New York Times bestselling author Martin Dugard joins Built Not Born to discuss his latest book “Taking Midway” and how he makes history as exciting as a spy thriller 🕵️♂️. From co-authoring 12+ books in The Killing Series with Bill O’Reilly to his solo Taking Series, Martin reveals his creative process for bringing pivotal moments in history to life ✨.
In this episode, Martin shares the incredible story of the Battle of Midway – the most decisive naval engagement of WWII that shifted global power from the British Empire to the American Empire 🌍. Discover the intelligence breakthrough that changed everything, the courage of pilots who knew they wouldn’t survive, and why this battle saved democracy itself 🦅.
Key Topics Covered: 🎯
Martin Dugard is a New York Times bestselling author 12-13 times over 🏆 and co-author of The Killing Series, which has sold over 19 million books worldwide 📈. His solo work includes the Taking Series: Taking Paris, Taking Berlin, Taking London, and Taking Midway 🇺🇸. Martin describes himself as “a gateway drug for history’s casual readers” and has mastered the art of making historical events as thrilling as modern spy novels 🎬.
“I don’t have a research assistant, but I’ve got a really curious mind and it’s like I just don’t let go of a fact.” 🧠 – Martin Dugard
“If we had lost [at Midway] and the Japanese had taken Midway, they would’ve been in a perfect position to launch a completely destructive second raid on Pearl Harbor… We would’ve been completely out of the war in the Pacific.” ⚡ – Martin Dugard
“Those sailors, when they came home from the war, if they had seen what we have going on in our country right now, I think they would’ve been very disoriented. It is just weird to see history repeat itself.” 🔄 – Martin Dugard
[00:00] 🎬 Introduction and Martin’s incredible publishing track record
[05:30] 💡 How Martin developed his “gateway drug to history” philosophy
[12:15] 🤝 The creative process behind The Killing Series collaboration with Bill O’Reilly
[18:45] 🎉 Why Churchill was excited about Pearl Harbor
[25:20] ⚔️ The Battle of Midway: Most decisive naval engagement of WWII
[32:10] 🔐 Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort’s code-breaking breakthrough
[38:45] 😄 The “You don’t have to be crazy to work here, but it helps” sign
[42:30] 📰 Censorship, propaganda, and the “ghost” USS Yorktown
[48:15] 👥 Admiral Nimitz vs. Admiral Yamamoto: Leadership styles compared
[52:40] 🌍 How Midway marked the end of the British Empire, birth of American Empire
[58:25] 🤔 Why some battles capture popular imagination (Pearl Harbor vs. Wake Island)
[65:10] 📚 Lessons from Midway relevant to today
[70:45] 🦅 The courage of torpedo bomber and dive bomber pilots
[75:20] ✍️ Martin’s writing routine and research process
[80:15] 📖 Favorite books and Bruce Springsteen influence
Built Not Born explores how high achievers in business, sports, and life overcome obstacles to reach peak performance 🚀.
Hosted by Joe Ciccarone, each episode delivers actionable insights and inspiring stories from leaders who’ve built something extraordinary ✨.
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Martin Dugard, Taking Midway, Battle of Midway, WWII history, Killing Series, Bill O’Reilly, Pacific War, Admiral Nimitz, code breakers, naval battles, World War 2, historical nonfiction, New York Times bestseller, Built Not Born podcast, Joe Ciccarone, history books, military history, Pearl Harbor, American empire, British empire, torpedo bombers, dive bombers, courage in battle, historical research, making history accessible
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Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.
