1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,599 Speaker 1: Hey, y'all, were re running two episodes today, which means 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 1: that you'll hear two hosts, me and Tracy V. Wilson. 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: Enjoy the show. Welcome to this Day in History Class 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:12,400 Speaker 1: from how Stuff Works dot Com and from the desk 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: of Stuff you Missed in History Class. It's the show 6 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: where we explore the past, one day at a time 7 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: with a quick look at what happened today in history. Hello, 8 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson and 9 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: it's October. The War of jenkins Ear started on this 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: stay in seventeen thirty nine. This is a conflict between 11 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: Britain and Spain, and in Spain it's known as garadel Into. 12 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: It's called the War of jenkins Ear because of something 13 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: that happened more than eight years before the war actually started. 14 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: On April nine, one British Captain Robert Jenkins of the 15 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: Rebecca was in the Caribbean and the Spanish Coast Guard, 16 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: led by Captain Wander Leon Fandino, stopped and boarded the Rebecca. 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: According to Jenkins, the Spanish pillaged the ship. They said 18 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: everybody aboard a drift and they cut off his ear, 19 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: which he saved and pickled. Jenkins was summoned before the 20 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: House of Commons to testify about what had happened. He 21 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: made that appearance in seventeen thirty eight, and he told 22 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: them about all of it, and showed them this thing 23 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: in a jar that he said was his amputated ear. 24 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 1: The House of Commons asked him what he had done 25 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,240 Speaker 1: when the Spanish force was attacking his force and when 26 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: they cut off his ear, and he said, quote, I 27 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: commanded my soul to God and my cause to my country. 28 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: So this whole alleged seventeen thirty one incident, I mean, 29 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: it's there's some disagreement about whether the ear cutting off 30 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: really did happen. It was part of a long history 31 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: of conflict between Britain and Spain. A lot of it 32 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: was stemming back from the War of Spanish Succession a 33 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: couple of decades earlier. It was also connected to Britain 34 00:01:55,720 --> 00:02:00,240 Speaker 1: in Spain each jockeying for colonial territory. In the America's end. 35 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: It was a part of a very long history of 36 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: various European nations harassing and plundering one another ships at sea, 37 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,920 Speaker 1: so specifically in England, this plundering of the Elizabeth and 38 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,560 Speaker 1: the reported hacking off of jenkins Ear was seen as 39 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: the last straw in this ongoing conflict between the nations. 40 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: It also became fodder for British Prime Minister Sir Robert 41 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: Walpole's opponents in Parliament. They used this ongoing harassment of 42 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: British ships and the cutting off of jenkins Ear as 43 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: evidence that he was a weak and ineffectual prime minister. 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: There were even political cartoons of him fainting at the 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: site of the ear in a jar. After this House 46 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: of Commons Committee meeting in sety eight, the actual fighting 47 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: started in seventeen thirty nine. This series of battles mostly 48 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: took place in the Caribbean. None of it really led 49 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: to either side having any kind of meaningful gains or 50 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 1: developing any sort of strategic advantage though, but France took 51 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: Spain's side in all of this, and then after the 52 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: death of Holy Roman Emperor Charles the sixth of the 53 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,959 Speaker 1: House of Habsburg in seventeen forty, Spain, France and Britain 54 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: all became involved in the War of Austrian Succession. Spain 55 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: was trying to gain access to some of the Habsburg lands. 56 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: France was looking for more political power in Europe and 57 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,399 Speaker 1: supporting the efforts of Spain and other nations and their 58 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 1: claims to these habsburg lands. Britain wanted to stop France 59 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 1: from doing any of that, so the War of jenkins 60 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: Ear eventually bled into the War of Austrian Succession, and 61 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: then on the continent in the America's not just in 62 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: the Caribbean. There was also fighting going on on land 63 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 1: and they're the War of jenkins Ear morphed into King 64 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: George's War, which is also considered to be part of 65 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: the overall War of Austrian Succession. You can hear this 66 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: story in the July episode of Stuff You Miss in 67 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,240 Speaker 1: History Class, which is called why did England and Spain 68 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: Fight over an Ear? Although that's from the incredibly early 69 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: days of Stuff You Miss in History Class, so the 70 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: episode is about as long as this one. Thanks to 71 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: Tari Harrison for her audio work on this show. You 72 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: can subscribe to the Stay in History Class on Apple Podcasts, 73 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: Google Podcasts and wherever else you get your podcasts, and 74 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: you can tune in tomorrow for a national strike. Hello. 