2. The Attack that Shook America: Black Tom Explodes (Ep 2)

New York harbour erupts with an explosion as Black Tom island is ripped apart. The shock waves ripple out around Manhattan and New Jersey, shattering windows miles away and even registering on the Richter scale. However, despite the widespread destruction, the attack was downplayed as an accident by the US authorities and it was only years later that the truth of the event came to light.

Despite its absence from public knowledge, the explosion at Black Tom island has a seismic legacy. It played a part in the rise of the Nazis, the brutal internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, and the creation of America’s counterintelligence operations. Join Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga on Journey Through Time to explore how this explosion reverberated throughout the 20th century.

To find out more about Find My Past visit: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/journey-through-time

Email: [email protected]
X: @ThroughTimePod
Blue Sky: @ThroughTimePod
Instagram: @ThroughTimePod

Assistant Producer: Alice Horrell
Producer: Callum Hill
Senior Producer: Dom Johnson
Exec Producer: Tony Pastor
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Journey Through Time

Forgotten stories from history and how they shaped the way we live today.
Hear about the ordinary people from history and the extraordinary impact they’ve had on the present. Hosted by historians David Olusoga and Sarah Churchwell, Journey Through Time will show how everyday actions have the most remarkable unintended consequences that ripple through time.
From the first woman to run for President to the unknown story of how the world came to the brink of nuclear war in 1983, this podcast is for everyone, not just history lovers.
To hear more Goalhanger podcasts, go to www.goalhanger.com
To find out more about Find My Past visit: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/journey-through-time

• No. of episodes: 9
• Latest episode: 2025-04-30
• History

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