Warfare

In 1939, Gustav Kleinmann, a Jewish upholsterer in Vienna, was arrested by the Nazis. Along with his sixteen-year-old son Fritz, he was sent to Buchenwald in Germany, where a new concentration camp was being built. What followed is a remarkable story of horror, love and the impossible survival of a father and his son. In this episode from the archive, Dan Snow and historian Jeremy Dronfield explore Gustav's secret diary, Fritz' accounts and other eyewitness testimony, and build a picture of this extraordinary father and son team. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>With the nuclear submarine TV series, Vigil, coming out last night, the UK’s leading expert on Trident, Dr Nick Ritchie from the University of York, joins James on Warfare.</p><p>Dr Nick gives us a step-by-step history on the multilayered missile system, which is said to act as a deterrence posture.</p><p>Earlier this year, Boris Johnson’s government agreed to increase the amount of nuclear weapons in the UK by around 40%, and it’s still unknown where the warheads would be stored if Scotland secure a second referendum and vote to leave the union.</p><p>Hear why the UK first got nuclear weapons, whether they actually work as a deterrence, and find out the many challenges which lie ahead.</p><p>Dr Nick’s book, <em>A Nuclear Weapons-Free World?: Britain, Trident and the Challenges Ahead</em>, is available now.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Their attacks of 11 September 2001 sparked a War on Terror which echoes loudly to this day, but where did Al Qaeda come from, how did their ideologies form and what role do they play in the world today? For this episode James spoke to Dr Afzal Ashraf, an expert in Al Qaeda's ideology and violent religious extremism. Dr Ashraf spent over 30 years in the UK Armed Forces as a senior officer and is a Senior Government Advisor.</p><br><p>© Shutterstock/Everett Collection</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

It's one of the great stories of American military history; The Doolittle Raid. In 1942 after the humiliation assault on Pearl Harbour and determined to show that America still had offensive capabilities the charismatic figure of James Doolittle came to President Rosevelt with the proposal to fly army bombers off aircraft carriers and attack Tokyo the capital of the Japanese Empire. Michel Paradis, the author of Last Mission to Tokyo, joined Dan to discuss the mission itself and also the fascinating story of the fight for justice for the Doolittle crews captured, tortured and killed by the Japanese. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>As the international community moved from World War to Cold War in the second half of the 20th century, the defence requirements of the United States also evolved. But what did this mean for arms manufacturers, and how did it affect their relationship with politics? In this episode, Mike Brenes from Yale University explores the changes which took place as the Cold War developed, and where the power in defence spending lies. Mike’s new book, For Might and Right: Cold War Defense Spending and the Remaking of American Democracy (Culture and Politics in the Cold War and Beyond), is available here: https://www.umasspress.com/9781625345219/for-might-and-right/</p><br><p>Image Credit: CC/Pentagon Archives</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On 19 August 1745, the Jacobites engaged in the final of their five uprisings, stretching back to 1689. In this episode, Kelsey Ellington examines the Jacobite’s uprisings, their supporters and their opposition. Kelsey explains how Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart and his supporters were hampered by difficult terrain, an exhausted army and division among the ranks; how the uprisings were and are depicted in art; and how the Jacobite conflicts may not be cut so clearly along the national lines that they are often thought to have been.</p><br><p>Image Credit: CC/Hungarian National Gallery/Tate</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

