War Gaming, an activity that has been around as long as warfare itself, provides valuable insights into the complex nature of war. Whether it's traditional games like Chess or more contemporary ones like Armageddon, each War Game offers a unique perspective on the multifaceted world of war. By simulating battles and incorporating strategic elements, these games enable players to comprehend the reasons behind conflicts, and the factors that contribute to their outcomes. But how can we apply War Gaming to modern conflicts happening today?

In this episode James welcomes Martin Anward, Game Director of Paradox Interactive - to talk about the real world applications of War Gaming, and how this can be experienced in their new game 'Victoria 3'. Looking at conflicts across the 19th Century, and examining their socio-political origins, global influences, and the grand strategies employed; what can we learn from War Gaming? And how can it effect history?

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A prominent American Diplomat, and influential American statesmen, Henry Kissinger is a name known around the world. Serving as National Security Advisor and later as Secretary of State under Presidents Nixon and Ford, he prioritised national interests over ideological concerns. Known for his involvement in significant diplomatic initiatives, including the opening of relations with China and the negotiation of the Paris Peace Accords, his influence was global. However, his actions and policies have also been subject to criticism, particularly regarding human rights abuses and covert operations during his tenure. So who was Henry Kissinger, and does he deserve the reputation he has?

In this episode James welcomes Professor Thomas Schwartz from Vanderbilt University, to delve into the life and career of Henry Kissinger. Looking at his early childhood in Nazi Germany, his early political career and education, along with his involvement in the several global conflicts and peace agreements - is it possible to define who Henry Kissinger was, and what can we learn about his legacy?

You can buy Thomas' book here.

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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In March 2015, a ten-nation coalition of Gulf states launched an attack against Houthi insurgents in Aden. With Iran seeking to dominate the Southern Arabian Peninsula and take control of the Suez Canal, Aden became a key logistical city and suddenly found itself thrust into the limelight. With Washington involved in a Nuclear Deal with Iran for the first time, the Gulf States acted alone in their defense. But why was the Yemeni city of Aden so important to the coalition, and how far were they willing to go to defend it?

In this episode, James welcomes Michael Knights, author of the new book '25 Days to Aden', to the podcast to help unpack this pivotal moment in modern history. Examining the socio-political importance of Aden, addressing Washington's lack of support, and looking at the lasting consequences of this conflict, Michael helps explain what happened in those 25 days of 2015 and why they were so important.

Produced by Elena Guthrie

Edited by Aidan Lonergan

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It's 1943, you're part of the French resistance, and you've been sentenced to death. You're allowed to write one last letter before you're shot by the Nazis. Who do you write to? Friends? Family? Fellow comrades? How do you know if they'll even get it?

Of the 10,000 or so executions during the Second World War, only around 700 letters remain, and today's guest, Daniel Brunstetter, Professor of Political Science at the University of California Irvine, has spent the last three years trying to track them down, and working with the families to piece together their life, death, and acts of heroism.

Together, Daniel and host James Patton Rogers set the scene of occupied France, Charles de Gaulle's rallying cry to resist, and the multiple lives the letters, years after their authors were executed.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

Intro music: Ludwig van Beethoven, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Fighting has broken out in Sudan following years of power struggle between the country's military leadership: General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the armed forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, leader of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

However, the origins of this conflict can be traced back to 1956, when Sudan first gained independence from the British-Egyptian Condominium. Since, Sudan has been a country that has tried to establish a civilian, democratic government time and again, but each time has been derailed by a military coup.

In today's episode, host James Patton Rogers is joined by the first US Ambassador to South Sudan, Susan D Page, to help make sense of this complex history. From independence in 1956, through to President Omar al-Bashir's 2019 downfall and the 2021 coup, they assess what the history means for events happening right now, and finally, what steps towards peace could look like.

Produced by Elena Guthrie, edited by Annie Coloe.

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80 years ago, in the late hours of May 16th 1943, Wing Commander Guy Gibson fearlessly commanded the 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force to execute a daring bombing mission. Their aim - to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley - Germany's vital industrial hub. This top-secret operation was known as 'Chastise', but we know them today as the 'Dambusters'. But why has this famed mission, that was so vital to the allied war effort, become so controversial? And 80 years on, what new information do we have about these pilots?

In this episode, James chats to Sir Max Hastings to help explain just who the Dambusters were and what they did. With decades of Max's research, including first hand accounts from the men who were there, there's a lot to be learnt 80 years on. Examining the controversies surrounding operation Chastise, and looking at the monuments erected in memoriam of those lost - what can we learn about the men, and the victims, of Second World War bombing raids?

