Episodes
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
December 19, 1843. Readers are introduced to grumpy miser Ebenezer Scrooge with the publication of Charles Dickens’ most famous festive tale.
The “Christmas Bombing” of North Vietnam
December 18, 1972. President Richard Nixon launches the “Christmas Bombing,” the last major offensive of the war on Vietnam. This episode originally aired in 2023.
Emperor Timur Capture Delhi
December 17, 1398. The mighty nomadic warlord Timur captures and sacks the Indian city of Delhi, causing the deaths of 100,000 people.
Rugby Union’s “Match of the Century”
December 16, 1905. Rugby Union’s "Match of the Century" is played between Wales and the undefeated New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Saturday Matinee: REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we attempt to untangle the real cause of the explosion at the Idaho Falls nuclear power reactor in 1961. Link to REDACTED: http://wondery.fm/REDACTED Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more. History Daily is a co-production of Airship and …
The Last Men on The Moon
December 13, 1972. Astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt begin their third moonwalk, the last time a human being sets foot on another world’s surface.
The Xi’an Incident
December 12, 1936. During the Chinese Civil War, Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek is kidnapped by two of his generals, sparking a political reckoning and uniting the Chinese against a common enemy: Japan. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Lufthansa Heist
December 11, 1978. A group of masked men rob a Lufthansa cargo building, making off with millions in cash and jewelry. This episode originally aired in 2023.
America’s First Paper Money
December 10, 1690. A failed attack on Quebec, Canada leads to Massachusetts Colony creating the first paper currency in the Western Hemisphere.
The Defeat of Smallpox
December 9, 1979. A commission of scientists declare that the scourge of the world – the infectious and deadly virus smallpox - has been eradicated. This episode originally aired in 2021.
Saturday Matinee: History This Week
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we test our knowledge on the origins of Trivial Pursuit. Link to History This Week: https://historythisweekpodcast.substack.com/Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more. History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser. Go to History…
Unearthing Nefertiti
December 6, 1912. An iconic sculpture of the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is discovered beneath the sands of an abandoned city.
Flight 19 Disappears in the Bermuda Triangle
December 5, 1945. Five Navy bombers mysteriously vanish over the Atlantic Ocean after taking off from Fort Lauderdale.
Pan Am Shuts Down For Good
December 4, 1991. After 64 years dominating the skies, the once-great Pan American Airways shuts down its entire operation. This episode originally aired in 2023.
The Bhopal Disaster
December 3, 1984. The city of Bhopal in central India suffers the worst industrial accident on record. This episode originally aired in 2021.
Puyi Becomes the Last Emperor of China
December 2, 1908. In a lavish enthronement ceremony, two-year-old Puyi becomes the Emperor of China, a title he will subsequently abdicate on three separate occasions. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Saturday Matinee: It’s A Continent
On today’s Saturday Matinee, we feature a podcast that addresses the misconception that Africa is a country. This particular episode highlights the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Patrice Lumumba. Link to It’s A Continent: https://www.itsacontinent.com/Support the show! …
The Sand Creek Massacre
November 29, 1864. The slaughter of a Native American settlement by US soldiers sparks war on the Great Plains. This episode originally aired in 2021.
The Grand Ole Opry Goes Live on the Radio
November 28, 1925. A radio station in Nashville, Tennessee launches the first live broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry, popularizing country and western music across the United States, and turning Nashville into the country music capital of the world. This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Genesis of the Nobel Prize
November 27, 1895. A year before his death, Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel amends his will to establish the Nobel Prize.
The First Polaroid Instant Camera
November 26, 1948. The first Polaroid camera sells in Boston, Massachusetts for $89.75.
The Civil War Battle of Missionary Ridge
November 25, 1863. During the American Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant defeats the Confederate forces at the Battle of Missionary Ridge. This episode originally aired in 2022.
Blackbeard’s Final Battle
November 22, 1718. Royal Navy Lieutenant Robert Maynard attacks and boards a pirate ship off the coast of North Carolina, killing the vessel’s captain Edward Teach, better known as "Blackbeard". This episode originally aired in 2022.
The Sinking of the Britannic
November 21, 1916. During a voyage to pick up wounded servicemen, the Titanic’s sister ship sinks.