In December 1944 World War 2 in Europe was at a tipping point. It just so happened the way it was leaning was for the Allies. The Eastern front saw the Russians forcing the Nazis out of Poland and advancing toward the Fatherland itself. In the west the combined Anglo-American forces of the USA, Great Britain, Canada and others had broken out from Normandy, liberated Paris and a good chunk of northern France. The advance from the west was slowed by supply issues when the troops in front started to outrun their supply lines. Hitler decided in his meth'd up mind that all it would take was one big swing and hit to stagger the Allies and bring them to the table for a negotiated armistice at which point he could turn all his attention back to Stalin. That big swing was called Operation Watch on the Rhine, or the Ardennes Offensive or to most The Battle of the Bulge. Unfortunately for the allies, the area ol Adolf was gonna send his mass of soldiers and tanks through just happened to be the spot the allies thought unlikely. So much so in fact this was the place they pulled battle weary units and green replacement troops to rest and acclimate to their new units. What occurred over the next few weeks would come to be the shining moment for the United States forces in Europe during the war.

Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com

Support the show

Is anybody really safe? You see the storyline in every form of entertainment, "Arrested for a crime they didn't commit", but what if it wasn't just a storyline? For Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley it's the story of their lives. The West Memphis Three, as they have come to be known, were convicted of the murders of three 8-year-old boys who were killed on May 5th, 1993. Christopher Byers, Michael Moore, and Stevie Branch were found in a creek the next day, and one thing was on everyone's minds. Satanic Panic. Beliefs of the boys being sacrificed to Satan led investigators to accused Satanist, Damien Echols. The only problem was Damien wasn't a Satanist. That didn't stop the Arkansas justice system from sentencing him to death, Jason to Life imprisonment, and Jessie to Life+ for a crime they didn't commit. Join us as we get Historically High on The West Memphis Three.

Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com

Support the show

"Trouble in the Suez...." Billy Joel sang about it in We Didn't Start the Fire and until researching this episode I had no idea what trouble he was talking about. The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway connecting the Red Sea (that little stretch of sea nestled between Africa and the Middle East) and the Mediterranean Sea. Basically it connects the Indian Ocean to the Med eliminating that lengthy and dangerous trip around the south of Africa. Well I'm sure you can imagine the kind of money you could make charging ships for taking your shortcut. Located in Egypt, designed by a Frenchman, funded by the Ottomans, and coveted by the British. The construction of the canal was on another level. and if that wasn't enough it played a big role in both World Wars, and even an armed conflict most don't know about...we're looking at you Britiain and France and Israel. The Suez isn't a one trick pony either, it's grown with the times and is still an important aspect of world trade today.

Historically High is sponsored by Flintt's Mouth Watering Mints, purveyors of delicious, drymouth destroying little miracles. Get yours with 15% off by using code HISTORICALLYHIGHER at www.Flintts.com

Support the show