In the third installment of our Panama Canal series, we dive into the bold yet flawed French attempt to carve a path through the Isthmus of Panama. Led by Ferdinand de Lesseps—celebrated hero of the Suez Canal but no engineer—this phase of the canal’s history is marked by grand ambition, shaky logistics, and devastating consequences. From the formation of the Société Civile Internationale and the controversial Wyse Concession to the theatrics of the International Canal Congress, this episode unpacks how politics, pride, and poor planning set the stage for disaster. Hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy explore how disease, denial, and the unforgiving terrain undermined one of the 19th century’s most audacious engineering efforts, and laid the groundwork for a future American takeover.