seko. For the next thirty years Mobutu used his position to enhance his riches — and by doing so, tanked the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

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African Dictators: Siad Barre

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 07:01:00 -0000

In Somalia, after losing both of his parents to clan factionalism, Siad Barre joins the military and ascends its ranks over the decades. As his country finds independence from British and Italian colonizers, Barre finds power — so much, in fact, that he’s placed in charge after a coup. But whatever idealism he brings to the role is overshadowed by his turn to totalitarian policies and misguided, deadly conflicts.

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African Dictators: Muammar Gaddafi Pt. 2

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 07:01:00 -0000

He was supposed to be the revolutionary spark that swept through Libya, inspiring the masses to rule themselves through direct democracy. Instead, his brutal authoritarianism transformed the country into a police state and international pariah.

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African Dictators: Muammar Gaddafi Pt. 1

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The 1950s in Libya saw the dawning of a new era, when foreign rule ended and the country became an independent kingdom. Muammar Gaddafi was just a boy then. But inspired by Egypt’s anti-imperialist president, he became a devoted pan-Arab nationalist dedicated to one cause: overthrowing Libya’s corrupt king. In time, Gaddafi himself would become one of the most reviled dictators of the 20th century.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Otto Skorzeny Pt. 2

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Hitler’s favorite commando took every opportunity he could to lionize himself after the raid on Gran Sasso. His efforts paid off: As the German war effort stalled, Nazi leadership used him not only as a tool of propaganda, but as an instrument of terror and chaos during their final, desperate counteroffensives.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Otto Skorzeny Pt. 1

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Skorzeny was an Austrian fascist whose thirst for military glory led him to the Waffen-SS. In the summer of 1943, Hitler hand-selected him for a mission: rescue Benito Mussolini.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Reinhard Heydrich Pt. 2

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Between his stranglehold on the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and his authority over the Nazis’ anti-Jewish policies, 38-year-old Reinhard Heydrich controlled the fates of millions. His fate, though, would be determined by the same resistance he tried to stamp out.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Reinhard Heydrich Pt. 1

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Reinhard Heydrich was a disgraced German naval officer who became a devout fascist under the tutelage of Heimlich Himmler. As the Nazis consolidated their power, he became one of the most ruthless officers in the entire regime, earning the nickname “Man with the Iron Heart” from Hitler.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Heinrich Himmler Pt. 2

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 07:01:00 -0000

With his power secured, Himmler began a wave of terror that started in Germany and spread throughout Europe. Today we’re covering how he convinced Hitler to sanction the Nuremberg Laws, supplied Hitler with the pretext to invade Poland, and developed the Final Solution in a devastating genocide that claimed millions.

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Hitler’s Henchmen: Heinrich Himmler Pt. 1

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:01:00 -0000

He was a ruthless sycophant who carried out Hitler’s orders with utter savagery. Once a far-right university radical, Heinrich Himmler rose to become a leading member of the Nazi party and one of the principal architects of the Holocaust.

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Pharaohs: Cleopatra VII Pt. 2

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Caesar’s assassination throws Rome into political turmoil, jeopardizing Cleopatra’s right to rule Egypt. She begins a legendary love affair with Mark Antony that secures her survival for the time being. But an enemy is rising that will take everything from her.

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Pharaohs: Cleopatra VII Pt. 1

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 07:01:00 -0000

A keen witness to political theater from a young age, Cleopatra became the teenage queen of Egypt after her father suddenly died. In the face of deadly conflicts and exile, she found an unlikely ally in Julius Caesar and rose to become one of the most powerful — and most famous — figures of ancient Egypt.

Parcasters, we have exciting news! Our first book hits bookshelves July 12th. Don’t miss this chilling summer read that takes you deep into the darkest sides of human nature. Learn more at www.parcast.com/cults!

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Pharaohs: Ramesses the Great Pt. 2

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The pharaoh prepared his armies for battle against the Hittites in modern-day Syria. In epic poems and pictorial reliefs, Ramesses would honor himself as the savior of Egypt’s forces — despite the true outcome of the clash. It was one more example of the power of his self-mythologizing. A tactic that would secure his legacy for ages to come.

Countdown to the CULTS book release! Parcast’s first book hits shelves July 12th. It’s an unflinching exploration of shame, secrecy, power, exploitation, and destruction. Learn more at www.parcast.com/cults!

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Pharaohs: Ramesses the Great Pt. 1

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 07:01:00 -0000

He set out to be a living god whose name could never be forgotten. Ramesses II built monuments and a lavish new capital city. He tore down Akhenaten’s metropolis, using its stones for his own tomb. He mined gold in the desert. And in his long reign, he became a legend.

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Pharaohs: Akhenaten the Heretic Pt. 2

Tue, 31 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The completion of his glorious capital city was one step in Akhenaten’s plan to diminish the power of the Amun priesthood and reorient all of Egyptian religious life around the Aten. He had learned from his father how powerful a cult of personality could be. And he’d go to extraordinary — and violent — lengths to preserve his.

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Pharaohs: Akhenaten the Heretic Pt. 1

Tue, 24 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

During Egypt’s 18th Dynasty, a teenage pharaoh ushered in a revolutionary new theology, elevating a single solar deity above all other gods. He honored the Aten in magnificent fashion, and introduced changes to the iconography and architecture of the day. The next seismic wave in his plans: a new capital city.

