Episodes

December 25, 1989. After decades of brutal dictatorial rule, Romanian president Nicolae Ceasescu and his wife Elena are executed by firing squad for crimes against humanity.

On today's Saturday Matinee, we travel back to biblical times to learn about King Herod the Great, the tyrant that changed the face of the Middle East in the 1st century BC. Link to Real Dictators: https://www.noiser.com/realdictatorsSupport 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 22, 1894. Alfred Dreyfus, a Jewish captain in the French army, is convicted of treason for allegedly passing military secrets to the Germans.

December 21, 1891: James Naismith invents a new sport to control a boisterous college gym class.

December 20, 1956. The Montgomery Bus Boycott ends after the Supreme Court rules that segregation on buses is unconstitutional.

December 19, 1675. During King Philip's War, colonial militias wage a devastating attack against the Narragansett tribe in Rhode Island.

December 18, 1972. After peace talks break down, US President Richard Nixon announces the start of the “Christmas Bombing” of North Vietnam.

On today's Saturday Matinee, we learn how the iconic American department store, "Macy's", started from a humble beginning all because of one man's vision of success. Link to Business Movers: https://wondery.com/shows/business-movers/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 15, 1973. After widely publicized ransom negotiations, John Paul Getty III, the grandson of American billionaire J. Paul Getty, is found alive near Naples, five months after he was kidnapped by an Italian gang.

December 14, 1926. An 11-day nationwide search ends when crime novelist Agatha Christie is discovered living under a false identity at a hotel in Harrogate, England after disappearing from her home.

December 13, 2003. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is captured by American forces.

December 12, 1939. The Battle of Tolvajärvi breaks out, bringing Finland its first major victory against the Soviet Union in the Winter War.

December 11, 1978. A group of masked men rob a Lufthansa cargo building, making off with millions in cash and jewelry.

On today's Saturday Matinee, we celebrate Yule by learning how Vikings and other Germanic peoples signified the peak of Winter with a historic festival. Link to The History of Vikings: https://podfollow.com/thehistoryofvikingsSupport 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 8, 1980. John Lennon is shot and killed outside his Manhattan apartment by obsessed fan Mark David Chapman.

December 7th, 1941. The Imperial Japanese Navy launches its attack on Pearl Harbor.

December 6, 1976. After evading punishment for decades, Pieter Menten, one of the Netherlands' most notorious Nazi war criminals, is arrested in Switzerland.

December 5th, 1952: The Great Smog blankets the city of London for five days, killing thousands in the deadliest air pollution event in UK history.

December 4, 1991. After 64 years dominating the skies, a series of poor financial decisions forces Pan American Airways to shut down.

On today's Saturday Matinee, we discover how a luxurious steamship called the Empress of Ireland became known as "Canada's Titanic". Link to Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs: IntoHistory.com/shipwreckspodSupport 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 1, 1955. Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama.

November 30, 1954. Alabama resident Ann Hodges becomes the first person struck by a meteorite, an event that will upend the 34-year-old’s life.

November 29, 1781. The crew of a British slave ship murders 54 Africans by dumping them into the sea to claim insurance, beginning the Zong massacre.

November 28, 1942. A fire at the Cocoanut Grove in Boston kills nearly 500 of its occupants, making it America’s deadliest nightclub disaster.