History

History Dispatches

History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.

Latest Episodes:

Marcus Aurelius: The philosopher emperor Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. And while that is often true, sometimes you can get someone in power who genuinely wants to help their people. Such was the case with the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He was a man who was thrust onto the imperial throne, and forced to spend his time fighting - when all he wanted to do was study philosophy and govern his people. This is the story of Marcus Aurelius: the philosopher emperor.

Sources

"Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine" by Barry Strauss

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius_Antoninus_Augustus#/media/File:Kunsthistorisches_Museum_Vienna_June_2006_048.jpg

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History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Project Habakkuk: the iceberg aircraft carrier Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

In World War II, the allies struggled to fend off U-boat attacks on shipping in the North Atlantic. A major issue was a lack of air support. Planes didn’t have the range to provide protection to the merchant fleets in the icy north. And then, someone had an idea. What if you converted an iceberg into an airbase? And even better - what if you could build an entire aircraft carrier out of ice. This is the story of Project Habakkuk.

Sources

https://albertaaviationmuseum.com/operation-habbakuk-the-iceberg-aircraft-carrier/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk

https://www.thealbertan.com/hot-summer-guide/the-iceberg-aircraft-carrier-that-almost-was-albertas-forgotten-wartime-wonder-10781370

https://www.albertaunderwatercouncil.com/single-post/2016/10/10/diving-jaspers-habbakuk-wreck

Images:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctic_Sound-2016-Iceberg_02.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lancaster_Mk_I_gun_positions.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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10-Cent Beer Night: What could go wrong? Jun 24, 2026

Show notes

Here is a free idea for you. If your sports team is having a bad season and no one is coming to games, throw a cheap beer night! It is a tried and true promotion method and one that the Cleveland Indians implemented in 1974. Specifically a 10 cent beer night. And it worked, drawing a crowd of thousands. The only problem was Cleveland got a little more than they bargained for when the game devolved into a full blown riot.

Sources

https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/10-cent-beer-night-an-oral-history-of-cleveland-baseballs-most-infamous-night/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-Cent_Beer_Night

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Texas_Rangers_run_during_Ten_Cent_Beer_Night.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Shroud of Turin: Unraveling the truth Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

In Turin, Italy, there is a cloth that is one of the most recognized holy relics in Christianity. It is a linen cloth that bears a faint image of a man who appears to have undergone crucifixion. Could this have been the burial robe of Jesus? This is the story of the Shroud of Turin.

Sources

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/

https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7248/5/1/8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin

https://www.shroud.com/

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Secundo_Pia_Turinske_platno_1898.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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North Sentinel Island: The World's Most Isolated People Jun 19, 2026

Show notes

Few places on Earth remain as mysterious and inaccessible as North Sentinel Island. Deep in the Bay of Bengal and surrounded by tropical waters, this small island is home to one of the world's last uncontacted peoples - the North Sentinelese. They are a people who have fiercely resisted outside contact for thousands of years. Their isolation has sparked fascination, controversy, and endless speculation. Today we explore the history of North Sentinel Island and the people who have chosen to remain apart from the wider world.

Sources

https://www.andaman.org/book/chapter8/text8.html#sentineli

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/sentinelese

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sentinel_Island

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Sentinel_Island.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Curse of Tippecanoe: The Deadly Presidential Prophecy Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

What if the highest office in the United States came with a deadly curse? For more than a century, Americans noticed an eerie pattern: presidents elected in years ending in zero seemed doomed to die in office. From William Henry Harrison to John F. Kennedy, the so-called Curse of Tippecanoe - or Tecumseh's Curse - has become one of the most enduring legends in American history. But was this a supernatural act of vengeance tied to the legendary Shawnee chief Tecumseh, or simply a remarkable series of coincidences? In this episode, we explore the origins of the curse, the presidents caught in its shadow, and the strange events that continue to fuel one of America's most chilling presidential mysteries.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_Tippecanoe

https://periodicpresidents.com/2013/06/11/what-is-tecumsehs-curse/

Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tecumseh02.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Gallatin_Hoit_-_William_Henry_Harrison_-_Google_Art_Project_(cropped).jpg"

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Viking Shield Maidens: Fact, Fiction, or Both? Jun 15, 2026

Show notes

Take a look at any piece of media about Vikings, or a fantasy world inspired by them, and chances are you are going to see a shield maiden - a female warrior carrying a sword and shield into battle. Were these women truly Viking warriors who fought alongside men in battle, or were they figures born from myth and legend? Ancient chronicles, Norse sagas, and remarkable archaeological discoveries have fueled a debate that continues to captivate historians today. And the question remains - did the shield maiden actually exist? There are no simple answers. In this episode, we venture into the world of the Vikings to separate fact from fiction and uncover the truth behind the legendary shield maidens.

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The Centennial Light: The Bulb That Refused to Burn Out Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

In a fire station in Livermore, California, a small light bulb has been glowing for more than a century. Known as the Centennial Light, it has witnessed the rise of automobiles, two world wars, the dawn of the space age, and the emergence of the digital era, all while continuing to shine. Its extraordinary lifespan has made it a symbol of durability and sparked endless questions about how early light bulbs were made and why modern bulbs seem so short-lived by comparison. In this episode, we'll explore the history of the Centennial Light, and the surprising story of a humble bulb that became one of the world's most enduring technological marvels.

Sources

https://www.centennialbulb.org/docs/centennial%20bulb%20report.pdf

https://www.centennialbulb.org/

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light#/media/File:Livermore_Centennial_Light_Bulb.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Haymarket Affair: Blood, Bombs, and Labor Rights Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

On the evening of May 4, 1886, a labor rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square turned into one of the most controversial events in American history. What began as a peaceful gathering in support of workers demanding an eight-hour workday ended in chaos when a bomb exploded among police officers attempting to disperse the crowd. The blast and the gunfire that followed left 11 people dead and many more injured, sparking a national debate over labor rights, immigration, anarchism, and the limits of free speech. In this episode, we'll examine the events of that fateful night, the highly contentious trial that followed, and the lasting impact of the Haymarket Affair on the American labor movement and beyond.

Sources

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/chicago-anarchists-and-haymarket-square-incident/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_affair

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HaymarketRiot-Harpers.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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The Hanging Gardens of Babylon: Wonder or Myth? Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, none may be more mysterious than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Described by ancient writers as a breathtaking oasis of terraces, trees, and flowing water rising above the Mesopotamian landscape, the gardens have captured imaginations for more than two thousand years. Yet despite their fame, no definitive archaeological evidence has ever confirmed their existence. Were the Hanging Gardens a remarkable feat of engineering built by a powerful king for his beloved queen, or are they a legend that grew larger with time? And were they even located in Babylon? In this episode, we'll explore the history, myths, and enduring mystery surrounding one of antiquity's most fascinating wonders.

Sources

"The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon: An Elusive World Wonder Traced" by Stephanie Dalley

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon.jpg

Sponsor

Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details).

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

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