History Shorts

Each day, award-winning historian and author Peter Zablocki shares his research into the little-known and hidden-in-plain-sight historical curiosities you probably never heard of. All in the little time you probably do not have.

The House of David 04/26/2025

The House of David Members of the House of David religious community did not know when Jesus Christ would return to Earth, but they were certain that it would happen in Benton Harbor, Michigan. So, they built a settlement and waited for Christ’s return - all while playing baseball... yep. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36117020

Conversations: Steven Gillon 04/25/2025

Conversations: Steven Gillon Peter and Steve speak about his career, time with the History Channel, and his newest release, Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of Presidents, from Eisenhower to JFK through Reagan and Bush. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36116995

Typhoid Mary 04/24/2025

Typhoid Mary There were hundreds, no, thousands, of typhoid carriers in New York City at the turn of the 20th century. Yet, only one of them was labeled a menace to society and banished to an island for life - that is, until Mary Mallon. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36116960

Rough Riders 04/23/2025

Rough Riders When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, a spirited group of volunteers from diverse walks of life banded together to form one of the most legendary fighting forces in American history—the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, better known as the Rough Riders. Their leader, none other than the future President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36116945

Stealing Lincoln's Body 04/22/2025

Stealing Lincoln's Body In what seems like a tale straight out of a historical thriller, there was once a real and sinister plan to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln, one of America's most revered presidents. The plot, which unfolded in 1876, eleven years after Lincoln's assassination, was a bizarre scheme involving counterfeiters, a criminal gang, and an undercover Secret Service agent. To this day, it remains one of the strangest episodes in American history. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36116915

Duke of Russia's Buffalo Hunt 04/21/2025

Duke of Russia's Buffalo Hunt In January 1872, one of the most extravagant diplomatic and cultural exchanges of the 19th century took place on the vast plains of Nebraska: Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovich of Russia, son of Tsar Alexander II, embarked on a grand American buffalo hunt. The event was as much about diplomacy as it was about spectacle—a unique blending of Russian aristocracy, American military might, and Native American traditions. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36116865

Fall of Saigon 04/20/2025

Fall of Saigon The Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 (50 years ago this month) marked a dramatic and chaotic end to the Vietnam War, culminating in the capture of South Vietnam's capital by the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the hurried evacuation of American personnel and South Vietnamese allies. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051470

Iran-Contra Affair 04/19/2025

Iran-Contra Affair The Iran-Contra Affair remains one of the most complex and controversial political scandals in American history. Involving secret arms deals, covert operations, and a direct violation of U.S. laws, the scandal not only tainted the Reagan presidency but also raised fundamental questions about the limits of executive power and accountability in a democratic society. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051445

Conversations: James M. McPherson 04/18/2025

Conversations: James M. McPherson Join Peter for a conversation with Professor James M. McPherson, one of America's most celebrated historians of all time. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35857125

Bombing of Guernica 04/17/2025

Bombing of Guernica The bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937, stands as one of the most devastating and symbolically powerful events of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). The event was also famously immortalized in Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting, Guernica - a symbol of the horrors of modern warfare and the suffering of innocent civilians. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051395

Marco Polo's Travels 04/16/2025

Marco Polo's Travels Marco Polo (1254–1324) remains one of history’s most famous explorers, best known for his extensive travels through Asia and his vivid descriptions of the lands he visited—especially China under the rule of the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. However, much of Polo’s narrative has been scrutinized over the centuries, leading many historians to question where the line between fact and fiction lies in his famous account, The Travels of Marco Polo. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051355

CIA Classifies 'End of World' Book 04/15/2025

CIA Classifies 'End of World' Book In the annals of speculative literature, few works have traversed the enigmatic path of "The Adam and Eve Story: The History of Cataclysms" by Chan Thomas. Published in 1965, this book delves into cataclysmic events that Thomas posited have periodically reshaped Earth's history. Its journey from publication to partial censorship by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and eventual declassification has fueled intrigue and speculation, intertwining themes of ancient civilizations, geological upheavals, and governmental secrecy. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051275

Rosenbergs Die For Spying 04/14/2025

Rosenbergs Die For Spying The case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg remains one of the most controversial episodes of the Cold War era, involving accusations of espionage, debates over due process, and questions about justice, patriotism, and the use of the death penalty. And of course, the question that continues to come up ever since their execution in 1953 - were they guilty? SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36051250

TODAY IN CONTEXT: History of American Immigration 04/13/2025

TODAY IN CONTEXT: History of American Immigration BONUS- TODAY IN CONTEXT: Founded as a nation of immigrants, the United States has seen four major waves of immigration that have shaped its history. In each case, the changing tides of demographics left their mark on America. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/36117065

Killing Ford 04/13/2025

Killing Ford September 1975 was not a great month for former President Gerald Ford when in a span of just 17 days, the POTUS survived not one, but two, assassination attempts when visiting California, carried out by women. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958820

Church Brothels of the Middle Ages 04/12/2025

Church Brothels of the Middle Ages During the Middle Ages (5th–15th centuries), prostitution was a complex and controversial issue in Christian Europe. The Catholic Church, which dominated spiritual and social life, viewed prostitution as a sin, yet it also recognized its social inevitability. Church leaders, theologians, and religious institutions took varied approaches to dealing with prostitutes—sometimes condemning them, sometimes working to rescue and reform them, and sometimes taking over their business and regulating it. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958850

