Gladio Free Europe
a sort of movie, sort of history podcast
Episodes
River Pirates on the American Frontier
Sailing out into the murky waters of the Mississippi, we make the acquaintance of some of the pirates who called these waters home.
Christianity in Japan - Warlords at Worship
We continue our exploration of Christianity and Japan and how the faith became the subject of suspicion and persecution almost overnight.
Christianity in Japan - The Priest and the Pirate
The first installment of our series exploring the historical context of 16th and 17th century Catholicism in Japan.
Coronation Explainer
In light of the first British coronation in 70 years, we looked into the history of English kingship, the kitsch surrounding the ceremony, and much more.
GFE World Travel Update
Russian Sam and Liam have a debrief session about their recent vacations, highlighting what they found notable about their respective trips.
American Medical Atrocities in Guatemala ft. KingoKrebbs
Krebbs joins us to talk about the history of syphilis and one set of shocking medical experiments conducted by US officials in America’s backyard.
Introduction to the Christian Saints
We introduce the topic of sainthood in Catholicism in an approachable way by looking at some stories of saints’ lives.
The Trial of the Juntas ft. Kevin
On the anniversary of the last Argentinian coup, Kevin spoke to us about the genocidal violence of the junta regime, as well as the process of bringing them to justice.
Alaska Chat ft. Jon
Jon came on to talk to us about his new-found life in rural Alaska, as well as the enigmatic history of this hotly-contested land.
Yet More Bog Bodies
We talked about yet more bog bodies, as well as a new meta-study which analyzes the bog body phenomenon across Europe.
The Bog Bodies
The bog bodies were subjects of captivation for centuries, but just who were these people and why were they deposited in bogs?
Hail, Caesar!
We used the Coen Brothers’ Hail, Caesar! as a jumping off point to discuss the early history of Hollywood, the studio system, and the infamous Eddie Mannix.
New Smyrna, A Greek Colony in Florida?
We look at a number of brutal episodes in early Florida colonial history highlighting New Smyrna, an attempt to built an agricultural colony with Greek indentured servants.
Queen Christina and the Swedish Empire ft. Anton
Matt Christman gives us the lay of the land in Central Europe in the period of the 30 Years’ War through reference to the 1971 film The Last Valley.
The Last Valley ft. Matt Christman
Matt Christman gives us the lay of the land in Central Europe in the period of the 30 Years’ War through reference to the 1971 film The Last Valley.
The Man Who Came to Dinner
We excavate the 1942 classic The Man Who Came to Dinner and explore the lives of the personalities who inspired it.
Genetics 101 ft. Natasha
Gene Queen Natasha explains what genetics is, the lay of the land, and the practical and political implications of the Genetics Revolution.
Legendary Ancestry Claims
We examine how medieval and early modern European nobility imagined their families’ ancestors, the origins of such thinking, and how early nationalist movements came to think along similar lines.
Indigenous New England and the First Thanksgiving
An exploration of the history of the indigenous nations of Southern New England, their interactions with Europeans, the Puritans, and how the Thanksgiving story which we are all familiar with was concocted.
Cyrus Teed and Koreshanity
We explore the strange contours of the life of Cyrus Teed, an eccentric 19th century prophet who founded a celibate cult centered around feminism, socialism, and the hollow earth theory.
The Golem
Wherein we discuss the 1920 German classic The Golem: How He Came Into The World as well as the religious and philosophical underpinnings of the golem figure writ large.
A Global History of Dragons
From Britain to Beijing, cultures all around the world independently created the idea of dragons. In this episode, we try to find out why.
Readings From Ramón Sender's The Magnet
We briefly explain the relationship between the Rif War and the rise of Spanish fascism, and read excerpts from The Magnet.
History of Morocco (Part 2)
We continue our telling of the history of Morocco, going through to the beginning of the 19th century and explaining the factors behind the Moroccan state’s structural weakness.
The Barbary Pirates
We take a slight detour in our history of Morocco series to discuss the Barbary Pirate phenomenon.
E. Howard Hunt, Novelist
The gang explores E. Howard Hunt’s crimes against literature committed over the course of his side-career as a pulp fiction novelist.
History of Morocco (Part 1)
The first part of our exploration of Moroccan history, the most important country that Americans have hardly heard of.
The Arab-Norman Civilization (Part 2)
We continue our journey into medieval Sicily by following the rag-tag band of Normans who carved out a tiny foothold on the Italian peninsula
The Arab-Norman Civilization (Part 1)
The sun-soaked island of Sicily has been influenced by cultures from every corner of the Mediterranean and beyond and is an amazing microcosm for the entire history of Europe and the Middle East as well.
Origins of the Normans
A thousand years ago, a group of barbarian pirates fought their way into becoming one of the most powerful clans in all Europe
Dirty Harry
As the Zodiac is tormenting San Francisco, a movie about a SFPD cop taking down a serial killer is released
The World of Casablanca
The gang takes a deep dive into the circumstances that produced the most celebrated picture in Hollywood history
The Northman
Prince Amleth is now a Viking who’s on a mission to save his mother, kill his uncle, and avenge his father.
Eldridge Cleaver, Black Panther
We’re back in North Korea, this time by way of the Black Panther Party
Serpico ft. Derek
Al Pacino plays Frank Serpico, a real life cop who went up against the sleaze and corruption in the 70s NYPD
Prelude to Mandate Palestine ft. Kevin
Our friend Kevin is back to discuss British era Palestine for our Interwar Series
Spiritualism in the 1800s
We take a look back at a time when the ghosts of men were possessing spirit mediums all over the country to tell tales of life on the other side
Prelude to Mandate Palestine ft. Kevin
Our friend Kevin is back to discuss Palestine for our Interwar Series from the late Ottoman period, to the first World War, to the breakup of the Ottoman Empire.
Ohio vs the Ku Klux Klan ft. Jern
Jern from Ohio tells us about the working-class Ohio immigrants who formed their own secret society to oppose the Ku Klux Klan
Fritz Lang’s M
M tells the story of a town shaken by a string of serial murders by a killer who targets young girls.
Interwar Series: After The Revolutions ft. Brendan
We’re joined by our friend Brendan to discuss some of the various small-time revolutions and revolutionaries in Europe and the Americas.
The Franks ft. Natasha
From Germanic barbarians on the edge of the Empire to running the whole show
A World Between Worlds
Part 1 of our ongoing series on the happenings during the years between the first and second world wars
The Time That Remains ft. Fathi
Fathi joins us to discuss the film and the daily life of “Israeli-Arabs”
Late Roman Empire
Like all bad things, the Roman Empire came to an end. But why did it take hundreds of years for that to happen?
Catholicism 101 ft. James
Our friend James returns to give Russian Sam a crash course in Catholicism and how it differs from other Christian denominations.
Failed Colonial Ventures of the Americas
The New World gave birth to many colonies we know and love today, but it also birthed some colonies that didn’t quite make it
The Lion in Winter and Medieval Christmas
An aging and conniving King Henry II of England and Ireland plans a reunion where he hopes to name his successor
Sympathy Seeker
Run along children, you don’t want to be awake when Ded Moroz comes to leave you presents under the New Year Tree
Quo Vadis ft. Maggie
Set against the back drop of Rome in crisis, General Marcus Vinicius returns to the city as Nero’s atrocities become more extreme until he burns Rome, laying the blame on the Christians.
Lust, Caution ft. Carl Zha
Carl Zha joins us to discuss Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution, a film about a secret agent that must seduce then assassinate an official who works for the Japanese puppet government in Shanghai.
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors ft. Jim
Our friend Jim comes on the pod to take us on a journey to Ukraine and it’s various cast of characters
Kievan Rus'
We venture into the eastern fringes of Europe to look at the origins of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus: the Kievan Rus'
Shadow of the Vampire
Nosferatu is the silent era horror film whose creation we watched dramatized in Shadow of the Vampire
The Iron Giant ft. Daniel Bessner
The Iron Giant asks us, how would American react if a sentient giant robot crash landed from space in the height of the Cold War?
Zionism ft. Kevin
Our good friend Kevin is back to help use trace the roots of Zionism as an ideology and the various religious, colonialist, or nationalist strands that existed before 1948.
Columbus Day
Why is Christopher Columbus considered a hero to Italian-Americans, and why did they fight so hard to give us a national holiday to celebrate him?
Soy Cuba ft. Jaime
This Soviet made piece of art, Soy Cuba, tells four stories during the final days of the Batista regime.
Charlie Wilson's War
Charlie Wilson was a Texan Congressman whose involvement with the Afghan people and the Mujahideen was immortalized in the film Charlie Wilson’s War.
Seven Days in May
A military coup, a general gone mad, and a whole country gone mad with anti-communist fervor.
The Last Kingdom
Continuing on the themes discussed in E13, we go back to England and discuss the BBC show The Last Kingdom, and the topic of Viking invasions of the British Isles.
Les Rallizes Dénudés ft. Zach
Les Rallizes Dénudés was a pioneer of the psychedelic drone rock sound, but they’re nowhere near as famous as their contemporaries like Boris. Why is that?
Migration and Memory
Was King Arthur an Englishman? Did ancient Turks build every civilization in history?
Inside the Internet ft. Pam
The Internet is what gives us power. It’s an energy field created by all artificial things. It surrounds us. It penetrates us. It binds humanity together.
West Beirut ft. Liam
A young man comes of age in West Beirut as his country descends into civil war
To Live ft. Cnut
One family’s struggle to endure civil war, hardship, tragedy, and shadow puppets.
S1m0ne ft. Pam
What if we replaced actors with computers? A thought provoking question that we’re still grappling with the answer to 20 years later.
Beware of the Car
A insurance agent moonlights as a car thief and steals cars from various crooks to give back to the people.
Hernán and Aztec Empire ft. Paul Guinan
Two works of art offering radically different depicitions the dramatic fall of the mightiest empire in the Americas.
True Detective (season 2)
True Detective S2 explores the world of LA corruption, money, power, and the sleaze the can buy.
The Parallax View ft. James
An ambitious reporter, investigating a senator’s assassination, realizes witnesses to the shooting are systematically dying and discovers a multi-million dollar corporation which serves as a front for the recruitment of political assassins.
Barbarians
Barbarians is a German historical drama that tells the story of Arminus, a Germanic Barbarian raised in Rome, and sent back to Germania a Roman soldier
Wag the Dog
The night before news of the President’s sex scandal is made public, the White House devises a plan to fake a war with Albania to distract the media, and the American public
The Wind That Shakes the Barley ft. James
We’re joined by James to discuss the 2006 film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and the Irish War of Independence.
Yegor Letov and the National Bolsheviks
The Soviet Union, Punk Rock, Communism, KGB repression, Fascism, and more in this episode about Siberian singer and songwriter Yegor Letov