Shows / History Shorts
History Shorts
Dive into the past with award-winning historian Peter Zablocki in this captivating daily podcast! Uncover hidden stories you never knew existed. And don't miss Friday Conversations where Peter teams up with top experts for riveting, in-depth discussions that bring history to life.
Episodes
History ShortsWilliam Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was one of the most influential and charismatic political figures in late 19th and early 20th century America. Known for his…
History ShortsConversations: Murders in German WWII POW Camps Across the U.S. w/ William Geroux
Join Peter as he and author William Geroux discuss his newest book, The Fifteen, which details the fascinating story of German POW camps in the United States…
History ShortsComic Books on Trial
The rise of comic books' popularity coincided with growing concerns among parents, educators, and social critics about their supposed negative influence on…
History ShortsNapoleon's Polish Countess
The story of Marie Walewska, her relationship with Napoleon Bonaparte, and their son, Alexandre Walewski, is a fascinating tale of romance, politics, and…
History ShortsPalmer Raids
At the height of the first Red Scare that followed the First World War and the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the United States witnessed a series of…
History ShortsCIA and the Dalai Lama
During the 1950s and 1960s, as part of its broader efforts to counter communist expansion, the CIA supported Tibetan efforts to resist Chinese control…
History ShortsGrimaldi Curse: Louis' Unfaithful Wife
CURSE OF THE GRIMALDIS (SERIES 8): In the 17th century, Monaco was ruled by Prince Louis I, a man of ambition, cunning, and scandal. While his reign saw Monaco…
History ShortsVietnam War POWs
During the Vietnam War (1955–1975), thousands of American servicemen were captured and held as prisoners of war (POWs) by North Vietnamese forces. Their…
History ShortsConversations: The story behind Apple TV's Masters of the Air, w/ Donald L. Miller
Join Peter as he speaks with Prof. Donald L. Miller, the author of Masters of the Air, which has recently been turned into an Apple TV series. SUPPORT THE…
History ShortsTeddy's Bear
When President Theodore Roosevelt went to Mississippi in November of 1902 to help settle that state's running border dispute with Louisiana, he took the…
History ShortsKilling Houdini
Harry Houdini rose to international fame in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dazzling audiences with his death-defying stunts, sleight-of-hand tricks…
History ShortsThe Great Molasses Flood
It wasn't a fire or a flood, in a typical sense. But at 12:30 pm on January 15, 1919, a giant storage of vat at an industrial alcohol company on Commerical…
History ShortsThe Real Raiders of the Ark
Did you know that Indiana Jones was not the first to have adventures as a result of the Ark of the Covenant? In fact, the Isrealites carried it with them…
History ShortsGrimaldi Curse: Lucien and Jean
CURSE OF THE GRIMALDIS (SERIES 8): Few stories in the history of the Grimaldi dynasty are as dark and tragic as that of Jean II Grimaldi and his brother…
History ShortsKing Solomon's Mines
Are King Solomon's Mines the stuff of legends, literature, or historical truth? Well, it is kind of a combination of all of those things. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
History ShortsConversations: Why Napoleon Does Not Get Enough Credit, w/ Adam Zamoyski
Peter speaks with the renowned author and historian of European, Polish, and Napoleonic history, Mr. Adam Zamoyski. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON…
History ShortsTODAY IN CONTEXT: Tariff Wars in American History
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Tariff wars have significantly shaped the economic and political landscape of the United States. From the early days of the Republic to…
History ShortsTurbulent Life of Lucrezia Borgia
The last name Borgia is often associated with Renaissance decadence, which included sex and violence scandals at the center of the papacy of Borgian Pope…
History ShortsChester A. Arthur and Ms. Jennings
The story of a young lawyer, Chester A. Arthur, and Elizabeth Jennings Graham is a powerful example of early civil rights advocacy long before the broader…
History ShortsMusketeers
The true story of the Musketeers might be even more incredible than all of their depictions in popular media. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
- History Shorts
Queen Elizabeth's Spy Network
The spy network that kept Queen Elizabeth I safe during her reign was one of the most sophisticated and ruthless intelligence operations of its time…
- History Shorts
Grimaldi Curse: Lady Claudine
LIMITED SERIES 8: THE CURSE OF THE GRIMALDIS: Lady Claudine Did a medieval spell doom the royal family of Monaco for centuries to come? The legend of the…
History ShortsBattle Axes of Free Love
You probably have never heard of Theophilus Gates and his religious sect, the Battle Axes. In 1838, Gates and his followers worshipped - in THE nude. Yep, that…
History ShortsConversations: The Falklands War and power of storytelling w/ Sir Max Hastings
Join Peter as he speaks with the renowned journalist, author, and military historian Sir Max Hastings. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON Patreon LEARN MORE AT…
- History Shorts
Vidocq - the First Modern Detective
Francois Vidocq is often considered the first modern detective - even though he spent most of his life on the other side of the law. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
- History Shorts
Shipping Kids Through USPS
Yep, you read the title of this episode correctly. There was actually a time in the United States, and not even that long ago, well 1913, when people were able…
- History Shorts
America First Movement
The America First movement was a major isolationist force in U.S. politics before World War II, combining anti-war sentiment, economic nationalism, and…
- History Shorts
Spanish Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition was a powerful institution established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, with the blessing…
- History Shorts
Nazi Aktion T4 Project
In 1939, Adolf Hitler authorized the elimination of German citizens who were considered to be weak and led, and I quote, "a life unworthy of being lived."…
- History Shorts
Roger Sherman's Compromise