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Hoover Pt. 6: The Bizarre End & Political Fallout

Wed, 18 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The death of the Director in 1972 put an end to a reign that spanned 48 years, and left America to live in his outsized shadow. What happened to Hoover’s secret files? How is the modern FBI still shaped by his legacy? And what have we discovered about the true nature of his surveillance projects? This is the final episode in our six-part series from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Hoover Pt. 5: Smear Campaigns

Mon, 16 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

While antiwar and Civil Rights movements charged forward, Hoover unleashed the FBI upon his enemies and adversaries. By the end of the 1960s, he was proclaiming that America’s greatest domestic threat was the Black Panther Party — and he was determined to smear, discredit, even destroy anyone even remotely associated with them. This is the fifth episode of our six-part series from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Hoover Pt. 4: Surveilling King & Kennedys

Wed, 11 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

In the 1960s, the Director’s adversaries included the Kennedy brothers and leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, which he believed to be part of a larger communist conspiracy. He would do everything in his power to undermine them all. When JFK was assassinated — two weeks after Lee Harvey Oswald emerged onto the FBI’s radar — Hoover strangled the investigation to protect the Bureau’s reputation. This is episode four in our six-part crossover special from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Hoover Pt. 3: Hunting for Spies

Mon, 09 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

A new president in the White House meant a new opportunity for a power play. Unfortunately for Hoover, Truman already thought the Bureau was becoming a secret police force. So he checked their power, and created a separate foreign intelligence agency — what will become the CIA. Meanwhile, Hoover was still bent on rooting out communist infiltrators and Soviet spies. Soon enough, he began handing intel over to Congressional committees like HUAC... and to his new friend and ally: a rising senator named Joseph McCarthy. This is the third episode in our six-part crossover special from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Hoover Pt. 2: Gangsters, Nazis and Communists

Wed, 04 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

By the 1930s, Hoover was America's top cop. He went after bank robbers and bandits in his War on Crime, never losing sight of his real nemesis: communism. Every maneuver went toward Hoover’s carefully crafted narrative of the FBI. As their prestige grew, so did their power. But while Hoover had FDR’s ear, he also faced the ire of embittered political rivals. This is episode two of our six-part crossover special from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Hoover Pt. 1: The Birth of the FBI

Mon, 02 May 2022 07:01:00 -0000

J. Edgar Hoover was eager and ruthless. The young intelligence officer believed wholeheartedly in the communist conspiracy, and he’d do anything to protect his country. Raids, deportations, mass arrests. He targeted everyone from Russian anarchists to American labor unions in his frenzy to curb the communist threat. No matter what the law said. This is the first episode in our six-part crossover special from Conspiracy Theories and Dictators.

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Vikings: Cnut the Great Pt. 2

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 07:01:00 -0000

After conquering England, Cnut learns of his brother’s sudden death — and becomes heir to the Danish throne. With two kingdoms under his hold, Cnut is on his way to creating his legendary North Sea Empire. But the battle for Scandinavia is just beginning.

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Vikings: Cnut the Great Pt. 1

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The second son of King Sweyn of Denmark was a ruthless warlord who invaded England in a fight for the throne in the eleventh century — and who became one of the most powerful kings in Scandinavian history.

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Vikings: Ragnar Lothbrok

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Ruthless warriors. Ancient sagas. This season, we’re exploring the lives of the Vikings — starting with the legend of a leader named Ragnar and his equally famous sons.

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World Conquerors: Napoleon Pt. 3

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 07:01:00 -0000

The 1812 invasion of Russia was the beginning of the end for Napoleon. Russia’s scorched earth campaign not only prevented a quick French victory, it emboldened other countries to once again take up arms. And this time, they were prepared to take on the world’s greatest general.

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World Conquerors: Napoleon Pt. 2

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 07:01:00 -0000

After a coup puts Napoleon in power, he gets to work shoring up his authority and crafting his legacy. He overhauls the country’s legal system, and spends years fighting wars across Europe. With decisive victories, he positions France as a world superpower — and himself as emperor of France.

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World Conquerors: Napoleon Pt. 1

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 07:01:00 -0000

As a young Corsican boy, Napoleon dreamed of his island’s independence from France. But by the time he reached 30 years old, with a military career inspired by the likes of Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great, he was a hero of France — and one of the country's most powerful men.

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World Conquerors: Attila the Hun Pt. 2

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 07:01:00 -0000

Now that the Hunnic King posed a clear and escalating threat, a Roman cabal plotted to end the Age of Attila forever. They failed. Attila outmaneuvered their conspiracy, then turned his attention to the Western Roman Empire. And in 451 CE, the two armies met on the Catalaunian Plains.

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World Conquerors: Attila the Hun Pt. 1

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Before he became the most powerful ruler in the world in 434 CE, Atilla the Hun was a nomadic warrior terrorizing the Eastern Roman Empire. But to take the crown and gain control, Atilla would need to spill the blood of his own brother.

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World Conquerors: Alexander the Great Pt. 2

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Alexander turns his sights on defeating the Persian navy, laying siege to an island city before pursuing Persia’s King of Kings across the Achaemenid Empire. His military victories are stunning, but his conquest cannot hold under the weight of his early death.

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World Conquerors: Alexander the Great Pt. 1

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Before he was Alexander the Great, conqueror of empires, he was Alexander III — son of Philip, student of Aristotle, and precocious prince who would become a king when he was barely past his teenage years.

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Robber Barons: Henry Ford

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

As the Gilded Age comes to a close, Henry Ford emerges to revolutionize American manufacturing and ignite a new class of consumers. He works overtime to burnish his image as a populist hero — an image that’s complicated by his vivid contradictions and inflammatory controversies.

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California’s Deadliest Wildfire

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

The fourth and final Conspiracy Theories crossover. In November 2018, equipment from the largest utility provider in America sparked a fire that killed 86 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The devastation was unprecedented, but the Camp Fire is far from the only disaster caused by Pacific Gas & Electric. Are their political donations protecting them from stricter regulation?

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The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

In March 2011, the worst nuclear meltdown since Chernobyl took place in northern Japan. The incident was triggered by a natural disaster, but it was decisions made by the facility’s operators that led to such catastrophic damage. From Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify Original from Parcast.

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The Flint Water Crisis

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

An emergency plan to cut costs in Flint, Michigan, resulted in a contaminated water supply for the city’s residents. The water looked, tasted, and smelled foul – because it was tainted with toxic chemicals, harmful bacteria, and lead from old pipes. But government officials repeatedly dismissed the community’s concerns. What did they know about the burgeoning crisis? And how are they paying for their negligence now? From Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify Original from Parcast.

