Eyewitness History

Judy Ikels is the recipient of one Meritorious Award and three Superior Honor Awards from the Department of State. She received the 2017 Champion of Career Enhancement Award from the Associates of the American Service Worldwide. After 28 years service, in 2019, she was honored with the Director General of the Foreign Service Cup awarded annually to one Civil Service employee "for devotion to duty, outstanding leadership, creative innovation, and tireless pursuit of what is right." Judy has lived and worked in Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Greece, Mexico, and Venezuela; and speaks Spanish and Portuguese.Judy recently published "Death in Wartime China: A Daughter's Discovery" a book about her father's service in WWII. It is in that capacity that I had the pleasure of speaking with her. It was on a fateful day in 2016, a simple email from an interested stranger would uncover a world where her father continues to be revered as a hero. Judy would board a plane to Kunming, China, where her father is honored with a mountain memorial that heralds the bravery of a man who sacrificed his life to save his entire B 24 Liberator crew during the China Burma India conflict of World War Two. This journey would welcome her to the country as the daughter of an important hero and lead her to create the new book” death in wartime China, a daughter's discovery,”.Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode looks at a deathbed promise from a daughter to a mother, which leads the daughter on a journey to write about her grandfather who was a famous war hero. But this journey had a terrible destination: the discovery that he was a Nazi war criminal. Today’s guest is the daughter -- Silvia Foti – author of the book “Storm in the land of rain." Her mother was dying and she wanted to preserve family history, so she asked Silvia to write a book about Foti’s grandfather, Jonas Noreika, a famous WWII hero.Foti had no idea that in keeping her promise to her mother, her discoveries would bring her to a personal crisis, unearth Holocaust denial, and expose an official cover-up by the Lithuanian government that resulted in an internationally-followed lawsuit. Jonas Noreika was a Lithuanian known as General Storm.He led an uprising that won the country of Lithuania back from the communists, only to have it fall under Nazi control. He was an official during the Holocaust and chief of the second largest region in the country during the Nazi occupation, yet he became a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp.Foti set out to write a heroic biography about her famous grandfather. But as she dug ever deeper, she “encountered so much evidence proving my flesh and blood ‘hero’ was a Jew-killer, even I could no longer believe the lie.”Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

C.J. Cook, an accomplished author and devoted historian, has immersed himself in the rich tapestry of the South Pacific's history. His debut work, "Tyree, Artist of the South Pacific" (2017), soared to extraordinary heights, clinching two prestigious Gold Awards for Best Cover and Best Biography from the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in April 2018. Following this triumph, his second masterpiece, "Leeteg, Babes, Bars, Beaches, and Black Velvet Art" (2021), secured another Gold Medal for Best Biography from IBPA in April 2022.Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this gripping episode, we explore the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) lysine scandal with whistleblower Mark Whitacre. Unraveling the intricacies of illegal price-fixing, we follow Whitacre's courageous journey as he exposes the conspiracy and cooperates with the FBI.Dive into the challenges of undercover operations, the toll of bipolar disorder, legal repercussions, and life after prison. Mark Whitacre's compelling narrative sheds light on the complexities of corporate fraud, morality, and justice.Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, we unravel the riveting narrative of Margherita Bertola Fray, one of the last surviving heroes of the Italian Resistance during World War II.Margherita grew up in Turin, immersed in a fiercely anti-Fascist family. The sacrifices and hardships her family endured due to their unwavering opposition.Answering the Call of the "Resistenza": Margherita transformed into a partisan, joining the Garibaldi Brigade to resist foreign aggressors. The harrowing experiences of bombings, executions, and the brutalities of war faced by all Italians.Triumph Amidst Struggle: Margherita's daring missions and selfless acts for the underground fighters. The emotional toll of witnessing horrors and the indomitable spirit that carried her through.Love Across Continents: Margherita's journey to America as a War Bride in 1946, marrying a man she barely knew. Early struggles as a young woman and mother in a foreign land, navigating challenges with resilience.Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I am proud to present a compilation of interviews with three extremely distinguished journalists!In fact, they are all Pulitzer Prize winners!Here, they each tell me what the experience of winning one is like and what it meant for them.Full Interviews:Greg Marinovich: Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/t7b2v //Spotify: https://rb.gy/lrtjuSheri Fink: Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/6qlx4v // Spotify: https://rb.gy/85w7lnPaul Moses: Apple Podcasts: https://rb.gy/czs8t // Spotify: https://rb.gy/n25osRemember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Kirby and Libby Handros, acclaimed figures in documentary filmmaking, join forces in 'Four Died Trying,' a groundbreaking docuseries premiering on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, and Google Play on November 22, 2023. Kirby, known for award-winning productions, directs the series, ensuring a compelling narrative that delves into the mysteries surrounding these tragic events. Handros, has over two decades of experience and brings her expertise as a producer.Seven years in the making, the series reexamines the untimely deaths of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy, challenging established narratives.'Four Died Trying' goes beyond official doctrine, featuring candid interviews that offer fresh insights into the lives and legacies of these iconic figures. Premiering on multiple platforms, the series invites viewers to reevaluate their understanding of these pivotal events, showcasing Kirby and Handros' dedication to impactful storytelling and uncovering hidden truths."Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Andrea "Andy" Cunningham, a marketing and communications trailblazer who joined the ranks of Regis McKenna in the heart of Silicon Valley. It was here that she found herself at the epicenter of innovation and was given project lead responsibilities that would forever change the course of her career.Andy collaborated with Steve Jobs on the launch of the Apple Macintosh, an endeavor that would become a milestone in tech history. She didn't just witness the birth of the Macintosh; she was a key architect of its success. But that's just the beginning of her incredible journey.Let's embark on this extraordinary journey through the Steve Jobs era with our esteemed guest, Andrea "Andy" CunninghamRemember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Delve into the heart of World War II-era Germany with an intimate portrayal, casting a spotlight on the lives of ordinary individuals residing in the charming Bavarian village of Oberstdorf, all under the shadow of Nazi rule. This compelling narrative comes from a distinguished author, recognized as a past recipient of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History.Amidst the serene Bavarian mountains, Oberstdorf has long been a bastion of simplicity and tradition, a world apart from the tumultuous events shaping history elsewhere. However, even in this secluded haven, the relentless grasp of the Nazi regime could not be eluded.Julia Boyd is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History, Travelers in the Third Reich. Her previous books include A Dance with the Dragon: The Vanished World of Peking's Foreign Colony, The Excellent Doctor Blackwell: The Life of the First Woman Physician and Hannah Riddell: An Englishwoman in Japan. As the widow of a former diplomat, she lived in Germany from 1977 to 1981. She lives in London.Remember to subscribe, rate, and review Eyewitness History.Follow the Show on Social Media!Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EyewitnessHistoryTwitter: https://twitter.com/EyewitnessPodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

November 22nd marked the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. To commemorate this pivotal event in American history, learn more about Kennedy's 1963 Texas visit, reelection campaign, assassination, and legacy, with this excerpt from This American President. Continue listening to This American President and follow the show!Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/49wQLzb Spotify: https://sptfy.com/PfPg Parthenon: https://www.parthenonpodcast.com/this-american-president Check out these popular episodes of This American President! America's Most Improbable President: Richard Norton Smith on Gerald Ford: https://apple.co/3QBTaAh / https://sptfy.com/PfPP Theodore Roosevelt vs. Wall Street: Susan Berfield on TR's Epic Clash with J.P. Morgan: https://apple.co/47t0chn / https://sptfy.com/PfPQ America's Most Brilliant President (and it isn't Thomas Jefferson) With Charles Goodyear: https://apple.co/3QSTID1 / https://sptfy.com/PfPS How Woodrow Wilson Used Propaganda to Manipulate the American People With John M. Hamilton: https://apple.co/40wo41e / https://sptfy.com/PfPT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.