In 2014, Dr Mike Martin famously critiqued the Ministry of Defence with a book based on a series of conversations Martin had with the Afghan locals, as one of the few within the military who could speak pashto. The MOD tried to prevent the publication of this book but in this episode, Dan talks to Mike about his problems with the way that the military is run, and how the conflict in Afghanistan may change in years to come. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Major-General Eugene Vincent Michael Strickland, known to many as Strick - was a tankman and war hero of France, Italy, and North Africa during World War II. He played a vital role in the Battle of Arras in 1940 and aided in the breach of the Hitler Line in 1944. James is joined by archaeologist and historian Tim Strickland, son of Michael Strickland, to take us through the life, adventures, and achievements of his father.</p><br><p>Tim is the author of 'Strick: Tank Hero of Arras': https://www.casematepublishing.co.uk/strick</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The current withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan raises a lot of questions about the conflict. Why are they withdrawing now? Was there a better time for this? How might the assistance of Western countries have been more successful? In this episode, Rory Stewart OBE, former Secretary of State for International Development in the UK and now a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, shares his thoughts on the war in Afghanistan. Rory completed a solo walk across Afghanistan in 2002, and his experiences of the people and the country have informed his political, academic and non-profit work, including his 2006 New York Times Bestseller,  ‘The Places in Between’. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Sandwiched between the Second World War and the conflict in Vietnam, the Korean War has often been termed 'The Forgotten War' in the United States. In this episode, Dan Snow spoke to H. W. Brands, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of 30 books on American history. H.W. takes Dan through the remarkable course of events which saw an immense civilian death toll and the destruction of virtually all of Korea's major cities. Why are commemorations of this bloodbath somewhat overlooked, and how did it lay the groundwork for the politics we see today?  <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>It’s a devastating weapon of mass destruction, and in the United States the power to use it belongs to one person: the President. Since the Truman administration, there has been no requirement for the President to gain approval from Congress or even the Secretary of Defence before unleashing the nuclear arsenal. To learn more about the authority of Presidents Truman to Trump and now Biden, James welcomes William J. Perry, Secretary of Defence in the Clinton administration and Undersecretary of Defence for Research and Engineering in the Carter administration, and Tom Z. Collina, the Director of Policy at Ploughshares Fund, a global security foundation in Washington, DC. They discuss their experiences in Nuclear strategy and the prospect, or reality, of a Second Nuclear Arms Race and Cold War.</p><br><p>Their book can be found here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/692279/the-button-by-william-j-perry/9781948836999.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What does the price of wheat and global food supplies have to do with one of the greatest disasters in the history of warfare? Why was the decision made to send thousands of Allied troops in an attempt to free up the most heavily defended waterway in the world, the Dardanelles Straits? Historian and award-winning author Nicholas A Lambert joins James to talk us through the lead-up to Britain’s worst defeat in World War One, the catastrophic Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Find out why Prime Minister Henry Asquith and his senior advisers ordered the attacks in the first place, and the failed operation’s legacy.</p><br><p>Nicholas’ book, The War Lords and The Gallipoli Disaster, is available now: <a href="http://www.oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780197545201.001.0001/oso-9780197545201" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780197545201.001.0001/oso-9780197545201</a> </p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The Western Front of the First World War is a story of aristocratic generals sending ordinary men over the top to their deaths in futile frontal attacks against entrenched positions. Or is it? In this episode from Dan Snow's History Hit, Dan interviews the brilliant historian Nick Lloyd, author of The Western Front who tells a much more nuanced account of the Western Front. They talk about the myths and legends of these campaigns, the great leaps forward in technology between 1914-1918; and how the men in command, and those on the front line, desperately tried to grapple with the complexities of this unprecedently brutal war.  <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The First Gulf War was the combat debut for the RAF Tornado, and also for many of the aircrew who would fly one. John Nichol served as a navigator in the RAF for 15 years, even returning to service after being shot down in 1991. In this conversation with James, John shares his own experiences of the Tornado and the First Gulf War during which he was shot down, intertwined with the story of the aircraft and those of his fellow aircrew. John’s book, ‘Tornado: In the Eye of the Storm’ is published by Simon and Schuster. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The year is 1942; American citizens are still recovering from the surprise military strike on Pearl Harbor, which had intensely impacted morale across the country and brought them into the Second World War. Fear and division ran deep within the American people, and democracy was under pressure. Joined by Historian and award-winning author of ‘The Year of Peril: America in 1942’, Tracy Campbell, we dissect one of the most devastating years in America's history and discuss whether we could see similarities with today. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Every century of recorded history has featured a war. In this episode, Margaret MacMillan joined Dan Snow to discuss the ways in which war has influenced human society. They discussed how, in turn, changes in political organisation, technology, or ideologies have affected how and why we fight. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

