EPISODE 116: The Daring Ones - The Arditi in WWI

“Se non ci conoscete, guardateci i coglioni, siamo gli Arditi del Capitan Mattioni.” Arditi song The Italian Army during WWI was not exactly a well-oiled military machine. In terms of supplies, logistics and leadership, it was a disaster… that is, until someone came up with an idea that didn’t rely on supplies, or advanced technologies. Just a stupid degree of bravery. That was the formula behind the Arditi. The Arditi had a reputation for being insane. They were special forces often engaged in nearly suicidal missions. Their motto was 'O la Vittoria o tutti accoppati' ('Either victory or everyone dies.') 25%-30% casualties in every attack were about the norm. Their main weapons were daggers and hand grenades. Their job was to storm enemy trenches while their artillery was bombing them (a risky endeavor in itself) and then use their knives and the grenades to murder the living hell out of their enemies. In today’s episode, we will explore the clash between Italy and the Austro Hungarian Empire during WWI, with a special focus on the Arditi. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠, including: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HOF YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Geek Nation Tours⁠⁠⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Arizona State University⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Every talent must unfold itself in fighting.” Friedrich Nietzsche “Boxing inhabits a sacred space predating civilization; or, to use D.H. Lawrence’s phrase, before God was love.” Joyce Carol Oates Stories that begin with slavery rarely end in happiness. I’m a huge fan of celebrating individual achievements in the face of terrible circumstances, but the reality is that the cards you are handed early in life usually shape the possible outcomes. The story we chat about today, though, is one that at least partially defeats the odds. Mr. Bill Richmond, the subject of our tale, was born in slavery in New York, in 1763. Not only did Richmond found his way out slavery, but he ended up moving across the globe, marrying a white lady in England, becoming a professional boxer at a time when the sport was infinitely more brutal than it is today, and ultimately becoming one of the first African American superstars in sports. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠⁠, including: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HOF YouTube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Geek Nation Tours⁠⁠⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Arizona State University⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I love people as I meet them one by one. People are just wonderful as individuals. You see the whole universe in their eyes if you look carefully. But as soon as they begin to group, as soon as they begin to clot, when there are five of them or ten or even groups of smallest two, they begin to change, they sacrifice the beauty of the individual for the sake of the group… Cause pretty soon they have little hats, ya know? And armbands. And fight songs. And a list of people they’re going to visit at 3 am.” George Carlin “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster." Friedrich Nietzsche Why so much of history reads like an account of human beings doing horrible things to other human beings? How can some individuals who seem loving and perfectly decent in one context turn into monsters in a different context? How can a sense of identity be weaponized to justify the most atrocious actions one can imagine? How can ideologies turn into tools for scapegoating? This episode will try to answer these questions, and go to the roots of the reasons behind all the horrific things that human beings have done and continue to do to one another. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠⁠, including: ⁠⁠⁠⁠HOF YouTube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at ⁠⁠⁠Geek Nation Tours⁠⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by ⁠⁠⁠Arizona State University⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Cold War, Prohibition, the Gold Rush, the Space Race. Every part of your life - the words you speak, the ideas you share - can be traced to our history, but how well do you really know the stories that made America? We'll take you to the events, the times and the people that shaped our nation. And we'll show you how our history affected them, their families and affects you today. Hosted by Lindsay Graham (not the Senator). Listen to American History Tellers: Wondery.fm/AHT_HOF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Take me back to the quarries.” Philoxenus “Pelopidas died as he’d lived, a freedom fighter who rushed fearlessly into the fray.” James Romm “As one approaches Chaeronea, there is a tomb of the Thebans who died in the battle with Philip. No inscription adorns it, but a monument stands over it in the form of a lion, the best emblem of the spirit of those men. It seems to me the inscription is lacking because their fortunes were not equal to their courage.” Pausanias In this second and final episode in this series, we see the age of Thebes’ Sacred Band coming to an end, as a new power rises in Macedon. As we tackle this fundamentally important period in Greek history, we’ll run into Dionysius of Syracuse and his horrendous poetry, the rise of Philip of Macedonia and Alexander (soon to be ‘The Great’), the badass sayings of Pelopidas and his heroic death, the rise of wealthy dictators and their bloody ends, the Sacred Wars, the career of Phyrne—the greatest hetaera of the age, and the end of Thebes.   