World History Minute: Krakatoa Erupts

A lithograph illustration of the eruption of Krakatoa.
A lithograph illustration of the eruption of Krakatoa. Lithograph: Parker & Coward, Britain / Wikimedia Commons
A lithograph illustration of the eruption of Krakatoa.
A lithograph illustration of the eruption of Krakatoa. Lithograph: Parker & Coward, Britain / Wikimedia Commons

World History Minute: Krakatoa Erupts

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On August 26th, 1883, an explosion sent ash 20 miles into the sky over Indonesia. Krakatoa, as one of the biggest volcanoes in the world, erupted into the ocean. 

The ensuing tsunami killed as many as 100,000 people, and the clouds of ash blocked out the sun so much that it took years for the earth’s climate to recover. 

Historian John Schmidt joins us to talk about one of the biggest natural disasters in history.