First time listener and I got a blink ad and I had to check if I was listening to something I’d be hearing commentary about, an actual ad, or parody because I couldn’t believe an ad for an Amazon surveillance system was being served on this podcast.

I knew this was all so wrong. With regard to the invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. But to the depths of atrocities committed. With impunity. These episodes bring me to tears. And I am lost.

I was interested in the topic, but could not stick with the podcast because of the constant saxophone music in the background. Adding bizarre elevator music makes the words harder to hear.

No exaggeration. Started with S3 when I was a baby leftist wannabe. Blew my mind. Completely changed my perspective on the world. I moved on to S2, found myself enamored with learning more about Cuba, and then found myself in Cuba a year later. Now I do an annual listening club with my friends and dedicate myself to organizing with lessons from the show at top of mind. Blowback has been one of the most valuable pieces of media for me as far as relearning and rethinking the world and history.

This show is incredible! Well researched and planned to make highly complicated and complex topics more understandable. They helped me hear the rhymes of history through several decades of historical events. Great job guys! Can’t wait for the new season.

One need only study a very little bit of history to know that wars simply do not happen purely to right moral wrongs. My only disappointment is how opinionated this podcast is. It barely seeks to put forward a truly historical account, and there is almost no geopolitical context. Seems to advance the narrative that America is bad, plain and simple. Kind of a boring angle to take, and not balanced in any way. Otherwise, interesting podcast.

Love the show. I’m on season 4 and am hooked. Long story short America is one messed up place. So many wars that didn’t have to happen or could’ve been stopped with diplomatic measures but weren’t. The downfall we’re in now seems to be deserved

This is a very well formatted and researched podcast. That being said, I have to listen to episodes slowly as it’s a heavy topic (which topic? Every single geopolitical issue America creates). It’s upsetting that there are a lot of parallels with the seasons of Iraq and Cuba and assault on Iran and starvation isolation of Cuba now in 2026.

I mean I figured they were gonna speak about destruction but holy cow

The things I’d let them do to me while lecturing about the dominating socio-political actors that ravaged countries and communities for the sake of economic and political hegemony

A total package of great production and good historical research. Hue and cry capitalist roaches.

So, ummm Yugoslavia is next for sure. Right?

Amazing podcast with excellent historical information along with first hand accounts. This is on par with hard core history if you like history

Probably literally the best podcast I’ve ever listened to. Period.

As a non continental US citizen, I find it endearing when the local reads Fanon and thinks of him/herself informed.

This show is not brand safe, full half truths and hate.

I had to take back my 5 star review after listening to S4 Ep5, the Taliban did not facilitate opium production, that is an outright lie. By June of 2001 opium production was basically at 0%, and Gus’s why it skyrocketed in the years after that?? US occupation, guys need to get your facts right.

Audio cinema - dramatic, noir. Some defensively call this annual series “tankie” or “hating America”. In reality the show - now in Season 6 (Iraq, Cuba, Korea, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Angola) - makes any decent USA-ian want to projectile vomit like Adriana in Sopranos when she realizes the FBI has her dead to rights. Confronting the reality of the organized criminality of global US violence over the past century is a religious experience. This podcast series provides the music, voice, script, and ritual to make the spiritual purging as artful and enjoyable as possible. The characters and their acts are disgusting. That our world today is built on the rotting corpse that represents their body of work? Priceless. Might as well hear it told in a carefully scripted and produced piece of artistic gold. Bravo

The research and production of this show is second to none. One of the podcasts I’ve ever heard.

I enjoyed the Cambodia season, but have to revise my overall review from “enjoy it but don’t believe it” to “thank heaven this’ll be behind a paywall.” Will add more but, gotta do more rage listening- it’s well researched like a good Comintern documentary from 1935.

This podcast is so thorough and so accurate that it’s one that I feel like I’m actually learning a great deal about American and global politics while I’m listening to it. My son turned me onto it eternally grateful for him having done so.

Really eye opening!

Each season’s episodes grips me by bringing to life intense mix of politics, little known history and personal memories. The hosts are skilled researchers and storytellers. I recommend this podcast to anyone who wants to know the truth about US involvement overseas.

I listen to lots of podcasts and this is by far my favorite. Meticulously researched and excellent storytelling. Thank you for doing what you do.

Good

You have exploded my mind open with your carefully researched information and the way you present it is impeccably funny and thoughtful. I know there is so much more out there for us to know- please hurry with your next season!

