History Dispatches

In southern Africa - in the nation of Zimbabwe - an unlikely sight appears in the south-eastern hills near Masvingo. It is the ruins of what was once a great city - including the largest stone structure in precolonial Southern Africa. When Europeans first saw the sprawling site - they speculated who built it. Was it the Phoenicians? Arabs? King Solomon? It didn’t occur to them that the local peopl...

On August 25, 1934, the Governor of Arizona, Benjamin Moeur, declared martial law, dispatching over 100 national guard troops to the site of an invasion. Not by a foreign power, but by California construction workers. It was a battle that made its way to the supreme court, and gave Arizona its own navy. This is the story of the battle over the Parker Dam. Sources https://www.nps.gov/articles/calif...

On April 8, 1820, on the Greek island of Milos, a farmer, Theodoros Kendrotas, uncovered the upper part of a marble statue while working in his field. A visiting French naval officer paid the farmer and his son to uncover the rest of the statue - and when they were done, they would behold one of the greatest works of art in history. This is the story of the discovery of the Venus de Milo. Sources...

Pad Thai is one of the tastiest most iconic dishes of Thailand. And yet, it has a history that is less than a century old, and it involves floods, a military dictator, and the nation's attempt to spread their culture all over the world. This is the story of Pad Thai. Sources https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-surprising-reason-that-there-are-so-many-thai-restaurants-in-america/ https://www.atlaso...

On March 1, 1896, near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia, the forces of the Kingdom of Italy - attempting to expand its colonial empire in the Horn of Africa - clashed with the Ethiopian army in the climatic battle of the First Italian-Ethiopian War. The result was one of the most stunning defeats of a European power in Africa - and left Ethiopia as one of the few independent nations remaining on the con...

In September of 1857 over 100 members of a wagon train were on their way to California. While in Utah they were ambushed and besieged by a combined force of Mormons and Paiute Natives. The end result would be the execution of 120 settlers, and a church-wide cover up. This is the story of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Sources "The Mountain Meadows Massacre" by Juanita Brooks Image: https://en.wiki...

In 1959, rebels led by Fidel Castro took control of Cuba. Having a communist power just 90 miles from the border made American officials nervous. Very nervous. And thus the Central Intelligence Agency - the CIA - worked up a variety of plans to remove Castro - and - hopefully - bring about the downfall of his regime. Those plans took many wild turns - and would never be successful. This is the sto...

Following the start of the American Revolution at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the colonists took up arms, besieging the British army in Boston. The first real contest of arms would take place three month later at Bunker Hill. Despite making some rookie mistakes, they held their own. In this episode, we discuss the events of that day - with the help of Michael Troy of the American Revoluti...

From 1878 to 1880 Ned Kelly and his gang terrorized the Australian Outback. Perpetrating numerous robberies and murders, and even capturing an entire town. And he did so, while clad in a suit of armor. This is the story of Ned Kelly. Sources "Ned Kelly, a Short Life" by Ian Jones Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_strange_apparition_Ned_Kelly%27s_last_stand.jpg History Dispatches is...

The men's marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis was one of the oddest moments in the sport’s history. Officials ran the race during the hottest part of the day and purposely limited the water the 32 participants could have. Men would ride in cars for the part of the race, get chased by wild dogs, become violently ill, and suffer hallucinations. One man even fell unconscious and nearly...

In 1809, one of America’s first mountain men - John Colter - was captured by hostile Blackfeet warriors. His companion was killed. But Colter - stripped naked and without any weapons - was given a chance to live. It was a cruel game pitting him against hundreds of armed Blackfeet. The only advantage he had was a few hundred yards lead. This is the story of John Colter’s Run. Sources https://en.wik...

In the early hours of June 30, 1908, a massive explosion devastated the Tunguska region of Siberia. Despite leveling thousands of square kilometers of forest, and locals describing it as artillery fire, the Tunguska event went unsolved for decades. And even today, speculation remains. This is the mystery of the Tunguska Incident. Sources https://www.nasa.gov/history/115-years-ago-the-tunguska-aste...