In August 1928, signatories from France, the United States and Germany signed a treaty outlawing war. This so-called Kellogg-Briand Pact was soon signed by almost every state. Yet, in the century since, countless wars have been started ... and not all of them finished. To find out whether the pact has had any impact on international relations since its inception, James speaks to Professor Oona Hathaway from Yale University. Oona and her colleague Scott Shapiro are the authors of ‘The Internationalists: How a Radical Plan to Outlaw War Remade the World’. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

‘One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind’: in July 1969 the United States successfully landed on the moon. It was part of a race into space which continues to this week and Jeff Bezos’ short voyage. But how was the American space race aided by Nazi Scientists and their barbaric experiments? Eric Lichtblau has returned to Warfare to take us further into Operation Paperclip, through which Nazi scientist like Wernher von Braun and Dr. Hubertus Strughold emigrated to America to aid various projects including the space programme. Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times journalist, Eric, explores these topics in his book The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler's Men. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

In 1961, UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld's plane was shot down as he flew over the Congo. Dag Hammarskjöld was called ‘the greatest statesman of our century’ by John F. Kennedy, but he was found dead with an Ace of Spades mysteriously placed on his body. In this episode, Dan was joined by award-winning investigative journalist, Ravi Somaiya, who takes him into the depths of this event and the remarkable consequences across the globe.  <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Besieging a city is often thought to be an antiquated strategy, lost to technological advances and the complexity of modern conflict. In this episode, however, Major Amos C. Fox tells us about modern siege warfare in Ukraine, Iraq and Bosnia, and where the reluctance to label them sieges comes from. Amos is a Major in the U.S. Army and a graduate of the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, Ball State University, and Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Starting off as a novice photographer with strong political motivations, Gerda Taro became well known during the Spanish Civil War, only to sadly become the first woman photojournalist to have died covering the frontline of a war, aged 26. In this episode, Jane Rogoyska joins James to talk us through Gerda’s background, her partnership with her fellow photojournalist, known as Robert Capa, and her experience of the Spanish Civil War. Jane is a writer and film-maker who has been discovering the truth about Gerda Taro. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

A mother of three living in a small British village, and an accomplished Soviet operative who co-ordinated a network of spies within Britain's atomic weapons programme. In this episode, Ben Macintyre joins Dan Snow to discuss one of the greatest spies of the 20th century, the woman alternately known as Mrs Burton, Agent Sonya and, her real name, Ursula Kuczynski. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>With every new technological breakthrough the battlefield of the future changes, often beyond recognition. Named as one of the United States’ 100 leading innovators by the Smithsonian, one of the 100 most influential people in defense issues by Defense News, and as an official “Mad Scientist” for the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, Peter Warren Singer takes on the task of envisioning the future of warfare. In this episode, he speaks to James about the use of fact-based fiction and video games to consider and share battlefield strategy. Peter has advised on games including Call of Duty, and no other author has more books on the professional US military reading lists. His new book with co-author August Cole is called ‘Burn-In: A Novel of the REAL Robotic Revolution’.</p><br><p>© Cpl Mike O'Neill RLC LBIPP/MOD</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

81 years after the beginning of the Battle of Britain in July 1940, we are looking at the people behind one of the iconic machines which helped the Allies towards victory. It is known that the average age of a pilot flying a Spitfire in the Battle of Britain was 20 years old, but many of those involved in designing and building the machines were even younger. In this episode Alasdair Cross, a producer from the BBC World Service, speaks to James about these individuals and their stories, and how their creation changed the course of the Second World War. Alasdair’s <em>Sunday Times </em>bestseller is called ‘The Spitfire Kids: The generation who built, supported and flew Britain's most beloved fighter’. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

When captured Nazi generals found themselves in Britain in the Second World War, they were probably surprised to be brought to a beautiful country house where they were wined and dined by a senior British aristocrat. But it was all a charade. Unbeknown to the generals, every single conversation they had was bugged and an army of translators and transcribers worked away in the basement below. The 'senior British aristocrat' who they suspected had Nazi sympathies was a fictitious character named after a whisky distillery, and the entire show was a genius plot by British Intelligence to squeeze out snippets of valuable information. In this episode, Helen Fry joined Dan Snow to reveal the extent of this remarkable operation, and the military strategy which was altered as a result of careless comments. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the shadows of Montgomery, Alexander and Eisenhower, Field Marshal Alan Brooke’s extraordinary contributions as a strategist and leader have been largely forgotten over time. His experiences stretching across the First and Second World War, he held an incredible list of accolades and was one of Churchill’s key advisors leading Britain to victory over the Nazis. In this episode, former paratrooper and Second World War expert Bill Duff takes us through the incredible life of Alan Brooke.</p><br><p>© IWM</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

