History Dispatches
History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.
How Star Wars almost never happened - Part 2
In Part 2 of our look at the creation of Star Wars - we talk about the challenges involving the casting, design, production and marketing of the film.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_(film)
https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/george-lucas-star-wars-facts
https://everything-everywhere.com/the-history-of-star-wars/
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Star_wars2.svg
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How Star Wars almost never happened - Part 1
In the summer of 1977 the film Star Wars was released - igniting a global phenomenon that continues to this day. But the Star Wars that we know and love almost never happened. It was rejected by almost every major studio. In Part 1 of our story about the creation of Star Wars - we talk about the roots of the film, its creator - George Lucas - and the struggles with the script and financing.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_(film)
https://www.biography.com...
Story of the Polygraph
The ability to tell if someone is lying has long been something humans have attempted to perfect. From torture to psychology, it is the holy grail of criminal investigation. In 1921, a PhD student and police rookie, John Larson, may have cracked the code by inventing the polygraph. It is an invention, many said, that was sure to change the face of criminology forever. Or maybe not. Did he instead unleash a monster into the world? This is the story of the polygraph.
Sources
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience...
Roger Bannister and the 4-minute mile
On a blustery, wet day in May of 1954, British runner Roger Bannister - an Oxford medical student - accomplished a long distance running feat that many had said would never be achieved. It would make Bannister the sportsperson of the year - and his achievement is hailed as one of the greatest sports moments of 20th century. This is the story of Roger Bannister and the 4-minute mile.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5AtK08gPM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Bannister
...
Sliced Bread and the time it was banned
Sliced bread is a simple yet ingenious invention with a surprisingly short history. Almost as soon as it came onto the market, it took over American bakeries and became a staple in every household. Except, for a brief few months in 1943 when the United States government banned this incredible product. This is the story of sliced bread and the time it was banned.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sliced_bread
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ridiculous-reason-why-the-us-enacted-a-wartime-ban-on-sliced-bread-salesand-why-it-didnt-last-long-180985834/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/america-banned-sliced-bread
...
WebcamGate - The High School Spying Scandal
From 2008-10, the Lower Merion School District - in suburban Philadelphia - issued laptops to more than 2,300 high school students for school and home use. What they didn’t tell the kids or their parents was that the district loaded the laptops with secret software that gave officials the ability to remotely take photos from those laptops. What followed was WebcamGate - one of the biggest invasion of privacy incidents in the nation’s history.
Sources
https://time.com/7275031/spy-high-true-story-prime-video/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbins_v._Lowe...
The Defenestrations of Prague - How throwing someone out a window sparked a religious war
Defenestrate is a highly specific word. It means to throw someone out of a window. And it comes from the city of Prague where several people were tossed out of a window and helped ignite a brutal religious war. And then it happened again 200 years later. This is the story of the Defenestrations of Prague.
Sources
https://english.radio.cz/blood-bohemia-second-defenestration-prague-and-window-changed-europe-8889193
https://english.radio.cz/first-defenestration-prague-what-was-it-and-why-did-it-happen-8124688
"The Thirty Years War: a documentary history" by Tryntje Helfferich
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File...
ParaBeavers - Idaho’s Parachuting Beavers
By the 1940s, government officials were looking to re-introduce the beaver to a region of Idaho to help improve the health of the area’s wetlands. But hauling live beavers through forests and over mountains was not easy - or cheap. And thus someone came up with the idea of parachuting beavers into these remote areas. This is the story of Idaho’s Parachuting Beavers - or parabeavers.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_drop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APLz2bTprMA
https://www...
1975 LaGuardia Airport Bombing
On Dec. 29, 1975, a bomb tore through LaGuardia Airport in New York City. The blast killed 11 people and wounded 74. No one claimed responsibility for the bombing. And the bombers were never found. This is the story of the 1975 LaGuardia Airport Bombing.
Sources
https://observer.com/2016/01/why-hasnt-washington-explained-the-1975-laguardia-airport-bombing/
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/07/laguardia-airport-bombing-cold-case-terrorism-unsolved.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWEnG77vAPw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_LaGuardia_Airport_bombing
File:Trans_World_Airlines_terminal_at_LaGuardia_Airport_following_1975_bombing.jpg
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The History of Calvin and Hobbes
One of the most beloved comic strips in history is Calvin and Hobbes. It is the adventures of a mischievous six-year old boy and his equally naughty stuffed tiger - who only comes alive for Calvin. To look at the history of Calvin and Hobbes, we brought on some experts - Ryan and Indy from the Magic of Calvin and Hobbes podcast.
Sources
Ryan and Indy from the Magic of Calvin and Hobbes Podcast
Website: https://ryanbaker712.podbean.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MagicofCandH<...
The life - and afterlife - of Henrietta Lacks
Henrietta Lacks was an ordinary women who lived and ordinary life. However upon her death scientists discovered that she had a real life superpower. Her cells were basically immortal, and their study has forever changed the face of modern medicine, and generated endless controversy.
Sources
"The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Henrietta_Lacks_(cropped).jpg
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Madoc and Welsh Indians
According to legend, in the 12th century a Welsh prince, Madoc, sailed to the west - looking for a place to settle his people. They would find the Americas. And for hundreds of years rumors would persist about the descendants of these settlers. This is the story of Madoc and the Welsh Indians.
Sources
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/The-discovery-of-America-by-Welsh-Prince/
https://clements.umich.edu/publication/the-best-of-the-west/a-profound-and-enduring-impression/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madoc
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:01madog07.jpg<...
Hay Meadow Massacre
While being the county seat is important, it is probably not worth fighting a war over. However, for the people of Stevens County, Kansas, the decision for county seat turned violent, and culminated in the Hay Meadow Massacre, where four men were killed in cold blood. This is the story of the Hay Meadow Massacre.
Sources
https://www.ksgenweb.org/KSStevens/haymeadow.html
https://digging-history.com/2014/07/24/feudin-and-fightin-friday-the-hay-meadow-massacre/
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Haymeadow_massacre.png
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Jesse Owens and the 1936 Berlin Olympics
At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Adolph Hitler hoped to demonstrate to the world the power, majesty and superiority of the resurgent German nation. That, however, would be foiled by a 22-year old African American track and field athlete - who would put on one of the greatest displays in Olympic history. This is the story of Jesse Owens and the 1936 Olympic Games.
Sources
https://jesseowens.com
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/owens/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens
Image: https...
Anglo-Zanzibar War: The shortest war in history
Wars can drag on for years. Others might last only a few months, a couple of weeks, or even a handful of days. And then there was the Anglo-Zanzibar war - a conflict that lasted a record setting 38 minutes.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Zanzibar_War
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/The-Shortest-War-in-History/
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marines_in_zanzibar.jpg
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History of the QWERTY Keyboard
Do you ever sit at your computer and look at the keyboard and wonder - how did we get here? Why are the letters laid out in such a jumbled mess? Why is the J easier to type than the E? That’s just one of many questions we tackle as we look at the history of what today we call the QWERTY keyboard.
Sources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFkC3F0lmjA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QWERTY
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/th...
The Colossus of Rhode: The greatest statue of the ancient world
Today, the most famous statue that overlooks a harbor is probably the Statue of Liberty. However, over 2,000 years ago a statue almost as large was built in the Greek city of Rhodes. The Colossus of Rhodes so impressive it became one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Sources
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Colossus-of-Rhodes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossus_of_Rhodes
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colossus_of_Rhodes.jpg
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Flint Water Crisis
In 2014, the financially troubled city of Flint, Michigan, began drawing their water from the Flint River - instead of Lake Huron. The move would be a disaster. Over the next decade the city would grapple with water contamination, lead poisoning, Legionnaires disease, and deaths - costing Flint and the State of Michigan more than a billion dollars.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/casper/php/publications-links/flint-water-crisis.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis
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The Truth Behind Troy
With the upcoming "Odyssey" movie, by Christopher Nolan, we wanted to ask, is it true? Well of course not. But the background of the story, the Trojan War and the city of Troy, might just have some basis in reality. Because not only have archeologists discovered what they believe to be the real life Troy, but there is also some evidence of a Trojan War.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy
https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giovanni...
Battle of Tsushima: the birth of modern naval warfare
On May 27, 1905, the Russian and Japanese fleets faced off in the Tsushima Strait during the Russo-Japanese War. It is the first modern naval battle - and described as the greatest and the most important naval event since Trafalgar - a century earlier. It also ushered in Japan as a world power - and helped sow the seeds of the end of Czarist Russia. This is the story of the battle of Tsushima.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tsushima
https://www.history.navy.mil/get-involved...
The Land Lobster: The world's rarest insect
For untold years the tropical paradise of Lord Howe Island was home to the enormous insect called the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, or Land Lobster - an 8-inch long bug endemic to the island. But they went extinct shortly around 1918 - at least until 2001, when just a few dozen were found on a virtually uninhabitable rock a dozen miles away.
Sources
"Rediscovery of the ‘extinct’ Lord Howe Island stick-insect (Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier)) (Phasmatodea) and recommendations for its conservation" by David Priddel et al.
https://www.abc.net...
