1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,239 Speaker 1: Hey, history enthusiasts, you get not one, but two events 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: in history today on with the show. Hi, I'm Eves 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: and welcome to this day in History class a show 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: that uncovers history one day at a time. The day 5 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: was February five, eighteen fifty two. In St. Petersburg, the 6 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: new Hermitage Museum open to the public. It was the 7 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: first art museum in Russia and probably the first art 8 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 1: gallery in Eastern Europe built specifically to house museum collections. 9 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:51,160 Speaker 1: Emperor Nicholas the First commissioned German neo classicist architect Leo 10 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: von Klins to design the public museum in Architects Nikolai 11 00:00:56,600 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: Yefimov and Vassili Stasov over saw its construction. The building 12 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: was grand, with this colonnaded entrance and Baroque ornamentation, and 13 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: it was home to a lot of impressive art like 14 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: Egyptian antiquities and Renaissance works. Catherine the Great founded the 15 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: Hermitage in seventeen sixty four when she bought a collection 16 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: of art that was supposed to go to King Frederick 17 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: the Second of Prussia. She acquired hundreds of paintings, mostly 18 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 1: from Flemish and Dutch artists. They included works by Rembrandt, 19 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyke, and a bunch of 20 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: other guys who made sought after artworks. But even though 21 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: the Hermitage was a marvel of art from all over 22 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: the world, it was also a shiny symbol of power 23 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: and class. When Catherine the Second started the collection in 24 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: seventeen sixty four, it was a private museum. There weren't 25 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: many people who were allowed to see the work. Catherine 26 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: even called the gallery my Hermitage because of its exclusivity. 27 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: The Empress's initial acquisition was an impressive hall of old masters, 28 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: but she didn't stop there. She acquired himrich Count von 29 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: Rules collection from Saxony, and she bought a collection of 30 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: paintings from Pierre Crosat in France, and in seventeen seventy 31 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: nine she bought hundreds of pieces from British Prime Minister 32 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: Sir Robert Walpole's collection. By the end of the eighteenth century, 33 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: Catherine was swimming and painted masterpieces, gems, cameos, sculptures, drawings, books, coins, 34 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: and other super important and expensive artifacts. Catherine had to 35 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: have somewhere to put all those splendid items, so she 36 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: commissioned the construction of the Great Hermitage, a building that 37 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: was finished in sev By the time Catherine the Great 38 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 1: died in sevent the Imperial art collection was massive. She 39 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: was a dedicated patron of the arts. That said, the 40 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 1: social structure in Russia under her reign was troubled, even 41 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: though the hermitage is collection was a showy display of 42 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 1: Russian enlightenment. Over the years, the collection expanded to include 43 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: Greek and Scythian relics and other antiquities. So to make 44 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: more room for the ever growing collection, Nicholas the First 45 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: called for the construction of the new Hermitage, which took 46 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: about a decade to be built. After the new Hermitage 47 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: opened to the public in eighteen fifty two, the museum 48 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: continued to add notable artworks to his collection, including pieces 49 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 1: by da Vinci and at Italian painter Raphael. But change 50 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: was coming. After the nineteen seventeen Revolution in Russia, the 51 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: Imperial Hermitage and many private art collections became property of 52 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: the Soviet state. A lot of that newly acquired art 53 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: was sent to the Hermitage, including more works by old masters, 54 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: Cubist pieces by Picasso, and works by Matisse and Van Gogh. 55 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 1: At the same time, Stalin carelessly sold a bunch of 56 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: valuable masterpieces like The Annunciation by Jan Vannik and Adoration 57 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: of the Magi by Botacelli. The Hermitage also suffered some 58 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: losses when the building became a target during World War Two, 59 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 1: But when the Second World War ended in nineteen the 60 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: Russian government tried to exact a sort of cultural revenge 61 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: for their artistic losses. The Hermitage was given dozens of 62 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: Impressionists and post Impressionist paintings that the Red Army had 63 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: seized from private German collections. These looted artworks were boldly 64 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 1: put on display at the Hermitage in in an exhibition 65 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 1: called Hidden Treasures Revealed. Today, the Hermitage is home to 66 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: almost three million items from prehistoric to modern art. I'm Eaves, 67 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: Jeff Coote, and hopefully you know a little more about 68 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: history today than you did yesterday. You can subscribe to 69 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 1: This Day in History class on Apple Podcasts, the I 70 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Tune 71 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: in tomorrow for another Day in History. Welcome back, everyone. 