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New York’s Toxic Love Canal

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

The Love Canal was supposed to be a suburban idyll. Instead, it became a dumping ground for one company’s chemical waste. After the land changed hands in the 1950s, a school and 900 homes were built atop the toxic landfill. Decades later, residents are still battling deteriorating health and government negligence. From Conspiracy Theories, this four-part series covers four times corporations and officials knew their actions could cause harm, and forged ahead anyway.

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Robber Barons: J.P. Morgan

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Born into a banking dynasty, John Pierpont Morgan became a Wall Street wunderkind in the 1860s. By his early 30s, he could afford an early retirement. But a life of leisure wasn’t in the cards for Morgan, who would go on to cut history-making deals, multiply his exorbitant wealth, and hold enough power to seal America’s financial fate several times over.

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Robber Barons: Cornelius Vanderbilt

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 08:01:00 -0000

A Supreme Court decision in 1824 changed Cornelius Vanderbilt’s fate, opening the door for the enterprising steamboat captain to build a navigation empire — and from there, a railroad takeover. He outmaneuvered his rivals until he had the power to manipulate the entire U.S. economy.

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Robber Barons: John D. Rockefeller

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 08:01:00 -0000

From humble beginnings to exorbitant wealth: John D. Rockefeller had a shrewd business mind and a zeal for refining oil that transformed his Standard Oil Company into a behemoth.

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Robber Barons: Andrew Carnegie

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 08:01:00 -0000

An immigrant from Scotland finds immense success in America after building a steel empire. But his business ties and practices lead to a reckoning that will haunt him for the rest of his life.

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Robber Barons: The Gilded Age

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 08:01:00 -0000

Unimaginable wealth. Unchecked corruption. America is known for industrial tycoons hoarding control, manipulating the economy, and wielding more power than politicians. But this isn't new. It started in The Gilded Age.

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Best of 2021: John Wilkes Booth’s Deathbed Confession

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

As we look ahead to the new year, we want to take one last chance to say thank you for the year that was — and present our "Best of 2021"! Please enjoy this episode from Deathbed Confessions, one of our favorite new shows of the year.

Forty-two years after Lincoln’s assassin allegedly uttered his final words, a lawyer gives a detailed deathbed confession that — if true — will rewrite American history.

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“The Christmas Rapture” from Cults

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

On Christmas Eve nearly seventy years ago, Dorothy Martin and the Seekers stood outside in Chicago and sang carols. They were waiting for a spacecraft that would shepherd them away from Earth — and the impending apocalypse. In this Christmas Special from Cults, join us for a look into a doomsday cult awaiting deliverance. And if you like this episode, follow Cults — a Spotify Original from Parcast — for more chilling insights every week!

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Pearl Harbor: Codes, Cover-ups & Conspiracies

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

In the final episode of our crossover special, Molly and Carter from Conspiracy Theories investigate what exactly the U.S. government knew ahead of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

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Entering the Pacific Theater

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

In the hours, days and weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan’s forces coordinated a vast takeover of the Pacific. Back at home, Hideki Tojo’s reign as Prime Minister oversaw brutal wartime atrocities.

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“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

In the summer of 1941, as hostilities between the two nations escalated, wartime negotiations officially broke down. Combat was imminent — but where? This is the second part of our crossover special with Conspiracy Theories, another Spotify Original from Parcast, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

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Hideki Tojo & Japanese Imperialism

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:01:00 -0000

In the 1860s, Japan’s emperor was restored and the once-isolated island nation opened to the world. Out of this period of transition came Hideki Tojo — a ruthless career militarist whose devotion to his country thrust him into power. This is the first part of our deep dive into the attack on Pearl Harbor. Come back Wednesday for the next installment, where our friends from Conspiracy Theories explore how the tensions between the U.S. and Japan reached a fever pitch as WWII broke out.

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Yoga Cults Pt. 3

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:05:00 -0000

In Japan, a yoga teacher named Shoko Asahara claimed he had special DNA, developed the battery-powered “Perfect Salvation System,” and directed his cult, Aum Shinrikyo, to carry out chemical attacks in Tokyo. This is the final episode in the three-part series — if you enjoyed it, search and follow Cults to hear what really happens behind the closed doors of covert societies. New episodes Tuesdays.

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Yoga Cults Pt. 2

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:03:00 -0000

Hosts Vanessa Richardson and Lanie Hobbs explore the story of Geshe Michael Roach and Christie McNally — the so-called king and queen of Diamond Mountain who used tantric yoga to lure hundreds to their Arizona desert retreat. This episode is a collaboration between Cults and Crimes of Passion, two Spotify Originals from Parcast. Every week, Cults analyzes the minds and movements of notorious cult leaders, and Crimes of Passion follows love stories that turn into crime stories. Search and follow to catch new episodes!

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Yoga Cults Pt. 1

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 08:01:00 -0000

How do quests for enlightenment get so sinister? In this three-part special from Cults, a Spotify Original from Parcast, we’re looking at three stories of yoga gurus who were loved — then loathed — for their practices. We start in Romania, charting the rise of Gregorian Bivolaru: an allegedly all-powerful mystic who remixed religions for an ever-expanding cache of followers across Europe. But the price of following him was more than devotion… If you like this episode, search and follow Cults to delve into the minds of more notorious cult leaders every Tuesday.

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Introducing: Real Dictators, Idi Amin Part 1

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 22:55:09 -0000

From the creators of Real Pirates comes Real Dictators, the show that explores the hidden lives of history's tyrants. In this episode, we're in Uganda, unpicking the regime of President Idi Amin Dada. From 1971 to 1979, Amin devastated Uganda as the nation's military dictator. He sank the economy and deported an entire ethnic class. He slaughtered, by some estimates, up to half a million of his fellow citizens. All this while cultivating a persona of 'Big Daddy', the playful joker. Let's peel back the layers of the myth and explore the life of Africa's most infamous son.

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Philippe Pétain: France

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 08:01:00 -0000

For most of his life, Philippe Pétain was a soldier with no war to fight. Then, World War I sent Europe into chaos and the aging Pétain became the Hero of Verdun. But he wasted his newfound celebrity by aligning himself with Hitler. And when France was divided into two after the Nazis invaded, Pétain became the ruler of Vichy France... and actively participated in the Holocaust.

