HISTORY This Week podcast

HISTORY This Week

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.

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.

 

#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


#220

Presenting Gone South Season 4

Gone South, the Edward R. Murrow award-winning podcast, is back. Unlike previous seasons, writer and host Jed Lipinski brings listeners new episodes every week with no end in sight. Each episode of Gone South Season 4 tells a different story about one of the South's most interesting crimes. 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 Oct 2024

03 MINS

03:21

16 Oct 2024


#219

Cats Go From Pest to Pet

October 18, 1887. At the Crystal Palace in London, hundreds of cats are ready to be judged. This is the first show put on by the National Cat Club, an organization seeking to bring order to the competitive cat world. But the NCC has another goal, to bring legitimacy and attention to a new idea: having a cat as a pet. Even just a couple of decades before this, you’d rarely find a cat living in a person’s home. Cats were on the streets – living near humans, not with them. They’re pretty much seen on the same level as the mice they catch. But now, cats are starting to get their due. So, how did cats overcome their image problem? And who were the artists who helped us fall in love with our feline friends? Special thanks to Kathryn Hughes, author of [Catland: Louis Wain and the Great Cat Mania] (https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53751/catland) . 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

14 Oct 2024

33 MINS

33:26

14 Oct 2024


#218

It's Saturday Night!

October 11, 1975. In Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City, Lorne Michaels and his cast and crew of 20-somethings scramble as the clock gets closer and closer to 11:30 PM. Wardrobes are being assembled, sets put together, and everyone—from NBC executives to viewers at home—anxiously awaits the start of what's supposed to be "a whole new dimension for TV." In just a few minutes, NBC's Saturday Night will be broadcast live across America, and change television forever. Today, guest host Dave Holmes interviews author James Andrew Miller to find out... what happened in the lead-up to the first episode of SNL? And how did one man's unwavering vision result in the most influential comedy program of the century? Special thanks to James Andrew Miller, author of [Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live] (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/live-from-new-york-james-andrew-miller/1119866798) . 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

10 Oct 2024

30 MINS

30:20

10 Oct 2024


#217

An American Mutiny in WWII

October 9th, 1944. In California, 50 U.S. sailors are on trial for the Navy’s most serious crime, mutiny. It’s a rarely used charge, yet these 50 sailors—all of whom are Black—face the death penalty if convicted. But today, their chances of a fair trial get a little better.  Thurgood Marshall enters the courtroom. He is the lead attorney for the NAACP, and believes that this trial is a direct result of ongoing segregation and racism in the U.S. military. Knowing the odds are against him, Marshall will do everything he can to prevent a miscarriage of justice. Today, the Port Chicago Mutiny. Why did 50 Black sailors working on the homefront get charged with a capital crime? And with Thurgood Marshall on their side, will justice prevail in the courtroom? Special thanks to Matthew Delmont, professor of history at Dartmouth College and author of [Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/624655/half-american-by-matthew-f-delmont/) ; and Steve Sheinkin, author of [The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights] (https://www.amazon.com/Port-Chicago-50-Disaster-Mutiny/dp/1250073499) . To stay updated: [historythisweekpodcast.com] (An%20American%20Mutiny%20in%20WWII%20%20October%209th,%201944.%20In%20California,%2050%20U.S.%20sailors%20are%20on%20trial%20for%20the%20Navy%E2%80%99s%20most%20serious%20crime,%20mutiny.%20It%E2%80%99s%20a%20rarely%20used%20charge,%20yet%20these%2050%20sailors%E2%80%94all%20of%20whom%20are%20Black%E2%80%94face%20the%20death%20penalty%20if%20convicted.%20But%20today,%20their%20chances%20get%20a%20little%20better.%20%20%20Thurgood%20Marshall%20enters%20the%20courtroom.%20He%20is%20the%20lead%20attorney%20for%20the%20NAACP,%20and%20believes%20that%20this%20trial%20is%20a%20direct%20result%20of%20ongoing%20segregation%20and%20racism%20in%20the%20U.S.%20military.%20Knowing%20the%20odds%20are%20against%20him,%20Marshall%20will%20do%20everything%20he%20can%20to%20prevent%20a%20miscarriage%20of%20justice.%20%20Today,%20the%20Port%20Chicago%20Mutiny.%20Why%20did%2050%20Black%20sailors%20working%20on%20the%20homefront%20get%20charged%20with%20a%20capital%20crime?%20And%20do%20they%20ultimately%20see%20justice%20prevail?%20%20Special%20thanks%20to%20Matthew%20Delmont,%20professor%20of%20history%20at%20Dartmouth%20College%20and%20author%20of%20Half%20American:%20The%20Epic%20Story%20of%20African%20Americans%20Fighting%20World%20War%20II%20at%20Home%20and%20Abroad;%20and%20Steve%20Sheinkin,%20author%20of%20The%20Port%20Chicago%2050:%20Disaster,%20Mutiny,%20and%20the%20Fight%20for%20Civil%20Rights.%20%20To%20stay%20updated:%20historythisweekpodcast.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