72 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 1: I'm Eves and you're listening to this Day in History 73 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,159 Speaker 1: Class A show where we peel back a new layer 74 00:05:54,200 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: of history every day. The day was February five, nine. 75 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: The U. S. Air Force lost a nuclear bomb in 76 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: the waters near Tybee Island off the coast of Georgia. 77 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: Though fake news stories claiming that the bomb had been 78 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:21,680 Speaker 1: found have emerged, the bomb is considered lost. That day, 79 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: a B forty seven bomber under the command of Major 80 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: Howard Richardson was flying a simulated combat mission from Homestead 81 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: Air Force Base in Florida. The plane was carrying a 82 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: Mark fifteen thermonuclear bomb that weighed more than seven thousand 83 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 1: pounds To make the simulation more realistic. The bomb contained 84 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,239 Speaker 1: four hundred pounds of high explosives as well as enriched 85 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: uranium and other nuclear material. The bomb may have had 86 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: a plutonium nuclear core, or it may have had a 87 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: demi core installed. If it did have its nuclear capsule, 88 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 1: an explosion could cause serious damage and injury for miles. 89 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: Early that morning, before sunrise, and F eighty six fighter 90 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: jet out of Charleston accidentally collided with Richardson's B forty seven. 91 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: The fighter jets pilot, Lieutenant Clarence Stewart, did not see 92 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: the bomber on his radar. The left wing ripped off 93 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: of the F eighty six, and the B forty seven's 94 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 1: fuel tanks were badly damaged. Stewart ejected from the fighter 95 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,600 Speaker 1: and landed in the Savannah River swamp. Though he survived 96 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: the landing, he was severely frost bitten. The F eighty 97 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: six landed in a field in Georgia. As Richardson attempted 98 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: to regain control of the B forty seven. He requested 99 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 1: an emergency landing at Hunter Air Force Base in Savannah, 100 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: but the runway was under repair. Richardson did not want 101 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 1: the bomb to break loose on an emergency landing, and 102 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: he wanted the crew to survive, so he decided to 103 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: let go of the bomb over the ocean before landing 104 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 1: at Hunter. There was no explosion when the bomb entered 105 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: the ocean just off Tybee Island, and they landed safely 106 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: at Hunter. For his efforts, Richardson got the Distinguished Flying Cross, 107 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 1: a decoration awarded to officers when they show heroism or 108 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:14,239 Speaker 1: extraordinary achievement during flight. The Navy searched for the lost 109 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: bomb for two months but could not find it. Officials 110 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: believe it's buried under silk at west All Sound, a 111 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: bay off Tybee. In a letter the Assistant Secretary of 112 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,679 Speaker 1: Defense wrote to a congressional committee in nineteen sixty six, 113 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: the Tybee bomb was identified as a quote complete weapon, 114 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: but the Air Force maintained that the bomb did not 115 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: have a nuclear capsule and is not considered dangerous. It 116 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: also said that starting a search for the bomb would 117 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: have unwanted effects on the environment and could be risky 118 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:49,200 Speaker 1: considering the explosives in the bomb. They suggested that it's 119 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: best left undisturbed. I'm Eve jeffco and hopefully you know 120 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 121 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: Keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 122 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 1: t d i h C Podcast, or you can go 123 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: to the old fashioned route and send us an email 124 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: at this Day. At i heeart Media dot com. We're 125 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: here every day, so you know where to find us. 126 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: I For more podcasts from I Heeart Radio, visit the 127 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 128 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.