In this episode of Public History with Justin, Jake, and Molly, Molly and I step away from our regular programming to talk about a war unfolding in real time – and a part of that war that few are discussing.

During airstrikes in Iran, damage was reported near the Golestan Palace in Tehran, a UNESCO World Heritage site with roots stretching back centuries. That moment raises a larger question: what happens to history when modern war arrives?

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Jake walks through the international effort to protect cultural heritage during conflict, including the 1954 Hague Convention – an agreement created in the shadow of World War II’s destruction. The conversation traces the long history of armies destroying culture, from Nazi looting in Europe to the bombing campaigns of World War II, the looting of museums in Iraq in 2003, and the deliberate destruction of ancient sites by ISIS in the 21st century.

But the episode also widens. The duo reflects on the historical echoes of the Iraq War, the dangers of conflicts launched without clear purpose, and the human consequences that can follow when governments rush into war without understanding what comes next.

This episode of Public History with Justin, Jake, and Molly explores:

• The damage to Tehran’s Golestan Palace and why UNESCO heritage sites matter
• The 1954 Hague Convention and the laws meant to protect culture in wartime
• World War II, Nazi looting, and the origins of cultural protection treaties
• The destruction of museums and archaeological sites in Iraq and Syria
• The historical parallels between the Iraq War and the current conflict
• Why protecting history in wartime is ultimately about protecting humanity itself

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Listen to our previous podcast episode

Podcast | Rewatching John Adams: Law, Revolution, and Abigail’s America (Episodes 1–2)

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