07 Oct 2024

39 MINS

39:03

07 Oct 2024


#216

The Real Red Dead Redemption

October 5th, 1871. In what some call the wildest town in the Wild West, bad blood has been building for a long time. Wild Bill Hickok, the sheriff of Abilene, Kansas, is facing down Phil Coe, a saloon owner with a history of antagonizing the law. Then, the guns come out. This kind of shootout isn’t uncommon in the Old West, but it’s a lot more complicated than good guys versus bad guys. And to understand it on a deeper level, you just have to play a video game. Red Dead Redemption is a wildly popular gaming franchise, filled with train robberies, cattle rustling, and gunfights. And today, we take a close look at the real history behind the second game in this legendary series. Who are the inspirations behind its main characters? And how can understanding this video game help us to learn the true story of the Wild West? Special thanks to our interview guest, Tore Olsson, author of [Red Dead’s History: A Video Game, An Obsession, and America’s Violent Past] (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250287700/reddeadshistory) . 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

30 Sep 2024

31 MINS

31:26

30 Sep 2024


#215

Cleveland Balloonfest '86

September 27th, 1986. Just before sunrise in Cleveland’s Public Square, the city center is abuzz with thousands of volunteers working tirelessly to fill up balloons. The goal? To launch 1.5 million balloons into the sky at once - a record-breaking spectacle, organized by Cleveland's United Way. They hope this will bring money and inspiration to a city that desperately needs both. Why did Cleveland choose this colorful stunt to repair its public image? And should this day be remembered as a triumph… or a disaster? Special thanks to Dr. George Fraser, former marketing director for the United Way of Cleveland and CEO and founder of FraserNet Incorporated; Chris Quinn, editor of The Plain-Dealer in Cleveland; and Nathan Truesdell, documentary filmmaker. 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 Sep 2024

32 MINS

32:07

23 Sep 2024


#214

SEASON PREMIERE: Nixon Does Whatever It Takes to Win in ’68

September 16, 1968. Richard Nixon isn't exactly seen as a comedian. But tonight, he's trying to change that by appearing on Laugh-In, a TV show similar to Saturday Night Live. Nixon needs every vote he can get in the 1968 election, facing off against Hubert Humphrey, the vice president who became the Democratic nominee after Lyndon Johnson withdrew from the ticket. Nixon's Laugh-In appearance is a surprise, but soon, he'll pull off a move that no one would ever expect. How did back-channel dealings, unattended teleprompters, and Oval Office shouting matches turn this election into an all-time drama? And what do recently uncovered conversations reveal about how far Nixon was willing to go to secure victory? Special thanks to David Farber, professor of history at the University of Kansas and author of [Chicago ‘68] (https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo3617456.html) ; Lawrence O’Donnell, host of The Last Word With Lawrence O’Donnell on MSNBC and author of [Playing with Fire: The 1968 Election and the Transformation of American Politics] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/536119/playing-with-fire-by-lawrence-odonnell/) ; and Luke Nichter, professor of history at Chapman University and author of [The Year That Broke Politics: Collusion and Chaos in the Presidential Election of 1968] (https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300280135/the-year-that-broke-politics/) . 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

16 Sep 2024

41 MINS

41:59

16 Sep 2024


#213

HISTORY This Week Is Back for Season 5!

