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.
Episodes
May 6, 2025 • 17 mins
On August 27, 1883, the volcanic island of Krakatoa exploded. It was a blast heard more than 3,000 miles away. 70% of the island and its surrounding archipelago were destroyed. More than 36,000 people died. It is one of the deadliest and most destructive volcanic events in recorded history. This is the 1883 Eruption of Krakatoa.
Sources
The Atlantic: The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/...
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May 5, 2025 • 17 mins
In 1887, Pleasant Valley, Arizona, became the battlefield for the bloodiest feud in American history. It would leave dozens dead, and slaughter two entire families. This is the Pleasant Valley War.
Sources
"Pleasant Valley War" by Jinx Pyle
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasant_Valley_War#/media/File:Grabill_-_The_Cow_Boy.jpg
The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com
Interested ...
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May 2, 2025 • 15 mins
Throughout history there has only been one woman to rule the Chinese empire. This was Wu Zetian - who rose from the rank of imperial concubine - to that of emperor of China. Her rise to power was a very bloody trip.
Sources
"Empress Wu Zetian: the only woman to rule China, and who would be hated for it" - https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/empress-wu-zetian-china-rule-life-reputation/
"Wu Zhao: Ruler of Tang Dynas...
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May 1, 2025 • 17 mins
In the mid-1850's a young man named Joshua Glover was a slave in Missouri. He would escape, and settle in Wisconsin - only to be recaptured, freed by an abolitionist mob, and escape again to Canada once and for all. His story caused a clash between federal and state courts, and helped spark the establishment of the Republican Party - who main goal was to end slavery in America.
Sources
"Finding Freedom: The Untold Story of J...
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April 30, 2025 • 22 mins
On July 10, 1985, in the harbor of Auckland, New Zealand, a bomb planted on the Greenpeace ship - the Rainbow Warrior - went off - opening a hole in her hull. A few minutes later, another bomb exploded. The ship sank within minutes - and one person was dead. So who was behind the bombing? Extremists of some kind? Political enemies? The answer would shock the world.
Sources
"The Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior" - https://www.gr...
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April 29, 2025 • 20 mins
In 1419, Jan Žižka would help lead the Hussite Revolution. He led armies of peasants against professional knights using amazing tactics, and gunpowder, cementing himself as one of history's greatest military commanders.
Sources
"Warrior of God: Jan Zizka and the Hussite Revolution" by Victor Verney
Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_%C5%BDi%C5%BEka#/media/File:Zizka_tabor_statue.jpg
The Explorers Podcast is part of...
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April 28, 2025 • 19 mins
In August, 1945, the Japanese government was on the verge of surrendering to Allied forces - and ending WWII. But on the night of August 14-15, a group of Japanese officers went into action. Their plan was to take the emperor hostage, and scuttle peace talks - and thus continue the war - which would have likely cost the Allies hundreds of thousands of lives - and the Japanese - millions.
Sources
The Kyujo Incident: The Coup tha...
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April 25, 2025 • 17 mins
From the 1950s through the 1970s, a David and Goliath story would play out across the North Atlantic. The United Kingdom and Iceland engaged in a viscous dispute over fishing rights. And the winner may surprise you. This is the story of the Cod Wars.
Sources
"How Iceland Beat the British in the Four Cod Wars" - https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-were-cod-wars
"The Cod Wars explained: The conflict between Iceland and Brita...
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April 24, 2025 • 14 mins
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
Bobbi Gibb Marathon Pioneer: https://www.sportsmuseum.org/curators-corner/bobbi-gibb-marathon-pioneer/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobbi_Gibb
"A Run of ...
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April 23, 2025 • 15 mins
In 1917, Germany was desperate to keep the United States out of World War I - even as they prepared to launch unrestricted submarine warfare on all shipping in the European theater. To that end, German officials sent a telegram to the Mexican government, proposing they declare war of the United States - tying up American resources. The only problem was the message was intercepted and the plot exposed - causing the plan to completel...
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April 22, 2025 • 20 mins
In 1855, an American newspaperman, lawyer and doctor, William Walker, led a small, private army to Central America, and within a year, was recognized as the President of Nicaragua. Walker’s actions would unite people from five nations to rise up against him. This is the story of the Filibuster War.
Sources
"William Walker's Wars" by Scott Martelle
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Walker_(filibuster)
Image - Librar...
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April 21, 2025 • 8 mins
Over 4,000 years ago, the high priestess Enheduanna put pen to clay and wrote the Exaltation of Inanna, making her the earliest known named author in world history.
Sources
"Documents that changed the way we live" by Joseph Janes
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enheduanna
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Disk_of_Enheduanna.JPG
The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com...
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April 18, 2025 • 13 mins
In the early 2000's, Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour took to the skies piloting a Cobra heliocopter, defying the odds of everyone saying she can't. This is the story of Captain Vernice Armour, the first African-American female combat pilot.
Sources
https://www.unsungheroeseducation.com/Transcripts/Vernice%20Armour%20Interviews.pdf
Image (cropped from original): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USMC-120518-M-HF911-372.jpg
The Ex...
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April 17, 2025 • 23 mins
In May of 1527, 20,000 mutinous soldiers of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire descended on Rome. What would follow was the absolute devastation of the city and its population, the gutting of the power of the Papacy, and the end of the High Renaissance era.
Sources
Medievalists.net: https://www.medievalists.net/2022/06/sack-rome-1527/
Smart History: https://smarthistory.org/sack-of-rome/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...
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April 16, 2025 • 16 mins
In the first months of WWII, millions of Polish citizens and soldiers were deported to the Soviet Union. As prisoners of war, hundreds of thousands perished from cold, starvation and execution. But after the German invasion of Russia, these exiles and prisoners were crafted into an army to fight the Nazis. The man to lead them was Wladyslaw Anders. This is the tale of Ander’s exiled Polish army.
Sources
"An Army in Exile: The Sto...
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April 15, 2025 • 19 mins
Sidi Mubarak Bombay grew up a slave - taken from his home in Africa to India. But that didn't stop him from being one of the most accomplished explorers and travelers of Central Africa. Over a period of 20 years, Bombay traveled = with the most famous African explorers, including Richard Francis Burton, Henry Morton Stanley, David Livingston, and Richard Speke.
Sources
Black Past: https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/...
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April 14, 2025 • 18 mins
The year was 865 AD, and the largest viking army ever assembled landed on the shores of England. What ensued was 20 years of pillage and conquest that was only stopped by the young king of Wessex, Alfred the Great.
Sources
"Alfred the Great" by David J. Sturdy
Image: Author and @Steve Daniels - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_King_Alfred_in_Wantage_Market_Square.jpg
The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave ...
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April 11, 2025 • 21 mins
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
British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-rosetta-stone
"The Rosetta Stone: Unlocking the Ancient Egyptian Language" - h...
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April 10, 2025 • 18 mins
For five decades John Chapman wandered the American frontier, from Pennsylvania to Illinois, planting thousands of apple trees and changing the American frontier. In the process, he established himself as one of America’s most foundational myths. This is the story of Johnny Appleseed.
Sources
"Johnny Appleseed: the man, the myth, the American story," by Howard Means
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=637870
T...
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April 9, 2025 • 21 mins
On the evening of Nov. 4, 1605, a man in a cloak, hat and riding boots was discovered in a small storage room - called an undercroft - directly under Westminster Palace in London. Hidden in the room were 36 barrels of gunpowder. The man was Guy Fawkes. His plan was to blow up Parliament. This is the story of the Gunpowder Plot.
Sources
"Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot" - https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stori...
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