75 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 1: Hello again, I'm Eves and you're listening to this day 76 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: in History class where we examine the past from the present. 77 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: The day was October nineteen eleven. Italian Captain Carlo Maria 78 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: Piazza went on the first aerial reconnaissance mission in history 79 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 1: during a tallow Turkish war, marking the first time an 80 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: airplane was used in war. Aircraft were put to military 81 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 1: use as early as the late eighteenth century. Armies used 82 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: reconnaissance balloons to gather information about enemy maneuvers. The French 83 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,840 Speaker 1: Aerostatic Corps, founded in seventeen ninety four and disbanded five 84 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: years later, used balloons for reconnaissance. Reconnaissance balloons were also 85 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: used during the American Civil War and in other conflicts 86 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: around the world. After photography was invented, aerial photography was 87 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: put to military use. Reconnaissance with aircraft continued into the 88 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: nineteenth and twentieth centuries with navigable airships and airplanes. The 89 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: Wright brothers, known for flying the first successful airplane, recognized 90 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: that the plane would be useful in war. They got 91 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 1: the first contract for a military airplane from the U. 92 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: S Government, and the army purchased the nineteen o nine 93 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: Right Military Flyer for thirty thousand dollars is eight hundred 94 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:05,039 Speaker 1: and forty six thousand dollars in twenty nineteen. Airships were 95 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: the military aircraft of note since they could carry weapons, 96 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: while airplanes were used for reconnaissance rather than combat at 97 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,720 Speaker 1: the time, and even though the U. S. Army was 98 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 1: the first operator of a fixed wing reconnaissance aircraft, the 99 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: Italians were the first to use an airplane in combat. 100 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,239 Speaker 1: Bilber Right went on tour in Europe and made public 101 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: flights of the Right airplane. He did demonstrations in Italy 102 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: and trained officers to fly there. A military flying school 103 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: was set up in Centle outside Rome, and nineteen ten 104 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 1: from their Italian aviation took off and many people qualified 105 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 1: to become military pilots. The Italian Turkish War was a 106 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: conflict between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire 107 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: from nineteen eleven to nineteen twelve. When the war began, 108 00:06:54,480 --> 00:06:59,039 Speaker 1: Italy mobilized it's Italian Aviation Battalion and aircraft under the 109 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: command of Captain Arlo Piazza. Italy sent his aircraft inventory 110 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: to Tripoli in Libya, which was then part of the 111 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: Ottoman Empire. That inventory consisted of two Blearrio eleven's, three 112 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: new Poor monoplanes, two Farman biplanes and two Etric Talba monoplanes. 113 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: The battalion was tasked with flying over enemy territory to 114 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: gather intelligence. Piazza conducted a one hour reconnaissance flight over 115 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: Turkish positions near Tripoli and a Blarrio eleven monoplane with 116 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: a twenty five horsepower three cylinder engine. On November one. 117 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: The first aerial bombing raid took place when Second Lieutenant 118 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: Giulio Gavati dropped grenades on Turkish troops in Libya from 119 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: his Etric Talba. The first reconnaissance photographs of enemy positions 120 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: were taken in nineteen twelve. At this time, other European 121 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 1: countries were also developing military aviation and training pilots. Reconnaissance, 122 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: bomber and carrier based aircraft were being improved. The French 123 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: and British militaries were experimenting with aerial bombing, and countries 124 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: were beginning to organize small air forces. World War One 125 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: saw the use of heavier than aircraft for reconnaissance and 126 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: artillery spotting, and improved design and increased power and specialized 127 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: aircraft proved useful in war. I'm Eve Steffco and hopefully 128 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: you know a little more about history today. Than you 129 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: did yesterday. You can keep up with us on social 130 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d I 131 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: h C Podcast and if you would like to write 132 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: me a letter, you can scan it, turn it into 133 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: a PDF, and send it to us via email at 134 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 1: this Day at I heeart media dot com. Thanks for listening. 135 00:08:48,200 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 1: I hope to see you here again tomorrow. For more 136 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 137 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.