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Ion Antonescu: Romania Pt. 2

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Now in power, Ion Antonescu immediately saw his position challenged by the undisciplined Iron Guard. He wages war against them, while continuing to grow closer to Hitler. As the atrocities mount, the royal family decides to take matters into their own hands… for the sake of Romania’s future.

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Ion Antonescu: Romania Pt. 1

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Antonescu was a career military man who defended Romania during WWI, despised the corruption of Romania’s monarch, and allied with Hitler during WWII. Today, we explore his complicated relationships with King Carol II and the fascist paramilitary group known as the Iron Guard.

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Ante Pavelić: Croatia Pt. 2

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Now in the seat of power, Pavelić begins shifting his alliance away from Mussolini, and toward Hitler. But his actions prove he’s still nothing more than a puppet to Axis leaders. Hatred for Pavelić builds after he engineers a genocide, culminating in a brutal insurrection waged by Josip Tito and the Partisans.

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Ante Pavelić: Croatia Pt. 1

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Radicalized as a student in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, Ante Pavelić wanted nothing more than to see Croatia become separate and independent — even if it meant embracing terrorism, and aligning himself with Benito Mussolini.

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Jozef Tiso: Slovakia Pt. 2

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Once in power, Jozef Tiso realized he had made a Faustian bargain with Adolf Hitler. Not wanting to be a total puppet, Tiso would spend his reign pushing his relationship with the Nazis to its limit, while fighting off more extremist elements in his own government. But that didn’t stop him from adopting Nazi tactics, and sending thousands of Slovak Jews to their deaths, all in the name of placating Hitler.

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Jozef Tiso: Slovakia Pt. 1

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Today, we start a new season of Dictators on lesser-known WWII dictators who allied with the Axis Powers. Up first: antisemitic Catholic priest Jozef Tiso, who spent decades fighting for Slovak autonomy after the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Little did Tiso know that in order to secure that autonomy, he’d find himself cozying up to Adolf Hitler.

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Anastasio Somoza Debayle: Nicaragua Pt. 2

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 07:01:00 -0000

After the sudden deaths of his father and brother, Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza Debayle took office in May 1967. By 1978, his regime was crumbling. An opposition group known as the Sandinistas were rallying Nicaraguans against their leader — and soon, it wasn’t just citizens denouncing Somoza. As resentment boiled over into revolution, the revolution found international allies.

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Anastasio Somoza Debayle: Nicaragua Pt. 1

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 07:01:00 -0000

In 1934, a beloved anti-imperialist guerrilla in Nicaragua was betrayed and executed by a National Guard commander. General Anastasio Somoza García seized power, establishing his own political party and steadily cementing his rule before forming one of the few familial dynasties in Latin America. The Somoza dynasty ruled for nearly four decades in Nicaragua. This week, we trace its rise.

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Efraín Ríos Montt: Guatemala Pt. 2

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Efraín Ríos Montt's time as leader of Guatemala was brief, but bloody. Under his tenure, he oversaw arguably some of the most ruthless fighting of the three-decade-long civil war. He was determined to see it come to an end — even if that meant going scorched earth.

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Efraín Ríos Montt: Guatemala Pt. 1

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 07:01:00 -0000

In 1954, the CIA overthrew the democratically elected Guatemalan president, ushering in a series of brutal military dictators and a decades-long civil war. This was the backdrop to Efraín Ríos Montt’s rise to power — an ascent that saw him determined to not only end the civil war, but transform the nation into a godly one. And yet just months into his reign, Montt would oversee the deaths of thousands.

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Rafael Trujillo: Dominican Republic Pt. 2

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 07:01:00 -0000

For thirty years, Trujillo’s corrupt regime came at the expense of the people. He hoarded funds from the treasury, and enacted a campaign of terror — first against his own citizens, then against Haitian immigrants, and finally against enemies living abroad. When he finally lost the unrelenting support of the U.S., he found himself directly in the CIA’s crosshairs.

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Rafael Trujillo: Dominican Republic Pt. 1

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 07:01:00 -0000

When the U.S. occupied the Dominican Republic at the turn of the century, Rafael Trujillo saw an opportunity to advance in life. He joined the military and learned from the U.S. Marines, and when turmoil hit the small island nation, Trujillo cut a deal that brought him to power.

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Tyrannical Popes: Leo X Pt. 2

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 07:01:00 -0000

After an ascendant rise to the papacy, Pope Leo X began draining the massive treasury left by his predecessor. The nonstop feasting and over-the-top festivities were partly strategic, mostly indulgent, and at the root of a controversy that would produce the sale of indulgences, Luther’s 95 Theses… and Leo’s suspicious death.

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Tyrannical Popes: Leo X Pt. 1

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Giovanni de' Medici was a shrewd strategist who became pope before the age of 40. As a cardinal, he ended the Medicis’ exile in Florence, returning the dynasty to their seat of power. As pope, he would nearly bankrupt the Vatican — and upend the Christian world.

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Tyrannical Popes: Julius II Pt. 2

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Seated atop the papal throne, Pope Julius II was determined to bring order along the Italian Peninsula by any means necessary. For years, the region had seen invasion after invasion by nascent foreign powers. Julius made it his mission to bring the surrounding states in line — even if it meant betraying former allies, and making deals with former enemies.

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Tyrannical Popes: Julius II Pt. 1

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Later nicknamed ‘The Warrior Pope,’ Giuliano della Rovere had always nurtured visions of personal glory. As a young man and newly elected cardinal, he believed he could obtain that glory on the battlefield. But he was constantly embroiled in feuds off the battlefield, too — rivalries with family members, former allies, and power-grabbing popes.

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Tyrannical Popes: Alexander VI Pt. 2

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Now wearing the papal tiara, Pope Alexander VI was determined to root out the corruption that had plagued Rome and the Vatican. But as his papacy continued, rumors began to spread that the Spanish pope was guilty of his own corruption, murder, and incest.

