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 ShortsConversations: Why there is always more to say about Midway, with Martin Dugard
What really happened at the Battle of Midway? Why does bestselling historian Martin Dugard say it could have spelled the end for the United States in the…
History ShortsWashington Square Park's Dark Secret
In the heart of Manhattan's bustling Greenwich Village, framed by brownstones, NYU buildings, and the elegant sweep of Fifth Avenue, lies Washington Square…
History ShortsDr. Pepper's Secret Recipe Exposed?
Let us go back to the rolling hills of central Texas, where dry winds stirred the dust of cattle drives and steam locomotives echoed through the plains. The…
History ShortsA Bonaparte's Encounter with the NJ Devil
In the shadow of a brother's meteoric rise and even more spectacular fall, Joseph Bonaparte—once King of Naples, then King of Spain—found himself not on a…
History ShortsWhen a Boy Became the Last Emperor of Rome
He was named for both the beginning and the end. Romulus Augustus—called by many "Augustulus," or "Little Augustus"—was a boy emperor with a name that evoked…
History ShortsUnsolved: Did Mary Queen of Scots Kill Her Husband?
The dramatic life of Mary, Queen of Scots, has long been shrouded in scandal and intrigue, with the most infamous question surrounding her: Did she murder her…
History ShortsTODAY IN CONTEXT: Menendez's 2025 Parole Echoes Leopold and Loeb's 1924 Case
TODAY IN CONTEXT: Today, we will discuss the Menendez brothers, Erik and Lyle, who are back in the spotlight. On June 13, 2025, they're set for a parole…
History ShortsThe Curse of the Little Rascals
Beginning in 1922, the cast of the immensely popular Our Gang comedies, more commonly known as The Little Rascals, filmed an astonishing total of 221 episodes…
History ShortsConversations: Carol Berkin on Women's Right to Vote in 1776
Peter speaks with the nation's foremost authority on Colonial and Revolutionary American women's history about how New Jersey became the first state in the new…
History ShortsBoers vs. Empire: The First Modern War?
The Boer War (1899–1902) was more than just a colonial conflict; it was a defining moment in the history of the British Empire and South Africa. This brutal…
History ShortsLibrary: Humanity's Greatest Invention?
Libraries stand as one of humanity's most enduring achievements, embodying the pursuit of knowledge, the preservation of culture, and the dissemination of…
History ShortsColt: Forging the American Gun
Samuel Colt, a name synonymous with firearms innovation, was more than just an inventor—he was a marketing genius and industrial pioneer who revolutionized the…
History ShortsRin Tin Tin
War has never been fought by humans alone. Throughout history, animals have played vital roles in combat, serving as messengers, transporters, scouts…
History ShortsUnsolved: Did Jesus Die on the Cross?
The quest for the historical Jesus is an ongoing scholarly pursuit, one that grapples with textual evidence, contradictions, and theological interpretations…
History ShortsAntikythera Mechanism
In 1900, a group of Greek divers looking for sponges near Antikythera, off the coast of Greece, discovered an incredible object - a bronze statue - one that…
History ShortsTODAY IN CONTEXT: Best - And Worst - Popes in History
TODAY IN CONTEXT: So, who was the best, the worst, and the ugliest, Pope in history? I am glad you did not ask... Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a…
History ShortsConversations: What does the Medal of Honor mean to those who earned it, with Greg Waters
Join Peter as he speaks with Greg Waters, the Curator of the newest national museum, the National Medal of Honor Museum. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
History ShortsRise and Fall of Pancho Villa
Few figures in Mexican history are as legendary, controversial, and enigmatic as Pancho Villa. He was a bandit, a revolutionary, a general, and a folk hero…
History ShortsWorst Terrorist Attack in Canadian History
On June 23, 1985, the deadliest act of terrorism in Canadian history unfolded in the skies off the coast of Ireland, when Air India Flight 182, a Boeing 747 en…
History ShortsDid Roman Legionaries Make it to China?