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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In this episode of Warfare, host James Patton Rogers is joined by Tony Phelan and Susanna Fogel, creators of the new TV series A Small Light, which explores the remarkable true story of Miep Gies, who hid Anne Frank and her family during the Holocaust. The trio discuss the character of Gies and how she went from Otto Frank's employee, to hiding his whole family in the secret annex for two years.

A Small Light is currently streaming on Disney+, with two episodes released each week.

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Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a soldier, statesman, and prominent political figure who served the United Kingdom twice as Prime Minister. He is known to many as a successful defensive general, but what about when he was on the offensive? In this episode, we explore the life, career, and death of Wellington. James is once again accompanied by Historian and presenter Zack White as they delve into the complex life of Wellington - debunking myths, exploring his life, legacy, and controversies.

First published September 2021

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First published September 24th, 2021

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The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla will be an event attended by thousands, including heads of state, dignitaries, and members of the public. The world's media will be watching, and so will anyone looking to take advantage of an event of this scale, from terrorists, to hackers and protesters.

Today, James Patton Rogers is joined by former director of GCHQ Professor Sir David Omand. Drawing on Omand's insider knowledge in crisis management and intelligence, together they analyse the potential security and intelligence threats at major events like coronations, and using historical examples, give an insight into the plans the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police could likely be executing on the day of the coronation.

David Omand's new book How To Survive a Crisis is available to purchase here.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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Anything that James Holland doesn't know about tanks isn't worth knowing. And in this episode from the archives, the greats are warring against each other as he counts down his top five tanks of the Second World War. Agility, climbing ability, speed and practicality are all measured to come up with this ultimate list. James Holland presents History Hit's four-part series on tanks which you can find here: https://access.historyhit.com/

First published December 2021

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This year marks 30 years since the 1993 siege at Waco. Lasting 51 days, it took the lives of 76 people, including 25 children and has gone down as one of the most controversial and tragic incidents in modern American history.

James Rogers sits down with author Stephan Talty to discuss his new book "Koresh: The True Story of David Koresh and the Tragedy at Waco", which delves into the life of David Koresh, the leader of the Branch Davidians, and the events leading up to the siege. Together, they explore Koresh's abusive childhood, his religious beliefs, and the socio-political factors that led to the deadly standoff with federal agents.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Annie Coloe.

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From spy satellites orbiting the moon, to space metals worth more than most countries' GDP, and the imminent possibility of humans inhabiting Mars within the next decade - will conflicts soon escalate beyond earth's atmosphere? And if so, how will we regulate human behaviour on a cosmic level?

In this episode, James welcomes journalist, and author, Tim Marshall to the podcast to discuss the future of warfare. Tim unveils the new geopolitical realities of the space domain and sheds light on how it will shape the course of human history. Looking at power, politics, and the future of humanity - should we start preparing for war in space?

You can buy Tim's new book here.

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Siobhan Dale.

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*Content Warning - This episode contains references to rape and suicide* 

The Russian Civil War was a brutal episode in the rise of Bolshevik Russia. Taking place between 1917 and 1922 (after the perhaps better known, Russian Revolution) it pitted the Communist Red Army, led by Vladimir Lenin, against a loose coalition of imperialists known as the White Army. It led to five years of chaos, tumult and tragedy, and changed global history and politics as we know it today.

In today’s episode, James travelled to the Three Johns Pub in London - the alleged location of a fractious anti-tsarist meeting between Lenin and Trotsky - to find out more about this crucial and chaotic period in Russian history. Joined by military history heavyweight Sir Antony Beevor, author of the Russia, Revolution and Civil War: 1917-1921, to look at this chaotic conflict, they discuss why the Red Army came out on top, how the conflict birthed the infamous gulags, and the legacy of the war on Russia’s military today.

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Joseph Knight.

If you'd like to watch the Youtube video you can find it here

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In the mid-19th century, William Walker led a group of fellow US Expansionists to Nicaragua, in an attempt to seize the country as their own. Some of the first successful filibuster’s, they were on a mission to bring a form of US Democracy to central America - the unexpected catch in a somewhat familiar story of colonisation? They were welcomed with open arms. But soon, Walker’s promises of a new state and open democracy faded away, and a terrifying reign of terror set in. So, what happened in Nicaragua in the 19th century? And just who was William Walker?

In this episode, James welcomes Professor, and Author, Michel Gobat to the podcast to help unravel this difficult story. Looking at the politics of 19th century America, the conservative rule that had defined Nicaragua up to this point, and delving into what the contemporary sources say about Walker - is it possible to piece together a complete image of what Walker achieved? And just what happened to him after his reign of terror finished?