Navajo Code Talkers
In World War II the United States took a unique turn in their quest for delivering fast, secret communications in combat situations. This was by using Native American language speakers and translators to deliver simple, yet unbreakable coded messages on the front lines. This is the story of the Navajo Code Talkers.
Sources
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/code-talkers.html
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/american-indian-code-talkers
https://www.intelligence.gov/publics-daily-brief/publics-daily-brief-articles/navajo-nation-inventors-of-the-unbreakable-code
https://en.wikipedia...
The Paraguayan War: South America's Deadliest War
When Paraguay invaded its much larger neighbors in 1864, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay responded in force. For the next five years these nations waged the deadliest war ever seen on the continent. It was a war that saw 20 percent of Paraguay's entire population die. This is the story of the Paraguayan War.
Sources
https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/3585/1/B28_-_The_Paraguayan_War_%281864-1870%29.pdf
https://read.uolpress.co.uk/read/brazil/section/0c2155f3-0885-42c3-afda-319d122d8b63
Image: https://commons.wikimedia...
Jonathan the Tortoise: The world's oldest living land animal
In 1882 a 50-year old tortoise from the Seychelles was brought to the tiny island of St. Helena as a gift to the governor. That tortoise, who was later dubbed Jonathan, is still alive and well today, making him over 190 years old, and the world's oldest living land animal.
Sources
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-190-jonathan-the-tortoise-is-the-worlds-oldest-living-land-animal-180979514/
https://sainthelenaisland.info/jonathan.htm
Image by Luke McKernan - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_(27242406408).jpg
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Alexis St. Martin and the gunshot that changed science
In 1822, a young man, Alexis St. Martin, was accidentally shot in the stomach. Miraculously, he survived, and even more amazing was the hole between his chest and stomach became permanent. This allowed a US Army surgeon - William Beaumont - to spend a decade studying St. Martin’s digestive system, making Beaumont the "Father of Gastric Physiology". This is the very weird story of the gunshot that changed medicine.
Sources
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grisly-story-human-guinea-pig-alexis-st-martin-180963520/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_St._Martin
https://ww...
Marcus Aurelius: The philosopher emperor
They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. And while that is often true, sometimes you can get someone in power who genuinely wants to help their people. Such was the case with the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He was a man who was thrust onto the imperial throne, and forced to spend his time fighting - when all he wanted to do was study philosophy and govern his people. This is the story of Marcus Aurelius: the philosopher emperor.
Sources
"Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine" by Barry...
Project Habakkuk: the iceberg aircraft carrier
In World War II, the allies struggled to fend off U-boat attacks on shipping in the North Atlantic. A major issue was a lack of air support. Planes didn’t have the range to provide protection to the merchant fleets in the icy north. And then, someone had an idea. What if you converted an iceberg into an airbase? And even better - what if you could build an entire aircraft carrier out of ice. This is the story of Project Habakkuk.
Sources
https://albertaaviationmuseum.com/operation-habbakuk-the-iceberg-aircraft-carrier/
ht...
10-Cent Beer Night: What could go wrong?
Here is a free idea for you. If your sports team is having a bad season and no one is coming to games, throw a cheap beer night! It is a tried and true promotion method and one that the Cleveland Indians implemented in 1974. Specifically a 10 cent beer night. And it worked, drawing a crowd of thousands. The only problem was Cleveland got a little more than they bargained for when the game devolved into a full blown riot.
Sources
https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/10-cent-beer-night-an-oral-history-of-cleveland-baseballs-most-infamous-night/
https://en...
Shroud of Turin: Unraveling the truth
In Turin, Italy, there is a cloth that is one of the most recognized holy relics in Christianity. It is a linen cloth that bears a faint image of a man who appears to have undergone crucifixion. Could this have been the burial robe of Jesus? This is the story of the Shroud of Turin.
Sources
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7248/5/1/8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin
https://www.shroud.com/
Image: https...
North Sentinel Island: The World's Most Isolated People
Few places on Earth remain as mysterious and inaccessible as North Sentinel Island. Deep in the Bay of Bengal and surrounded by tropical waters, this small island is home to one of the world's last uncontacted peoples - the North Sentinelese. They are a people who have fiercely resisted outside contact for thousands of years. Their isolation has sparked fascination, controversy, and endless speculation. Today we explore the history of North Sentinel Island and the people who have chosen to remain apart from the wider world.
Sources
https://www.andaman.org/book...
