SPONSORED This episode is sponsored by Nebula, the streaming service by and for creators. On Nebula, you can watch fantastic, high quality, exclusive originals from your favorite creators, like RealLifeLore's Mad Kings—which explores the most insane and powerful dictators in history—or Wendover’s The Colorado Problem—

Once upon a time, National Corporations were destroying America.

Our housing crisis is 200 years in the making.

Soviet subways were built to tell beautiful lies.

This video is a supercut of our full three-episode series on Japan's insane 20th century, covering the pivotal (and violent) years of 1932, 1949, and 1960. There's nothing "new" per se here, as these are three old videos, but watching them together was always

Trump's ballroom is the culmination of trends in presidential power.

These are Europe's most mysterious assassinations.

Trainwreck August 17, 1949. 3:09 AM. Passenger train #412 is approaching the village of Matsukawa, Japan. So far, the journey on the Tōhoku main line has gone smoothly. But disaster is only sixty seconds away. For the last two months Japan has been inflamed with railroad terrorism. In July,

In 1971, eight unlikely thieves uncovered the largest conspiracy in American history.

In 1970, French-Quebec terrorists hatched a terrible plan.

Tyrants are getting sneakier, and I want to show you their secrets.

Michael Collins helped liberate Ireland. They killed him for it.

1976 was an insane year in China.

In 1999, a strange Chinese cult gained Beijing's attention. They've been at war ever since.

In 2003, after playing instrumental roles in the overthrow and extradition of the infamous Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, Prime Minister Zoran Dindic was assassinated.

In 1979, the FBI went undercover and executed the largest federal anti-corruption sting in American history. We've never seen anything like that operation since—but why?

In 1932, Japan witnessed a triple-assassination of leading figures. The consequences would prove beyond catastrophic.

JD Vance is obsessed with death. Why? And does it matter?

On December 1, 1934, Leonid Nikolaev entered the Smolny Institute. The Soviet Union would never be the same.

One of the first gay elected officials found his home in San Francisco and spent the 1970s fighting tirelessly for gay rights. His murder and legacy transformed the movement for equality.

Japan lost the war, but today they're winning at baseball.

Shinzo Abe was murdered almost two years ago, and Japanese politics still isn't the same.

Seriously, it was a really wild (and dark) year.

The Hawaii state capitol doesn't look like any other capitol in America. Why?

Wiremu Kīngi Maketū went on a killing spree, and New Zealand was born.

Toussaint Louverture was born a slave. He defeated Napoleon and liberated a nation. This is his story.

INTRODUCTION If you're like me, / you've been horrified / by the images you've seen / coming out of Israel and Gaza. And, reluctantly, you've decided to engage with a difficult topic you’ve long avoided confronting, watching a number of videos, reading a handful

The murder of Olof Palme remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in Europe. Who did it?

On March 11, 2011, Japan faced a massive earthquake, a huge tsunami, and a nuclear meltdown. All things considered, they fared pretty well. Why?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT NOW INTRO It’s January 23, 2001, 9AM. In Beijing, seven visitors in town for the holiday from Kaifeng depart a friend’s apartment, where they’ve been staying for several days. For their day out, each brings a bottle of Sprite.[1] Within the

In 1999, a new religious movement occupied China’s capital. The regime would never be the same.

Refugee scientists gave America the bomb…then America turned on science. But why?

You’ve heard it a thousand times, a thousand ways. “The media is against us.” But where does media bias come from, and can following the money give us the answers?

Benjamin Netanyahu is threatening to send Israel spiraling. We explain what’s happening, why, and what can be done.

Everyone knows Germany loved starting wars, but to explain why, we need to dive back to 1600. What we find will surprise you.

Some are wondering, is Italian Fascism back? Truth is, it never really died.

In democracies around the world, citizens are debating what to do about statues of slavers, imperialists, and prominent racists. At stake is how nations remember the crimes of their histories, and, in choosing how to remember them, what commitments they make to social justice going forward.

Since liberating South Africa from Apartheid, Nelson Mandela’s successors have fostered corruption and brought the country to ruins. What happened?

In 1986, Taiwan’s dictator began the island’s democratization — an unlikely story with consequences and lessons which echo to today.

In 1965, French President Charles DeGaulle started a fight that nearly tore Europe apart — over the same disagreements that still haunt the continent. This is the story of the empty chair crisis.

Estonia is one of the best performing post-Soviet countries, thanks in no small part to its revolutionary digital democracy. But it’s not all computer code—there’s something about the Estonian attitude that’s crucial to its success, and it’s something all democracies can learn from.

After WWII and the Cold War, democracy looked unstoppable. Lately, it seems more complicated. The world’s leading author on the subject joins us to discuss — could it still be true?

George Bush, imaginary weapons of mass destruction, an endless war in the Middle East—that’s not all there is to the story of the Iraq War.

Peace in Northern Ireland is still young, and today, it may be in danger.

He assassinated Japan’s most successful politician ever. But now, he seems to have won over public opinion. What happened?

Between Saudi cities in the desert and Peter Thiel’s attempts to homestead the high seas, it’s clear that for some, money isn’t enough. That can be a danger in liberal democracies.

Click here to watch now! In the late 1980s, as the Cold War was coming to a close, Viktor Orban was at the head of the anticommunist liberal resistance, leading the fight for democracy in Hungary. But over time, as he faced electoral difficulties, he drifted to the political right.

Dictators simply don't give up these days. But it wasn't always this way. Learn why things changed.

We're reimagining the way we do things. It'll take some time, but we hope you'll come along for the ride.

Whether Communist, monarchist, or Nazi, any opponents of German democracy in the ‘20s could find a friend in the Soviet Union.

New York Dems have been denied their gerrymander. They’ll need to find more productive ways to push the boundaries.

EU leadership is making Ukraine seem like a shoe-in. That dodges some hard—but vital—questions.

Professor Aldrich sits down with us to discuss his most recent book, the 2011 triple-disaster in Japan, and how strong communities save lives.

Viktor Orban “won” another election in Hungary, but that doesn’t erase the damage he’s done to democracy.

Former Mayor of Kansas City Sly James sits down with us to discuss political leadership, local government, and how to restore faith in American politics.

Florida’s new parental rights bill prohibits discussion of LGBT issues in the classroom. It’s going to cause chaos for the state’s school system.

The tragic forty-year history of Taiwan’s Fourth Nuclear Plant yields key lessons on energy policy, democracy, security, and more.

It's easy to be cynical and assume that all's going to hell, but the facts are a little more complicated.

It’s taken for granted that meritocracy makes sense. But it might actually damage democracy in the long term.