The Banana Wars E71 Doctrine Backed by Firepower: The Monroe Legacy in Latin America
This episode marks the beginning of a new era for the Marine Corps. Between 1898 and World War I, Marines were no longer just a shipboard force. They were central to U.S. foreign policy in Latin America, especially during the Banana Wars. From Panama to Mexico, Marines became the go-to unit for rapid intervention, counterinsurgency, and stability operations.
Their efforts helped shape the U.S. role in the region and laid the groundwork for modern expeditionary doctrine. The Marine Corps had found its niche and over the next few episodes, we’ll break down how those missions played out, one country at a time.
Spanish American War E70 Yellow Journalism, Red Blood
As the 19th century closed, the Marine Corps transitioned from a small peacetime force into a rapidly growing expeditionary unit. The Spanish-American War was the catalyst.
Marines executed the first amphibious assault in Cuba, secured Guantánamo Bay, and played a role in key operations across the Pacific.
This episode tracks the shift on how the Corps went from being a marginal asset to a key player in America’s emergence as a global power. It wasn’t a long war, but its legacy reshaped the military, set new standards for combat readiness, and solidified the Marine Corps' identity as the nation’s forward-deployed force.
The Gilded Age E69 The Making of the Modern Marine Corps
This episode covers an often overlooked period of Marine Corps activity during the Gilded Age. While the nation focused on industry and expansion, Marines were deployed globally, supporting U.S. interests, protecting trade routes, and enforcing treaties. In Panama, they were involved in repeated interventions to stabilize a region critical to future canal plans.
At home, the Corps faced low morale, slow promotions, poor infrastructure, and outdated equipment. The Corps stayed active, adapted when needed, and proved its value through consistent performance in uncertain conditions.
The Gilded Age E68 Gold-Plated Peace: Marines in the Age of Industry
After the Civil War, the Marine Corps entered its quietest era. There were no major wars, little funding, and almost no growth. But quiet didn’t mean inactive.
While the U.S. focused on rebuilding and chasing economic progress during the Gilded Age, Marines adapted. They manned ships, patrolled foreign ports, broke up riots at home, and took part in some of the earliest examples of U.S. global presence. At home, they helped enforce federal law and saw the beginnings of modernization in weapons, uniforms, and training.
Civil War E67 Fire and Sand: Marines at Fort Fisher
This episode covers the final months of the Civil War, focusing on the Marine Corps' role at Fort Fisher. It was the last major Confederate stronghold on the coast, and its fall marked the beginning of the end for the South. Marines were tasked with supporting a large-scale amphibious assault, but confusion, poor communication, and leadership breakdowns turned the operation into a disaster.
After Fort Fisher, the Confederate Marine Corps all but collapsed. The war would end weeks later at Appomattox, followed by Lincoln’s assassination. In the aftermath, the Marine Corps faced serious challenges including desertion, low morale, and a changing national mission. Although often overlooked, Marines made a meaningful impact in the Civil War, and this episode highlights their contribution as the nation transitioned into a new era.
Civil War E66 Filling Henderson’s Shadow: The Struggle for Vision After Harris
This episode covers a critical turning point in the history of the Marine Corps during the Civil War. When Commandant John Harris died, Gideon Welles had to decide who would lead the Corps through one of the most chaotic moments in American history. Internal politics, personal rivalries, and competing visions for the Corps' future all played a role in the selection of Colonel Jacob Zeilin as the new Commandant.
The episode tracks the evolution of the Corps' role in major military operations, highlighting the actions of Marines during the battles of Mobile Bay, the defense of the railroads in Maryland, and the brutal fighting around Honey Hill and Fort Fisher. Marines were rarely the focus of Civil War history, but their contributions were vital.
Civil War E65 The End of Sail: Marines in the Age of Iron and Steam
From the Union’s early success at Hatteras Inlet to the brutal battles involving the ironclads Monitor and Virginia, Marines played a direct role in both offensive and defensive operations along the coast. We’ll look at how the Corps supported naval campaigns, responded to Confederate innovation like the CSS David, and how Marines adapted to shifting priorities as the war dragged on.
We’ll also touch on the leadership transition from Commandant John Harris to Jacob Zeilin, a battle-hardened officer who shaped the Corps through some of its toughest years. Whether in coastal assaults, riot control during the New York Draft Riots, or shipboard actions, the Marines remained a constant presence in a war that demanded everything.
Civil War E64 Untrained and Outmatched: The Marines at Bull Run
As the country fractured over slavery, the Marines went from peacetime readiness to crisis response, supporting naval blockades, fort defenses, and coastal raids. From amphibious landings in North Carolina to nighttime raids in Florida, the Corps played a supporting but critical role in shaping the early war effort.
Their missions were small, fast, and dangerous. Most of the Marines who fought in these early actions were barely trained, yet they were sent straight into combat. Some of their operations succeeded. Others didn’t. But through it all, the Marine Corps built its wartime footing while facing losses, logistical challenges, and growing demands from a nation at war with itself.
Civil War E63 A Nation Divided: Marines Enter the Civil War
This episode looks at the lead-up to the Civil War and the role the Marine Corps played during one of the most volatile periods in American history. We trace how the debate over slavery started long before Lincoln took office and how international pressure, domestic politics, and expanding territory pushed the country to the breaking point.
Mexican American War E62 Marines, Mormons, and the End of the Pacific War
This episode picks up at the end of the U.S. campaign in California, as the military shifted from combat operations to controlling and organizing newly claimed territory. We follow the final actions of Commodore Stockton and Captain Archibald Gillespie as they transition out of California and back to Washington.
We also dig into the larger impact of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the growing global role of the Marine Corps, and the leadership legacy of Commandant Archibald Henderson.