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PODCAST

The WW2 Podcast

A military history podcast that looks at all aspects of WWII. With WW2 slipping from living memory I aim to look at different historical aspects of the Second World War.

history

All Episodes

01:01:20

241 - Leningrad 1943–44

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/10/15

During the Second World War, the people of Leningrad endured a brutal 900-day siege, facing relentless bombing, shelling, and starvation. In early 1943, the Red Army broke through the blockade, marking a crucial turning point. Despite setbacks, the Soviet forces and civilians held firm, and by late 1943, the Germans, weakened by harsh conditions, began to retreat. In episode 202, we discussed the siege up until 1942. I'm joined once more by Prit Butar to pick up the story of the siege being lifted,

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55:34

240 - The Battle of Midway

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/10/01

In April 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet was at the height of its power, having delivered a crushing blow to the US Navy at Pearl Harbor just months earlier. This fleet spearheaded Japan's aggressive expansion through Southeast Asia and unleashed havoc across the South Pacific. However, the tides of war were soon to change. By June 1942, the US Navy achieved a decisive victory over this formidable force at the Battle of Midway, shifting the strategic momentum in the Pacific Theater

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01:02:11

239 - Making A Bridge Too Far

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/09/23

Released in 1977, A Bridge Too Far stands as the last grand-scale WWII film produced by the Hollywood studio system. The film ambitiously sought to bring to life Operation Market-Garden, the bold but ultimately doomed Allied campaign of September 1944, culminating in the failed attempt to capture the Arnhem bridge. Producer Joseph E. Levine gathered an incredible ensemble cast, featuring legends like Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, Sean Connery, James Caan, Michael Caine, Elliott Gould, Dirk

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53:25

238 - 6th Airborne Division: Generating Combat...

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/09/15

In this episode, we'll examine the 6th Airborne Division and its combat effectiveness, focusing on how its commanding officer, Richard Gale, meticulously trained and developed the unit. The 6th Airborne was the second British airborne division to be formed, and it would first see action during the Normandy invasion. Gale’s leadership and the culture he instilled were crucial in shaping the airborne soldier’s capabilities and forging the division's cohesive fighting force. Joining me is Andrew

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01:04:05

237 - From the Soviet Gulag to Arnhem

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/09/01

When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, it wasn't the Germans who first uprooted Stanislaw Kulik and his family—it was the Russians. Deported to a Siberian Gulag, Stanislaw's fate took a dramatic turn in 1941 when the Germans launched their invasion of the Soviet Union. Suddenly, the Russians released their Polish captives, and Stanislaw embarked on an arduous journey across thousands of miles. He eventually joined the Polish army in Uzbekistan, a path that would lead him to Britain and ultimately to

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01:09:07

236 - Tank Warfare in Burma

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/08/26

When we think of the fighting in the Far East between Britain, her allies, and the Japanese, we often picture thick jungles, impossibly steep hills, and dense terrain. This has led to the common perception of it being an infantryman's war. However, armour played a crucial and often overlooked role in this theatre of war. In this episode, I'm joined by Jack Bowsher, author of Forgotten Armour. His book begins with the interwar Indian Army's struggle to fully mechanise, then traces the evolution of

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28:05

235 - The Middle East Commandos

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/08/19

I recently attended the We Have Ways Fest, where I ran into Séan Scullion, a friend of the podcast. You might remember him from episode 135, where we discussed Spaniards in the British army. His book, "Churchill’s Spaniards," is about to be released. At this year’s We Have Ways Fest, Sean was scheduled to speak about the British Middle East Commandos. We found a supposedly quiet corner to chat, though it turned out to be less quiet than anticipated. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

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45:47

234 - Truman and the Decision to Drop the Bomb

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/08/15

It was only as Harry S. Truman was sworn in as the 33rd president of the United States that he was told of the Manhattan Project. In this episode, we embark on a journey through one of the most controversial and consequential decisions in modern history: Truman's choice to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. The story of this decision is complex, marked by intense debates, ethical dilemmas, and immense geopolitical stakes. As the war in Europe concluded with the defeat

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50:58

233 - Hearts of Steel: One sailor's Journey with the...

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/08/01

In this episode of the WW2 podcast, we'll explore the Royal Navy from 1918 to the end of the Second World War and one man's career. Not an officer, but a regular sailor: Herbert Leeder, who chalk up 27 years of service. Following the career of one sailor is an interesting way to view the Royal Navy. It gives us a slightly potted history, but Herbert took part in a number of major actions during the Second World War, and it brings home how one man can be a witness to many great events. I’m joined by

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01:01:23

232 - The Australians and New Zealanders at Greece &...

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/07/22

In March 1941, 40,000 Australian and New Zealand troops were rushed to Greece in a desperate attempt to support the Greeks against the looming threat of a German attack. Although the operation was ultimately doomed to fail, the Aussies and Kiwis managed to hold up the German advance long enough to evacuate thousands to Crete, where Hitler then set his sights. Joining me today is Craig Collie, author of ‘Where the Flaming Hell Are We? The Story of Young Australians and New Zealanders Fighting the

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56:44

231 - US Battle Tanks

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/07/15

In this episode, we discuss the development of US tanks from the end of the First World War through to the end of the Second World War. I am joined by renowned historian and author Steven Zaloga, who has penned numerous works on military technology and history, and his latest book is 'US Battle Tanks 1917–1945’. It is a comprehensive and richly illustrated examination of the development and combat performance of US battle tanks; Stephen delves into the history of tanks in American service, tracing

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45:10

230 - U-505: Codename Nemo

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/07/01

Just two days before D-Day, Captain Gallery's US antisubmarine Task Group 22.3 managed to force the German U-boat U-505 to the surface. In a bold move, a boarding party secured the submarine before it could be scuttled, capturing an Enigma machine and the current Kriegsmarine code books. This remarkable operation earned Lieutenant Albert David the Medal of Honor for his leadership. However, it could have had catastrophic consequences. If the Germans had suspected that their cyphers were compromised,

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01:08:17

229 - D-Day Legacy

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/06/24

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, I attended a special event at the Green Howards Museum. We started at the regimental war memorial in Richmond (Yorkshire) at 6.30 a.m., which was when the Green Howards landed on Gold Beach. The day was packed with discussion about the regiment and their role on D-Day. It closed with us having the privilege of getting up close to the only Victoria Cross, which was won on June 6th. If you find yourself in the Yorkshire Dales, visit the museum; it is a

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01:09:03

228 - D-Day Landing Craft

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/06/15

More than 132,000 Allied troops landed on the Normandy beaches on 6 June 1944. Through their efforts, the tide of the war turned for the final time to favour the Allies. But how did the Allied army get to the shores of Normandy? The contribution of Landing Craft to D-Day is often overlooked. Andrew Whitmarsh joins me to correct this oversight. Andrew has worked as a curator in military history museums for over 25 years, latterly as the curator of The D-Day Story in Portsmouth. Outside of work, he is

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01:05:21

227 - D-Day: Sword Beach

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/06/01

6th June 1944 saw the largest seaborne assault in human history: D-Day. While much has been written about the operation as a whole, little detailed attention has been paid to the battle for Sword Beach itself, the easternmost of the amphibious attack areas. For this episode, I am joined by Stephen Fisher. Stephen is a historian and archaeologist who specializes in military history. He is also the author of Sword Beach: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Forgotten Victory.

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52:37

226 - D-Day and the Great Deception

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/05/27

As the Allied forces prepared for the monumental invasion of Normandy, concealing the massive build-up of troops in Britain from the Germans became increasingly challenging. To mislead German intelligence about the timing and location of the invasion, the Allies devised a series of elaborate deception plans. The most audacious of these schemes aimed to convince the Germans that the Normandy landings were merely a diversion. This ruse featured a fictitious army led by General Patton, complete with

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45:41

225 - Hill 107 and the Battle of Crete

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/05/15

On the morning of May 20, 1941, the Germans launched Operation Mercury. The invasion of Crete was the largest airborne operation yet attempted during the war, with thousands of Fallschirmjäger deployed. Key to the operation's success would be the capture of the airfield at Maleme. Outnumbered and having suffered horrendous casualties, when the airborne troops secured Hill 107, overlooking the airfield, it opened the door for reinforcements and, ultimately, the Allied withdrawal from the island. For

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01:04:52

224 - The Theory and Practice of Command in the...

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/05/01

In this podcast episode, we will discuss the different approaches to command and control of the British Army and the German Army. From a management point of view, both organisations developed different doctrines to deal with the 'fog of war' or 'friction', which affected how commanders responded as a battle unfolded. We'll do this by delving into the origins of each nation's different approaches to doctrine and training and, most importantly, how these strategies played out during the pivotal Battle

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52:35

223 - Landing Craft Infantry

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/04/22

In this podcast episode, I'm looking at the work of LCI's, Landing Craft Infantry. These are not the smaller Higgins Boats we see storming the Normandy beaches in Saving Private Ryan but large beaching craft intended to transport and deliver fighting troops, typically a company of infantry or marines, to a hostile shore once a beachhead was secured. Joining me is Zach Morris. In When the Beaches Trembled, Zach writes about his grandfather, Stephen Ganzberger, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy and

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47:52

222 - The D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special...

The WW2 Podcast ·

2024/04/15

Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid on the coast of France, was a disaster in 1942. However, it did highlight the need for more reconnaissance before any other amphibious operations were mounted. In London, a small group of eccentric researchers, experimenting on themselves from inside pressure tanks in the middle of the London air raids, explored the deadly science needed to enable the critical reconnaissance vessels and underwater breathing apparatuses that would enable the Allies’ future

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84 results

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