LIMITED SERIES 7 - Famous Americans You Never Knew Existed: Roger Sherman was the only person who signed all four documents from the American Revolution…
- History Shorts
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Pope Francis and a Conclave
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Today, we discuss the history and process of the Roman Catholic Church's Conclave. While we wish Pope Francis a healthy and speedy recovery…
History ShortsConversations: A Story of Britian's Forgotten Rogue Agent, w/ James Crossland
Peter speaks with Dr. James Crossland about his latest book, Rouge Agent, detailing the life and career of Robert Bruce Lockhart, including his plot to…
- History Shorts
Flannan Lighthouse Mystery
In December of 1900, Donald MacArthur, Thomas Marshall, and James Ducat vanished from their post at the lighthouse on Flannan Island off the western coast of…
- History Shorts
The Russian Sleeper Agent
Anna Chapman - a strikingly charismatic and enigmatic figure - became a symbol of modern espionage when she was exposed as a sleeper agent for Russia in 2010…
- History Shorts
Hoover Ball
Judging by the famous movie Cinderella Man about the down-on-his-luck boxer James Braddock during the Great Depression, it may seem that boxing was the go-to…
- History Shorts
Stealing Batman
The creation of Batman, one of the most iconic superheroes in history, is a tale of creativity, ambition, and, unfortunately, injustice. While Bob Kane is…
- History Shorts
Jezebel - Bible's Femme Fatale
The term Femme Fatale stems from the French word "deadly woman." It epitomizes the male fantasy of predatory female sexuality - irresistible and accomplishing…
- History Shorts
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Revisiting the Start of the War in Ukraine
TODAY IN CONTEXT: We know how it's going but don't know where it will go, so let's revisit how it started. Welcome to another bonus episode in our TODAY IN…
- History Shorts
Police Woman Badge No. 1
LIMITED SERIES 7 - Famous Americans You Never Knew Existed: Alice Stebbins Wells was a trailblazer when, on September 12, 1910, she became the first woman to…
History ShortsConversations: How did the Comanche Shape the American West, w/ S.C. Gwynne
Join Peter as he speaks with the Pulitzer Prize Finalist, renowned historian, and bestselling author of Empire of the Summer Moon, Mr. S.C. Gwynne. SUPPORT THE…
- History Shorts
Tecumseh's Curse
The so-called "Tecumseh's Curse" is a piece of American folklore suggesting that U.S. presidents elected in years divisible by 20 (every 20 years, starting in…
- History Shorts
The Boxer of Auschwitz
The tale of Herschel "Harry" Haft, who was forced to box fellow inmates to survive in Auschwitz, is a harrowing testament to the human spirit's capacity to…
- History Shorts
Stopping the Spanish Armada
The 1588 failed Spanish invasion of Britain was a major turning point in European Maritime power dynamics. SUPPORT THE SHOW ON…
- History Shorts
Mussolini vs. the Mafia
The morality of this story is very complicated, as there is nobody here to root for. Still, in 1924, Benito Mussolini, the Italian Fascist prime minister and a…
- History Shorts
Gulf War Syndrome
"We've kicked the Vietnam syndrome," pronounced the then-president, George Bush. Yet, within a few years, the Persian Gulf War would give its name to a whole…
- History Shorts
The Cleveland Headache
LIMITED SERIES 7 - Famous Americans You Never Knew Existed: The story of Cassie Chadwick, "The Cleveland Headache," is one you might not believe happened…
- History Shorts
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Who is Roland L. Bragg?
TODAY IN CONTEXT: For decades, Fort Bragg in North Carolina bore the name of Confederate General Braxton Bragg, a controversial figure in American history. In…
History ShortsConversations: Can you outrun a dinosaur? with Cody Cassidy
Peter speaks with author Cody Cassidy about his latest book, How to Survive History, a sort of guide to surviving history's most challenging threats, from…
- History Shorts
Jesuits - The Pope's Soldiers
The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in 1540. Renowned for their discipline, intellectual rigor…
- History Shorts
Willow Run
In 1940, the Roosevelt administration contacted industrial leaders, including Henry Ford, to leverage their expertise in mass production. When Ford finally…
- History Shorts
Charles V Abdicates
Talk about bowing out when you are on top. When the fame and glory no longer seemed worth it to Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor and one of the most powerful…
- History Shorts
Tea
Tea's story begins in ancient China, where it is said to have been discovered around 2737 BCE by Emperor Shen Nong, a legendary figure known as the "Divine…
- History Shorts
Hitler's Favorite Commando
Otto Skorzeny had a personal relationship and access to Adolf Hitler, who once credited him with "saving the Third Reich." American President Dwight D…
- History Shorts
Captain James J. T. Waddell's Mission
This is the first episode of the 7th Limited Series, Famous Americans You Never Knew Existed. Captain James Iredell Waddell was a Confederate naval officer…
History ShortsConversations: One history podcaster to another, w/ Gary Arndt
CONVERSATION SERIES: Gary Arndt Peter speaks with Gary Arndt, an award-winning travel photographer and the Everything Everywhere Daily Podcast host. SUPPORT…
- History Shorts
States Named After Individuals
You may know some states named after real people - but do you remember the "who" and the "why"? SUPPORT THE SHOW ON Patreon LEARN MORE AT…
- History Shorts
BONUS Deep Dive: Department of Education - A History
Welcome to a new recurring series called TODAY IN CONTEXT, where historical topics will be geared toward what is happening in the news. With the comparatively…
- History Shorts
Disappearance of Agatha Christie
On the evening of December 3, 1926, Agatha Christie, already a successful mystery writer, left her home in Berkshire. She abandoned her car on the edge of a…
- History Shorts
Food Riots in History
Throughout history, food shortages, skyrocketing prices, and widespread hunger have often triggered unrest. Food riots have played pivotal roles in shaping…
- History Shorts
Princes in the Tower
The story of the Princes in the Tower—Edward V and his younger brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York—is one of the most enduring mysteries in English…