Excellent podcast. Very informative but still entertaining. I like the dry and sometimes dark humor from the hosts—it’s necessary comic relief from the generally dystopian-seeming yet all too real subject matter. I’d love to see future seasons covering the following topics: Myanmar, Ukraine, Palestine, Venezuela, Laos, plus many others but those are the first that come to mind. My only complaint is that it could be more accessible for younger audiences. I’m in my 20s and didn’t grow up hearing my parents talk about some of the things it seems the host expect listeners to have a preconceived understanding/awareness of, which can make it challenging to follow along when names of people/events/etc. are dropped quickly but not explained. A bit more exposition would go a super long way and be very appreciated. I realize this is a tricky balance because you don’t want to be too repetitive for listeners who might be more familiar with some of the material. Thank you. :))

Found this pod via another pod that mentioned it and binged all 5 seasons in a matter of days. As someone who hasn’t taken a history class since high school, this filled in a lot of gaps and gave a different lens to my understanding of America’s involvement in major geopolitical events.

This show is great. Well written, produced with good taste, straight forward journalism style.

Very well researched and produced, thank you for making this !! I’m learning so much I wouldn’t have otherwise. Love the interviews and various archival accounts

One of the most well researched and unbiased accountings of major geopolitical events and the nations and players involved in the violent games played during the Cold War. Clear descriptions, from multiple perspectives and people, brought together into a cohesive, materialist understanding of how and most importantly, WHY, these things happened and how our telling of events here in the US omit so much detail and nuance, that one could only call it propaganda meant to hide our crimes and failures across the globe.

If you want to truly learn about the world and not just continue eating the American propaganda that we’ve been fed since we were in elementary school, pick one of the seasons and give a few episodes a go. Your worldview will start to finally open up and your curiosity about history might take you to places you didn’t know were possible.

People all over the world love and cherish Noah kulwins podcasts

Great eps, really well done. Season 1 was fantastic. Really good bonus eps too

I’ve listened more than once to each season! It’s thoroughly researched and definitely dense at times, but so worth it. Highly recommend

CCP is that you? I wanted to like this but why not just present the facts in an unbiased way? If you’re into communist toe sucking and a far left anti-American agenda, this one’s for you.

Every season so far has been fire. Was hooked immediately after listening to my first episode.

here i was about to penn a tearful thank you to these 2 d00ds about their long historical now discontinued podcast (as has hit my favs) so imagine my surprise when i see that the past s5 episode was published a mere two months ago!!!!!! cannot day or rather sing enough praises, has dilated my 3rd and even 4th eye.

i love this podcast. the worst part of season 2 is hearing the US politicians trying to speak spanish 🤣🤢

A sad narrative of missed opportunities and squandered possibilities for the US to have good relationships with Middle East countries and peoples. I wish this well produced series was heard by all Americans, especially those making such dumb decisions on behalf of their country. Our world would be so much better if we all tried to understand how other people view it.

So Choice. If you have the means to give it a listen. I highly recommended it.

Down with the empire

Fascinating & insightful ☯️ I found out about this show from the majority report thanks Sam

Exceptionally well researched and produced examinations of the imperial squeezes of the U.S. and it’s allies, and their long shadows. It’s so much more engaging than any Hollywood blockbuster not only because these aren’t some propaganda tropes—thus inherently more valuable, but are also refreshingly presented with just the right music and humor. The reading materials and references are also super helpful. If only the corporate media covers these events fractionally truthfully as this podcast does, we probably wouldn’t been mired in never-ending wars since WWII or drummed with self-congratulatory lies in the face of psychotic atrocities inflicted by our “dear leaders” with scant objections.

Extraordinary researched and the music is always superb

Best historically researched podcast out there

I was recommended this podcast, but quickly realized that this is a tankie podcast. They call out every minor bad act the US has done and ignore horrible acts done by the opposition. The US will look plenty bad with an unbiased account of the facts, but they still feel the need to present a very biased take.

The content fills an unfortunate void in the education of most of us in the US. The research is deep and thorough. Season 1 was conversational and engaging. Season 2 on, though, feel like I’m listening to an audiobook narration of a textbook they wrote. Good information but not good podcasting.

season 1 was hilarious and very entertaining. the show has gotten progressively more bland and academic as the seasons go on. still informative, but it seems like the hosts are reading off a script

An incredible podcast, well researched and produced- presented in a way that’s relatable and interesting.