American Traitors: Axis Sally

American Traitors: Axis Sally

Author: History Hit August 21, 2025 Duration: 44:36

Is contributing to enemy propaganda treason? In this second episode on American Traitors, we are meeting 'Axis Sally', real name Mildred Gillars.


Professor Michael Flamm joins us to explore the life of this American citizen who broadcast American music, scripted dramas and hateful rhetoric from the heart of the Nazi Third Reich, Berlin. Listen to find out how she was found guilty of treason.


Michael is a scholar of modern American political history at Ohio State University. He taught at Mildred Gillar's former college, Ohio Wesleyan University from 1998 to 2024.


Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  


You can take part in our listener survey here.


All music from Epidemic Sounds.


American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.


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


Dive into the stories that shaped a nation with American History Hit. Hosted by Don Wildman, this podcast from History Hit moves beyond textbook dates to explore the pivotal moments and forgotten figures that define the American experience. Each episode is a journey, whether it's into the tense world of wartime codebreakers intercepting Japanese plans or the complex political landscape where figures like Walt Disney leveled serious accusations. You'll encounter the perspectives of leaders like Chief Powhatan on the eve of conflict and dig into the layered past of landmarks like Central Park. The narrative stretches from pre-colonial times through the forming of the modern United States, connecting historical dots to contemporary understanding. By focusing on specific, often surprising events, this series provides a grounded and compelling look at how the past actively informs the present. Tune in for a thoughtful and detailed exploration of history, where every story adds depth to the ongoing American story.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

American History Hit
Podcast Episodes
Was Lee Harvey Oswald a Lone Gunman? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:09
Why not have a go at understanding one of the most famous conspiracies of the 20th Century?We will probably never get an answer for what really happened in Dallas on November 22, 1963. But in this episode, we're question…
Bleeding Kansas: Start of the Civil War? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:04
Was 'Bleeding Kansas' a dress rehearsal for the Civil War to come? During the 1850s pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed in the newly created territory of Kansas. From guerrilla raids and political chaos to the…
American Origins of Halloween [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
How did the pre-Christian commemoration of Samhain travel across the seas from Ancient Ireland to America? And how did it evolve into the Halloween we know and love to this day?In this special spooky episode Don welcomes…
Was the American Revolution a World War? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:14
What makes a war a World War? If it's the involvement of multiple major world powers, will France, Spain and the Netherlands do?If it's battles fought globally, do Canada, West Africa, India and the Mediterranean count?…
What If George Washington Became King? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:31
‘No occurrence in the course of the war has given me more painful sensations.' This was George Washington's response when the idea of his becoming 'King' was put to him.But what if he had? What would an American royalty…
What if the Cuban Missile Crisis Sparked WW3? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
On October 22 1962, President John F. Kennedy announced that Soviet missiles has been discovered in Cuba. Over the following days, the fate of the Americas was on the line.In this episode, Don is joined once again by Ren…
What If There Were No CIA? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
The Agency. The Company. Langley.Without the Central Intelligence Agency, would we talk about conspiracy theories as much as we do? Who would be in power in Guatemala? What about Iran? Would the Bourne films ever have be…
Origins of the US Navy: America's Revolutionary Pirate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:54
Happy 250th Birthday to the US Navy! Today Don asks, who was John Paul Jones and did he really father the US Navy? Our guest is historian James L. Nelson, author of 'Washington's Secret Navy'.In July 2026, tall ships of…
Who was the Best President Ever? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:02
What should we look for in a great President? Who was the greatest of all time? And is it harder for modern Presidents to make the top of the list? Don is joined by Professor Jeremi Suri, author of The Impossible Preside…
America's Invasion of Canada [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:24
'Canada ought to be the 14th colony' was a view held by many American revolutionaries. In the winter of 1775, Benedict Arnold led an incredible (if doomed) mission to make it happen.We're delighted to be joined again by…