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 ShortsThe Forgotten Race to Map the Amazon's Last Wilderness
In 1925, British explorer Percy Fawcett vanished into the Amazon rainforest while searching for a lost civilization he called "Z." Accompanied by his son and a…
History ShortsAn American Adventurer Steals Nicaragua
In the 1850s, a little-known American adventurer set out to do something almost unimaginable: seize control of a foreign nation and make himself its ruler. His…
History ShortsAmerica's First Serial Killers & the Dark Side of the Revolution, w/ Katherine Grandjean
In 1798, on the lawless roads of Kentucky and Tennessee, two brothers named Wiley and Micajah Harp unleashed a brutal nine-month killing spree that left dozens…
History ShortsHow the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference Still Runs the World
In the summer of 1944, as World War II still raged across Europe and the Pacific, representatives from forty-four nations gathered at a secluded resort in the…
History ShortsLights, Camera, Propaganda: Hollywood and the Cold War
During the Cold War, the battle between the United States and the Soviet Union wasn't fought only with missiles, spies, and armies. It was also fought on movie…
History ShortsThe Black Death - A Global History of Humanity's Deadliest Pandemic, w/ Thomas Asbridge
In this powerful episode of Conversations, I sit down with leading medieval historian Professor Thomas Asbridge to discuss his groundbreaking new book, *The…
History ShortsThe Extraordinary History of SPAM
Few foods are as recognizable—or as misunderstood—as a can of SPAM. The small pink block of processed meat has been mocked, celebrated, rationed, smuggled, and…
History ShortsHow the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Rewrote Japan's Story
In October 1964, the eyes of the world turned toward Tokyo. Less than twenty years after the devastation of World War II, Japan hosted the 1964 Summer…
History ShortsHow the Bicycle Launched the Women's Rights Movement
In the late nineteenth century, a simple invention transformed far more than transportation. As bicycles became affordable and widely available, they offered…
History ShortsWere the Founding Fathers Good Men? | The Historians with Joseph Ellis & Carol Berkin
Welcome to THE HISTORIANS — a brand new series on History Shorts where host Peter Zablocki brings together two leading historians for an unscripted, informal…
History ShortsThe Killer Fog: London's Great Smog of 1952
In December 1952, a thick blanket of fog descended upon London. At first, it seemed like a familiar winter nuisance. But this was no ordinary fog. Mixed with…
History ShortsHow a Teenage Chemist's Failed Experiment Launched a Modern Industry
In 1856, an eighteen-year-old chemistry student set out to accomplish something ambitious: create an artificial cure for malaria. He failed completely. But in…
History ShortsLife Lessons from the Lost Greek Plays, w/ James Romm
In this episode of Friday Conversations, host Peter Zablocki welcomes acclaimed classicist James Romm to discuss his latest book, Since You're Mortal . . …
History ShortsThe Man Who Stopped WWIII
In October 1962, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. The Cuban Missile Crisis had pushed the United States and the Soviet Union closer to catastrophe…
History ShortsPhiladelphia's Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793
In the summer of 1793, the nation's capital became a city of fear. As a mysterious disease swept through Philadelphia, thousands fled, businesses closed, and…
History ShortsThe Story Behind TR's Man in the Arena Speech
Few speeches have endured like The Man in the Arena. Its most famous lines have been quoted by presidents, athletes, soldiers, and entrepreneurs for more than…
History ShortsFrance's SS and the Men Who Fought for Hitler
In the final months of World War II, as Nazi Germany collapsed on all fronts, one of the last units defending Berlin carried a surprising distinction: many of…
History ShortsHow Roman Military Logistics Conquered the Ancient World
The Roman legions are remembered for their swords, shields, and battlefield victories. Yet behind every conquest stood something far less glamorous—but far…