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Tyrannical Popes: Alexander VI Pt. 1

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Elevated into power by his uncle, Pope Calixtus III, Rodrigo Borgia became instrumental in settling affairs throughout the Papal States. As a cardinal, he orchestrated the election of popes for decades — all the while biding his time before making his own moves to become a pope himself.

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The Three Pashas of the Ottoman Empire Pt. 2

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 07:01:00 -0000

By 1913, Talaat Pasha was one third of a military triumvirate and the de facto leader of the Ottoman Empire. This episode covers his alliance with Germany during WWI, the Battle of Gallipoli, and the Armenian Genocide. When the Central Powers were defeated, he fled to Germany, where he was assassinated in 1921. By 1922, the Three Pashas were all dead.

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The Three Pashas of the Ottoman Empire Pt. 1

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 07:01:00 -0000

After the Fall of Constantinople, the Ottomans became the most powerful dynasty in existence. But the great empire began to decline, and in the early 20th century, a leader named Talaat and a group of radical nationalists worked to remove the ineffectual sultan and restore the Ottoman Empire’s former glory.

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Franz Joseph I Pt. 2: Austrian Empire

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Early successes gave way to embarrassing defeats as Franz Joseph I was outsmarted by savvier leaders on the world stage. In 1914, when his successor was assassinated in Serbia, Franz declared war — and within weeks, the first World War had begun.

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Franz Joseph I Pt. 1: Austrian Empire

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 07:01:00 -0000

With revolution spreading, the young Franz Joseph I succeeded to the throne of the Habsburg Dynasty in 1848. The new emperor set to work crushing an insurrection in Hungary, negotiating with the King of Prussia, and ensuring his rule would be absolute.

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Leopold II Pt. 2: Belgium

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:01:00 -0000

With the newly formed Free Congo State in his possession, Leopold II was determined to extract all the ivory and rubber he could. But in the process, his colonial agents wreaked havoc on the indigenous people, slaughtering, torturing, and enslaving Africans.

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Leopold II Pt. 1: Belgium

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Ever since he was a child, Leopold II was obsessed with bringing prestige to the nascent Kingdom of Belgium. As king, he spent decades scheming and conning European powers to fulfill his single-minded goal — and carve out his own African kingdom in the Congo.

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Dictators Special: Evolution of Marxism

Thu, 27 May 2021 07:01:00 -0000

A crash course on Marxist theory and how it evolved over the years from Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Maoism, and Guevarism.

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Ho Chi Minh Pt. 2: Vietnam

Tue, 25 May 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Fearing the spread of communism in Southeast Asia, the U.S. began sending more troops to Vietnam in the 1960s. The divided country was already embroiled in political chaos and violence — and now, escalating tensions would grow into all-out conflict, claiming millions of lives.

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Ho Chi Minh Pt. 1: Vietnam

Tue, 18 May 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Dreaming of an independent Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh led a guerilla army against French imperialists in the late 1940s. By 1954, his dream had come true — but it wouldn’t take long for another massive conflict to engulf the nation.

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Fidel Castro: Cuba Pt. 2

Tue, 11 May 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Entering the 1970s, Fidel focused his attention on building the Cuban economy in the wake of Che Guevara’s failed plans and a U.S. embargo. But when the Soviet Union collapsed, all eyes turned to the tiny island, and waited with bated breath for Fidel to fall, too.

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Fidel Castro: Cuba Pt. 1

Tue, 04 May 2021 07:01:00 -0000

When Cuba gained independence from Spain in the late 1800s, it ushered in a wave of authoritarian leaders backed by American interests. Violence and suppression were rampant, turning a young lawyer into a fiery revolutionary in the 1950s.

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Vladimir Lenin: Russia Pt. 2

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0000

After seizing power in 1917, Lenin began what would be a brief, but brutal, reign. He would become one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century, setting the stage for how future Soviet leaders and communist dictators alike would rule.

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Vladimir Lenin: Russia Pt. 1

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0000

When Vladimir Lenin's older brother was executed by Romanov tsars in 1887, Lenin was thrust into a world of revolutionary politics. From then on he had a single, fervid mission in life: topple the Romanov dynasty and overthrow world capitalism.

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Ching Shih: Pirate Queens Pt. 3

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0000

The most successful pirate in history is one few have heard of: Ching Shih, the pirate queen of the South China Sea. At her height in the early 1800s, Shih commanded nearly 80,000 pirates. She took on entire nations… and won.

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O’Malley, de Clisson & Sayyida al Hurra: Pirate Queens Pt. 2

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:01:00 -0000

Anne Bonny and Mary Read may have been the two most famous lady pirates, but they certainly weren't the only ones. History is full of women taking to the sea and ruthlessly taking what they want. Jeanne de Clisson, Sayyida al Hurra, and Grace O'Malley are three more successful women pirates, whose tales of revenge and looting are legendary.

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Anne Bonny and Mary Read: Pirate Queens Pt. 1

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 07:01:00 -0000

During the Golden Age of Piracy, two women terrorized the Caribbean alongside some of the most infamous pirates of the day. Dispelling the old sea superstitions of having women on board, Anne Bonny and Mary Read proved to be even more cutthroat than the men they sailed with.

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Jean Lafitte: Kingdom of Barataria Pt. 2

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:01:00 -0000

In 1812, using his extensive network of rogues and hidden caches of supplies, Lafitte turned the tide of an entire war… then vanished a few years later. The mystery surrounding his disappearance lasted until the 1950s, when a newly discovered journal shed light on his final exploits.

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Jean Lafitte: Kingdom of Barataria Pt. 1

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 07:01:00 -0000

From his base in New Orleans, the “gentleman pirate” Jean Lafitte changed the young United States' entire outlook on piracy. In 1812, when war with England seemed imminent, it was New Orleans’ pirate admiral that the U.S. Army turned to for help.

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Edward Teach: Blackbeard Pt. 2

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:01:00 -0000

After sending a message with the destruction of the Protestant Caesar, Blackbeard knew he needed to make a bigger name for himself. So, he decided to do the unthinkable: hold an entire city hostage.