Curse of Tippecanoe: The Deadly Presidential Prophecy
What if the highest office in the United States came with a deadly curse? For more than a century, Americans noticed an eerie pattern: presidents elected in years ending in zero seemed doomed to die in office. From William Henry Harrison to John F. Kennedy, the so-called Curse of Tippecanoe - or Tecumseh's Curse - has become one of the most enduring legends in American history. But was this a supernatural act of vengeance tied to the legendary Shawnee chief Tecumseh, or simply a remarkable series of coincidences? In this episode, we explore the origins of the curse, the...
Viking Shield Maidens: Fact, Fiction, or Both?
Take a look at any piece of media about Vikings, or a fantasy world inspired by them, and chances are you are going to see a shield maiden - a female warrior carrying a sword and shield into battle. Were these women truly Viking warriors who fought alongside men in battle, or were they figures born from myth and legend? Ancient chronicles, Norse sagas, and remarkable archaeological discoveries have fueled a debate that continues to captivate historians today. And the question remains - did the shield maiden actually exist? There are no simple answers. In this episode, we venture...
The Centennial Light: The Bulb That Refused to Burn Out
In a fire station in Livermore, California, a small light bulb has been glowing for more than a century. Known as the Centennial Light, it has witnessed the rise of automobiles, two world wars, the dawn of the space age, and the emergence of the digital era, all while continuing to shine. Its extraordinary lifespan has made it a symbol of durability and sparked endless questions about how early light bulbs were made and why modern bulbs seem so short-lived by comparison. In this episode, we'll explore the history of the Centennial Light, and the surprising story of a...
Haymarket Affair: Blood, Bombs, and Labor Rights
On the evening of May 4, 1886, a labor rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square turned into one of the most controversial events in American history. What began as a peaceful gathering in support of workers demanding an eight-hour workday ended in chaos when a bomb exploded among police officers attempting to disperse the crowd. The blast and the gunfire that followed left 11 people dead and many more injured, sparking a national debate over labor rights, immigration, anarchism, and the limits of free speech. In this episode, we'll examine the events of that fateful night, the highly contentious trial that followed, and...
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Wonder or Myth?
Among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, none may be more mysterious than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Described by ancient writers as a breathtaking oasis of terraces, trees, and flowing water rising above the Mesopotamian landscape, the gardens have captured imaginations for more than two thousand years. Yet despite their fame, no definitive archaeological evidence has ever confirmed their existence. Were the Hanging Gardens a remarkable feat of engineering built by a powerful king for his beloved queen, or are they a legend that grew larger with time? And were they even located in Babylon? In this...
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (Encore)
On Nov 10, 1975, a storm swept over Lake Superior. For hours and hours, the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald was tossed and battered. Then, a little after 7:00 pm, contact was lost with one of the biggest and most celebrated vessels to ever sail the Great Lakes. This is the story of the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald
https://shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald/
Gordon Lightfoot's 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuzTkGyxkYI
Image...
The 335 Year War (Encore)
For 335 years the Netherlands - maybe - fought a long, protracted war against the Isles of Scilly, in the English Channel. It would drag on and on, costing a grand total of zero lives, and only ended when someone bothered to figure out if they were actually still at war. The is the story of the 335 Year War.
Sources
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-335-Year-War-the-Longest-War-in-History/
"Scilly at War" by R. L. Bowley
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Willaerts,_First_Dutch...
The Rosetta Stone - the Key to Unlocking Egypt's Past (Encore)
On July 15, 1799, French soldiers discovered a large stone slab along the Nile Delta. They knew it was something special. But no one at the time realized it was the key to opening up the vast history of ancient Egypt. This is the story of the Rosetta Stone.
Sources
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-rosetta-stone
https://arce.org/resource/rosetta-stone-unlocking-ancient-egyptian-language/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_Stone
Image: @Hans Hillewaert - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosetta_Stone.JPG
Catacombs of Paris (Encore)
Beneath the city of Paris lies a network of tunnels stretching hundreds of miles - many of which are not totally explored. Their origin dates back to the Middle Ages, and today are home to a massive cemetery. This is the story of the Catacombs of Paris.
Sources
https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/history/site-history
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/strange-maps-paris-catacombs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mines_of_Paris
Image: Vlastula at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catacombes...
Bobbi Gibb - the First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon (Encore)
On an April morning in Boston in 1966, despite being told she was physically incapable of running 20+ miles, Bobbi Gibb slipped into the crowd of 500 runners. Three hours and 21 minutes later, she became the first woman to ever run the fabled Boston Marathon.
Sources
https://www.sportsmuseum.org/curators-corner/bobbi-gibb-marathon-pioneer/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobbi_Gibb
http://www.runningpast.com/gibb_story.htm
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