History ShortsHow the Blizzard of 1888 Built the New York Subway
In March 1888, one of the most devastating storms in American history slammed into the Northeast. The Great Blizzard of 1888 buried New York City under massive…
History ShortsA Day in the Life of a Gladiator, w/ Harry Sidebottom
In this episode of Friday Conversations, host Peter Zablocki sits down with Oxford historian and bestselling novelist Harry Sidebottom to explore his gripping…
History ShortsThe 1897 Ghost Who Solved Her Own Murder
In January 1897, a young woman named Elva Zona Heaster Shue was found dead inside her home in rural Greenbrier County. Her death was quickly ruled natural…
History ShortsThe Complicated History of Miss America
For more than a century, the Miss America Pageant has reflected America's changing ideas about beauty, femininity, ambition, and culture. What began as a…
History ShortsHow Medieval Guilds Invented Modern Commerce
The next time a package arrives at your doorstep—tracked, inspected, and delivered by a company whose reputation depends on reliability—you can thank a group…
History ShortsHitler on Trial: The Lawyer Who Put the Fuhrer on the Stand
Before he became the dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler was a political agitator whose movement often relied on intimidation and street violence. Few people…
History ShortsThe Catnip Riot of 1909
In the summer of 1909, G. Herman Gottlieb set out through New York City carrying two baskets filled with fresh catnip. His plan was simple: sell the herb to…
History ShortsOne Last Run: Billy the Kid's Great Escape
In the spring of 1881, the days of the American frontier outlaw were numbered. Captured, convicted, and awaiting execution, Billy the Kid appeared to have…
History ShortsThe Two Ships that Divided America, w/ David S. Reynolds
In this episode, I sit down with acclaimed historian and cultural biographer David S. Reynolds to discuss his powerful new book, Two Ships: Jamestown 1619…
History ShortsThe Alaska Triangle - America's Own Bermuda Triangle
Few places in North America inspire as much mystery as the vast wilderness of Alaska. Stretching between the cities of Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagvik, the…
History ShortsRome's Forgotten Female Gladiators
For centuries, the gladiators of Ancient Rome have been imagined as powerful men battling for glory in the arena. But hidden within the historical record is a…
History ShortsThe Lost Tribes of Israel
One of the greatest mysteries in biblical history begins with a disappearance. After the ancient Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire in…
History ShortsWhen the Vikings 'Discovered' North America
Nearly five centuries before Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic, Norse explorers from Scandinavia may have already reached the shores of North America…
History ShortsJFK's Missing Brain
Few mysteries surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy are as strange—or as unsettling—as the disappearance of his brain. After Kennedy's assassination…
History ShortsThe Moon Rock Heist
In 2002, one of the strangest heists in modern history unfolded inside a NASA facility in Houston. A group of young interns and accomplices broke into a space…
History ShortsHow Do You Repay Those Who Died for Your Freedom? w/ Robert M. Edsel
In this episode of History Shorts Conversations, historian and bestselling author Robert M. Edsel joins us to discuss his powerful new book, Remember Us — a…
History ShortsThe Quest for the Holy Grail
Few objects in history and legend have inspired as much fascination as the Holy Grail—the mysterious cup said to have been used by Jesus at the Last Supper and…
History ShortsThe Confederate Gold Mystery
As the American Civil War came to a chaotic end in 1865, rumors began to spread about a missing fortune belonging to the collapsing Confederacy. According to…
History ShortsSaipan: D-Day in the Pacific
In June 1944, as Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Europe, another brutal invasion was unfolding thousands of miles away in the Pacific. The…
History ShortsNaked and Unafraid: Did Celtic Warriors Really Fight in the Nude?