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Edward Teach: Blackbeard Pt. 1

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:01:00 -0000

No pirate captain has captured the imagination of the masses like the one known as Blackbeard. From obscure crew member to fearsome legend, his very name evokes an image of the devil incarnate…

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Henry Every: King of Pirates Pt. 2

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Captain Every led his men in a revolt that brought them to the far side of the world. Now it was time to make their fortune — and escape before England caught up with them.

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Henry Every: King of Pirates Pt. 1

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 08:01:00 -0000

In this new season of Dictators, we're looking at a unique kind of tyrant: the pirate captain. Leading dictatorial democracies, these captains held onto freedom with an iron grip. Today, we'll investigate Captain Henry Every's murky origins and the fateful mutiny that led to his career as the first pirate king.

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Francisco Franco Pt. 2: Spain

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Franco was one of the only European dictators left standing after WWII, but times were changing. As much as the Generalissimo wanted — and tried — to establish a new monarchy, the tides were shifting against totalitarianism… and toward democracy.

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Francisco Franco Pt. 1: Spain

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Spanish dictator Francisco Franco came to power during the Spanish Civil War, just in time to face the rise of Hitler and Mussolini in Europe. As the world went to war, Franco saw he would have to choose sides — or would he?

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Juan Perón Pt. 2: Argentina

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Elected president in 1946, Perón spent nine years in office. His regime became increasingly corrupt and repressive, and in 1955, he was excommunicated by the Catholic Church. But Juan Perón would not stay in exile forever.

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Juan Perón Pt. 1: Argentina

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:01:00 -0000

He rose through the ranks as an ambitious infantry officer in the Argentine army, learning to play politics and enact coups. In the 1940s, after years of pulling the strings of power behind the scenes, Juan Perón became the most powerful man in Argentina.

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Fulgencio Batista Pt. 2: Cuba

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 08:01:00 -0000

Embarrassed by a failing presidential campaign in 1952, Batista orchestrated a military coup that seated him in power. But as the populist leader became corrupt and violent, a young lawyer inspired thousands to bring Batista’s regime to an end.

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Fulgencio Batista Pt. 1: Cuba

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 08:01:00 -0000

An ambitious young man from a poor family, Batista worked his way up through the turmoil of early 20th century Cuba to become a reform-minded leader. But when his power started to wane, Batista decided to hold onto it by whatever means necessary.

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The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 3)

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 08:10:00 -0000

For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open…

This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 2)

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 08:05:00 -0000

In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and a belief that the blaze was no accident.

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The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 1)

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her young children. Or did it? Strange events, prescient remarks, and a lack of human remains hinted at more nefarious — though no less tragic — outcomes.

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Pol Pot Pt. 2: Cambodia

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Forced labor, unyielding rice quotas, and executions meant to root out anti-communist resistance plunged the country into a terrible nightmare. Pol Pot was finally forced to flee in 1984, but his reign left a grim legacy that persists to this day.

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Pol Pot Pt. 1: Cambodia

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 08:01:00 -0000

The secretive leader of the communist Khmer Rouge was responsible for killing around a quarter of Cambodia’s population — one of the worst mass killings of the 20th century. He was born Saloth Sar in 1925, but is most recognizable by one of his many nicknames: Pol Pot.

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Mao Zedong Pt. 2: China

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Now in total control, Mao Zedong had a nation to build. But his ambition to transform China into a global superpower led to one of the worst crimes ever committed against humanity. Forced to retreat from his failure, Mao’s attempt to recapture power would send China into ten more years of violent chaos.

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Mao Zedong Pt. 1: China

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 08:01:00 -0000

The Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, ending imperialism in China. But the instability created a power struggle over the country’s future. Between the Warlords, the Nationalists, the Communists, and even the Japanese, one man seized control of China and turned it into the second largest communist nation in the world.

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Medical Murders Crossover: Josef Mengele Pt. 2

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:05:00 -0000

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy these episodes, check out Medical Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Before he was a fanatical Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele was a mediocre student studying medicine and anthropology. His quest for renown drove an obsession with human experimentation, and a horrific tenure at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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Medical Murders Crossover: Josef Mengele Pt. 1

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:01:00 -0000

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Nero Pt. 2: Rome

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:01:00 -0000

As the Great Fire of Rome wreaked havoc on the city, the emperor practiced his singing. Nero's artistic obsessions led not only to Rome's downfall, but his own.

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Nero Pt. 1: Rome

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 08:01:00 -0000

He never wanted to be emperor, but his mother Agrippina was determined to put the young Nero on the throne. The boy artist followed her wishes… and led Rome to destruction.

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Caligula Pt. 2: Rome

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In 37 CE, Caligula became the third emperor of Rome, ushering in a brief era of prosperity before pilfering the treasury and embarking on a quest to conquer Britannia. Before too long, his sadistic — and sometimes darkly comedic — rulings inspired a fatal conspiracy.

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Caligula Pt. 1: Rome

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 07:01:00 -0000

As a child, Caligula lived in the shadow of his father, Germanicus — a hero of Rome. When Germanicus suddenly dies, Caligula is forced to spend his teenage years at the mercy of Emperor Tiberius. And a once pampered life quickly descends into hell.

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Tiberius Pt. 2: Rome

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In the final years of Emperor Tiberius’s reign, he built lavish villas on Capri, hosted orgies with young boys and girls, and tortured and executed people who spoke out against him. He was more than a dictator. He was a monster.

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Tiberius Pt. 1: Rome

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 07:01:00 -0000

This legendary ruler of Rome, known for his wickedness and depravity, was never meant to be emperor. Tiberius came into power in 14 CE only after his adopted father’s heirs all died. He ruled for a decade with surprising moderation before descending into madness.

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Queen Mary I Pt. 2: England

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Despite an auspicious early ruling period, Mary’s reign was upended by an event that triggered deep emotional distress. Her pain manifested in burning her perceived enemies at the stake—a punishment that earned her the nickname that has defined her legacy: Bloody Mary.

