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HISTORY This Week

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The HISTORY® Channel

This week, something big happened. You might have never heard of it, but this moment changed the course of history. A HISTORY Channel original podcast, HISTORY This Week gives you insight into the people—both famous and unknown—whose decisions reshaped the world we live in today. Through interviews with experts and eyewitnesses, each episode will give you a new perspective on how history is written. Stay up-to-date at historythisweekpodcast.com and to get in touch, email us at historythisweek@history.com. HISTORY This Week is a production of Back Pocket Studios in partnership with the History Channel.

#233

A New Year, A New Cuba

New Year's Eve, 1958. Cuba's president, Fulgencio Batista, is throwing his annual New Year's Eve party at his home in Havana. It's usually a blowout. But this year, the vibes... aren't so great. Government officials and Cuban elites drink champagne and pick at arroz con pollo as the clock ticks closer to midnight. But there's a palpable anxiety in the air. They aren't just counting down to the end of the year - they may be counting down the final minutes of Cuba as they know it. A revolution is underway, and rebel forces, led by a young Fidel Castro, have taken city after city throughout 1958. As the year comes to a close, Havana – the last stronghold of Batista's government – is in their crosshairs. How did the country revolt against a ruthless dictator? And what happened in the final weeks of 1958 that brought down Batista's government and ushered in a new Cuba? Special thanks to Lillian Guerra, professor of Cuban and Caribbean history at the University of Florida and author of [Heroes, Martyrs, and Political Messiahs in Revolutionary Cuba] (https://www.amazon.com/Martyrs-Political-Messiahs-Revolutionary-1946-1958/dp/0300175531) ; and Julia Sweig, author of [Cuba: What Everyone Needs to Know] (https://www.amazon.com/Cuba-Everyone-Needs-Know%C2%AE-Second/dp/0199896704) . To see the coded advertisements and underground pamphlets from the 03C Movement: historythisweekpodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

8 hrs Ago

36 MINS

36:44

8 hrs Ago

#232

The Surprising History of Christmas Gifts (HTW Classic)

Christmas Eve, 1913. For months, newspapers have been trumpeting an urgent message: Do your Christmas shopping early. It would be easy to assume this was the work of greedy department stores and slick ad companies. But it wasn’t – at least not at first. It started as the rallying cry of a labor reformer who was striving to improve the lives of retail workers. Ever since, Americans have been wrestling over the values at the heart of holiday shopping. But even the most earnest efforts at reform have backfired, time and again. How did Christmas gifts become a thing in the first place? And what were some of the spirited attempts to make the holiday shopping season merry for all? Special thanks to our guests: Jennifer Le Zotte, professor of history and material culture at the University of North Carolina - Wilmington; Ellen Litwicki, professor emerita at the State University of New York at Fredonia; and Paul Ringel, professor of history at High Point University and author of [Commercializing Childhood] (https://www.amazon.com/Commercializing-Childhood-Childrens-Magazines-Gentility/dp/1625341911) . This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2022. To stay updated: historythisweekpodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

25 Dec 2024

37 MINS

37:14

25 Dec 2024

#231

Nosferatu Rises Again (feat. Robert Eggers)

**For this HTW special feature, Sally interviews director Robert Eggers about his new historically inspired film, Nosferatu.** Winter, 1476. Vlad III is a prince in Wallachia, in present-day Romania. He is a violent man, so violent that he earns the nickname "Vlad the Impaler." He also has another name that he inherited from his father: Dracula. Dracula is constantly fighting for his crown, but today, that fight will come to an end. His headless body will be discovered in a marsh, stuck down by his enemies. But his legend will live on. Dracula pops up in stories throughout Europe over the next few centuries, until author Bram Stoker decides to combine this legend with the latest fictional craze, vampires. His book, Dracula, becomes the king of the genre. It inspires numerous adaptations, including a silent film called Nosferatu. It's considered one of the most important horror movies in history. Over 100 years later, director Robert Eggers has reimagined the original Nosferatu and adapted it for a modern audience. In a conversation with Eggers, we asked, how did he make a blood-sucking monster feel like a historical figure? And where do vampires fit into our lives today? Special thanks to Robert Eggers, director of [Nosferatu] (https://www.focusfeatures.com/nosferatu/) . We also used a great book to help research this episode, [Dracula: Prince of Many Faces] (https://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Prince-Many-Faces-Times/dp/0316286567) , by Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally. To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

23 Dec 2024

29 MINS

29:00

23 Dec 2024

#230

The President and the King

December 21st, 1970. Elvis has entered the building. And today, that building is the White House. He's brought a gift for President Nixon, a framed Colt .45 pistol, which White House security won't be thrilled with. But he isn't just there to drop off a Christmas present. Elvis Presley has lived many lives in his brief 35 years that a child might dream of: he got to be a musician, a soldier, a movie star, the "King of Rock and Roll." And now he might be just a handshake away from his next dream... becoming a federal agent. What's going on in Elvis Presley's chaotic life that leads him to seek this meeting with Richard Nixon? And when they come face-to-face, does Elvis get what he came for? Special thanks to our guest, Jon Lowy, author of [Elvis and Nixon] (https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780609608180) and founder and president of Global Action on Gun Violence. To stay updated: historythisweekpodcast.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

