Buzz
The victors often gain the spoils... and the right to rewrite history, often casting themselves in an overly positive light. Unfortunately, this has frequently led to the spread of misconceptions, myths, and even outright falsehoods that are passed down to future generations.
History often prioritizes a compelling narrative over accuracy. The official accounts of the following events might have gained widespread acceptance because of their popularity, but they do not reflect the true story.
10. Pavlov Used Bells to Train Dogs
Ivan Pavlov, the Russian scientist, is renowned for his groundbreaking research on classical conditioning. His famous experiment involved ringing a bell before feeding his dogs, thereby forming an association between the bell and food. Over time, the dogs would salivate simply at the sound of the bell, having been conditioned to associate the neutral sound with food.
In fact, Pavlov was a physiologist, not a psychologist, and his initial experiment was somewhat different from popular understanding. He was more focused on studying the body's responses. Specifically, he sought to examine the secretions triggered by eating. Pavlov developed a method known as 'sham' feeding, where he surgically removed the dog's esophagus and created an opening in its throat. This allowed the food to fall out before entering the digestive system, while still triggering the body’s natural reactions. He would then collect and analyze saliva and gastric juices. This work, not classical conditioning, won Pavlov the Nobel Prize in 1904.
The well-known experiment was actually a spin-off from Pavlov’s observation that dogs salivated when they saw his assistants, dressed in lab coats, even when no food was present. Eventually, this evolved into a separate experiment, but contrary to common belief, bells were rarely involved. Pavlov experimented with different stimuli, such as electric shocks, buzzers, and harmoniums, although he preferred using a metronome.
9. Nobody Anticipated The Spanish Inquisition
Over its nearly 400-year history, the Spanish Inquisition was responsible for a number of deplorable acts. However, it wasn't until 1970 that the Inquisition became a source of humor, thanks to Monty Python, who famously declared, “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.”
Although amusing, this statement wasn’t entirely accurate. In reality, most people were aware of the Spanish Inquisition because the inquisitors would announce their arrival and intentions, giving people a few weeks or more to confess their sins. When starting a new campaign, the inquisitors typically attended Sunday mass, where they would issue an Edict of Grace or an Edict of Faith. This allowed people to come forward and denounce themselves or others they believed to be heretics. They generally had 30 or 40 days to do so.
Many individuals came forward to confess in the hope of saving themselves. However, they quickly learned that self-denunciation often only spared them from the death penalty, which was the harshest punishment. As heresy was both a sin and a crime, those who confessed still had to face a public trial and endure lesser punishments such as imprisonment or property confiscation. Additionally, they were required to name others involved in the heresy, including family members. Over time, the Inquisition even forced the faithful to denounce anyone suspected of heresy under the threat of excommunication.
8. Feminists Burned Bras to Protest
The 1960s in the United States were marked by social upheaval, with counterculture movements rejecting established norms. The feminist movement was a powerful force during this period. The image of women burning their bras as a symbol of liberation has since become iconic. The problem, however, is that no widespread bra burning actually took place among 1960s feminists, and some even argue that this image was largely propagated by feminism's opponents.
The notorious rally took place during the 1969 Miss America pageant (which occurred in September 1968). Protesters held a mock pageant outside Boardwalk Hall, where the official competition was being held. They crowned a sheep to symbolize how women were judged like livestock and discarded various feminine products into a garbage can, including bras, girdles, corsets, Playboy magazines, makeup, curlers, and high heels. Although they considered setting the items on fire, they couldn’t obtain a permit for it.
The protest garnered significant media attention, including coverage by New York Post reporter Lindsy Van Gelder, who penned an article titled 'Bra Burners and Miss America.' In her piece, she drew parallels between the feminist activists and young men burning their draft cards in protest of the Vietnam War, giving rise to the myth of bra burning. Years later, she expressed regret that she would be remembered for 'inventing' the act of bra burning.
7. US Presidents Had a Red Phone to Russia
The Cuban Missile Crisis was arguably the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. In October 1962, the Soviet Union stationed nuclear missiles in Cuba as a response to the US deploying them in Italy and Turkey. This resulted in a tense standoff, during which the two nuclear superpowers almost went to war.
After the crisis, the poor communication between the US and the Soviet Union was identified as a key factor that escalated the situation. Messages sent between the two sides took nearly six hours to reach and decode. As a result, both parties agreed that a more efficient communication channel was urgently needed.
That’s how the myth of the red phone came about. According to popular belief, this phone in the White House was a direct communication line between the US president and the Kremlin. This idea gained traction in films like Dr. Strangelove and Fail Safe. The concept was later prominently featured in 1984 presidential campaign commercials, where Walter Mondale used it to target Gary Hart and Ronald Reagan.
The real 'hotline' was installed in 1963, but contrary to the myth, there was no red phone. The technology of the time made such a device impossible. Instead, the system utilized teletype and radiotelegraph equipment. The messages still had to travel through several countries: from Washington to London, then to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, and finally Moscow. The first message sent through the hotline was, 'The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s back 1234567890.'
6. Medieval Armor Rendered Knights Immobile
One of the most iconic historical images is that of a medieval knight in shining armor, wielding a sword. While it’s undeniable that the armor looked impressive, many assume it severely hindered the knight’s speed and movement. Some even think it turned the wearer into a clumsy figure, helpless like a turtle flipped on its back.
Historians have known for some time that armored knights were more agile than most people think. However, it wasn’t until recent years that anyone thought to test the armor’s practicality. A team from the University of Geneva, led by Daniel Jaquet, had volunteers wear replica armor and perform movements seen in historical paintings and tapestries. This included climbing ladders, rolling, jumping, and swinging swords. None of these tasks were especially difficult, even for those who weren’t professional knights.
The team took things a step further by recreating the rigorous training routine of Jean Le Maingre, a 15th-century French knight known as Boucicaut. Boucicaut, celebrated for his remarkable strength and endurance, meticulously documented the exercises he completed while dressed in full armor. His training regimen involved horseback riding, long-distance running, wall climbing, and scaling a ladder from underneath. Jaquet’s test subject was able to replicate these feats with ease, even adding a few somersaults and cartwheels for extra flair.
5. Napoleon Allegedly Destroyed the Sphinx's Nose
The Great Sphinx of Giza is one of the most iconic monuments of ancient history, instantly recognizable for its most striking feature: its missing nose. At one point, rumors began to circulate that Napoleon was responsible for the destruction of this famous facial feature. According to the story, the French emperor ordered his soldiers to fire cannonballs at the Sphinx's nose, causing it to break off.
While this tale is widely believed, it is easily proven to be false. The Brooklyn Museum holds a 1757 sketch of the Sphinx, drawn by Danish explorer Frederic Louis Norden during his 1738 expedition to Egypt, which clearly shows the statue without its nose—decades before Napoleon was even born.
The theory is further debunked by renowned archaeologist Mark Lehner, who pointed out that the Sphinx’s face displays clear signs of chisel or rod marks, indicating that the nose was deliberately removed using tools. As for the real culprit, the earliest written account comes from 15th-century Egyptian historian al-Maqrizi, who claimed that a Sufi Muslim named Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr was responsible for the destruction, motivated by his anger over peasants praying to the Sphinx for a good harvest.
4. The Wall Street Jumpers of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 proved to be a catastrophic blow to the Western economy. As many lost everything, some bankers and stockbrokers resorted to ending their lives by jumping from windows and rooftops. One well-known, albeit dubious, tale suggested that the situation had become so dire that hotel receptionists in New York would ask guests whether their visit was for sleeping or jumping.