HISTORY This week is back! 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

12 Sep 2024

01 MINS

01:30

12 Sep 2024


#212

9/11: Rescue on the Water (Replay)

HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 11, 2001. On a clear and sunny day, Captain Richard Thornton is piloting his ferry boat back and forth between New Jersey and New York City. But when he hears an airplane flying too low to the ground, he knows something is wrong. After the World Trade Center’s North Tower is struck, Thornton instinctively drives his ship down towards Lower Manhattan. He will soon be joined by countless other marine craft: ferries, fishing boats, tugboats, and more. With the roads, bridges, and trains that connect the island of Manhattan to the rest of the world shut down, this collection of civilian, commercial, and military boats manages to carry more than 500,000 survivors to safety. How did this impromptu evacuation, which was larger than Dunkirk during WWII, come together? And how does one ferry boat captain reflect on the shared sense of duty he felt on that fateful day? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2021. 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

09 Sep 2024

34 MINS

34:07

09 Sep 2024


#211

Love, Betrayal, and the Battle for Rome (Replay)

HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. September 2, 31 BCE. Two camps prepare for battle off the coast of Greece. On one side is Octavian, Julius Caesar’s heir apparent. On the other, Marc Antony and his lover, the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. This battle won’t just determine the leader of Rome, but the fate of global civilization. How did Cleopatra wind up in the middle of a Roman game of tug of war? And how did the Battle of Actium change our world forever? Special thanks to our guest, Barry Strauss, author of The War That Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium. This episode originally aired on August 29, 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

02 Sep 2024

44 MINS

44:48

02 Sep 2024


#210

The Deadly Puzzle of Yellow Fever (Replay)

HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. August 27, 1900. Dr. Jesse Lazear, a U.S. Army surgeon, walks into Las Animas Hospital Yellow Fever ward in Havana, Cuba, toting a brood of mosquitos. He has the system down: remove the cotton stopper that keeps the mosquito penned in its glass vial, turn the vial over, and seal it against a consenting infected patient’s skin. Chasing the source of Yellow Fever, scientists try to understand this deadly plague by running a high-stakes medical experiment on human subjects. But today, those subjects will include themselves. Why did ordinary people—and the doctors running the experiment—willingly and knowingly consent to take part in this study? And when we look back, should we be horrified... or impressed? Special thanks to our guests: Dr. Kathryn Olivarius of Stanford University and author of, Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom, as well as Molly Crosby author of, The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever the Epidemic That Shaped Our History. This episode originally aired on August 22, 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

26 Aug 2024

37 MINS

37:08

26 Aug 2024


#209

The Man Who Stole the Mona Lisa (Replay)

HISTORY This Week returns with new episodes starting September 16th! In the meantime, listen to a favorite classic from the archives. August 21, 1911. On a Monday morning, a department store employee on a Paris street sees a man hurrying by. He carries a white-wrapped package and, as the employee watches, he throws something small and shiny over his shoulder...it’s a doorknob. Then the man disappears into the streets of Paris. That store employee has just witnessed a small part of what will soon become the world’s most famous crime. In that white-wrapped package was...the Mona Lisa. Why has the Mona Lisa enchanted so many people since the 1500s? And how did a struggling Italian handyman manage to steal it? Thank you to our guests, Martin Kemp, author of Mona Lisa. The People and the Painting, and Dr. Noah Charney, founder of the Association for Research into Crimes against Art. This episode originally aired on August 16, 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

19 Aug 2024

35 MINS

35:30

19 Aug 2024


#208

HISTORY This Week is coming back!

After a long, long wait, we are very happy to be bringing HISTORY This Week back to our listeners around the world. New episodes start releasing on September 16th, but in the meantime, we’ll be airing some favorite HTW classics in our feed. If you haven’t already, make sure to follow the show on your favorite podcast app.  Please sign up at historythisweekpodcast.com to stay updated, and if you want to reach out, contact us at historythisweek@history.com for any questions or thoughts. See you soon! 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

12 Aug 2024

01 MINS

01:08

12 Aug 2024


#207

Reflecting on History

August 14, 2023. The HTW team is ready to talk. In a special episode that wraps up Season 4, Sally asks the people behind the scenes about lessons they've learned from telling hundreds of true stories about the past. It’s a great conversation you’re not going to want to miss.    And when you’re finished, please fill out our listener survey:  [bit.ly/htw2023] (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScE4a-Zz2D4oxenleYaplJc2o_UHLyRUkCjqAmjc5OsEwPeUg/viewform) . Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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

