A History of Escaping from Alcatraz Prison

A History of Escaping from Alcatraz Prison

Alcatraz was the jewel in the crown of America's prison system. The wind-swept island fortress was the final stop for the nation's most dangerous criminals, including the notorious gangsters Al Capone and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. It was thought to be escape-proof - at least, until one night in June 1962, when three men on an improvised raft slipped into the icy waters of San Francisco Bay, never to be seen again. The inescapable prison had finally been beaten.


Today we're joined by Jolene Babyak, a historian of Alcatraz and author of 'Breaking The Rock'. She grew up on the island and gives us a potted history of it as well as explaining how this daring 1962 prison break played out.


Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.


We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.


You can take part in our listener survey here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(1497)

1. The English Civil War: How it Started

1. The English Civil War: How it Started

Episode 1/2. King Charles I's decision to rule without Parliament was just one of the many reasons that England found itself embroiled in a bloody civil war. In this first episode, we learn how subtle...

3 Helmi 202550min

Auschwitz Commandant:  Rudolf Höss

Auschwitz Commandant: Rudolf Höss

Every day Rudolf Höss oversaw the killing of thousands of people at the death camp and then went home and acted like a doting father to his family. Höss was brought in by top Nazis to pioneer the indu...

31 Tammi 20251h 4min

The Hunt for Pablo Escobar

The Hunt for Pablo Escobar

By the early 1990s, the Colombian city of Medellín was at the centre of the world's largest drug empire. The fearsome Medellín Cartel, led by the notorious drug lord and narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar,...

29 Tammi 202529min

A History of Auschwitz

A History of Auschwitz

On January 27th 1945, the Red Army liberated the concentration camp at Auschwitz unveiling its almost unspeakable horrors to the world. The concentration camp system began almost immediately after Ado...

27 Tammi 202558min

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal

What is the history of the Panama Canal and why does Trump think he can 'take it back'? Dan is joined by Professor Julie Greene to delve into the long backstory of this 50-mile waterway that changed t...

24 Tammi 202533min

How WW1 Inspired The Lord of The Rings

How WW1 Inspired The Lord of The Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continue to influence the work of writers, filmmakers, musicians and artists to thi...

22 Tammi 202531min

Vasco da Gama and The Rise of the Portuguese Empire

Vasco da Gama and The Rise of the Portuguese Empire

Dan tells the epic story of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, whose daring voyages at the turn of the 16th century laid the foundations for the Portuguese Empire. From navigating treacherous waters t...

20 Tammi 20251h 20min

Charlemagne

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was king of the Franks and Emperor of the mighty Carolingian Empire. His unusually long reign saw him conquer vast swathes of Europe, and shape them into an empire that would inspire ruler...

20 Tammi 20251h 5min

Suosittua kategoriassa Historia

olipa-kerran-otsikko
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
mayday-fi
huijarit
mystista
rss-ikiuni
totuus-vai-salaliitto
tsunami
konginkangas
rouva-diktaattori
rss-i-dont-like-mondays-2
rss-kalmakabinetti
sotaa-ja-historiaa-podi
rss-kirkon-ihmeellisimmat-tarinat
rss-sattuu-sita-suomessakin
rss-iltanuotiolla
maailmanpuu
tiedetta-ja-sirkushuveja-vanhojen-aikojen-podcast
rss-outoja-uutisia-pohjois-suomesta
rss-kikka-forever