The History of WWII Podcast

With the failure of Gen. Auchinleck's Operation Crusader, at the end of 1941, Rommel resupplies and heads out again, before the British can start Operation Acrobat, the drive on Tripoli. As it was a year ago, the Allies are stretched far too thin and the men are under trained and under staffed. Rommel hopes to take Cyrenaica, then Tobruk, all in preparation for a much larger offensive that will finally end the war in North Africa, Egypt and possibly, the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before moving on to Operation Pedestal and then the Eastern Front, Gen. Charles De Gaulle’s moves in West Africa have to be covered. He seeks to rebuild the French Empire by grabbing African lands that went with the Vichy Government after France fell to German forces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this one off episode, Iceland and Greenland’s participation in the war is covered. Denmark leads these two islands to the north, but when Nazi Germany occupies Denmark, the islands are on their own. Churchill, as the First Lord of the Admiralty decides that these two islands must come under British control. But it will take American and Canadian help to pull it off, for once Hitler finds out about any talks, Berlin will react as they did in Norway, with their own invasion force. At the end is a recording of FDR and listen how he leads the American people into believing, it's only a matter of time before the US has to fight, because the Nazis are set on world domination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the mold of Adrian Warburton, one George Beurling comes to Malta in July. Like Warby, George or Screwball as he is called, does not care for much for anything really, only flying and fighting. And in a short time, he will cause hell for the Axis pilots. However, Kesselring has ordered Fliegerkorps II to be given more pilots. The overwhelming air attacks on Malta are gearing up again. But this time, it will be Vice Air Marshall Keith Park leading the defense of Malta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lord Gort will have his own Quisling to deal with as a Malta youth comes ashore to spy for Mussolini. Meanwhile, another convoy is attempted, but it too will fail. Gort has no choice but to reduce rations further. His biggest fear is if the Maltese people want to give up or will his soldiers give up the fight before a massive supply convoy can finally make it through. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Field Marshall Kesselring loses some of his planes to other theaters, Malta, thanks to Churchill, gets a large influx of Spitfires. The defenders may be able to retake control of their skies, but this does nothing to bring in food, fuel and ammunition. The people of Malta are suffering and the military’s ability to project power is still weak. A convoy is desperately needed, but nothing is expected for months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As April 1942 comes to an end, a spot of hope is dashed as the Axis continue their daily bombing of Malta. The ships and subs have been driven away, the island’s air force is weak. The only thing holding the invaders back is Malta’s AA gun crews and they are running out of ammunition. Gen. Kesselring’s plan of breaking Malta is working. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Field Marshall Albert Kesselring ramps up his attacks on Malta, Adm. Andrew Cunningham and others will leave the theatre as they are beyond exhausted. Still, the fight goes on. And those still defending the island are about to experience hell on earth, for months. Kickstarter for Don't Shoot the Messenger-https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/anthonytroli/dont-shoot-the-messenger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MORO WARRIOR tells the remarkable true story of the Philippine Muslim (Moro) resistance fighters of World War II—the most successful and least-known guerrillas of the Pacific Theater. It is the story of Mohammad Adil, a sword-wielding warrior chieftain commissioned as a junior officer in Douglas MacArthur’s guerrilla army while still a teenager. Confident in his secret protective powers learned from a Sufi master, Adil roamed the highland rainforests with a price on his head, attacking Japanese outposts, surviving ambushes, and gaining a reputation as a man who could not be killed. www.morowarrior.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Labour MP Peter Bradley comes on the show to discuss his book that covers his family's history during WWII. This retelling of their lives also forced him to dig into the history of the Holocaust and of Anti-Semitism for the last 2000 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re shaking things up today and sharing a preview from Car Show!, a new podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries. Longtime Car and Driver editor Eddie Alterman tells the stories of the vital cars — the ones that have changed how we drive and live, whose significance lies outside the scope of horsepower or miles per gallon. In this episode, Eddie talks about the military background of the Jeep, a vehicle made for the battlefields of World War II, and its lasting popularity in America decades after the war. You can listen to the full episode and more from Car Show! at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/carshow?sid=ww2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and White House Correspondent Paul Brandus comes on the show to cover FDR's brilliant use of the media, before Pearl Harbor. Also, we discuss the significance of the Battle of Midway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Damien Lewis comes on the show to discuss his new book Churchill's Great Escapes: Seven Incredible Escapes Made by WWII Heroes. During the war, there was no standing order for Allied Officers to try to escape a POW Camp. However, the men of the British Special Forces saw it differently. What follows is a testament to the courage and endurance of humans with a clear goal and unflappable belief in their cause. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Desperate, Adm. Cunningham arranges another convoy for Malta. But the Italian Fleet and German Air Arm are ready. The result, a tiny fraction of supplies will get through. Malta’s days as a forward base are coming to an end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor Brandon Gauthier comes on to discuss his book Before Evil, where he examines the making of 20th Century’s greatest tyrants. He reminds us to never forget that the world’s monsters are humans too, with dreams, fears, ambitions and childhoods. That they were the hero in their own story. Stalin was trying to bring Russia up to date, Hitler was carving out an empire for himself and the German people, Mussolini wanted to be great and at the head of a new roman empire. And Mao wanted to bring order to the chaos around him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The RAF on Malta actually run out of Hurricane fighters on March 3rd. Fortunately, the promised Spitfires arrive. But how are 15 Spitfires supposed to hold back the entirety of Kesselring’s air arm of Italian and German planes. The dark time for Malta are far from over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As 1942 opens up the Axis have the upper hand. Still, those in London make plans to invade Sicily. What follows only fills up Davie Jones' locker all the more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The host of several well known podcasts, Lindsay Graham, of History Daily, American Scandal and American History Tellers, is allowing me to share with you, his coverage of the day that will live in Infamy. Here is the three episode arc from The History Daily Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Michael Benson comes on the show to talk about his latest book, Gangsters vs Nazis: How Jewish Bobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America. Some of the most notorious Jewish gangsters, Meyer Lansky, Charles Lucky Luciano, Mickey Cohen and Bugsy Siegel team up with the more respectable side of American politics to take on the growing trend that is the Pro Hitler German American Bund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edward Aldrich comes on the show to discuss his book that covers the highly effective teamwork of Secretary of War Henry Stimson and Army Chief of Staff George Marshall. Once they are both in position, they will have 17 months to ready the American Armed Forces before Pearl Harbor. Not that they know this. What they do know is war is coming, yet half of the country wants to stay out and FDR can’t say much to publicly support to their efforts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As winter sets in on the Eastern Front, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring is given Luftflotte 2, submarines and motor torpedo boats. His task is to subdue Malta. And he is well on his way as the Italians launch a daring underwater raid on Adm. Cunningham’s Mediterranean Fleet at Alexandria and London is loath to send Spitfires, the only plane the British have to take on the vaunted Messerschmitt 109s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the war goes on, some key personnel leave Malta, heading for new assignments or some much needed rest. But as winter comes, Hitler will send his German pilots back to Sicily. Malta will need help and soon. Instead, Adm. Cunningham looses the carrier Ark Royal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adm. Cunningham is given Force K, a gift from Churchill. And right away Force K will prove itself by annihilating an entire convoy, looking to resupply Rommel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malta based subs and planes are having a surge of success against Axis shipping heading to North Africa, but increased operations means more fuel is needed. Thus, another convoy is headed to the Mediterranean. This one will be the largest so far, but the Italians will send a massive force to intercept it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Martin comes on the show to talk about the book he wrote with RAF Pilot Denis Elliott. Denis' early life was full of pain, which caused a lack of confidence. But then comes the war and young Denis will find himself and grow in belief in himself as a part of the RAF, fighting the Japanese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Child, an Emmy® Nominated Producer / Director comes on the show to discuss his latest book, Immortal Valor. The Black Medal of Honor winners of WWII. Just over one million African Americans participated in the war against The Axis, but only 7 of them were given the nation’s highest award. And it took decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though Operation Substance successfully resupplied Malta in July 1941, the Allies lost planes, ships and men. What followed was the Battle of Valletta, as the Italians try to finish off the convoy while in the Grand Harbor. Paying in kind, sub commander Shrimp Simpson will send 3 subs, HMS Unique, P32 and P33 to Tripoli to wipe out the latest Axis convoy, bound for Rommel. Both sides draw blood and many lives are lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adm. Cunningham begins to believe that he may loose Malta. The Germans are gone, but he only has half his normal fleet and the Axis are not slowing down in transporting men to Rommel in North Africa. Picture-HMS Olympus, a part of the Magic Carpet Service. She lost all but 9 men of her crew and passengers out of 98 on May 8, 1942, 7 miles out from Malta after hitting a mine. She was discovered in 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ray Boomhower has written about 3 important war correspondents, Richard Tregaskis, Ernie Pyle and Robert L. Sherrod. Today we discuss the young Tregaskis as he covers events like Midway, Guadalcanal, and the invasion of Sicily. Tregaskis will almost die in Italy, but will return to the Pacific to cover the approach to the Japanese home islands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Rank comes on the show to discuss the more impactful events of the Pacific Campaign: The East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, The Battle of Midway, the Fire Bombing of Tokyo and the likely casualties of an Allied invasion onto the main Japanese Islands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Battle for the Atlantic is not going well for the Allies, Churchill’s War Cabinet puts into motion a plan to steal a Nazi Enigma machine. Bletchley Park has been trying to break the German Naval codes for years, but more is needed. Meanwhile Malta is about to get a reprieve from the Germans who are preparing for Operation Barbarossa. But one last air raid is needed. Pic-U-110 and the HMS Bulldog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Crete falling so quickly Churchill and Adm. Cunningham have to assume that Malta is next. Still, ABC expects his subs, like the Upholder, to hold the line until Malta can be reinforced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Scott Bury joins us to talk about his Eastern Front Trilogy. The story centers around Maurice Bury, a Canadian who is forced to fight for Soviet Russia against Nazi Germany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We return to Malta as Adm. Cunningham is at his low point. Churchill wants total war, but Cunningham needs more of everything, including time. The short term answer seems to be more subs, but Malta will have to make do, for now. Doing his part is Lt. Commander Wanklyn and the sub HMS Upholder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's offering is an episode from Gary Arndt's Podcast, Everything Everywhere Daily. On this show, he covers the important contribution of Native Americans using their language to stump the Nazi Intelligence services from breaking the Allied Code. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I talk to Tony Lupo and Ryan Fairfield about their show, The Warrior Next Door Podcast. Listen to the oral histories of World War II veterans from interviews conducted by Tony and Ryan as they provide historical context. Their efforts will help the experiences of these brave warriors live forever. Twitter - @WW2Podcaster. www.thewarriornextdoor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist Joe Lee comes on the show to talk about his book, Forgiveness: The Story of Eva Kor, Survivor of The Auschwitz Twin Experiments. Find out what happens to Dr. Josef Mengele, the tormentor of Eva, her sister Miriam and the other twins of Auschwitz and the founding of Candles-Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeffrey Jackson, professor of history at Rhodes College comes on the show to tell us about Lucy and Suzanne’s courage in defying the nazi occupation of the channel island Jersey. These two lovers, having developed their avant garde artistry in 1920 and 1930’s Paris, will put all their skill to work, when undermining the enemy troops on their island. Professor Jeffrey Jackson, author of Paris Under Water: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910 describes how these two courageous women’s paper bullets made the Nazi’s question their own safety and why they were there at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Ambassador to Luxembourg and before that, the Director of Policy Planning at the US department of State, Ambassador McKean is currently the senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US in Washington, DC. Today he joins us to talk about how all but one of FDR’s ambassadors in Europe misjudged Hitler and his intentions. Cyber Month Deal! Go to https://NordVPN.com/worldwar2 or use coupon code WORLDWAR2 to get up to 73% off your NordVPN plan plus 1 bonus month for free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

War reporter Jack Fairweather comes on to discuss his latest book A Rebel in Auschwitz. The story is of Witold Pilecki, a member of the Polish Resistance who is chosen to purposefully get arrested to be taken to the camp. Upon seeing the daily cruelty, Witold has to let the world know what is happening to the vanquished Polish people and later, the Jewish prisoners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PM Churchill wants Adm. Andrew Cunningham to sink supply ships heading for Rommel's North African Army. Cunningham wants more ships, but is told to make do with what he has. So in mid April, Cunningham sends out 4 destroyers under the Flagship HMS Jervis, with Capt. Phillip Mack in command. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and lecturer Chris Berman joins us to discuss the Night Witches, the female soviet pilots, cultural perceptions of warfare and the lady pilots of The United States and Great Britain. Check out his latest book, A White Star in a Red Sky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Luftwaffe keeps trying different types of bombs until they find one that works well against Maltese buildings. And their Bf109 fighters are decimating the British Hurricanes. Malta is threatened. But Adm. Cunningham will engage the Italian Navy during the Battle of Cape Matapan to help even the odds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Churchill wants the Italians hit hard as the German's begin bombing Malta almost daily. This will include Operation Colossus and Commander Shrimp's sub, HMS Upholder heading out to interdict supplies heading to Rommel in North Africa. Pic-Lt. Comm. Wanklyn and second in command Tubby Crawford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the successful raid against the Italy Naval Fleet at Taranto, Cunningham and Churchill wonder when the Italians will strike back and when Hitler’s Luftwaffe will join them. They will not have to wait long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malta goes stronger each day, with Churchill's help and Adm. Cunningham's persistence. Still, the clouds grow darker as Mussolini invades Greece, which prompts Hitler to get involved in the Mediterranean. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Malta is pounded by Mussolini's Air Force, PM Churchill is determined not to give up on the island or any of the Mediterranean Sea. And Adm. Andrew Cunningham is in full agreement as the Battle of Calabria gets underway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For thousands of years, Malta has had numerous masters. But as WWII seems inevitable, the British and Maltese people come together to ready themselves to take on the Axis Powers. Not until Mussolini declares war against the Allies does Malta get attacked, but even then, her defenses are far from strong. Thus the Siege of Malta has begun. Twitter @WW2Podcaster Facebook A History of World War II Podcast. TikTok – WWIIGuy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As most of Doolittle's Raiders make it home safely, one crew is soon in Stalin's hands and two others are captured by the Japanese. After this, go back and listen to Episode 299, to hear the end of the tale. Pic-Doolittle with President Roosevelt. Twitter-@WW2Podcaster. Facebook-A History of World War II Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode covers the flight paths of the 16 Doolittle Raiders. A solid hour of hell is visited upon The Japanese Empire. Adm. Yamamoto and his Combined Fleet will send 6 carriers to chase down Adm. Halsey’s Task Force 16, but it is long gone. Tokyo learns that war is a two way street. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices