In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the emergence of the "New Left" in 1960s America—a movement born from the failure of Cold War liberalism to deliver on its promises.

Drawing on Kim McQuaid’s The Anxious Years, we delve into the deep disillusionment that fuelled student radicalism. Why did young activists view "vital centre" liberals like JFK and LBJ not as allies, but as "closet right-wingers" trapped in an imperialist mindset? We examine the "bipartisan banality" of the era, where fear of being labelled "soft on communism" drove Democrats to escalate wars in Vietnam and Cuba, often with more ferocity than their Republican counterparts.

From the devastating psychological blow of the Tet Offensive to the collapse of trust in the "foreign policy establishment," we uncover why 1968 became the year the liberal consensus shattered.

Plus: Big announcements about our upcoming live masterclasses for history students in January and February 2026!

Key Topics:

• The New Left: How the SDS and student radicals challenged the "Old Left" and the liberal establishment.
• Cold War Liberalism: Why Democrats felt compelled to "out-hawk" the Republicans.
• The Credibility Gap: How the Tet Offensive exposed the lies of the war managers.
• The "Deep State": The origins of the term and the critique of an unelected power elite.

Books Mentioned:

• The Anxious Years: America in the Vietnam-Watergate Era by Kim McQuaid
• The Great Fear by David Caute

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Is 2025 the year the European project finally hit the wall? In this episode, we argue that 2025 serves as a massive historical inflection point—comparable to 1933, 1968, or 1989—marking the definitive end of the post-Cold War era.

We explore the "perfect storm" battering the continent: the return of Donald Trump and the removal of the American security umbrella, the accelerating de-industrialization of Germany, and the demographic cliff-edge that makes mass migration an economic necessity despite the violent rise of the far-right. From the strategic failures of centrists like Macron and Starmer to the paralyzing energy crisis, we ask the hard question: Is Europe facing its own "Century of Humiliation"?

Key Topics:

• Why the "End of History" (1989-2025) is officially over.
• The impact of the US National Security Strategy on European industry.
• The Centrist Trap: Why copying far-right rhetoric is failing.
• The Demographic Crisis: Replacement rates vs. political reality.
• The collapse of the German car industry and the China dilemma.

Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.

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Episode Summary:

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of post-war American affluence. We often think of the 1950s as a golden age of middle-class expansion, where the old divisions of wealth and status melted away under a wave of chrome-plated cars and suburban lawns. But was this "classless society" a reality or a comforting myth?

Drawing again from James Patterson’s Grand Expectations, we delve into the changing nature of work and the rise of the white-collar economy. We examine how unions secured unprecedented benefits like health insurance and paid vacations, creating a unique moment where a steelworker could live a life of bourgeois comfort. Yet, beneath the surface, manual labour remained the backbone of the economy, and inequality persisted. Why did the US labour movement abandon the fight for universal healthcare in favour of employer-based benefits? And how did this decision shape the fragmented social safety net we see today?

Key Topics:

• The Myth of the Classless Society: How affluence disguised, but didn't erase, social stratification.
• The Rise of Fringe Benefits: Why unions prioritized employer-based healthcare over state provision.
• Blue Collar vs. White Collar: The shifting demographics of the American workforce.
• The End of an Era: How financialization and offshoring eventually hollowed out the working-class dream.

Books Mentioned:

• Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974 by James T. Patterson
• Set the Night on Fire by Mike Davis and Jon Wiener
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.

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Become a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory

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Facebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcast

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Website: explaininghistory.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.