War has played a key role in the history of the United States, from the nation's founding

right down to the present. War made the U.S. independent, kept it together, increased its

size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America's wars is essential for understanding American history.

Welcome to Key Battles of American History,

a podcast in which we discuss American history through the lens of the most important battles of America's wars.

Here is your host, James Early.

Thank you. your host, James Early. Scott here with another episode of the History Unplugged podcast.

Teddy Roosevelt had many heroic accomplishments in his life that he performed

before and after he was president. In his 20s, he was a rancher in the Dakota territories,

gotten fistfights with cowboys, personally arrested thieves and brought them to justice. He led the

rough riders, a volunteer cavalry regiment in the Battle of San Juan Heights in the Spanish-American

War of 1898,

was the first president to fly in an airplane and board a submarine.

After his presidency, explored the Amazon River Basin.

But what a few people know is at the end of his life,

in the 19th teens just after the United States entered World War I against the Central Powers,

tried to get the rough riders back together and form a regiment against the Germans,

that would mean riding out on horseback against 50 caliber machine guns, and would very likely

mean a suicide mission, or at least for anyone else but Roosevelt, who is used to facing

impossible odds. Today's episode, we're going to look at the final years of Roosevelt's life,

with guest Bill Hazel Grove, author of the new book

The Last Charge of the Rough Rider, we look at his plans for another run of the presidency

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