If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠, including: ⁠⁠⁠HOF YouTube⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at ⁠⁠Geek Nation Tours⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by ⁠⁠Arizona State University⁠⁠. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There was no uproar, and no silence either, but that certain type of noise that results from anger and battle. Clashing shield on shield, they were shoving, fighting, killing, dying.” Xenophon “Pelopidas, after receiving seven wounds in front, sank down upon a great heap of friends and enemies who lay dead together; but Epaminondas, although he thought him lifeless, stood forth to defend his body and his arms, and fought desperately, single-handed against many, determined to die rather than leave Pelopidas lying there.” Plutarch “Urgent matters tomorrow!” Archias “If by… an army, of lovers and their young loves could come into being . . . then, fighting along- side one another, such men, though few in number, could defeat practically all humankind. For a man in love would rather have anyone other than his lover see him leave his place in the line or toss away his weapons, and often would rather die on behalf of the one he loves.” Plato “If we are to have peace. it must be on the basis of equality and justice. If we aren’t all equal, then peace won’t endure.” Epaminondas Following the end of the Peloponnesian War, Sparta emerged as the dominant military power in ancient Greece. Seemingly, no one could stop them. But someone did. The rising power of Thebes would challenge Sparta as no one had done before. Thebes’ main heroes, Pelopidas and Epaminondas, radically changed military tactics, and risked it all in the name of freedom from Spartan imperialism. Their secret weapon against Sparta was The Sacred Band, an elite group of 300 soldiers destined to become the most feared infantry unit in the entire Greek world. Something peculiar characterized this legendary unit. The Sacred Band was made up of 150 homosexual couples. And it was these 150 couples who broke the myth of Spartan military invincibility. In this episode, we follow the rise of Thebes from the ashes of the end of the Peloponnesian War in 401 BCE, through the Theban revolution of 379—when Pelopidas led 11 men to reclaim their city, to the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE, when the Sacred Band had its chance to demonstrate its valor against the Spartans. And in the course of narrating all this, we will grapple with one central question: what force can allow people to defeat their natural fears and fight like heroes? If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠LinkTree⁠, including: ⁠⁠HOF YouTube ⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at ⁠Geek Nation Tours⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by ⁠Arizona State University⁠. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“With P2, we had Italy in our hands. The Army, the Guardia di Finanzia, the police… they were all ruled by our members.” - Licio Gelli “Every week the streets of Milan were the theater of demonstrations, and were lit up by the fires of Molotov cocktails.” - Guido Passalacqua My childhood took place at a time known in Italy as The Years of Lead. It was a time of tear gas, terrorist attacks, false flag operations, anarchists getting thrown out of the windows of police stations, bombs on trains, assassinations, and street battles. One day, in my hometown, a bomb placed in a bank killed 17 people and wounded many more. It was the opening round in a war waged terrorists and some members of the secret services to bring about an authoritarian coup. This episode is about the dark days when political violence was an ever-present reality in the streets of Italy. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠Patreon⁠ to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our LinkTree, including our ⁠HOF YouTube Channel⁠, ⁠Substack⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and ⁠TikTok⁠. JAPAN TOUR! Let’s head out to Japan in Oct 2026. All the details at Geek Nation Tours. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by Arizona State University. Learn more about how ASU supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“For many of those for whom there is no light at the end of the tunnel, the story of Sertorius should be an example and an inspiration.” - Philip Matyszak Here’s the tale of one of Rome’s greatest and least known generals. A master of guerrilla warfare, he defeated many legions sent after him, and even outclassed Pompey the Great. His story is about the defiance that makes a man stand in the face of impossible odds. Nearly alone against the greatest power of the age, Sertorius knew his chances of victory were nearly non existent, but this didn’t stop him from fighting just the same.  If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my Patreon to access plenty of bonus content.  All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our LinkTree, including our: HOF YouTube Channel Substack Instagram TikTok Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started Purest Mushrooms where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by Arizona State University. Learn more about how ⁠⁠⁠ASU⁠⁠⁠ supports all learners through all stages of life.  My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Lucky will not be pleased to hear that you have not been helpful.” - Joe Adonis “The outcome of the war appeared extremely grave. In addition, there was the most serious concern over possible sabotage in the ports. It was necessary to use every possible means to prevent and forestall sabotage and to prevent the possible supplying of and contact with enemy submarines.” - Captain Roscoe C. MacFall “There was peace on the waterfront. It was kept with rough methods. But that's what the Navy asked us to do and that's what the Navy go.” - Meyer Lansky Just because Lucky Luciano was one of the most famous mobsters of the 20th century doesn’t mean he was not a patriot ready to help the Allies win the war. Well… that’s one way to look at it. Otherwise, we’d have to conclude that during WWII, the government made a deal with the biggest Mafia boss of the times, releasing him from prison in exchange for his cooperation. Back then the government was in a bind—it wanted to protect American shores from sabotage at the hands of Nazi sympathizers, but it had only limited control on the docks. American ports belonged to the Mafia. And so the logical conclusion was that, for the sake of the war effort, the government jumped in bed with organized crime. This is the tale of the marriage of convenience between the American Navy and Lucky Luciano. Thank you to Alexander Von Sternberg from History Impossible for his help in crafting this episode. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my ⁠Patreon⁠ at to access plenty of bonus content. All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠, including: ⁠⁠HOF YouTube Channel⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by Arizona State University. Learn more about how ⁠⁠ASU⁠⁠ supports all learners through all stages of life.  My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at ⁠⁠Wild Hunt Conditioning⁠⁠. This episode is sponsored by Mint Mobile. Get your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The thought of him now and always has been a sense of comfort. I could breathe, I could sleep, when he had me in his arms. My father—he got me breath, he got me lungs, strength—life… The best I ever knew. He combined strength and courage with gentleness, tenderness and great unselfishness.” - Theodore Roosevelt about his father. Since my daughter was born, I have been trying my best to be as good a father as I’m capable of. Given this priority, it’s probably not surprising that I’ve given a whole lot of thought about what it means to be a good father, what makes a bad father and everything in between. In this episode, I tackle fatherhood in history: the bad (a lot), the good (considerably less), and the possible consequences. Looking at the evidence makes me wonder if much of history is the product of child abuse coming home to roost. In the course of this exploration, I look at a quite a few case studies (from Churchill to Stalin, from Marcus Aurelius to Alexander the Great, etc.), discuss the field of psychohistory, receive an assist from Dan Carlin, analyze how culture may shape fatherhood, and ponder how much bad fathers may have contributed to the popularity of dictators and cult leaders. If you feel generous and enjoy History on Fire, please consider joining my Patreon to access plenty of bonus content. All the links to History on Fire social media can be found at our ⁠⁠LinkTree⁠⁠, including the ⁠⁠HOF YouTube Channel⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠. Throughout history, people have used mushrooms (such as Lion’s Mane, Turkey Tail, Cordyceps, Reishi and Chaga) for their medicinal properties. My friends started ⁠⁠Purest Mushrooms⁠⁠ where they offer some of the best quality mushrooms you can find on the market at affordable prices. Use code historyonfire at checkout for a discount. Bison is some of the healthiest meat you could possibly eat. Get yours at ⁠⁠Dakota Pure Bison⁠⁠. History on Fire listeners get a discount by using the code HOF10 at checkout. This episode is supported by Arizona State University. Learn more about how ⁠ASU⁠ supports all learners through all stages of life. My friend James Pieratt is one of the world’s top functional training experts, and a record-breaking hybrid athlete. Use the code WH25 for a 25% discount on all of his training programs at Wild Hunt Conditioning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices