Bonus Episode - Roman Bondage, Voodoo Macbeth, and Bunga Bunga

Episode #253 - Were the Knights of the Air a Myth? (Part II)

Jun 16, 20261h 23mSummary

In this episode of Our Fake History, host Sebastian Major explores the enduring myth of the knight of the air during World War I. Continuing from the previous installment, the podcast investigates how the realities of industrial warfare contrasted sharply with the romanticized image of aerial combat. While the trenches were defined by nightmarish suffering and stalemate, the public clung to the idea of fighter pilots as noble, chivalrous figures reminiscent of medieval legends like Roland. The discussion highlights how nations—particularly France—leveraged this imagery for propaganda purposes. By celebrating aces like Georges Guynemer, authorities transformed pilots into modern folk heroes. However, the episode questions the accuracy of these legends, noting that aerial victory statistics were often inflated and utilized to bolster morale during the war’s darkest moments. Major also examines the Lafayette Escadrille, a unit of American volunteers whose existence was carefully curated by the French to encourage U.S. involvement in the conflict. By blending the history of military aviation with the enduring power of myth, the episode challenges listeners to consider why societies are so quick to turn soldiers into legends.

Episode #252 - Were the Knights of the Air a Myth? (Part I)

Jun 2, 20261h 13mSummary

In the episode "Were the Knights of the Air a Myth? (Part I)" of the podcast Our Fake History, host Sebastian Major explores the origins of the romanticized "Knight of the Air" persona that emerged during the First World War. While the ground war was defined by the grim, mechanized slaughter of trench warfare, which shattered traditional notions of glory and honor, the fledgling aerial combat branch managed to capture the public imagination in a starkly different way. Major discusses how, despite the brutal reality of the conflict, fighter pilots were framed as modern-day, chivalrous warriors. Through anecdotes like the encounter between German ace Max Immelmann and two British pilots, the episode examines how early aerial combat was mythologized as a "gentlemanly" pursuit. This narrative was fueled by contemporary media, such as The Literary Digest, and later utilized as effective propaganda to bolster recruitment. The host challenges these legends, questioning how much of this chivalry was genuine camaraderie versus deliberate myth-making, and how the celebrity status of "flying aces" helped resolve the cultural tension between modern industrial technology and ancient ideals of battlefield heroism.

Episode #251 - What Was the Dreadnought Hoax?

May 20, 20261h 22mSummary

In this episode of Our Fake History, the host explores the infamous Dreadnought Hoax of 1910, a daring stunt that saw a group of pranksters—including a young Virginia Woolf—successfully infiltrate the flagship of the British Royal Navy disguised as Abyssinian royalty. The narrative begins by contextualizing the event against an earlier, similar prank known as the Zanzibar Hoax, where the same ringleader, Horace de Vere Cole, managed to fool the Mayor of Cambridge using crude blackface and performative stereotypes. The discussion moves beyond the surface-level audacity of the prank to examine why it has remained a point of historical contention. While many scholars and biographers have retrospectively interpreted the hoax as a brilliant piece of anti-establishment, anti-imperialist, or feminist satire, the host argues that these justifications are largely modern inventions. By analyzing the personal motivations of the perpetrators, the podcast reveals that the event was less about political commentary and more about personal rivalries, boredom, and a desperate desire for notoriety. Ultimately, the episode serves as a critical look at how academics can sometimes over-analyze historical events to protect the legacies of their literary icons.