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Queen Mary I Pt. 1: England

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 07:01:00 -0000

As the daughter of England’s most famous king, Mary Tudor spent much of her life in Henry VIII’s shadow, forced to navigate his capricious moods and murderous whims. But she played the long game, outlasting nearly everyone around her to assume the throne in 1553 as Britain’s first ruling queen.

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Queen Isabella Pt. 2: Castile and Aragon

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In the 15th century, Queen Isabella became convinced that heretics and infidels were threatening Christendom. She became the architect of a 300-year-long religious genocide: The Spanish Inquisition. Then she set her sights to the West, and funded an audacious plan by an Italian navigator.

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Queen Isabella Pt. 1: Castile and Aragon

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 07:01:00 -0000

She was never supposed to be queen. But in 1474, when Isabella of Castile’s half-brother King Enrique died, she seized her chance to take what was hers. And after holding onto the crown from Portuguese invaders, Isabella set out to do what no other Spanish monarch had been able to accomplish in nearly 700 years: reclaim Granada.

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Queen Isabella Pt. 2: England

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Tired of playing second fiddle, Isabella decided to turn on her husband and join forces with his enemies: the exiled barons. Together, they planned an invasion of England to take the throne from Edward II and install Isabella's young son as king... with Isabella as the ruling regent.

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Queen Isabella Pt. 1: England

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 07:01:00 -0000

All her life, Isabella of France knew she was going to be Queen consort of England. But when her husband took the throne in 1307, it became obvious that he had chosen another as his favorite: Piers Gaveston. To survive, Isabella walked the tightrope of court politics, proving she was more than a pawn in the ever-changing relationship between England and France.

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Alfredo Stroessner Pt. 2: Paraguay

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 07:01:00 -0000

He attacked the press, oversaw egregious human rights violations, and even welcomed a notorious Nazi war criminal into his country. For decades, Alfredo Stroessner largely acted with impunity—until the late 1980s, when a chaotic schism in his party drove him into exile.

For more information on Paraguayan history and Alfredo Stroessner, check out The Dictator Dilemma: The United States and Paraguay in the Cold War by Kirk Tyvela. We found it extremely helpful in our research for this episode!

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Alfredo Stroessner Pt. 1: Paraguay

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In 1932, 20-year-old Alfredo Stroessner was a cadet at the Paraguayan military academy. It would take a little over two decades for him to seize power through a military coup, and begin his 35-year reign as an implacable autocrat.

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Augusto Pinochet Pt. 2: Chile

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:01:00 -0000

From 1973 to 1990, Augusto Pinochet ruled over Chile with a brutality that left tens of thousands people missing, tortured, or dead. Despite his atrocities—and an unprecedented arrest—Pinochet escaped conviction for his crimes.

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Augusto Pinochet Pt. 1: Chile

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 07:01:00 -0000

He was a career military man until a coup against socialist President Salvador Allende installed him as Chile’s next leader. But Augusto Pinochet relished his newfound power, and in June 1974, passed a law naming himself the “Supreme Chief” of Chile.

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Jorge Rafael Videla Pt. 2: Argentina

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 07:01:00 -0000

After establishing himself as a military dictator, Videla fought a bloody conflict against citizens of his own country. With his public perception suffering, he turned to an American advertising agency to help him repair his global image…

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Jorge Rafael Videla Pt. 1: Argentina

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In 1976, after thirty years as a military officer, Videla led a coup against the disastrous President Isabel Perón. He named himself president and waged a brutal war against political opponents and everyday citizens alike. By the time he stepped down, close to 30,000 citizens were missing or dead.

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Jean-Bédel Bokassa Pt. 2: Central Africa

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In a move inspired by his hero, Napoleon, Bokassa named himself Emperor of the Central African Republic in 1977. But his lavish spending and absolute rule drew the ire of the nation’s students. When peaceful protests erupted in violence, Bokassa’s end would be at the hands of the country he adored: France.

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Jean-Bédel Bokassa Pt. 1: Central Africa

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Orphaned as a six-year-old in the late 1920s, Jean-Bédel Bokassa eventually found stability and prestige in the French Army. When he finally returned home to the newly established Central African Republic, he used his military career and family connections to secure power. Government officials grew to fear him—but unfortunately for them, Bokassa struck first.

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Francisco Macias Nguema Pt. 2: Equatorial Guinea

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 07:01:00 -0000

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Francisco Macias Nguema Pt. 1: Equatorial Guinea

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 07:01:00 -0000

His early life, before seizing power in 1968, is shrouded in mystery. But what we do know is that Francisco Macias Nguema used the colonial system as a means to grasp his own power. But instead of British colonialists, in Nguema’s case, it was the Spanish.

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Idi Amin Pt. 2: Uganda

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Throughout the 1970s, Idi Amin ruled over Uganda with an ironfist as means to make sure he stayed in the spotlight. Mass crimes against humanity, like the ethnic purges, and the harboring of terrorists were meant to anger his former British colonizers and their allies. But as the years passed, his erratic behavior would ultimately prove to be his undoing.

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Idi Amin Pt. 1: Uganda

Tue, 02 Jun 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Growing up in colonial Uganda in the 1930s and ‘40s, Idi Amin chose to embrace his British colonists by joining the British Army. Climbing the ranks, he became a natural choice to lead the Ugandan Army after independence. But as Amin gained power, corruption seeped in.

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Kim Jong-un Pt. 2: North Korea

Tue, 26 May 2020 07:01:00 -0000

As he continued the family legacy of oppression, Kim Jong-un looked to show the world he was more than just a laughing stock. Not only did he flex his might by allegedly assassinating his half-brother in 2017, but he finally did what his grandfather had dreamed: he obtained nuclear weapons.

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Kim Jong-un Pt. 1: North Korea

Tue, 19 May 2020 07:01:00 -0000

For the first two decades of his life, the world was unaware of the existence of Kim Jong-un. Hidden in the penthouses of Pyongyang and educated in Europe, Kim Jong-Un was introduced to the world as his father's successor in the late 2000s. Any hope of a loosened grip over North Korea would quickly vanish.