To the armies of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, the Celtic tribes of Europe seemed wild, fearless, and utterly unpredictable. Among the most enduring stories…
History ShortsThe Maharaja Who Broke Rolls-Royce
In the 1920s, one of the world's most prestigious luxury brands found itself humiliated by an insult it never saw coming. The story centers on Maharaja Jai…
History ShortsThe Real Story of Ponce de Leon's Quest for the Fountain of Youth
For centuries, the name Juan Ponce de León has been tied to one of history's most famous legends: the search for the Fountain of Youth. According to popular…
History ShortsTruman's Real Decision on Dropping the Atomic Bomb, w/ Alex Wellerstein
In this episode of History Shorts Conversations, historian and author Alex Wellerstein joins the show to discuss his powerful new book, The Most Awful…
History ShortsPatton and the Story of How a Latrine Pit Became a Hero
During World War I, rumors spread through the trenches about a supposed fallen hero whose "grave" became an object of reverence among soldiers. Men reportedly…
History ShortsHow Medieval Monks Invented Food Safety
Long before modern laboratories, expiration dates, or government inspections, an unlikely group helped make drinking safer for ordinary people: medieval monks…
History ShortsThe Underwater Shipwreck Graves of the Great Lakes
Beneath the cold, dark waters of the Great Lakes lies a hidden world of lost ships, vanished crews, and remarkably preserved wrecks frozen in time. For…
History ShortsHow Victorian Forensic Science Solved London's Poison Epidemics
In the dark alleys and crowded homes of London during the Victorian era, poison became the weapon of choice for murderers seeking a silent and seemingly…
History ShortsVlad the Impaler and the Massacre of 1457
In the brutal power struggles of 15th-century Eastern Europe, few rulers inspired as much fear—or fascination—as Vlad III Dracula. In 1457, as he consolidated…
History ShortsJohn Muir: The Man Who Saved the Wild
Long before national parks were a cornerstone of American identity, one man stood at the forefront of a movement to protect the wild places of the United…
History ShortsConversations: What can George Washington Still Teach America Today? w/ H.W. Brands
In this week's Conversation Series, Peter sits down with acclaimed historian H.W. Brands to explore his sweeping new biography, American Patriarch. The…
History ShortsCIA's Project Acoustic Kitty
In this episode of History Shorts, we explore the CIA's attempt to turn an ordinary house cat into a covert listening device, surgically implanting audio…
History ShortsSkull and Bones: A Pipeline to Power in America?
Behind the ivy-covered walls of Yale University lies one of America's most enigmatic institutions: Skull and Bones. Founded in 1832, this elite society has…
History ShortsThe Controversial Sokushinbutsu Monks of Japan
High in the mountains of Japan, a small group of Buddhist monks pursued one of the most extreme spiritual paths in history—not in life, but in death. Known as…
History ShortsNapoleon and the Rosetta Stone
In 1799, amid the chaos of military conquest, one of history's greatest discoveries quietly emerged from the sands of Egypt. During Napoleon Bonaparte's…
History ShortsHitler's Volkssturm: the Children of a Dying Reich
In the final, desperate months of World War II, as Adolf Hitler's regime began to collapse, Germany turned to its last reserve: its own civilians. In October…
History ShortsPeter the Great Takes Revenge on His Wife
In 1698, Peter the Great returned from his sweeping tour of Western Europe—the Grand Embassy—eager to modernize Russia. Instead, he found a nation on the brink…
History ShortsConversations: The Lost Empire of Emanuel Nobel, w/ Douglas Brunt
In this Conversation Series episode of History Shorts, bestselling author and podcast host Douglas Brunt joins us to discuss his sweeping new book, The Lost…
History ShortsA Short History of Ice Cream
Few treats carry as much joy—or as much history—as a simple scoop of ice cream. In this episode of History Shorts, we trace the surprisingly rich journey of…
History ShortsThe Whiskey Rebellion
In 1794, the young United States faced one of its first major tests of authority—not from a foreign enemy, but from its own citizens. On the western frontier…
History ShortsThe American Lioness: Lady Randolph Churchill
Long before her son became one of the most famous leaders of the 20th century, Lady Randolph Churchill was already commanding attention on both sides of the…
History ShortsThe Crazy Horse Memorial
Rising from the granite peaks of the Black Hills, the Crazy Horse Memorial is one of the most ambitious—and controversial—projects in American history. In this…
History ShortsThe Theft of Owens Valley's Water
In the early 20th century, a quiet agricultural valley in California became the center of one of the most controversial water grabs in American history. In…