14 Aug 2023

29 MINS

29:43

14 Aug 2023


#206

History’s Undelivered Speeches

August 8, 1974. President Richard Nixon sits in the Oval Office, addressing the American people. He tells them: I’m going to resign. The news is shocking, but not unexpected. Today, it might even seem inevitable. But in the days leading up to the big decision, Nixon himself didn’t know what he would do. At night he roamed the halls of the White House, torturously weighing his options. He even ordered a speechwriter to draft a statement announcing his refusal to resign. Sally Helm sits down with political speechwriter Jeff Nussbaum to talk about this curious kind of a document: a speech that could’ve changed history if only it had been given. They discuss what Nixon, and two other speech givers, would have felt preparing multiple drafts, as they faced an uncertain future, and how the world would be different had these speeches been given. Special thanks to our guest: Jeff Nussbaum, author of [Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History] (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250240712/undelivered) . Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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

07 Aug 2023

38 MINS

38:08

07 Aug 2023


#205

Special Announcement

We’ll be back next week with a regular episode, but please listen to this for an important HTW update! Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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 Aug 2023

00 MINS

00:48

04 Aug 2023


#204

The Donner Party Turns Deadly

August 4, 1846. A few months into their journey from Illinois to California, a group of pioneers encounters trouble. They’ve just found a note from their guide. It essentially says, “That shortcut I told you to take through the Wasatch Mountains – don’t.” The setback disastrously delays their trip. Weeks later, when they reach the Sierra Nevada, it’s dangerously late in the season. Soon, a winter storm traps them in the mountains. What did they have to do to survive? And what’s the truth behind the legendary Donner Party? Special thanks to our guest: Daniel James Brown, author of The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride. Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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

31 Jul 2023

31 MINS

31:23

31 Jul 2023


#203

Destroyer of Worlds (Replay)

July 16, 1945. It happened within a millionth of a second. In the New Mexico desert in the early morning hours, a group of scientists watched in anticipation as the countdown began. It was silent at first, yet hot and unbelievably bright. Then came the sound. The first-ever atomic bomb explosion... was a success. How did scientists working on the Manhattan Project create what was then the most powerful weapon in history? And how did the bomb’s existence forever change our sense of what human beings are capable of? Thank you to our guest Dr. Jon Hunner, a professor emeritus of U.S. history at New Mexico State University and author of Inventing Los Alamos: The Growth of an Atomic Community and J. Robert Oppenheimer, the Cold War, and the Atomic West. This episode originally aired July 13, 2020. Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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 Jul 2023

31 MINS

31:17

25 Jul 2023


#202

Barbie for President!

July 29th, 1992. The Baltimore Sun runs a feature about a surprise candidate in the upcoming presidential race: Barbie. The 11.5-inch icon of girlhood and glamor is running for office – and flying off the shelves. But how did a plaything become important enough to make national news? To answer that question, we take you on a journey through doll history, from French porcelain beauties to cherubs that stood for women’s suffrage. And of course, the doll who taught us how fun life in plastic could be. How did these dolls revolutionize play and even politics? And what do they have to tell us about ourselves?  Special thanks to our guests: Florence Theriault, doll expert and founder of Theriault’s antique auction firm; Pat Wahler, author of The Rose of Washington Square: A Novel of Rose O'Neill, Creator of the Kewpie Doll; and Robin Gerber, author of Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her. Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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

24 Jul 2023

35 MINS

35:23

24 Jul 2023


#201

John Muir’s Quest to Save the Great Outdoors

July 19, 1869. Naturalist John Muir watches the sun rise over the Sierra Nevada mountains. He’ll write in his journal of the stirring birds, glowing treetops, and even rocks that “seem to thrill with life.” He’s so taken with this landscape that he’ll decide to stay in the Yosemite Valley and try to protect it with the only weapon he has: the pen. How did Muir collide with the political forces of his day and help bring about National Parks as we know them? And how did he change the way many Americans think about the natural world? Special thanks to our guest: Dean King, author of  [Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship That Saved Yosemite] (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Guardians-of-the-Valley/Dean-King/9781982144463) . Hosted on Acast. See [acast.com/privacy] (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information. 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

17 Jul 2023

30 MINS

30:34

17 Jul 2023