While Crassus was killed in the Battle of Carrhae, along with tens of thousands of his men, the fate of thousands of captured Roman soldiers remains one of…
History ShortsRudolf Hess' Last Flight
On the evening of May 10, 1941, a solitary aircraft soared across the North Sea, its engine roaring as it made its way toward the British Isles. The pilot…
History ShortsEscaping Slavery in a Box
Henry "Box" Brown, an enslaved man in Richmond, Virginia, often prayed to God about escaping. Finally, according to his own narrative written much later…
History ShortsRise and Fall of William Franklin
It was Benjamin Franklin's illegitimate son, twenty-one-year-old William, who had helped with the famous kite experiment. The two were close, and the elder…
History ShortsTODAY IN CONTEXT: Federal Government vs. Higher Education
Today In Context: The relationship between American colleges and the federal government has often been fraught with tension. While contemporary clashes between…
History ShortsConversations: What is actually taught in our history classrooms, w/ Brendan Gillis
Peter speaks with the Director of Teaching and Learning at the American Historical Association about the organization's newest and largest-ever survey of…
History ShortsThe Lincoln Curse
Sometime in 1901, a reporter asked Abraham Lincoln's son, Robert Todd Lincoln, if he was planning to attend a particular presidential reception. He looked at…
History ShortsPartition of India
The Partition of India in 1947 was one of the most defining and devastating moments in modern history. It was a story of a nation torn apart at birth, a story…
History ShortsBanana Republics
At the dawn of the 20th century, as the United States emerged from its own internal struggles and territorial expansions, it began to cast a long shadow over…
History ShortsPresident's Daughter
President Warren G. Harding, the 29th POTUS, had many corruption scandals that tainted his presidency back in the 1920s. Yet, apart from the…
History ShortsHistory of IQ Tests
The Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, arose from a convergence of scientific curiosity, educational reform, and darker impulses of the 20th century. Its history is…
History ShortsThe House of David
Members of the House of David religious community did not know when Jesus Christ would return to Earth, but they were certain that it would happen in Benton…
History ShortsConversations: Future Presidents who Fought in WWII, w/ Steven Gillon
Peter and Steve speak about his career, time with the History Channel, and his newest release, Presidents at War: How World War II Shaped a Generation of…
History ShortsTyphoid Mary
There were hundreds, no, thousands, of typhoid carriers in New York City at the turn of the 20th century. Yet, only one of them was labeled a menace to society…
History ShortsRough Riders
When the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, a spirited group of volunteers from diverse walks of life banded together to form one of the most legendary…
History ShortsStealing Lincoln's Body
In what seems like a tale straight out of a historical thriller, there was once a real and sinister plan to steal the body of Abraham Lincoln, one of America's…
History ShortsDuke of Russia's Buffalo Hunt
In January 1872, one of the most extravagant diplomatic and cultural exchanges of the 19th century took place on the vast plains of Nebraska: Grand Duke Alexis…
History ShortsFall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 (50 years ago this month) marked a dramatic and chaotic end to the Vietnam War, culminating in the capture of South…
History ShortsIran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair remains one of the most complex and controversial political scandals in American history. Involving secret arms deals, covert…
History ShortsConversations: What can the Civil War still teach us today? w/ James M. McPherson
Join Peter for a conversation with Professor James M. McPherson, one of America's most celebrated historians of all time. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
History ShortsBombing of Guernica
The bombing of Guernica on April 26, 1937, stands as one of the most devastating and symbolically powerful events of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939). The…
History ShortsMarco Polo's Travels
Marco Polo (1254–1324) remains one of history's most famous explorers, best known for his extensive travels through Asia and his vivid descriptions of the…
History ShortsCIA Classifies 'End of World' Book
In the annals of speculative literature, few works have traversed the enigmatic path of "The Adam and Eve Story: The History of Cataclysms" by Chan Thomas…
History ShortsRosenbergs Die For Spying
The case of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg remains one of the most controversial episodes of the Cold War era, involving accusations of espionage, debates over due…
History ShortsTODAY IN CONTEXT: History of American Immigration
BONUS- TODAY IN CONTEXT: Founded as a nation of immigrants, the United States has seen four major waves of immigration that have shaped its history. In each…
History ShortsKilling Ford
September 1975 was not a great month for former President Gerald Ford when in a span of just 17 days, the POTUS survived not one, but two, assassination…
History ShortsChurch Brothels of the Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages (5th–15th centuries), prostitution was a complex and controversial issue in Christian Europe. The Catholic Church, which dominated…
History ShortsConversations: Was Stalin a step ahead of Churchill and FDR? w/ Giles Milton
Peter speaks with historian and internationally bestselling author, Giles Milton about his latest release, The Stalin Affair. SUPPORT THE SHOW…
History ShortsMary Lincoln Declared Insane
While Abraham Lincoln tolerated Mary's peculiar, extravagant, and sometimes irrational and angry behavior, their son Robert - not so much. In 1875, ten years…
History ShortsEdo's Little Matchgirl
Though her life was cut short in flames for starting a fire in Edo in 17th Century, Oshichi's story refuses to die. Instead, it became one of Japan's most…
History ShortsGalileo's Trial
Galileo Galilei (who lived between 1564 and 1642) was one of the most influential scientists of the Scientific Revolution. His work in astronomy, physics, and…
History ShortsThe Communist Manifesto
While people connect communism with the Soviet Union and China, and rightfully so, many forget that its origins are actually tied more to Germany and Britain…
History ShortsPatton's Task Force Baum Blunder
As World War II neared its final months in March 1945, General George S. Patton—the legendary, aggressive, and often controversial commander of the U.S. Third…
History ShortsBoy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is one of the most iconic youth organizations in U.S. history, shaping millions of young boys into leaders, adventurers, and…
History ShortsConversations: What it was like to talk to a WWI Veteran, w/ Richard Rubin
Peter speaks with author Richard Rubin about his early 2000s research into the last surviving veterans of World War I - The Last of the Doughboys. SUPPORT…
History ShortsBONUS: War Plan Red - U.S. Invasion of Canada
BONUS During the interwar years of the 1920s and 1930s, when the United States projected an image of isolationist disinterest in foreign entanglements, deep…
History ShortsBeowulf
Beowulf is more than an epic—it is a bridge between history and legend, between paganism and Christianity, and between Old English and modern literature. It…
History ShortsBooth's Other Victim
The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865, at Ford's Theatre remains one of the most infamous moments in American history. Most people…
History ShortsChampagne and the Treaty of Versailles
When one thinks of World War I or the treaty that finally brought it to an end, one does not automatically go to talking about champagne. Yet, a clause…
History ShortsBacon's Rebellion
Bacon's Rebellion was a violent uprising in colonial Virginia that took place from 1676 to 1677. While others have since occurred, Nathaniel Bacon's act of…
History ShortsGrimaldi Curse: Princess Grace
Grimaldi Curce (Limited Series 8): In 1956, the world believed the Grimaldi curse had finally been broken. The marriage of Prince Rainier III of Monaco and…