The History Guy

On today’s episode, the history guy tells stories about the contributions of two often forgotten nations that fought with the allies during WWII. First he tells the incredible story of the Orzeł, a Polish submarine which escaped the Kriegsmarine in the opening days of the war. Then he tells the story of Nortraship, and the vital contributions of Norway’s merchant fleet to the war effort. MagellanT...

On today’s episode, The History Guy tells two stories of nature’s fury in the form of earthquakes. First he talks about the 1693 Sicily Earthquake, which transformed the architecture and culture of the island forever. Then he talks about the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, which in a day devastated a powerful kingdom which never fully recovered. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the...

On today’s episode, the History Guy tells two stories of Spanish North America. Before the Dutch, English, or French had sent colonists across the Atlantic, Spain was conquering kingdoms and empires in Mexico and Peru. But they laid claim to lands far afield, and left their mark - both literally, at the El Morro site in New Mexico, and in history, when imperial posturing on a small island near Van...

On today’s episode, the History Guy tells two stories of Alexander the Great. First he tells the story of possibly the most challenging siege of Alexander’s military career: the siege of the island city of Tyre. Then he tells the story of Alexander’s greatest defeat, when his own men mutinied on the banks of an Asian river. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best col...

On today’s episode The History Guy talks about some contributions of women to the war effort in WWII. First, he tells the story of the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots, who put their lives on the line to help the country in a perilous time. Then he talks about Virginia Hall, “The Allies’ Most Dangerous Spy”, and her incredible spycraft in wartime France. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service t...

Today the History Guy tells two stories of forgotten colonization. First he tells the story of Popham, a British colony started shortly after Jamestown that disappeared into history. Then he tells the story of the Darien Scheme, a daring plan by Scotland to establish a colony in Panama. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries av...

Today the History Guy tells two stories of exploitation. First he tells the story of a man who was one of the last survivors of the Atlantic slave trade brought to the United States. Then he tell the story of Ota Benga, a young African man brought to the US who was displayed in the Bronx Zoo. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentar...

On this episode, The History Guy tells three stories of dogs and history - first, he tells the story of Barry, a St Bernard who rescued dozens of people in the Alps. Then he tells the story of Nick Carter, the world’s best dog detective. Finally, he tells the stories of the Soviet Space dogs, from Laika to ZIB. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of hi...

On today's episode, the History Guy tells the stories of two inventions we take for granted: first, he tell the interesting history of the elevator, and then he tells the surprising history of the Vending Machine. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service includes over 3,000 documentary movies, seri...

On today’s episode, the History Guy tells two stories about bitter cold in the gilded age. First he tells the story of the “long winter” of 1880-81, which bombarded the United States with storm after storm. Then he tells the story of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, a scientific expedition by the United States to the polar region, which went horribly wrong. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming serv...

On today’s episode, the history guys talks about two little known pieces of American military history. First, he tell several stories about the US military and Christmas, and then he talks about the most important part of a soldier’s rations: the candy. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries available anywhere. The service incl...

On today’s episode, The History Guy tells three stories surrounding Pearl Harbor. First, he’ll tell the story of the unsung heroics of the Sikorsky JRS-1s, small, unarmed planes that faced incredible danger during and after the attack on December 7th. Then he’ll tell the story of two pilots who got into the air that fateful day: George Welch and Kenneth Taylor. Finally, he’ll tell the story of one...

On today’s episode, The History Guy tells the story of two foods, from their earliest origins to their contentious issues with government regulations. First is the story of sliced bread. Humans have baked bread for millennia, but automatically sliced bread is a relatively recent technology that nonetheless significantly altered society. Second, the History Guy talks about Cranberries, specifically...

On today’s episode, The History Guy tells the history of two kinds of animals and their use in warfare, especially their use in WWI. First he tells the story of Pigeons, from their domestication to their use as messengers on European battlefields in WWI. Then he tells the story of mercy dogs, also called hospital dogs, who searched the barren “no man’s land” for injured soldiers throughout the Gre...

Most people know about the US mints in Philadelphia and Denver. On today’s episode, the History Guy talks about America’s forgotten mints. First he talks about the numerous mints that dotted the American frontier, from Georgia to Louisiana to Nevada. Then he takes us across the Pacific to the only American mint built on foreign soil: the mint in Manila, capital of the Philippines. MagellanTV - a b...

Today, the History Guy tells the stories of two little-remembered battles of the civil war, fought west of the Mississippi. The first is one of the earliest battles in the war, where forces met to decide control of the key state of Missouri in the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. Later in the war, a Confederate general put together a rag-tag army to threaten the Missouri again, and met a union force at t...

On today’s episode, the history guy talks about Hurricanes. First, he tells the story of the “Great Miami Hurricane”,  and the circumstances that led that 1926 storm to being so deadly. Then he tells the story of a Hurricane Hunter: James “Doc” McFadden, and the decades of work he did to better understand and prepare for hurricanes. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very...

On today’s episode, The History Guy talks about two cold war programs meant to protect the United States and North America from the threat of nuclear war. First the History Guy tells the story of the Distant Early Warning line and its predecessors, radar systems meant to track possible attacks over the arctic circle. Then the History Guy tells the story of the Texas Towers, and the tragedy that be...

On this episode, The History Guy tells two stories of railway disasters. In the years before highways and jets, rail was the fastest form of transportation, and with so many trains running, some of those trips were bound to end in disaster. First is the story of Quintinshill, where a series of unfortunate events led to the deadliest train accident in British history. Then the History Guy talks abo...

On today’s episode, we’re talking about the Eastern front of WWII. First the History Guy talks about one of the first battles of Operation Barbarossa, the heroic soviet defense of Brest Fortress. Then he tells the story of the famous “Night Witches”, the soviet women who terrorized German troops from the air. Finally, the History Guy tells the story of one one of the most important battles of the...

Today the History Guy tells the story of two special operation raids in WWII - the first war to see extended use of forces trained in specific and unique operations. First he tells the story of the paratrooper raid on Los Banos, and then the harrowing tale of the raid on Makin island. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection of historical documentaries avai...

On today’s episode The History Guy is going to talk about Television. First, he’ll tell the story of Television’s invention, from its earliest antecedents to the modern world. Then he’ll tell the story of a particularly interesting part of television history: the early regional tv network called Don Lee Broadcasting. MagellanTV - a brand-new streaming service that features the very best collection...

On this episode of The History Guy Podcast, The History Guy talks about three stories of pirates. First we journey to the Mediterranean, and the king of pirates, Hayreddin Barbarossa. Then THG hops across the pond to the Caribbean, and tells the story of the Pirate Capital, Port Royal, and the earthquake that ended an age. Finally, The History Guy tells the story of an English ship bringing silkwo...

Today the history guy tells two stories of state borders in the US. The first is the long history of Missouri’s borders, which were deeply entwined with American politics of the period. Then the history guy will tell you about the time that Ohio and Michigan went to war over the border between them - and how despite not participating, Wisconsin lost the most.

Next week June 6th, 2022 will mark the 78th anniversary of the D-Day landings. In honor of the enormous sacrifice by the many men and women who fought, planned, and supported that battle, today the history guy tells three lesser-known tales of heroism and sacrifice, just a few of the many meaningful stories of those first days in the battle to crack fortress Europe. First, the history guy tells th...