Operation Midnight Climax

In the winter of 1939, Finland faced overwhelming odds. The Soviet Union was invading with hundreds of thousands of troops. Standing in their way was an unlikely defender: a shy farmer and expert marksman who would later become known as “The White Death.” But behind the myth was simply a reserved man fighting for his homeland.
Hosted by Zaron Burnett, Dana Schwartz, and Jason English
Written by Lucas Reilly
Story Editor is Virginia Prescott
Senior Producers are Josh Fisher and Emilia Brock
Additional Production by Edeliz Perez
Story Editor is Virginia Prescott
Editing and Sound Design by Jesse Nighswonger
Mixing and Mastering by Jesse Nighswonger
Research and Fact-Checking by Austin Thompson and Lucas Reilly
Original Music by Elise McCoy and Jesse Nighswonger
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producers are Virginia Prescott and Jason English
Give it up for our excellent cast who brought this one to life!
Featuring Miska Kajanus as Simo Häyhä
Additional voices provided by Tuomas Ahva,Jukka Hurme, Tuomas Brock, and Tuukka Rantanen
Special thanks to Sirpa Ristimäki-Brock
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The average age of a U.S. Representative is in the 50s. In the Senate, it's in the 60s. Many Congressional members are also white and wealthy. And this is not representative of the country as a whole. So, what's keeping Congress from being more reflective of nation's population, and therefore, actually getting things done? So. Many. Things.
Bob calls up political scientist Maya Kornberg, author of Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress, to unpack why Congress feels frozen in place ... and how we can fix it.
From campaign money and social media to political violence and the rise of “performative politics,” Maya explains why younger leaders struggle to break through.
Listen to American History Hotline wherever you get your podcasts.

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What was it really like to come to America through Ellis Island? For millions of immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this little spit of land in New York Harbor was the gateway to a better future … IF they could pass a physical exam.
To get the real-life experience of coming through Ellis Island, Bob calls up historian Vincent Cannato (author of American Passage: The History of Ellis Island – A Sweeping Epic of Immigration at the Nation's Landmark Port of Entry).
From quick and dirty medical exams to some weird name changes, Cannato separates fact from fiction, and explains why Ellis Island is synonymous with American immigration.
We’ll also explore how Ellis Island marked a turning point in American immigration policy — with power shifting from the states to the federal government. And why is Ellis Island viewed with such nostalgia while Angel Island in San Francisco Bay is not?
We’ve got all that and more in this episode!
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Emma has never felt the sun on her skin. Born with a rare condition that makes UV light dangerous, she lives by sunscreen, meters, and moonlight. But she’s also part of a community finding extraordinary ways to make ordinary childhood possible. And thanks to new research, the future may actually be bright.
Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Jake Rossen
Senior Producer is Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Jonathan Washington
Additional Editing by Mary Dooe
Mixing and Mastering by Josh Fisher
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English
Question? Comment? Want to share your favorite episode? You can always reach us at veryspecialepisodes@gmail.com.
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This week we sit down with therapist Leah Miller to talk about the TikTok-ification of mental health and why it might be doing more harm than good. The pendulum has swung. Mental health is finally mainstream, which is great, except now everyone is self-diagnosing from 30-second videos and walking away convinced something is deeply wrong with them.
We get into the words that are suddenly everywhere (narcissism, gaslighting, trauma dumping), what they actually mean clinically, and how they're being used in ways that are making people worse, not better. Leah explains the algorithm trap that turns one curious scroll into five days of doom content, the difference between being sad and being depressed, and why "asking for what you need" is not the same as being a narcissist.
She also gets into the bigger idea underneath all of it: the human experience can't be captured in a soundbite. Most of what you think is wrong with you isn't a disorder. It's just being a person.
If you've ever spiraled after a mental health TikTok and walked away convinced something was broken in you, this one's for you. Leah is one of those therapists who can take the most over-used buzzword on the internet and hand you back the actual meaning in a way that feels like a deep breath.
Catch new episodes of Free Therapy every Thursday on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
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