Civil War Breakthroughs
Civil War Breakthroughs is a podcast series that explores how the inventions, ideas, and innovations of the Civil War–era defined a new kind of conflict. In our first season, The Technological War, we’ll explore the technologies and concepts that brought the conflict into the modern age.
Published: 10/30/25
Episode 5: Photography
Jennifer Raab on the power and importance of Civil War photography, including how the camera shaped how we remember the war today.
Published: 10/23/25
Episode 4: Railroads
Historian Scott Huffard talks about how railroads became the engine of the war, transforming everything from logistics to troop movements.
Published: 10/16/25
Episode 3: Wartime Industry
Nathan Madison talks about the crucial role played by northern and southern industries during the conflict, with a focus on Richmond’s Tredegar Iron Works.
Published: 10/9/25
Episode 2: The Naval War
Historian Gordon Calhoun discusses the pioneering developments in naval warfare that occurred during the Civil War, from the rise of ironclads to the birth of the submarine.
Published: 10/2/25
Episode 1: Ammunition
Historian Jonathan Noyalas discusses the significance and impact of several key advances in Civil War era ammunition.