Reckoning with Jason Herbert

D-Day is one of the most studied military operations in history. But what if the fate of the Allied invasion hinged not on generals, tanks, or landing craft—but on a weather forecast?
In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, Jason is joined by historians Todd Arrington and Dr. Colin Colbourn to discuss the new film Pressure, starring Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott as meteorologist James Stagg. Together they explore the extraordinary decisions made in the days before June 6, 1944, when uncertain forecasts, competing personalities, and the weight of history converged on a single choice: whether to launch Operation Overlord.
The conversation examines Eisenhower's leadership under immense strain, the often-overlooked role of meteorology in World War II, the disastrous rehearsal known as Exercise Tiger, and the complex relationships among Allied commanders such as Bernard Montgomery. Along the way, the panel weighs in on the film's historical accuracy, its performances, and why Pressure succeeds by telling a familiar story from an entirely unexpected angle. 
If you've ever wondered how close D-Day came to being postponed—or how something as unpredictable as the weather helped shape the course of the twentieth century—this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Topics discussed:
 The true story behind the film Pressure
 Dwight Eisenhower and the burden of command 
 James Stagg and the weather forecast that changed history 
 Exercise Tiger and the hidden costs of preparing for D-Day 
 Bernard Montgomery, Allied politics, and coalition warfare 
 The role of weather in World War II operations 
 Historical accuracy versus cinematic storytelling 
 Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, and Damian Lewis on screen

World War II reached far beyond the beaches of Normandy and the islands of the Pacific. It also came to Alaska, where Indigenous communities found themselves on the front lines of invasion, military occupation, and forced relocation.
In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Holly Miowak Guise discusses her groundbreaking book Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Drawing on more than 90 oral history interviews with Alaska Native elders, Guise reveals how Alaska Native communities experienced the Aleutian Campaign, wartime relocation camps, segregation, military service, and the ongoing realities of colonialism in America's far north.
Together, we explore the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, the forced evacuation of Indigenous communities, Alaska Native military service, the power of oral history, and the ways Native peoples resisted, adapted, and rebuilt their communities in the aftermath of war.
This conversation challenges familiar narratives of the "Good War" and offers a powerful reminder that some of the most important stories of World War II remain largely unknown.

What happened at the Mariupol Drama Theater — and what does it reveal about the larger war between Russia and Ukraine?
In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Jason Herbert sits down with acclaimed journalist and author James Verini to discuss his powerful new book, The Theater, an intimate account of the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Together, they explore the siege of Mariupol, the human cost of modern warfare, and the terrifying role propaganda plays in shaping reality during conflict. The conversation moves beyond headlines into the deeper history of Russian imperialism, the contested identity of the Donbas, the rise of Ukrainian nationalism, and why Vladimir Putin’s war may ultimately have forged a stronger Ukrainian nation than ever before.
Jason and James also discuss:
Why the bombing of the theater became a defining atrocity of the war
Russian propaganda and the global information war
The historical roots of the conflict going back to the Crimean War
Volodymyr Zelensky’s transformation during the invasion
NATO, the United States, and the future of global democracy
Whether Putin can survive politically if Russia loses the war
Why Ukraine’s fight resonates far beyond Eastern Europe
Part war reporting, part historical reckoning, and part meditation on democracy itself, this episode examines one of the most consequential conflicts of the twenty-first century — and the people trapped inside it.

Historian and food studies scholar Jeffrey Pilcher joins Reckoning with Jason Herbert to explore the surprising global history of beer and how one of humanity’s oldest drinks became a worldwide commodity. Drawing from his new book Hopped Up: How Travel, Trade, and Taste Made Beer a Global Commodity, Pilcher traces beer’s journey from ancient brewing traditions to modern craft breweries, revealing how beer shaped—and was shaped by—capitalism, industrialization, migration, empire, advertising, and working-class culture.
In this episode, we discuss the origins of brewing in the ancient world, the rise of lager and Pilsner in Central Europe, German immigration and American beer culture, the globalization of brands like Heineken and Corona, and the explosion of craft brewing in the United States. Along the way, we dive into Czech beer halls, IPAs, bourbon barrel stouts, the politics of drinking, and why beer has always been about more than what’s in the glass.
If you love history, food culture, globalization, craft beer, or simply a great conversation about the human need for community and connection, this episode is for you.

What made George Washington more than a Founding Father? In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian H. W. Brands joins Jason to explore the man behind the marble statue—soldier, strategist, slaveholder, revolutionary, and reluctant president.
Drawing from Brands’ new biography of Washington, the conversation dives deep into the personality and contradictions of America’s first president. Together, they examine Washington’s rise during the French and Indian War, his leadership during the American Revolution, the brutal realities of Valley Forge, and the immense pressure of holding the Continental Army together when independence seemed impossible.
But this episode goes beyond battlefield mythology. Jason and Brands explore Washington’s carefully crafted public image, his obsession with reputation and character, his complicated relationship with slavery, and the enormous influence he had on later American leaders like Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower. They also tackle a larger question: why does Washington still loom so large in American memory 250 years later?
From the halls of the Constitutional Convention to the frozen encampment at Valley Forge, this is a conversation about leadership, war, power, masculinity, and the creation of the United States itself.
Perfect for fans of American history, the Revolutionary War, presidential biography, and the complicated legacy of the Founding Fathers.