Conversations: Giles Milton 04/11/2025

Conversations: Giles Milton Peter speaks with historian and internationally bestselling author, Giles Milton about his latest release, The Stalin Affair. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958895

Mary Lincoln Declared Insane 04/10/2025

Mary Lincoln Declared Insane While Abraham Lincoln tolerated Mary’s peculiar, extravagant, and sometimes irrational and angry behavior, their son Robert - not so much. In 1875, ten years after Lincoln’s assassination, the president’s son, in more or less an ambush, had his mother committed to an insane asylum. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958770

Edo's Little Matchgirl 04/09/2025

Edo's Little Matchgirl Though her life was cut short in flames for starting a fire in Edo in 17th Century, Oshichi’s story refuses to die. Instead, it became one of Japan's most enduring tales—a story whispered in the alleys, performed on grand kabuki stages, and passed down through generations. Here is Oshichi's story. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958735

Galileo's Trial 04/08/2025

Galileo's Trial Galileo Galilei (who lived between 1564 and 1642) was one of the most influential scientists of the Scientific Revolution. His work in astronomy, physics, and mathematics laid the foundation for modern science. However, his findings also brought him into conflict with the Catholic Church, leading to one of history’s most famous trials for heresy. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958675

The Communist Manifesto 04/07/2025

The Communist Manifesto While people connect communism with the Soviet Union and China, and rightfully so, many forget that its origins are actually tied more to Germany and Britain than the east and the far east. Furthermore, while the idea has been laid out in a book in 1848, the literal and successful implementation of the communism ideology has yet to be seen. So what exactly was the Communist Manifesto and what does it say? SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35958590

Patton's Task Force Baum Blunder 04/06/2025

Patton's Task Force Baum Blunder As World War II neared its final months in March 1945, General George S. Patton—the legendary, aggressive, and often controversial commander of the U.S. Third Army—ordered one of the most audacious and controversial rescue operations of the war. Known as Task Force Baum, the mission was a deep-penetration raid behind enemy lines with the goal of liberating American prisoners of war (POWs) held in Oflag XIII-B, a German POW camp near Hammelburg, Bavaria. The reasoning might have been even more sinister, considering that among the prisoners was his son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel John K. Waters. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35857065

Boy Scouts of America 04/05/2025

Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the most iconic youth organizations in U.S. history, shaping millions of young boys into leaders, adventurers, and responsible citizens. Established in 1910, the organization has had a profound influence on American culture, education, and outdoor activities. However, its history has also been marked by challenges, controversies, and changes in societal values. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35857010

Conversations: Richard Rubin 04/04/2025

Conversations: Richard Rubin Peter speaks with author Richard Rubin about his early 2000s research into the last surviving veterans of World War I - The Last of the Doughboys. SUPPORT: LEARN: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35918285

BONUS: War Plan Red - U.S. Invasion of Canada 04/03/2025

BONUS: War Plan Red - U.S. Invasion of Canada BONUS During the interwar years of the 1920s and 1930s, when the United States projected an image of isolationist disinterest in foreign entanglements, deep within the War Department in Washington, D.C., a series of contingency plans were being drafted—each with color-coded names, each envisioning a possible military conflict with a foreign power. Among these, perhaps the most audacious and eyebrow-raising was War Plan Red - the potential invasion of Canada. SUPPORT: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35995895

Beowulf 04/03/2025

Beowulf Beowulf is more than an epic—it is a bridge between history and legend, between paganism and Christianity, and between Old English and modern literature. It serves as a historical record of a lost world while remaining one of the most powerful heroic tales ever told. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35856815

Booth's Other Victim 04/02/2025

Booth's Other Victim The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, at Ford’s Theatre remains one of the most infamous moments in American history. Most people remember John Wilkes Booth as Lincoln’s assassin, but few recall that Booth left behind another victim that night—Major Henry Rathbone. While Lincoln’s death sent the nation into mourning, Rathbone’s own life spiraled into tragedy, ultimately leading to madness, murder, and a fate nearly as dark as the President’s. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35856955

Champagne and the Treaty of Versailles 04/01/2025

Champagne and the Treaty of Versailles When one thinks of World War I or the treaty that finally brought it to an end, one does not automatically go to talking about champagne. Yet, a clause regarding the sparkling wine sipped by the French monarch was actually included in the Treaty of Versailles. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35856645

Bacon's Rebellion 03/31/2025

Bacon's Rebellion Bacon’s Rebellion was a violent uprising in colonial Virginia that took place from 1676 to 1677. While others have since occurred, Nathaniel Bacon’s act of defiance was the first popular uprising in American history - a hundred years before the American Revolution and the creation of the United States. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35856595

Grimaldi Curse: Princess Grace 03/30/2025

Grimaldi Curse: Princess Grace Grimaldi Curce (Limited Series 8): In 1956, the world believed the Grimaldi curse had finally been broken. The marriage of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and Grace Kelly, the American actress-turned-princess, was hailed as a real-life fairy tale, the perfect union of Hollywood glamour and European royalty. But the Grimaldi Curse does not forget. SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/35745005

History Shorts

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