Historically Accurate

How do you fight a war against emus? With machine guns. At least, that was the tactic used by a few chosen members of the Australian military in 1932 when 20,000 emus started destroying farms owned by Australia’s World War I veterans.

Major GPW Meredith of the Royal Australian Artillery and a few other military personnel banded together with veteran-farmers to conquer the flock of emus taking over government-granted land. Except… they lost. In this episode of Historically Accurate, host Dawn-Michelle Lewis and co-host Rebecca Lease, friend of host and hater of emus, talk about bad aim, the “guerilla tactics” of emus, and ponder one vital question: why didn’t they just build really tall fences?

Sources:

Gore, Jasper Garner “Looking Back: Australia's Emu Wars.” Australian Geographic, 29 July 2020, www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2016/10/on-this-day-the-emu-wars-begin/.

Johnson, Murray "'Feathered foes': soldier settlers and Western Australia's 'Emu War' of 1932 [Paper in: Discordant Notes.]". Journal of Australian Studies. 88 2006. 147-157,185-187.

Milzarski, Eric. “Why the Emu War Wasn't as Silly as Folks Make It out to Be.” We Are The Mighty, We Are The Mighty, 30 Oct. 2020, www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/australian-emu-war-was-serious/.

Quotes:

“I personally think you could have found better ways to keep the emus out of your crops.” (27:08-27:13)

Links:

Support this show thru Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TheHApodcast

Check us out on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hapodcast/

Theme Song Composed by: Daniel Dorty

Lyricist and Vocalist:  Sushma Saha

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sushmasahahaha/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

“This one time, in the United States, we may or may not have had a notoriously clumsy ship.” The very clumsy ship in question in this episode of Historically Accurate was the USS William Porter, also known as the Willie Dee, which blew a boiler tube, lost a man to an enormous wave, and accidentally launched a torpedo at Franklin D. Roosevelt… all on the same day. Join host Dawn-Michelle and her guest Keith Bowerman, friend and first Patreon supporter, as they investigate the true adventures of the Willie Dee -- and the many myths that follow this accident-prone boat. All of this leads Dawn-Michelle and Keith to explore the real meaning of history, and how to use deduction and thorough research to separate myth from fact.

Quotes:

“I’ve always heard that history is best described as a point of view.” (7:49-7:56)

“This one time, in the United States, we may or may not have had a notoriously clumsy ship” (9:55-10:04)

Sources:

Ingram, B.D. USS William D. Porter, DD-579, Blogger, 18 July 2020, uncommonsenseok.blogspot.com/2020/02/uss-william-d-porter-dd-579.html?m=1.

“Why Do Ships Have a Gender?” Imperial War Museums, www.iwm.org.uk/history/why-do-ships-have-a-gender.

Goldstein, Dana. “Two States. Eight Textbooks. Two American Stories.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Jan. 2020, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/12/us/texas-vs-california-history-textbooks.html.

Links

Support this show thru Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TheHApodcast

Check us out on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hapodcast/

Theme Song Composed by: Daniel Dorty

Lyricist and Vocalist:  Sushma Saha

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sushmasahahaha/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

Anti-Vietnam War Activists + LSD = Levitating The Pentagon? That’s right.  Join host Dawn-Michelle and her guest, Anthony Geraci, as they discuss one of the most significant political demonstrations of the 1960’s.  The March on the Pentagon drew more than 100,000 anti-war demonstrators and had major political ramifications as the military surrounded the crowd with pointed rifles.  Ever heard of “flower power”?  That famous phrase from “the sixties” came from a photograph documenting the protesters at this event inserting carnations into the barrels of rifles.  What’s less famous about this event? A semi-mystic, reportedly drug-fueled attempt to levitate the Pentagon.  Did the building ever get off the ground?  Listen and learn more!

Sources:

Buck, Stephanie. “The Plan to Levitate the Pentagon Was the Perfect Absurdly Inspiring Protest for the Time.” Medium, Timeline, 27 Feb. 2017, timeline.com/amp/p/ae0aad1b55c5.

Manseau, Peter. “Fifty Years Ago, a Rag-Tag Group of Acid-Dropping Activists Tried to ‘Levitate’ the Pentagon.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 20 Oct. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-rag-tag-group-acid-dropping-activists-tried-levitate-pentagon-180965338/.