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Kim Jong-il Pt. 2: North Korea

Tue, 12 May 2020 07:01:00 -0000

After carrying the legacy of his father into the 1990s, Kim Jong-il took a defensive stance against the world, isolating North Korea from global affairs. The “Dear Leader” kept North Korea armed to the teeth and starving, while his propaganda machine sang his praises.

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Kim Jong-il Pt. 1: North Korea

Tue, 05 May 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Born in a guerilla camp in the early 1940s, Kim Jong-il seemed destined to take his father's place. Under the grooming of his father, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il experienced a meteoric rise through North Korea's communist ranks before forming the first communist dynasty.

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Kim Il-sung Pt. 2: North Korea

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 07:01:00 -0000

In the aftermath of the Korean War, Kim Il-sung used propaganda and violence to exert total control of North Korea and its people—transforming it into the most isolated nation on earth.

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NEW: Kim Il-sung Pt. 1: North Korea

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 07:01:00 -0000

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Dictators today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time.

He rose from anti-Japanese freedom to the leader of a Soviet-led puppet government in North Korea. But just as North Korea gained its independence, Kim Il-sung led the country to the brink of extinction, by dragging it into a costly and destructive civil war against South Korea and the United States.

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Crossover Week: Kingpins (Manuel Noriega Pt. 2)

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 07:05:00 -0000

If you enjoy the true stories told in Dictators, check out this episode from our series Kingpins: He was the Panamanian politician who ran one of the most successful drug and gun trafficking rings in the world in the 1970s and 80s—until an American coup brought him down.

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Crossover Week: Kingpins (Manuel Noriega Pt. 1)

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 07:01:00 -0000

If you enjoy the true stories told in Dictators, check out this episode from our series Kingpins: How did Manuel Noriega rise from nothing to become the drug-smuggling, secret-selling, military dictator of Panama in the 1980s? He had a great deal of help from the American CIA.

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Vlad the Impaler Pt. 2: Wallachia (Romania)

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 07:01:00 -0000

He purged Wallachia of enemies and retained an iron grip on power in the region. But as Vlad the Impaler's power expanded, so did his violent, paranoid and psychotic behavior—until he alienated everyone around him and was violently deposed.

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Vlad the Impaler Pt. 1: Wallachia (Romania)

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 07:01:00 -0000

Born between 1428-1431, Vlad the Impaler was abandoned by his father as a boy and betrayed by everyone he trusted. He channeled his resentment into an unquenchable lust for power and violence—eventually becoming the ruler of Wallachia.

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Genghis Khan Pt. 2: Mongolia

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 07:01:00 -0000

After uniting the Mongol tribes in 1206, Genghis Khan used his military prowess to assert dominance over the Ottoman Empire and the Chinese Jin Dynasty. By 1222, his empire spanned from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

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Genghis Khan Pt. 1: Mongolia

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 07:01:00 -0000

A nomad exiled from his tribe as a child, Genghis Khan used populism and meritocracy to unite the tribes of the Mongolian Steppe and become the ruler of all of Mongolia from 1206-1227 CE.

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Ivan the Terrible Pt. 2: Russia

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 07:01:00 -0000

After the death of his beloved first wife, Tsar Ivan the Terrible descended into madness and paranoia. He turned his hatred and fear against his own people dragging the empire he had built with his own hands down into poverty and despair.

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Ivan the Terrible Pt. 1: Russia

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Ivan Vasilyevich the Fourth was crowned Grand Prince of Muscovy at 3 years old after his father died. After a traumatic childhood of chaos and coups, Ivan would crown himself the first Tsar of Russia and go on to create the Russian Empire. The first half of his reign would have made him a legend... if the second half did not turn into a waking nightmare that would earn him the name "Ivan the Terrible."

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Adolf Hitler Pt. 2: Germany

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Once he was appointed Chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler was finally in the position to implement his long-awaited vision. It was a vision that plunged the entire world into war, and led to the systematic genocide of over six million Jews and countless innocent people.

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Adolf Hitler Pt. 1: Germany

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 08:01:00 -0000

As a young man, nobody would have expected aspiring artist Adolf Hitler to become one of history's cruelest dictators. But once he realized he had a talent for politics, Hitler began a lifelong quest for absolute power...and he was willing to do anything to get it.

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Joseph Stalin Pt. 2: Soviet Union

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Now in total power, Joseph Stalin went on to transform the Soviet Union into a modernized country—but at the cost of millions of lives. In order to fulfill his vision of communism, the deaths of peasants and political enemies were required.

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Joseph Stalin Pt. 1: Soviet Union

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Before he became the leader of one of the most powerful countries in the world, Joseph Stalin was an idealistic, but ruthless revolutionary. A Marxist from a young age, he devoted much of his life to overthrowing Imperial Russia. But as his star rose among the Russian socialists, so too did his list of enemies.

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Benito Mussolini Pt. 2: Italy

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 08:01:00 -0000

Il Duce’s ineffective economic policies left Italy completely unprepared for World War II, and yet he forced the country into it anyway. What followed was a defeat so embarrassing that it remains legendary for its incompetency to this day.

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Benito Mussolini Pt. 1: Italy

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 08:01:00 -0000

The Italian "Il Duce" had one of the most dramatic transformations of any politician in history. An ardent socialist for the first three decades of his life, he abruptly left the party and developed his own brand of nationalist, totalitarian belief. This system would become known as fascism, and it would change the course of history.

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Welcome to Dictators

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 08:00:00 -0000

Welcome to Parcast's newest original, DICTATORS. Every Tuesday starting January 21st, delve into the minds behind some of the world’s most infamous leaders. Hear more about the men who claimed to love their country, but were intricately responsible for killing millions of their own people. Men such as prime minister Benito Mussolini, supreme leader Kim Jong-un, and even Julius Caesar himself. Discover the governments that fell, the lives that were destroyed, and evil at its highest level in the Parcast original series, DICTATORS.

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