# Apparently around half of American Millennials haven’t heard of The Hindenburg **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 13, 2024, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225 "2024-09-13T18:59:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Frosted\_Glass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frosted_glass/32/3926_2.png) [@Frosted\_Glass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frosted_Glass)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2024, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/141 "2024-09-17T22:23:27Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > It makes me wonder whether disinterested millennials would have heard about the Titanic, either, were it not for its status in popular culture. It was also big news when the wreck was finally discovered, but the oldest millennial (by most common definitions of the group) would have been about four at the time, so I imagine it’s movies, books, and museum exhibits that are keeping the story alive, plus contemporary stories like the Titan disaster. It certainly doesn’t appear to be any knowledge of history, or interest in it, that informs the knowledge of many millennials. The Titanic isn’t a great example. The wreck was found during some of our (millennial) lifetimes. Even though we weren’t necessarily old enough to remember the discovery we still experienced the renewed interest that the discovery brought. We had National Geographic specials, children’s books, and an IMAX movie before James Cameron’s _Titanic_ was released. For example, this book was very popular when I was in elementary school: [Finding the Titanic by Robert D. Ballard | Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41552039-finding-the-titanic) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2024, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/142 "2024-09-19T04:37:41Z")
I was listening to the radio account, available on the Wikipedia article, and the Piper Cub wandered by to get something from the fridge. “That’s the Hindenburg thing”, he said. “Yes, how did you know ?” I asked. “Oh the humanity!” he said. “You hear that a lot online. It’s been overused, in my opinion.” (Although that phrase hadn’t come up yet in the recording, so he recognised the recording in general.) I grilled him on what caused the accident. “The gas”, he said. “It burst into flames”. Short discussion ensued about the difference between hydrogen and helium, with a side route into nitrogen. And then he wandered away. So that’s one teenager who knows about it. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2024, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/143 "2024-09-20T00:10:55Z")
I’m an old, but I knew a lot about the Titanic because one of my best friend’s grandmother was a survivor. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/144 "2024-09-23T23:33:07Z")
Tasting History recreates recipes from the past and shares some historical background. It is insanely addictive. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/s8BqxWbX_r8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Hindenburg Disaster - Dining on the Zeppelin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8BqxWbX_r8) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/145 "2024-09-24T01:56:11Z")
I’m aware of only one movie made in 1975. I’ve never seen it. The Hindenburg’s connection to Nazi Germany two years before they invaded Poland Sept 1939 doesn’t lend itself to movies. The US used Zepplins in WWII. > **[Airships were surprisingly hard to shoot down in World War II](https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/zeppelins-hard-to-shoot-down/)** > > Zeppelins, as it turns out, are slightly more durable than your average dollar store water balloon. Maybe that's why they were a staple of the U.S. [![](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/CPJA3D/the-airship-hindenburg-on-the-ground-CPJA3D.jpg) ](https://c8.alamy.com/comp/CPJA3D/the-airship-hindenburg-on-the-ground-CPJA3D.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/146 "2024-09-25T15:09:14Z")
Surprisingly hard to shoot down in World War II, surprisingly easy to lose in not-particularly-horrible weather in the 1930s. Hindenburg, R-101, USS Macon, USS Akron… ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/147 "2024-09-25T15:29:34Z")
German airships were initially difficult to bring down in WWI. The low pressure hydrogen they used was difficult to ignite even with incendiary bullets. Eventually a British pilot managed to bring one down by firing a machine gun firing specially designed incendiary bullets straight up into the bottom of zeppelin in repeated passes. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/148 "2024-09-25T18:17:50Z")
Note that the US airships were blimps, not rigid Zeppelins/dirigibles. They lacked the internal structure which supported dirigibles or the fixed keel structure of a semi-rigid airship, and had outer envelopes inflated by the internal pressure of the helium gas like a birthday balloon. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/149 "2024-09-25T19:26:03Z")
USS Akron under construction > **[https://preview.redd.it/uss-akron-zrs-4-under-construction-1930-2172-2833-v0-hvg...](https://preview.redd.it/uss-akron-zrs-4-under-construction-1930-2172-2833-v0-hvg2vwndgum91.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=3a35168d7fc3051d77ed7675288b68ed46c7ba01)** ---
**Author:** ![yendis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ed8c4c/32.png) [@yendis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yendis)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/150 "2024-09-26T11:02:09Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > German airships were initially difficult to bring down in WWI. The low pressure hydrogen they used was difficult to ignite even with incendiary bullets. Eventually a British pilot managed to bring one down by firing a machine gun firing specially designed incendiary bullets straight up into the bottom of zeppelin in repeated passes. The other reason they were hard to shoot down was the high altitudes they operated at. Most aircraft sent up to intercept could not get high enough before the zeppelin had already dropped it’s bombs and turned for home. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/151 "2024-09-26T11:10:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The Hindenburg’s connection to Nazi Germany two years before they invaded Poland Sept 1939 doesn’t lend itself to movies. The Hindenburg was nazi propaganda. It never made money, but was subsidized heavily by the Third Reich because it was a floating billboard for fascism. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/152 "2024-09-26T14:27:08Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > The Hindenburg was nazi propaganda. It never made money, but was subsidized heavily by the Third Reich because it was a floating billboard for fascism. “Support Fascism today and get Big Gray Balloons!” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/153 "2024-09-26T14:30:32Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > “Support Fascism today and get Big Gray Balloons!” I came for the balloon, I stayed for the fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/154 "2024-09-26T14:40:27Z")
> [@yendis](#): > > > [@TriPolar](#): > > > > German airships were initially difficult to bring down in WWI. The low pressure hydrogen they used was difficult to ignite even with incendiary bullets. Eventually a British pilot managed to bring one down by firing a machine gun firing specially designed incendiary bullets straight up into the bottom of zeppelin in repeated passes. > > The other reason they were hard to shoot down was the high altitudes they operated at. Most aircraft sent up to intercept could not get high enough before the zeppelin had already dropped it’s bombs and turned for home. Don’t recall all the details but I think maybe the zeppelins had to descend below the cloud layer to find their targets. The Brits had biplanes. I doubt they were capable of getting close to the airships otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/155 "2024-09-26T19:51:55Z")
They had what was called a [spy gondola](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spy_basket), which lowered an observer from a cable and phone wire below the cloud cover. Howard Hughes’ Hells Angels shows the heartless Germans cutting the cable when the gondola becomes a liability ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/156 "2024-09-29T05:46:31Z")
How many of them have heard the song about it? [When the Hindenburg Lands Today](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp1rjb-PmEk%5D) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/157 "2024-09-30T01:29:57Z")
I’m glad I know a bit about the Hindenburg, as well as Teapot Dome and [Daddy and Peaches.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaches_Browning) Of course, per the OP, I can’t hold today’s youth, or the average Everyman responsible for bearing interest in things like that. Interwar eras; 1865-1914, 1919-1939, etc., hold a special fascination for their exuberance at what had just passed and their blundering into what would come next, as well as poignant antecedents for similarities of what we live in today. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/158 "2024-09-30T11:27:05Z")
I hadn’t heard of Daddy and Peaches. “Composograph” in the Wiki article – interesting 1920s version of “photoshopping” (c. 1995-2015), or today’s “AI-generated fake photo.” /hijack ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/159 "2024-09-30T21:06:09Z")
Could you use a dive bomber against an airship? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225/160 "2024-09-30T21:09:19Z")
Would the bomb bounce off? (There’s a Looney Tunes script here …) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apparently-around-half-of-american-millennials-haven-t-heard-of-the-hindenburg/1007225.md?page=9)