In this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed historian and bestselling author Alex Kershaw to explore one of the most pivotal moments of the Second World War: the Battle of the Bulge. This December...

In this episode, we are uncovering one of the great enigmas of the war: the tragic death of General Władysław Sikorski. Sikorski was a towering figure in the Polish government-in-exile, a man who...

In this episode, Ronald Drabkin joins me to uncover the fascinating yet complex story of Frederick Rutland, a First World War hero with a unique story. Known as “Rutland of Jutland” for his...

In this episode, historian Taylor Downing joins me to explore the remarkable work of reconnaissance pilots and photo interpreters during the Second World War. These daring aviators flew perilous...

For this episode, I'm joined by Matthew Hough, and we discuss Harold Alexander and his road to supreme command in the Mediterranean Theatre. Matthew is a postgraduate researcher at the University of...

Borneo, the third-largest island in the world, held immense strategic value during WWII and quickly became a top priority for Japanese control. With its vast reserves of oil and rubber, the island...

When World War II began in 1939, it sparked a deadly conflict between the Axis and Allies, while also creating tense negotiations among the Allies. Diplomacy, military power, and economic decisions...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...