Dictators

Latest Episodes:

The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 3) Dec 21, 2020

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For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open…

This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 2) Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and a belief that the blaze was no accident.

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The Sodder Family Tragedy: 75 Years Later (Pt. 1) Dec 21, 2020

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Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her young children. Or did it? Strange events, prescient remarks, and a lack of human remains hinted at more nefarious — though no less tragic — outcomes.

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Pol Pot Pt. 2: Cambodia Dec 15, 2020

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Forced labor, unyielding rice quotas, and executions meant to root out anti-communist resistance plunged the country into a terrible nightmare. Pol Pot was finally forced to flee in 1984, but his reign left a grim legacy that persists to this day.

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Pol Pot Pt. 1: Cambodia Dec 08, 2020

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The secretive leader of the communist Khmer Rouge was responsible for killing around a quarter of Cambodia’s population — one of the worst mass killings of the 20th century. He was born Saloth Sar in 1925, but is most recognizable by one of his many nicknames: Pol Pot.

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Mao Zedong Pt. 2: China Dec 01, 2020

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Now in total control, Mao Zedong had a nation to build. But his ambition to transform China into a global superpower led to one of the worst crimes ever committed against humanity. Forced to retreat from his failure, Mao’s attempt to recapture power would send China into ten more years of violent chaos.

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Mao Zedong Pt. 1: China Nov 24, 2020

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The Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, ending imperialism in China. But the instability created a power struggle over the country’s future. Between the Warlords, the Nationalists, the Communists, and even the Japanese, one man seized control of China and turned it into the second largest communist nation in the world.

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Medical Murders Crossover: Josef Mengele Pt. 2 Nov 17, 2020

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Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy these episodes, check out Medical Murders on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Before he was a fanatical Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele was a mediocre student studying medicine and anthropology. His quest for renown drove an obsession with human experimentation, and a horrific tenure at Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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Medical Murders Crossover: Josef Mengele Pt. 1 Nov 17, 2020

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Nero Pt. 2: Rome Nov 10, 2020

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As the Great Fire of Rome wreaked havoc on the city, the emperor practiced his singing. Nero's artistic obsessions led not only to Rome's downfall, but his own.

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