🎙️Episode 22 – The Great Depression and the Road to War

The stock market crash of 1929 did more than devastate economies — it reshaped global politics. Mass unemployment, collapsing trade, and social unrest fueled the rise of authoritarian regimes that promised salvation through strength and expansion. In Germany, Italy, and Japan, the Great Depression became the fertile ground where fascism and militarism thrived.

In this episode, we trace how economic despair turned into political extremism and why the world’s democracies struggled to respond. From the collapse of the Weimar Republic to Mussolini’s drive for autarky, from Japan’s invasion of Manchuria to the struggles of France, Britain, and the United States, we uncover how financial crisis became a catalyst for global conflict.

Inside this 60-minute episode:

• The Wall Street Crash and its worldwide impact

• Germany’s economic collapse and the Nazi rise to power

• Italy’s autarky and Mussolini’s imperial ambitions

• Japan’s response to depression and the push into Asia

• How democracies faltered while dictatorships gained ground

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.

This episode covers the Great Depression, its impact on Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Western democracies, and how economic collapse paved the way for WW2.

World War 2 in Focus: Echoes Through AI

Created by Hector Sanchez, U.S. Navy veteran.

Powered by AI. Sharpened by history.