Mettler, Katie. “The Day Anti-Vietnam War Protesters Tried to Levitate the Pentagon.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 12 June 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/10/19/the-day-anti-vietnam-war-protesters-tried-to-levitate-the-pentagon/?outputType=amp.

Links:

Support this show thru Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TheHApodcast

Check us out on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hapodcast/

Theme Song Composed by: Daniel Dorty

Lyricist and Vocalist:  Sushma Saha

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sushmasahahaha/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

Big Bird is out for blood in this episode of Historically Accurate, where host Dawn-Michelle partners with long-time friend and voiceover artist Erin Grey to talk about a long forgotten hockey game from December 21, 1975. The line-up? The Black Hawks v. Sesame Street. Dawn-Michelle tells Erin all about this historic game, which didn’t seem to have a winner, but which, obviously “America won.”

To celebrate the holiday season, go back in time and watch Cookie Monster mistake a hockey puck for his favorite treat. A video of the match will be available on Instagram and Facebook.

For more nerdy content, check out Erin Grey’s appearances on the Youtube Channels @GeeksforFun, @SmugStick, and @SilvaGunna.

Sources:

“1975 Blackhawks Battle Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Other Sesame Street Crew.” RSN, 8 May 2020, www.nbcsports.com/chicago/blackhawks/1975-blackhawks-battle-big-bird-cookie-monster-and-other-sesame-street-crew.

NHL.com. “#TBT: 1975 Black Hawks Battle Sesame Street Stars.” NHL.com, NHL.com, 16 Mar. 2017, www.nhl.com/news/black-hawks-sesame-street-1975-tbt/c-287761256.

Price, Satchel. “Watch This Video of the Blackhawks Playing 'Sesame Street' Characters in 1970.” Second City Hockey, Second City Hockey, 26 June 2015, www.secondcityhockey.com/platform/amp/2015/6/26/8851005/blackhawks-play-sesame-street-characters-hockey-big-bird-video-1970.

Quotes:

“As you’re watching the game you would notice that Big Bird really liked to body check people!” (7:51-8:00)

Links:

Guest Info:

Erin Grey’s Twitter Handle @ErinGreyVO

Support this show through Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TheHApodcast

Check us out on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hapodcast/

Theme Song Composed by: Daniel Dorty

Lyricist and Vocalist:  Sushma Saha

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sushmasahahaha/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing

What brought Elvis and Nixon together on December 21, 1970? A Narcotics badge.  In the first episode of Historically Accurate, host Dawn-Michelle Lewis and Katie Lewis, King-Sized Elvis fan (and Dawn-Michelle’s sister) sit down and talk about this strange historical moment, which happened 50 years ago today.

The photo that was taken of Elvis and President Nixon on December 21, 1970 is one of the most requested archival photos in world history. But that meeting wasn’t just about press - Elvis was on a mission. He wanted to be an undercover Narcotics agent, and he wanted the badge to prove it.

Dawn-Michelle and Katie provide an overview of this historical moment, including background on Elvis, Richard Nixon, Kent State, and the Watergate Scandal. They also debunk some Elvis myths, both about this meeting and some of other Elvis oddities (like the myth that he enjoyed doing karate for various American mayors).

So what happened? Did Elvis get his narc badge? Did he fight crime from inside his rock and roll kingdom? Tune in this week to find out.

Citations:

Carlson, Peter. “When Elvis Met Nixon.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 Dec. 2010, www.smithsonianmag.com/history/when-elvis-met-nixon-69892425/.

History.com Editors. “President Nixon Meets Elvis Presley.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 16 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nixon-meets-elvis-presley.

Waxman, Olivia B. “Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon: The Story Behind the Photo.” Time, Time, 15 Aug. 2017, time.com/4894301/elvis-president-nixon-photo/.

Quotes:

“Mr. President, do you know who I am? Do you know who I am? I’m Elvis.” (16:12-16:17)

Links:

Support this show thru Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/TheHApodcast

Check us out on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/hapodcast/

Theme Song Composed by: Daniel Dorty

Lyricist and Vocalist:  Sushma Saha

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/sushmasahahaha/

Podcast production and show notes provided by FIRESIDE Marketing