16 Dec 2024

29 MINS

29:46

16 Dec 2024

#229

Bill W.'s Last Drink and the Birth of Alcoholics Anonymous

December 11th, 1934. Bill Wilson is on the subway, working his way through his third beer, heading to Towns Hospital. He isn’t injured, and he isn’t what would be traditionally classified as “sick.” But he knows he has a problem. And he needs help. What he doesn't know as he arrives at the hospital – with a fourth bottle of beer in his hand – is that this will be the last sip of alcohol of his life. And when he's discharged from Towns, he won't be returning. Instead, he'll go on to start the most successful alcohol treatment program in history. How did Bill W. finally kick his addiction to alcohol? And how did his journey toward sobriety lead to the creation of Alcoholics Anonymous? Special thanks to Bill Schaberg, author of [Writing the Big Book: The Creation of AA] (https://www.steppingstones.org/shop/books-literature-in-english/writing-of-the-big-book-the-creation-of-aa-by-william-schaberg-hard-cover/) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (https://www.steppingstones.org/shop/books-literature-in-english/writing-of-the-big-book-the-creation-of-aa-by-william-schaberg-hard-cover/) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

09 Dec 2024

35 MINS

35:18

09 Dec 2024

#228

How the Vietnam War Broke Our Trust in Government

December 1, 1969. Millions across America are tuned in to the same TV broadcast. They see a bland stage with some government workers behind desks. But there's also a large, plastic container filled with small blue capsules. In each of these capsules, a birth date. The order in which they're chosen will determine who is eligible to be sent off to fight in the Vietnam War. This is the draft lottery, an attempt by the Nixon administration to make the selective service process seem more fair, and restore some trust between the U.S. government and its people. It does not work. Today, public trust and the Vietnam War. How did this conflict, the first televised war, permanently alter the kind of faith that American citizens put into their leaders? And as a country, have we really ever recovered? Special thanks to Chris Appy, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy; and Wes Abney, author of [Random Destiny: How the Vietnam War Draft Lottery Shaped a Generation] (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/random-destiny-wesley-abney/1129049800) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

02 Dec 2024

31 MINS

31:26

02 Dec 2024

#227

A Toxic Turkey Day

For this Thanksgiving, we're re-airing an HTW classic. This episode originally premiered November 23, 2020. November 24, 1966. Millions of spectators flood Broadway in New York City to watch the Macy’s Day Parade on Thanksgiving morning. The iconic floats – Superman, Popeye, Smokey the Bear – are set against a grey sky that can only be described as noxious. A smog of pollutants is trapped over New York City, and it will ultimately kill nearly 200 people. How did the 1966 Thanksgiving Smog help usher in a new era of environmental protection? And how have we been thinking about environmental disasters all wrong? Special thanks to our guest Professor Frank Uekotter, author of [The Age of Smoke] (https://www.amazon.com/Age-Smoke-Environmental-1880-1970-Pittsburgh/dp/0822960125) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

28 Nov 2024

30 MINS

30:10

28 Nov 2024

#226

Thanksgiving Reconsidered

November 26, 1970. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, on the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival, protestors gather under a statue of Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader who had made peace with the Pilgrims, and partook in the legendary Thanksgiving meal. This protest was organized by Wamsutta Frank James, a Wampanoag activist who wanted to draw attention to the full story of Thanksgiving – a story of fear, violence, and oppression that spanned generations. America’s reckoning with the truth of Thanksgiving, James argued, would empower indigenous people to fight for their equal rights. This protest – a National Day of Mourning – continues to this day, now led by James’s granddaughter. So what is the true story of Thanksgiving? And why is it so important for us to remember? Special thanks to Kisha James, Paula Peters, and David Silverman, author of [This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving] (https://www.amazon.com/This-Land-Their-Wampanoag-Thanksgiving/dp/1632869241) . This episode originally aired November 22, 2021. To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

25 Nov 2024

40 MINS

40:27

25 Nov 2024

#225

New York Takes Out the Trash

November 18th, 2022. New York City is at war... with rats. And today, Mayor Eric Adams is set to announce four new pieces of legislation aimed at combating this scurrying problem. Two of these laws will target garbage, the rats' main source of food. If you put trash in places the rats can't get, their population will plummet, and New York will get a major victory in this long-running war. The garbage problem is nothing new for the city. In fact, it's been an issue since its founding almost 400 years ago. Today, we try to understand, how has New York historically tackled its trash? And when did the city become a shining example of sanitation for the entire world? Special thanks to our guest, Robin Nagle, anthropologist-in-residence for the New York City Department of Sanitation and a clinical professor at NYU's School of Liberal Studies. Her book is [Picking Up: On the Streets and Behind the Trucks with the Sanitation Workers of New York City] (https://www.amazon.com/Picking-Up-Streets-Sanitation-Workers/dp/0374534276) . “ [Mayor Eric Adams Signs Rodent-Related Bills: Intros. 414-A, 442-A, 459-A, and 460-A] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD3YUtNgZuk) ” by NYC Mayor's Office is licensed under [CC BY 4.0] (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