Though the story of the Wall Street suicides has been widely circulated and believed, a study conducted as early as the 1980s debunked it. While the overall suicide rate did rise, reaching a peak of 17.4 per 100,000 Americans in 1932, the rate had been steadily increasing throughout the 1920s, well before the crash.
Between Black Tuesday (October 24, 1929) and the end of that year, The New York Times reported 100 suicides and suicide attempts in New York City. However, only eight of these involved people jumping from buildings or bridges. Just two individuals jumped on Wall Street after losing everything in the crash. In fact, the suicide rate in the weeks after the crash was lower than in the summer of 1929. While it’s true that the financial crisis led to many suicides, very few involved jumping, and even fewer took place on Wall Street itself.
3. Nero Threw Christians to the Lions at the Colosseum
The Colosseum was home to many spectacular events that Romans watched, but the ones that have stuck in popular memory are the gladiatorial combat and the myths of Christians being thrown to the lions. However, there is no solid evidence to support the idea that Christians were ever executed in the Colosseum by lions or any other method. This story was primarily spread by Renaissance artists and writers.
To clarify, while there were indeed Christians sentenced to damnatio ad bestias (condemnation to beasts) and some individuals were killed by animals in the Colosseum, there is no dependable proof that these two events ever overlapped.
One thing we know for certain is that Nero could not have carried out such acts, because the Colosseum did not exist during his reign. Nero ruled until AD 68, while the Colosseum’s construction began four years later under Emperor Vespasian. Nero is often mistakenly associated with these executions because he was, according to historians, the first Roman emperor to persecute Christians. Tacitus wrote that Nero blamed Christians for the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD and had them killed by burning, crucifixion, or being mauled by dogs, but there is no mention of lions in his account.
2. The US Aspired to Reach the Moon
The launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviet Union in 1957 ignited a chain reaction from the United States, marking the official beginning of the Space Race. Both Eisenhower and JFK were hesitant about the challenge, knowing the enormous strain it would place on the country’s resources. In fact, Kennedy even proposed a joint mission to the Moon with the Soviet Union. Despite the enormous cost, did the space program at least gain the enthusiastic support of the American people?
In reality, only around half of Americans supported lunar exploration, even during the peak of the Apollo missions. Polls indicated that public approval of the space program remained below 50 percent for most of the 1960s. The space program was also among the first things to face calls for budget cuts. It wasn’t until Neil Armstrong’s “giant leap for mankind” that approval ratings reached a peak of 53 percent.
This suggests that political motives, rather than public demand, were the primary driving force behind the United States’ commitment to the Space Race. A major factor in the public’s disapproval was their mistaken belief about NASA’s budget. Polls indicated that Americans thought NASA received up to 22 percent of the federal budget. In reality, NASA’s share peaked at just 4.3 percent during the height of the Space Race and typically remained under one percent.
1. Polish Cavalry Vs German Tanks
One of the most enduring myths stemming from World War II is the image of unprepared Polish forces trying to face the power of the German Wehrmacht. This belief is particularly fueled by the picture of Polish cavalry, armed with lances, charging helplessly at the mighty German Panzer tanks.
While it’s true that Poland, like many other nations, had several cavalry regiments during World War II, and that the Charge at Krojanty saw Polish cavalrymen, the Pomeranian Uhlans, engage German forces, much of the popular narrative is based on propaganda spread first by the Nazis and later by the Soviets.
For one, the Polish cavalry didn’t ride into battle armed with lances as often depicted. Instead, they were equipped with rifles. Furthermore, the units they faced were not tanks, but German reconnaissance armored cars.
The key point, however, is that the Polish cavalry did not expect to engage a mechanized army. After German infantry breached a Polish defense line, the cavalry’s mission was to slow the advancing forces long enough for the rest of the Polish army to retreat. What they did not anticipate were the German armored cars, which arrived in the area and tipped the balance in favor of the Germans. Despite being forced to retreat under intense gunfire, the Polish Uhlans achieved their objective of stalling the German advance and forcing them to regroup.
