History in 5 Minutes or less

War of 1812

The Muddy Miracle of New Orleans: How Andrew Jackson and a Band of Misfits Won a War That Was Already Over

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Aaron Rodney

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January 12, 2026

In January 1815, Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson led a ragtag army of frontiersmen, pirates, free Black soldiers, and Choctaws to crush a superior British force at New Orleans. Despite the war’s end via the Treaty of Ghent weeks earlier, this stunning victory—2,000+ British casualties to just 71 American—made Jackson a…
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World War I

The Spy, the Submarine, and the Secret Telegram: How a Reluctant America Joined the Great War

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Aaron Rodney

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January 5, 2026

The U.S. entry into World War I was a complex process driven by economic ties, diplomatic tensions, and public outrage following events like the Lusitania sinking and the Zimmermann Telegram. President Wilson, initially advocating neutrality, ultimately reframed the conflict as a moral imperative, leading to the declaration of war on…
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American Revolutiuon

The Blacksmith and the Earl: How Nathanael Greene Won the Revolution by Losing Every Battle

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Aaron Rodney

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December 29, 2025

Nathanael Greene, the “Fighting Quaker,” saved the Revolution by out-maneuvering Lord Cornwallis across the South. Using a brilliant strategy of attrition and the grueling “Race to the Dan,” Greene exhausted the British. Though he technically lost battles like Guilford Courthouse, he bled the enemy dry, paving the way for Yorktown.
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American Revolutiuon, Movies

The Patriot: 5 things the move got right and 5 things that were a stretch.

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Aaron Rodney

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December 22, 2025

The Patriot is a visceral cinematic epic that captures the brutal reality of 18th-century combat and the effective “Swamp Fox” guerilla tactics. However, it sacrifices historical truth for drama, vilifying British officers with fictional atrocities and sanitizing the era’s reality of slavery to create a mythic, Hollywood version of history.
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American Revolutiuon

The Christmas Miracle: Washington’s Daring Dash to Trenton

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Aaron Rodney

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December 15, 2025

Facing disaster in December 1776, George Washington led the Continental Army in a desperate, secret crossing of the icy Delaware River on Christmas night. They marched through a severe storm and surprised the Hessian garrison at Trenton, New Jersey, on December 26th. The decisive victory, resulting in nearly 900 prisoners…
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Cold War

The Fall of the Soviet Union Part III: Revolution from Above (1990–1991): The Final Days

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Aaron Rodney

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December 8, 2025

The collapse centered on the power struggle between reformer Gorbachev and populist Yeltsin. The hardline August 1991 coup failed after Yeltsin’s defiance, fatally discrediting the center. The Soviet Union was formally dissolved by Yeltsin and other republic leaders through the Belovezha Accords in December 1991. Gorbachev resigned on Christmas Day.
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Cold War

The fall of the Soviet Union Part II: The Great Experiment (1985–1989): Gorbachev Unleashes the Genie

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Aaron Rodney

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December 4, 2025

Mikhail Gorbachev aimed to reform the Soviet system through Perestroika and Glasnost, intending to save rather than dismantle it. However, these reforms led to economic chaos, reduced legitimacy for the Party, and ultimately the collapse of the Soviet Union’s influence in Eastern Europe, culminating in the fall of the Berlin…
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Cold War

The Fall of the Soviet Union Part I: The Age of Lead (1964–1985): The Soviet System Rusts from Within

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Aaron Rodney

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December 1, 2025

The Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 stemmed from decades of internal stagnation, particularly during Brezhnev’s era (1964-1982). A gerontocracy prioritized stability over innovation, leading to economic inefficiencies and societal discontent. The failed Afghan War and declining oil prices exacerbated the system’s issues, paving the way for eventual reform attempts under…
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Heists, The Unexplained

The Legend of D.B. Cooper: America’s Skyjacking Ghost

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Aaron Rodney

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November 24, 2025

In 1971, an unidentified man, D.B. Cooper, hijacked a Boeing 727, demanding $200,000 and parachutes. After releasing passengers in Seattle, he ordered the jet to fly low over the Pacific Northwest. He then lowered the plane’s aft stairs and parachuted into the dark, rainy wilderness with the cash. Cooper and…
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Cars

The Great Race: How Corporate Ego Created the Ford GT40 and Conquered Le Mans

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Aaron Rodney

on

November 20, 2025

The intense rivalry between Ford and Ferrari in the mid-1960s stemmed from a failed acquisition attempt, leading to Ford’s ambition to create the GT40 for Le Mans. Despite two initial failures, they finally triumphed in 1966, yet Ken Miles was denied victory due to a strategic photo finish that politically…
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