For seven decades, the Volkswagen Bus–or the Kombi, the Transporter, the Caravel, the Hippie Van, the Vanago, or the Type 2, if you prefer–has been a global icon on the roads. But the staying power of this hardworking, underpowered cab-over that bursts at the seams with personality wasn’t a sure thing. After it became a phenomenon, a conspiracy between an American president and a powerful labor union (yes, the States used to have those) nearly stopped the Bus in its tracks, and it all came down to chickens. From its humble origins as a back-of-the-napkin design exercise, to its upcoming all-electric rebirth, this is everything you need to know to get up to speed on the Volkswagen Bus!