18 Nov 2024

36 MINS

36:23

18 Nov 2024

#224

Alexander the Great Finds His Destiny

November 14th, 332 BCE. Alexander the Great has conquered an unprecedented amount of territory in a relatively short amount of time. At just 24 years old, he's in control of Macedonia, much of Greece, and now, a huge part of Egypt. But Alexander doesn't want to just conquer each of these places - he wants to rule. And in a rare move for Macedonian royalty, he wants to rule in a way that honors local customs, allowing him to be seen as not just a king, but in some areas, as some kind of divine figure. So today, the ancient Egyptians will crown Alexander as a pharaoh. This is one in a long line of victories for Alexander the Great. However, in his often-overlooked later years, his luck starts to change. As Alexander continues his quest to reach the end of the known world, and his ambition reaches mythical heights, how will his unparalleled success come to an end? Special thanks to Rachel Kousser, professor of Greek and Roman Art and Archaeology at the City University of New York and author of [Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great] (https://www.amazon.com/Alexander-End-World-Forgotten-Final/dp/006286968X) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

11 Nov 2024

36 MINS

36:16

11 Nov 2024

#223

Japan’s First MLB Player Gets Pulled from the Game

November 4, 2009. It's Game 6 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Yankees will clinch the series tonight on the back of one player, Hideki Matsui. He's a baseball player from Japan, one of the few who made the jump across the Pacific to play in America. In the last 15 years, many more Japanese players have made that move, including superstar Shohei Ohtani, arguably the most popular baseball player in the world today. But before Ohtani, before Matsui, there was Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player to appear in MLB. How did Murakami go from a village outside of Tokyo to pitching in front of tens of thousands in America? And how did an international incident cut his U.S. career short, leading to a 30-year gap before the next Japanese player would arrive in the Major Leagues? Special thanks to Rob Fitts, author of [Mashi: The Unfulfilled Baseball Dreams of Masanori Murakami, the First Japanese Major Leaguer] (https://www.amazon.com/Mashi-Unfulfilled-Baseball-Masanori-Murakami/dp/0803255217) ; Kerry Yo Nakagawa, founder and director of the [Nisei Baseball Research Project] (https://niseibaseball.com/) ; and Michael Clair, writer and senior manager for storytelling and special projects at Major League Baseball. You can hear him on [MLB Morning Lineup] (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mlb-morning-lineup-podcast/id1749604444) , the league’s daily podcast. To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

04 Nov 2024

39 MINS

39:02

04 Nov 2024

#222

Breaking the Mars Curse

Oct 27, 1972. The planet Mars has many victims. Specifically, spacecraft. There have been so many failed missions to Mars, that scientists are rumbling about a "Mars Curse". But one mission is defying the odds. Mariner 9, an American space probe, has been orbiting Mars for the last year. But now, it's running out of fuel and will be deactivated, having met all of its mission objectives. Mariner 9 gave us our closest look ever at the Red Planet, solving mysteries that have been debated for centuries. Today, humanity's relationship with Mars. How did people come to believe it had expansive forests and a Martian civilization? And how did one epic mission bring us closer to understanding what's really happening on the Red Planet? Special thanks to William Sheehan, author of [Discovering Mars: A History of Observation and Exploration of the Red Planet] (https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Mars-History-Observation-Exploration/dp/0816532109) ; and Kevin Schindler, historian of the [Lowell Observatory] (https://lowell.edu/) in Flagstaff, Arizona. To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

28 Oct 2024

32 MINS

32:54

28 Oct 2024

#221

The Last Regular Day in Pompeii

October 24th, 79. Pompeii is one of the crown jewels of the Roman Empire, a bustling city that serves as a coastal retreat for Rome's elite. But Pompeii also has a large, often overlooked middle-class population. They don't live in Pompeii's massive villas. Instead, they live a typical urban life – shopping at small businesses and haggling with street vendors. They even go to restaurants. And one of these restaurants—still being excavated by archeologists today—may unlock a whole new side to the story of this doomed city. So, before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, how did everyday people live in Pompeii? And how can just one city block show us that life 2,000 years ago might not be so different from today? Special thanks to our guest, Allison Emmerson, associate professor of Roman Archeology at Tulane University and director of the [Pompeii I.14 Project] (https://www.tupompeii.org/) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (historythisweekpodcast.com) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: [https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy] (https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] (https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices) ... Read more

21 Oct 2024

40 MINS

40:38

21 Oct 2024

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#233

A New Year, A New Cuba

#232

The Surprising History of Christmas Gifts (HTW Classic)

#231

Nosferatu Rises Again (feat. Robert Eggers)

#230

The President and the King

#229

Bill W.'s Last Drink and the Birth of Alcoholics Anonymous

#228

How the Vietnam War Broke Our Trust in Government

#227

A Toxic Turkey Day

#226

Thanksgiving Reconsidered

#225

New York Takes Out the Trash

#224

Alexander the Great Finds His Destiny

#223

Japan’s First MLB Player Gets Pulled from the Game

#222

Breaking the Mars Curse

#221

The Last Regular Day in Pompeii