History of Everything

Latest Episodes:

Bob Denard: The Frenchman Who Stole an Entire Country (4 Times) Sep 29, 2026

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In 1975, a French mercenary named Bob Denard landed on the beaches of the Comoros Islands with a handful of men and changed the course of African history. Then he did it again. And again. And one more time for good measure. This is the story of how one man overthrew the same government four separate times, ruled an island nation as a puppet master for over a decade, and somehow died peacefully in France instead of prison.

From the bloody coups of the 1970s to the failed Operation Azalee in 1995, this is the story of the unbelievable career of France's most notorious soldier of fortune—a man who treated international borders like suggestions and presidential palaces like Airbnb rentals.

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The Most Laidback Dictator in History Sep 21, 2026

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Normally when one describes a dictator they will talk about murder, violence, oppression, coups, but not usually willingly giving up power. The dictator of Seychelles is perhaps one of the most rare examples of exactly that in history.

This is his story and how the Seychelles became a modern state.

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How Ramen Saved Japan Sep 14, 2026

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After World War II, Japan was devastated. Food was scarce, morale was low, and the country needed something—anything—to rebuild. That "something" turned out to be a simple bowl of wheat noodles in broth.

Today we trace how ramen went from a cheap street food to an unlikely economic and cultural savior for post-war Japan. We'll explore the black market stalls of 1940s Tokyo, the American wheat surplus that changed everything, and how instant ramen inventor Momofuku Ando literally helped feed a nation and to create what is one of the most popular foods on earth.

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Sheck Exley: The Greatest Cave Diver Who Ever Lived Aug 28, 2026

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Sheck Exley didn't just push the limits of human exploration—he redefined them. Today we dive into the life of the man widely regarded as the greatest cave diver who ever lived.

From his first cave dive at age 16 to his record-breaking descent past 800 feet into Mexico's El Zacatón, Exley spent three decades exploring the most dangerous underwater caves on Earth. Along the way, he developed the techniques, equipment, and safety protocols that made modern technical diving possible.

But his obsession with the depths would ultimately cost him everything. On April 6, 1994, Exley attempted to reach the bottom of the world's deepest underwater sinkhole—a dive from which he would never return.

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The Dog Meat General: Craziest Leader in Chinese History Aug 17, 2026

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Meet Zhang Zongchang—the warlord so unhinged, so chaotic, that his own soldiers called him "72-Cannon Zhang" while everyone else just called him the Dog Meat General. Standing nearly 6'6" in an era when most Chinese men were a foot shorter, this mountain of a man ruled China's Shandong province like a fever dream wrapped in a nightmare.

In this video, we're diving deep into the absolute insanity that was Zhang Zongchang's life.

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The Powder Kegs That Led to the American Revolution Aug 10, 2026

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By 1775, the thirteen American colonies were a tinderbox — and it only took one spark to set the empire ablaze. But how did loyal British subjects transform into armed revolutionaries in just over a decade?

In this video, we trace the explosive chain of events that turned colonial grumbling into open rebellion. From the crushing debt of the French and Indian War to the shots fired at Lexington and Concord, we unpack the taxes, protests, massacres, and miscalculations that made revolution inevitable.

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Balloonfest ‘86: Disaster or Lie? Jul 27, 2026

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In 1986, Cleveland made history by releasing 1.5 million balloons into the sky—a world record that still stands today. But what was supposed to be a harmless spectacle quickly turned into something far more complicated.

For decades, we've been told this event was an unmitigated disaster. The balloons allegedly choked Lake Erie, spooked horses, caused car accidents, and even interfered with a Coast Guard rescue mission. But what if the story we've been told isn't the full picture? What if the "disaster" narrative was exaggerated—or worse, manufactured?

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The Fall of Saddam Hussein: Butcher of Baghdad Jul 13, 2026

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For 24 years, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq with an iron fist—silencing dissent through torture, execution, and the infamous Republican Guard. But in 2003, the regime that seemed untouchable came crashing down in just three weeks.

Today we trace the final days of one of history's most brutal dictators: from the shock and awe of Baghdad to Saddam's humiliating capture in a spider hole near Tikrit.

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The Rise of Saddam Hussein: From Street Thug to Dictator Jul 06, 2026

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Saddam Hussein with nothing. Born to a poor peasant family in a mud-brick village. Abandoned by his father before he was born. Raised by an abusive uncle who beat him daily.

By thirty, he was an assassin. By forty, he controlled one of the world's most oil-rich nations. By fifty, he was called the "Butcher of Baghdad." How does someone climb from absolute obscurity to absolute power? How do you build a dictatorship in a world that's supposed to have moved on from strongmen and tyrants?

Today we're going back to the beginning. From Saddam's brutal childhood to the 1968 Ba'athist coup. From his CIA connections to the 1979 purge that cemented his reign of terror.

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The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Show on Earth: The Circus Jun 28, 2026

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Step right up and journey through the wild, weird, and often shocking history of the circus—from its ancient Roman origins to the multimillion-dollar entertainment empire that defined the 19th and 20th centuries, and its eventual collapse in the modern era.

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