Everyone knows about the Knights Templar. And despite existing for less than 200 years, they are a part of a million stories, myths and legends. There are video games, movies, books, songs and so much more about the order. But all that aside - this is the real story of the Knights Templar. Sources https://www.livescience.com/knights-templar.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar https:...

The Galapagos Islands are some of the most incredible, but fragile, ecosystems in the world. Isolated for millions of years, the 1800s saw the introduction of goats, leading to extreme devastation. To combat this, in 1997, the ambitions Project Isabela was conceived. And the goal was simple - eradicate 140,000 goats on three separate islands. Sources https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281292...

On Oct. 14, 1912, Theodore Roosevelt departed his hotel in Milwaukee Wisconsin - on his way to a campaign speech. He got into an automobile, and as he gave a wave to the cheering crowd, a man stepped forward and shot Roosevelt in the chest. Despite a blood stained shirt and a bullet lodged in his chest, Roosevelt drove to the location of his campaign stop - and gave a 50 minute speech. This is the...

On May 8, 1842, the locomotive of a train traveling to Paris from Versailles, broke an axle. The carriages behind the locomotive piled into it, and caught fire - leading to a catastrophic inferno. Upwards of 200 people were killed. This is the story of the Versailles rail accident - the first major railway disasters in history - and the deadliest in the world at the time. Sources https://www.geriw...

In Victorian London rats were one of the nastiest pests, responsible for numerous diseases, and untold economic damages. To combat these rodents, the profession of rat catcher evolved. And the greatest of these rat catchers was a man named Jack Black - the self styled Royal Rat Catcher of Queen Victoria. Sources https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-selfappointed-king-of-victorian-rat-catchers...

Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska was a Polish scientist and the first woman to lead a dinosaur excavation expedition. On her explorations of the Gobi Desert, she discovered many famous animals, including Deinocheirus—a dinosaur that, for decades, was known only by its enormous, terrifying claws. But when we finally found the rest of its body, it turned out to look more like Jar Jar Binks. This is the story...

One of the most popular and enduring science fiction television shows is Doctor Who. First premiering in 1967, it has aired over 600 episodes. And yet, despite its cult status, almost 100 of the early episodes are totally missing. This is the story of the lose - and recovery - of these lost episodes. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_Who_missing_episodes https://www.theguardian.com/tv-a...

The 1400s ushered in the classic Age of Discovery. In the span of just a few decades, Europeans rounded Africa, crossed the Atlantic to find a New World, and circumnavigated the globe. And a major reason for this was a small ship - the caravel - which will be the backbone of ocean-going exploration for a century. This is the story of that innovative vessel. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca...

In 1900, a woman named Carry Nation was inspired by a vision - she claimed - from God. She had seen how alcohol destroyed families. It had killed her first husband. And so a few days later she entered a nearby saloon and started smashing whatever she could. And that was the start of her crusade to rid the nation of alcohol. This is the story of one of the most controversial and colorful people of...

For over a hundred years the Periodic Table of Elements has shaped and organized every naturally occurring element in a surprisingly simple and elegant manner. But this was not always the case, and it took centuries of understanding to organize the Periodic Table into what it is today.  Sources he Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance" by Eric R. Scerri https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histo...

On December 4, 1872, the merchant ship Mary Celeste was discovered adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean off the Azores. Her lifeboat was missing. The last entry in her log was dated ten days earlier. She had plenty of provisions, and her cargo was intact. The captain's and crew's belongings were undisturbed. None of those who had been on board were ever seen or heard from again. This is the m...

2,000 years ago in the mists and forest of Britain, the Celtic warrior Queen Boudica led a revolt against the mighty Roman Empire, almost throwing them out of Britain for good. This is the story of Boudica. Sources "Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen" by Richard Hingley and Christina Unwin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Boudicca Image: https://commons.wikim...

In 1957, Carol Kaye, a 22-year old mother and musician, was invited to a recording session with the legendary Sam Cook. What followed was a 65+ year career in which she would be one of the most accomplished bass players in rock and popular music - appearing on over 10,000 records. This is the story of bass player extraordinaire Carol Kaye. Sources "https://www.premierguitar.com/artists/forgotten-h...