History Shorts

Sure, we all know how the story ends. The famous actor John Wilkes Booth secretly creeps into the presidential box at Ford's theater on April 15, 1865, and kills Abraham Lincoln. But do you know another less-known story involving Booth and Lincoln? The story of how Booth's even more famous brother saved the life of Lincoln's son, Robert. Well, now you will. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsP...

While patriotism is a fine concept, during the American Civil War, the Union and the Confederacy had to offer recruits monetary bounties to enlist. But did you know that soon, a new group of con artists emerged who registered for the armed forces, took the bounties, and then disappeared, never to be seen or heard from again? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad c...

During the American Civil War, both the Union and Confederate armies operated prisoner-of-war camps to detain enemy combatants. But did you know that while most of those held within the prison walls were soldiers, on May 3, 1863, three newspaper reporters got themselves detained for reporting for a "bastion of Northern propaganda!" https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about yo...

Following the secession of southern states after Abraham Lincoln's election into office in 1860, the American people were not quite ready for the carnage that was soon to follow. For many, the taste of what was still to come happened on July 21, 1861, when Washingtonians set off to the countryside near Manassas, Virginia, for arguably the worst picnic in American history. https://www.patreon.com/c...

Who has not heard of Orville and Wilbur Wright and their famous feat at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903? The Wright Brothers, one-time bicycle manufacturers, were THE American aviation pioneers credited with inventing, building, and flying the world's first successful motor-operated airplane. And then? And then, what? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about...

In this episode, I am honored to discuss the U.S. role in World War I with Mr. Matt Seelinger, the Chief Historian at the U.S. Army Historical Foundation of the National Museum of the United States Army in Virginia and the Editor of On Point: The Journal of Army History.  https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Annie Oakley was a legendary figure in the world of sharpshooting and entertainment during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But did you know that "The Little Sure Shot" not only used her popularity and fame to help the American War effort but could have potentially prevented the Great War? Well... maybe. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

The story of the Japanese Internment Camps in the United States during the Second World War has slowly been brought to mainstream American history. But did you know the U.S. had a similar internment policy during World War I when it came to Americans of German, Austrian, and Hungarian descent? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...

You probably know about the Central Intelligence Agency, commonly known as the CIA. And you might have even heard of its WWII predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services, or the OSS. But did you know that, to the disdain of American President Woodrow Wilson, the United States had created its first structured intelligence agency in World War I, the MI-8—code-named the "Black Chamber"? https://www...

Those who study World War II history have undoubtedly heard about the Blitz, the horrific German bombing of London throughout the conflict. But did you know that this was not the first time in history that Britons faced the Germans dropping bombs at them from the air? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Where Are They Now?" Limited Summer Weekend Series. Did you ever wonder what happened to the characters you learned about in history after the big events they are known for? This week - Paul Revere. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest, David Sears, is a military historian and frequent commentator for the History Channel on the Pacific Theatre of World War II. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that there was one particular soldier who really took the Samurai code of honor ideology to heart by fleeing from the invading Americans on Guam island in 1944, only to emerge in 1972? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Way before the invention of the Atomic Bombs through the Manhattan Project, in 1943, President Roosevelt approved another top-secret military project that would cost the American taxpayers 2 million dollars - attaching bombs to bats and releasing them over Japan. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have all learned about the last few months of the Pacific War in 1945 and its infamous end in August when the United States dropped two Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But did you know that the Japanese, in a last-ditch effort at salvaging some favorable terms, had planned a biological warfare attack against the United States for September? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast...

As the Americans rushed to his door, the General screamed through the window, "I am Tojo!" he then turned around to face the room, placed a loaded .32 caliber Colt automatic to his heart, and pulled the trigger. Here is the rest of that crazy story. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clare Mulley is a British author, historian, and broadcaster known for her biographies focusing on significant female figures, particularly those involved in World War II. She has gained recognition for her in-depth research and engaging storytelling style. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here is a conversation I had with Mr. Al Sipple for another project I was working on a couple of years ago. At 17 years old, he found himself part of the first wave at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944, as a Higgins Boat operator. I decided to share it again here in honor of the 80th anniversary of D-Day. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...

Did you know that apart from being a renowned entertainer, the American beauty and sex symbol, Josephine Baker traded in her dancing outfit for more clandestine attire to play a real-life role as a World War II spy? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During World War II, both the United States and Canada interned German prisoners of war in camps located within their territories. But did you know that on the morning of January 24, 1941, a lone German POW held in Canada managed to escape, becoming a minor national celebrity in the process? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoic...

When it comes to Nazi Germany and youth movements, the one that undoubtedly comes to mind is the infamous Hitler Youth Movement. But did you know that there was another youth movement in Germany that is often forgotten whose mission was to denounce Hitler and urge passive resistance? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As tensions rose globally in the late 1930s, the U.S. military recognized the need for a versatile, lightweight vehicle that could replace horses and motorcycles for reconnaissance and other utility roles. Enter, the Jeep. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is H.W. Brands, an award-winning historian, the Chair of History at the University of Texas at Austin, and a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.  https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long before the World Trade Center bombing of 1993 and the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the most destructive terrorist attack in New York City occurred on September 16, 1920. In fact, at the time, the Wall Street bombing of 1920, also known as the J.P. Morgan bombing, was considered the deadliest act of terrorism in U.S. history. https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more ab...

Nero was one of ancient Rome's most infamous rulers, notorious for his cruelty and vice, and whose reign eventually descended into chaos and rebellion. But did you know that an accidental discovery of his grand palace complex, Domus Aurea, in 1480 might have inspired the Renaissance? https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices