American History Hit The Hurricane Betsy Conspiracy: New Orleans
Nov 13, 2025
In this discussion, historian Andy Horowitz delves into the aftermath of Hurricane Betsy and its impact on New Orleans, particularly the controversial theory that officials bombed levees to protect the city. Horowitz examines the city's vulnerability due to its geography, the erosion of wetlands, and how urban development contributed to increased flood risks. He also highlights the disproportionate effects on the Lower Ninth Ward and the legacy of the disaster in shaping flood policies, revealing the systemic failures that still challenge the city today.
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City Built On A Flood Bowl
- New Orleans sits like a bowl between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, making it uniquely flood-prone.
- Its only meaningful high ground is the natural levee by the Mississippi, so most of the city relies on engineered defenses.
Wetland Loss Multiplied Storm Surge Risk
- Army Corps river controls stopped natural sediment deposition that rebuilt wetlands.
- Loss of wetlands and canals from oil development erased a crucial storm-surge buffer.
Industrial Canal Divided Neighborhoods
- The Industrial Canal split the Ninth Ward into Upper and Lower Ninth, separated by only a few bridges.
- Residents complained that the canal disrupted traffic and daily life when bridges opened for ships.
