Episodes

December 24, 1914. In the trenches of World War One, British and German troops call a truce to celebrate Christmas together. This episode originally aired in 2021.

December 23, 1783: American General George Washington resigns his military commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army to Congress. This episode originally aired in 2022.

On today’s Saturday Matinee, we delve into the Challenger disaster, the events leading up to it, and find out how this tragic American scandal could have been avoided.Link to American Scandal: https://wondery.com/shows/american-scandal/Support the show! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

December 20, 1860. South Carolina becomes the first US state to secede from the Union, precipitating the American Civil War. This episode originally aired in 2021.

December 19, 1843. Readers are introduced to grumpy miser Ebenezer Scrooge with the publication of Charles Dickens’ most famous festive tale.

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.

December 17, 1398. The mighty nomadic warlord Timur captures and sacks the Indian city of Delhi, causing the deaths of 100,000 people.

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.

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 Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

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.

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.

December 10, 1690. A failed attack on Quebec, Canada leads to Massachusetts Colony creating the first paper currency in the Western Hemisphere.

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.

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 HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

December 6, 1912. An iconic sculpture of the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti is discovered beneath the sands of an abandoned city.

December 5, 1945. Five Navy bombers mysteriously vanish over the Atlantic Ocean after taking off from Fort Lauderdale.

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.

December 3, 1984. The city of Bhopal in central India suffers the worst industrial accident on record. This episode originally aired in 2021.

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.

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! Join Into History for ad-free listening and more.History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

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.

November 27, 1895. A year before his death, Swedish chemist and inventor Alfred Nobel amends his will to establish the Nobel Prize.