158 years ago, the Unionist and Confederate armies were on their second day of fighting at the town of Gettysburg. The battle was arguably the tipping point for the American Civil War and involved an artillery bombardment which may have been the loudest man-made event until the detonation of the first atomic bomb at Alamogordo. But what actually happened at Gettysburg? To take us through the events of the 1-3 July 1863, James spoke to Craig Symonds, a teacher at the US Naval Academy for 30 years and the author of countless books. Craig takes us through the lead up to the battle, the strategies in play and the bloody outcomes of this high watermark of the Civil War. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>105 years ago, it was the eve of the Battle of the Somme. This is regularly remembered as an Anglo-French offensive, and the contributions of Irish soldiers are often overlooked. In this episode, Dan Snow was joined by Heather Jones to discuss the experience of Irish soldiers at one of the bloodiest battles in history. Heather is Professor in Modern and Contemporary European History at UCL.</p><br><p>© IWM</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<strong>War! Something so ruinous has the power to both bring communities together whilst conversely ripping them apart. Many have taken place, but why are some remembered more than others? From The Battle of Culloden to The Second World War, we examine the legacies and myths that fire our understanding of war. In this episode, James is joined by Beatrice Heuser, Professor of International Relations at the University of Glasgow, expert historian, and author. Together, they work their way through some of the most renowned conflicts in history. </strong> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

After 6 years of war, countries around the world were in a state of ruin in 1945, not least the losing side. The people of Germany had been under the rule of the Nazi party since 1933, and now they sought a way forward under the watchful eyes of the Allies. In this episode, hear Harald Jähner exploring the transformational decade after the Second World War in Germany. Harald and James discuss the experience of forced labourers and prisoners of war returning home, a country facing the crimes of the Holocaust, and other histories of mothers, men and children starting out on the path towards the thriving power of present day Germany. Harald is a cultural journalist and former editor of The Berlin Times, his new book ‘Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955’ is out now with Penguin Random House. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Lyn Macdonald is revered as the great chronicler of the human experience of the Western Front. She recorded interviews with more veterans of the First World War than any other. In this talk at Chalke Valley Hitory Festival in 2017, Lyn returned to the subject of her first book, the Battle of Passchendaele. She brings us stories of the battle of July until November 1917, bringing rare insights and perspectives to this bloody, muddy and brutal battle.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://historyh.it/chalkevalleyhistoryhit" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.cvhf.org.uk</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Beginning with his birth in 1915 in Sierra Leone, the life of John Henry Smythe OBE MBE is almost unbelievable. From becoming a navigator in the RAF during the Second World War, to being held captive in a German POW camp, to being the Senior Officer making key decisions about the futures of the people aboard HMT Empire Windrush and becoming Attorney General for Sierra Leone; the twists and turns in this story are incredible. James was joined by John’s son, Eddy, and the BBC’s Tim Stokes to hear this account of life during and after the Second World War, in which we even get a glimpse of JFK. </p><p>Listen out for Eddy’s song, written in memory of his father, at the end of the episode. You can find the music video here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIarzhxtGsU&ab_channel=EddySmythe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIarzhxtGsU&ab_channel=EddySmythe</a></p><p>Tim’s article can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55286092</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>After 12 years of battles against the French Republic’s various neighbours, this was Napoleon’s final stand. Although many associate its name with a Eurovision winning hit from 1974, the Battle of Waterloo was in fact devastating to the Republic and its Allied opposition. 24 thousand French and 19 thousand Allied soldiers died on this battlefield. On the 206 anniversary of the battle, Zack White returns to Warfare to discuss whether the battle was inevitable or the Allied victory certain, and if the credit for winning should be as heavily placed with Wellington as it is. Zack expertly guides us through the political and military lead up to the battle, the events of 18 June 1815 and the actors involved.</p><p>Zack specialises in crime and punishment in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars at the University of Southampton, and is the creator of the online hub TheNapoleonicWars.net.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Twenty years after it first aired, Band of Brothers continues to be remembered as a remarkably accurate portrayal of a US parachute infantry company in the European Theater during the Second World War. Damian Lewis is an English actor and producer who played U.S. Army Major Richard Winters in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. At the Chalke Valley History Festival in 2016, he discussed the making of this series, portraying a soldier in the Second World War and meeting the veterans. </p><p> </p><p><a href="https://cvhf.org.uk/?utm_source=HistoryHit&utm_campaign=2017&utm_medium=Podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.cvhf.org.uk</a></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Erwin Rommel, the ‘Desert Fox’, known as such because from 1940 until the end of 1942, he led his troops across the deserts of North Africa and towards the Middle East with an often uncanny sense of his enemies' plans and weaknesses. In this episode, we uncover the secret to this success. Gershom Gorenberg has been investigating the Nazi’s use of intelligence, and how codebreaking was eventually used against them. Listen to hear more about the forgotten, secret heroes of the Second World War from Gershom, an expert historian, journalist and author of 'War of Shadows: Codebreakers, Spies, and the Secret Struggle to Drive the Nazis from the Middle East'. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

As the Allies advanced through Europe in early 1945, the Nazis embarked on one final escalation of the Holocaust. Hundreds of thousands of prisoners, already weak and starving from their treatment in the camp system, were forcibly marched away from the possibility of liberation. For this episode, James welcomes the curators of the Wiener Holocaust Library’s new exhibition, ‘Death Marches: Evidence and Memory’. Dr Christine Schmidt and Professor Dan Stone talk us through why the Death Marches happened, what the experience would have been like and how we know anything about them. Christine and Dan draw upon the evidence which they have collected for the exhibition to share some of the personal stories of these last weeks of the Holocaust. Find out more about the exhibition here: https://wienerholocaustlibrary.org/exhibition/death-marches-evidence-and-memory/ <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Charlie Higson and Ben McIntyre talk about the facts and fictions of working in espionage. Having both encountered the recruitment process for the British Intelligence Services, they discuss the process of getting recruited or, as in both of their cases, not getting recruited. They go on to explore the history and traditions of this institution, which holds the position of a household name despite being an enigma to all those outside it.This episode was recorded at the Chalke Valley History Festival 2017.</p><br><p>For information about this year's event, visit https://cvhf.org.uk/</p><p>© Granger Historical Picture Archive / Alamy Stock Photo</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Few days hold such a strong position in history as D-Day. However, as David O'Keefe tells us in this episode, 6 June 1944 was followed by 76 days of continued advances into Normandy. Hear about the position of the Allies after D-Day, and how they proceeded into France and towards victory. David is a leading military historian. He has released a new book, Seven Days in Hell, about the Canadian Black Watch’s heroic fight for survival at Verrières Ridge. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>It’s 77 years since D-Day but it might never have happened at all without one very specific piece of new technology; the resonant cavity magnetron. Atomic bombs or the Colossus supercomputer may come to mind when thinking about innovations which changed the course of WW2, but without this technological breakthrough, history would have been very different. Historian Norm Fine talks to James about the development which enabled microwave radar, and why he thinks it was the single most influential new invention which eventually won the war.</p><br><p>You can read more in Norman Fine’s book, <strong>Blind Bombing: How Microwave Radar Brought the Allies to D-Day and Victory in World, which is out now.</strong></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The D-Day landings of June 6 1944 were the largest amphibious landing in the history of warfare, and are famed as a major turning point towards Allied victory. But they weren’t without planning and practice. In late April 1944, the Allies launched one of their trial runs, Exercise Tiger, off Slapton Sands in Devon. The aim was a closely choreographed landing, the result was a disaster. Hear Dr Harry Bennett from the University of Plymouth discussing the players in this trial run, and how it became the Battle of Lyme Bay.</p><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>There are many theories for when the Second World War was lost by the Axis powers. In this episode, Digital historian Alwyn Collinson shares the reasons why 1943 can be seen as this turning point. Digital Projects Manager at the University of Oxford, Alwyn runs the twitter account @RealTimeWWII and during this episode, he and James also explore whether video games can be an accurate or useful representation of the wars that they are based on. Alwyn can also be found on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/RealTimeWWII</p><br><p>©Everett Collection/Shutterstock</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How is it possible to avoid disasters when they are inherently unpredictable? Niall Ferguson, renowned historian, senior fellow at Stanford University, senior faculty fellow at Harvard and visiting professor at Tsinghua University, has been studying historical responses to catastrophes. In this episode of Warfare, he draws upon the World Wars, Spanish Influenza and the HIV/AIDS epidemic to discuss the politics of planning for the worst. Niall and James question whether the responsibility and capability to plan for events such as the Covid-19 pandemic or global warming lie with democratic leaders or are hampered by economics and technological progress. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

With battlefield humiliation for France in 1954, and then defeat and public criticism for the United States in 1975, the Vietnam War became the Western world’s most divisive modern conflict. In this episode, Dan Snow speaks to Max Hastings about the Domino theory, whether it was possible for the US to win the war and the effect the war had on those who fought in it. Using the testimony of warlords and civilians, statesmen and soldiers, Max emphasizes the impact of the war on individuals on all sides. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

When the self-propelled torpedo was invented in the late 19th century, it threatened to revolutionize naval warfare. The weapon was instrumental in the wars of the 20th century, but also within the spheres of the global marketplace, government control and intellectual property. In this episode, Katherine Epstein, author of ‘Torpedo: Inventing the Military-Industrial Complex in the United States and Great Britain’, discusses the development of this lethal weapon in relation to military, legal and business history. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>With the role of coordinating resistance overseas, the task of a member of the Special Operations Executive could be extremely influential, but also perilous. Kate Vigurs has been investigating the lives of the 39 female members of the Special Operations Executive for her book Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE. In this episode, she tells James how women came to be recruited for this work, how their abilities and missions varied, and what dangers they faced.</p><br><p>© IWM</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

It was the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile, developed to avenge the bombings of German cities during the Second World War. For this episode, novelist, former journalist and BBC television reporter, Robert Harris, joined Dan on the podcast to talk about Nazi Germany and the story of the V2 rocket. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>It was not until 1956 that the Soviet Union repatriated the last of their German prisoners of war. To find out more about the experience of these men, Susan Grunewald has been mapping the locations of the camps where they were kept. Listen as Susan and James explore why the Germans were detained for so long and how they were treated, from building Soviet cities to facing re-education programmes. Susan is the Digital History Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh World History Center, her maps of the prisoner of war camps can be found here: https://susangrunewald.com/</p><br><p>© Memorial Museum of German Anti-Fascists</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

From 1914 until 1917, submariners from Britain and Russia fought against the German Imperial Navy for control of the sea lanes in the icy Baltic. Their endeavors have been buried beneath the stories of Second World War U-boats, but with a serendipitous mistake in Kew Archives, a water damaged, blood stained submarine log landed in front of Dr Ian Johnson. Thus began a mission to uncover the story of British submarine strategy in the First World War. Ian is Professor of Military History at the University of Notre Dame. In this episode he shares the story of the British submariners, the role of the Russian revolution in the Baltic and how this theatre of the First World War impacted upon the Second. <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On 10 May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following the resignation of Neville Chamberlain and his calamitous handling of the Norway campaign. On the same day, Adolf Hitler launched a monumental assault on Western Europe. It was the toughest first week in office a Prime Minister has ever faced. In this podcast, Dan visited the house of Churchill's biographer, Andrew Roberts, to look at some previously unseen historic material - a fascinating insight into the world of this remarkable man. </p><br><p>© NPG</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>A suave secret agent and fictional character turned household name and multi-billion dollar franchise: we all know James Bond. But what about the man behind him? In this episode, hear about the people and places that inspired Ian Fleming as he wrote the stories of 007. Professor Klaus Dodds researches geopolitics and security, ice studies and the international governance of the Antarctic and the Arctic at Royal Holloway, but he is also an expert on Fleming and Bond. Listen as he discusses the influence of Fleming’s childhood, of his experiences during the Second World War and of his family's exploits.</p><br><p><strong>©</strong>Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>