Summary of "William McCain with Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd (Patreon Preview)" - This Guy Sucked

Podcast Title: This Guy Sucked
Host: Dr. Claire Aubin
Guest: Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd
Episode Release Date: June 5, 2025
Duration Covered: 00:00 – 14:37

Introduction

In the preview episode of their Patreon-exclusive content, This Guy Sucked, host Dr. Claire Aubin welcomes historian Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd to discuss one of history's most contentious figures: Major General William David McCain. The episode delves deep into McCain's multifaceted and controversial legacy, highlighting why he deserves scrutiny despite his academic credentials.

Dr. Claire Aubin [00:00]: "Welcome to This Guy Sucked, the show where we prove that it's never too late to have haters and you can't libel the dead."

Background on William McCain

William McCain was a prominent historian with a Ph.D. from Duke University. His career spanned various academic and archival positions, including roles at esteemed institutions such as the National Archives. During World War II, McCain served as a Monuments Man in Italy, a role intended to preserve cultural artifacts. However, his tenure was marred by unethical behavior, including the theft of valuable items.

After the war, McCain became the president of Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi) and was an influential figure in Southern politics. He was a staunch advocate for the Dixiecrats and played a significant role in organizations like the White Citizens Council and the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who continue to honor his legacy with annual awards.

Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd [05:27]: "McCain... was an important voice for the Dixiecrats, the Mississippi States Rights Party... a hero of the Sons of Confederate Veterans who still give annual awards in his honor."

William McCain’s Misdeeds

Dr. Shepherd outlines a litany of McCain's transgressions, presenting a comprehensive picture of his unethical and malicious actions:

1. Plagiarism: McCain faced allegations of plagiarism serious enough that both the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the American Historical Association (AHA) determined he had indeed plagiarized.

2. Theft of Cultural Artifacts: While serving as a Monuments Man, McCain not only failed to preserve but actively stole artifacts. Notably, he retained Mussolini's autobiography, "The Story of the Year," as a personal keepsake, reflecting potential sympathies towards fascism.

3. Political Manipulation: As president of Mississippi Southern College, McCain attempted to transform the campus into a military stronghold. He orchestrated Red Scares and Lavender Scares to purge faculty and students, targeting especially women, thereby fostering a climate of fear and repression.

4. Eugenics Department: In the 1970s, McCain established a short-lived eugenics department on campus, a stark indicator of his regressive and morally bankrupt worldview.

5. Conspiracy Against Clyde Kennard: McCain was a conspirator in the arrest, torture, and imprisonment of Clyde Kennard, a student who attempted to integrate the college in 1959. This act stands as a stark example of his commitment to maintaining racial segregation and his willingness to engage in human rights abuses to achieve his ends.

Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd [10:09]: "He was actually the AAUP and the AHA determined that he did plagiarize... He was a thief of international proportions."

Specific Incidents and Analysis

Genealogy and White Supremacism

McCain's obsession with his own genealogy was not merely personal vanity but intertwined with his white supremacist beliefs. He authored the "McCain Chronicles," a 120-volume study tracing his lineage to the Scottish Highlands. This preoccupation with lineage manifested in his actions as president of Southern Miss, where he incorporated Scottish symbols into the college's culture, including a Scottish Highlanders unit in the marching band and the installation of a stone from Mingary Castle, symbolizing his ancestral pride.

Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd [12:00]: "He added a Scottish Highlanders unit to the Southern Miss band... It's like a nod to here's rock from where my family comes from."

Role in World War II and Theft of Mussolini's Autobiography

McCain's service as a Monuments Man was intended to preserve cultural treasures in post-war Italy. Instead, he misappropriated valuable items, including Mussolini's autobiography, which he inscribed and kept as personal trophies. These actions not only violated his duties but also suggested a disturbing alignment with fascist ideologies.

Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd [14:30]: "In McCain's archives, there is an original copy of Mussolini's autobiography, the Story of the Year. McCain's own inscription says that he took it from Mussolini's office."

Notable Quotes

• On His Academic Integrity:

  "He was actually the AAUP and the AHA determined that he did plagiarize."
  (Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, 09:41)

• On McCain's Cultural Manipulation:

  "He added a Scottish Highlanders unit to the Southern Miss band... It's like a nod to here's rock from where my family comes from."
  (Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, 12:00)

• On the Significance of His Theft:

  "It's really funny because when he became the president of Southern Miss, he added a Scottish Highlanders unit to the Southern Miss band... and he set up... it's like a nod to here's rock from where my family comes from."
  (Dr. Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, 13:14)

Conclusion

The episode paints a damning portrait of William McCain, showcasing his academic misconduct, unethical wartime actions, and vehement support for segregationist and supremacist ideologies. Through Dr. Shepherd's meticulous research and candid discussion, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of why McCain is a figure deserving of historical criticism and condemnation.

Dr. Claire Aubin [11:12]: "To be like, well, that's number two. And we've got three more that are two to three more that I want to talk about is wild."

As the conversation continues beyond the provided transcript, it is expected that the hosts will delve deeper into McCain's conspiracies and the broader implications of his actions on American history and society.

Note: This summary captures the discussion up to the 14:37-minute mark of the podcast episode. For a complete understanding of William McCain's legacy, listeners are encouraged to access the full episode via Patreon.