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In August 2021, Afghanistan's capital city Kabul, was captured by the Taliban. With scenes of panic, anarchy, and chaos splashed across every major news outlet - it marked the final moments of the War in Afghanistan. With more than 123,000 individuals evacuated by the US Coalition and their Allies, Afghanistan's central government collapsing, and foreign citizens stranded - it begs the question, what happened in Afghanistan? And how did the Taliban win?

In this episode, James welcomes Professor Theo Farrell to the podcast to help answer this difficult question. Author of the book 'Unwinnable: Britain's War in Afghanistan', Theo examines where the Coalition went wrong, and if the events of August 2021 could have been avoided. Examining the roles of key players - from Joe Biden to Tony Blair, and the geopolitical state of the world - is it possible to know what went wrong in Afghanistan, and is it possible to guess what happens next?

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Why is it that nobody has used the absolute weapon, the nuclear bomb, since 1945? Was it ever likely that the American arsenal would be used against the Soviet Union? Or was it created solely to prevent nuclear war? If the latter is true, how does a country create the false impression that it is willing to release a weapon of mass destruction?

New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Fred Kaplan, has authored The Bomb: Presidents, Generals and the Secret History of Nuclear War. In this episode, he and James discuss the strategies and motives of those in control of the bombs in the face of multiple crises ... not all of which are generally known.

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What if we could take people completely out of the equation when planning military strikes? Lethal autonomous weapons systems use artificial intelligence to identify, select and kill human targets without human intervention. While with unmanned military drones, the decision to strike is made remotely by a human operator, in the case of lethal autonomous weapons the decision is made by algorithms. But how does this work, and what are the dangers of the proliferation of these weapons?

In this episode James is joined by Emilia Javorsky from the Future of Life Institute. Emilia takes us through the probabilities of a future with autonomous weapons, including the risks to our world and to the development of AI.

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A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

In April 1945, the 42nd Rainbow division liberated Dachau Concentration Camp. Having opened it's doors in 1933, it was the first, and longest running, Nazi concentration camp. It's estimated that Dachau had over 188,000 inmates, of which 41,500 were killed - it saw death, suffering and tragedy on an unimaginable level. But despite widespread coverage, and rumours of it's existence, the 42nd Rainbow Division were shocked at what they stumbled across - so how come nobody was prepared for what they were about to find?

In this episode, James is joined by Professor Dan Stone, Director of the Holocaust Research Institute at Royal Holloway, to talk about this dark moment in human history. Looking at the creation of the camps, the role the allies played in the liberations, and the incredible make-shift hospitals set up to help the inmates - Dan takes us through this tragic moment of the Second World War, and discusses the legacy that Dachau left behind.

You can read more about the Liberation of the Camps in Dan's book. 

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Winston Churchill's ascension to Prime Minister in 1940 was a key turning point in world history, ultimately being one of the first steps to help the Allies secure victory in the Second World War. The legacies of Churchill’s decisions still shape our world today, but a lesser known part of this story is that Churchill wasn't the first choice to succeed Neville Chamberlain. So how was Churchill, once a political underdog, able to beat out his rival Lord Halifax, to become the United Kingdom's wartime Prime Minister? And what might have happened if history had gone another way?

In this special episode, recorded at the Churchill War Rooms in London, James is joined by World War Two historian Professor John Buckley. Together they explore the epoch-defining significance of Winston Churchill’s ascent to power, and how he guided Britain out of it's darkest hour.

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This episode contains graphic references of violence and torture

The rise of Islamic State (ISIS) stands as one of the darkest legacies of the Iraq War. Founded as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the organisation joined the conflict in 2003 by attacking not only Coalition troops but Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi government, the United Nations and Shia muslims alike. Their tactics were so brutal that even Al-Qaeda disavowed itself of them. A decade on from that conflict, IS gained global infamy when it conquered huge swathes of Iraq and Syria between 2013 and 2015, establishing its unrecognised Caliphate quasi-state and murdering anyone who stood in its way.

In this episode, James is joined by Joby Warwick, the US journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work investigating Islamic State’s origins. Together, they explore the surprising beginnings of one of the most abhorrent terror organisations the world has seen, how its fighters managed to establish a Caliphate governing by terror millions of people, and what is left of it today.

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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In early 1945, with an inevitable defeat of Nazi Germany on the horizon, the Allied leaders of the United States, Britain and Russia came together to decide the postwar future of Europe itself. The ‘Big Three’, made up of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - met at Yalta in Crimea, with the reorganisation of Germany a top priority to be discussed. But within a few years of the Yalta Conference, any hopes for a new era of peace was shattered by the arrival of the Cold War.

In this episode, James is joined by leading war historian Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, to learn more about what happened at the Yalta conference over those eight momentous days. What deals were struck? Why did the conference fail to stop the Cold War? And why does the Yalta Conference remain such a controversial topic today?

Caroline's book is available here.

Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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Perhaps one of the best-known modern dictators, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq for nearly 30 years before eventually being overthrown in 2003 by the US Coalition. Known for his authoritarian rule, the use of chemical weapons against his own people, and multiple invasions of neighbouring countries - Saddam Hussein's legacy is a dark one. But how did he become President of Iraq in 1979, and what did the Iraqi people really think of him?

In the latest episode of our Iraq mini-series, reflecting on 20 years since the invasion of the country, James is joined by Dr Afzal Ashraf to examine just who Saddam Hussein was. Looking at the effect British Colonialism had on his early political career, the relationship between Iraq and the United States, and how lasting Cold War tensions defined this period - how did Saddam Hussein hold onto power for so long, and just who was helping him?

The senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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In accounts of the Second World War, the role Navy's played is often overlooked. But the Navy's of both the Allied and Axis forces engaged in some of the biggest maritime campaigns in history. From near total elimination of forces, to epic sea battles, the Second World War changed seafaring conflict and naval power forever. So what can we learn about this period in history, and what are some of the stand out moments?

In this episode, James joined renowned military historian Paul Kennedy at Yale University, to dive into this moment of history. Together, they explore the history of the Royal Navy and the other naval powers of WW2; examining their ferocious maritime campaigns and answering the question, how were the Allies were finally able to achieve victory at sea?

Paul's book Victory at Sea is available here.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie

The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe

Mixed & edited by Aidan Lonergan

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2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the US and its allies invading Iraq under the pretence to remove dictator Saddam Hussein and his apparent ‘weapons of mass destruction’. One of the most controversial and divisive military campaigns of the modern era, the legalities of the war are still debated today. Two decades later, the Iraq War continues to have a profound impact on global politics, military strategy, and the lives of those who were involved.

In this episode, James welcomes back Ben Barry, who oversaw an official British military analysis of the Iraq War, to reflect on this event. Ben provides a comprehensive overview of the conflict, exploring the political and historical context that led to the invasion, the military strategy employed by the US and its allies, and the complex and evolving nature of urban conflict on the ground. So how did this conflict change the modern world, and what can we learn 20 years on?

Tickets are still available for James' talk here.

Ben's new book is available here.

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The Korean War was a vital moment in world history - changing geopolitics on the Korean Peninsula and beyond forever. With nearly 5 million dead, it's often referred to as 'the forgotten war' - but Devotion author Adam Makos is trying to change that. Following the true story of famous aviator duo, Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown, Adam looks at the acts of bravery and sacrifice that defined this period of world history. But what role did the US Navy play in Korea - and why is Hudner and Brown's story so remarkable?

In this episode, James is joined by Adam to take a deep dive into the true story that inspired his book, and later the Hollywood blockbuster. Looking at Adam's incredible first-hand interviews with the Veterans who served in Korea and how this event changed their lives forever - will the Korean War finally be remembered as it should?

Tickets are still available here for James' talk 'Killing Precisely: A History of Precision Warfare'

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March 2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Iraq war, seeing US and British troops enter the country - the legalities of which are still debated today. The legacy it’s left behind includes over 1 million Iraqi deaths, thousands of troops, and a power vacuum that allowed the rise to power of terrorist organisation, ISIS. So how did the United Kingdom end up embroiled in a so called ‘Illegal War’, and was there anything that could’ve been done to prevent it?

In the first episode of our March mini-series, reflecting back on the Iraq war, James is joined by Dr James Strong to examine Tony Blair and the UK Government’s involvement in the middle east. Looking at the series of events paving the way for the invasion, inaccurate MI6 information, and the role the so called ‘Special Relationship’ played - it asks the question, why was Blair so desperate to get into Iraq, and what legacy has he left behind?

This episode was produced by Annie Coloe. The editors were Tomos Delargy and Aidan Lonergan.

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One of the most significant events of the 20th century, the 1917 Russian Revolution saw the overthrow of the Tsar and the birth of a new communist era. So what exactly led up to Russia’s historic and bloody transformation into the Soviet Union?

In this episode, James is joined by renowned historian and author Sir Antony Beever at the very London pub where Vladimir Lenin and other exiled Russian revolutionaries plotted their overthrow of the Tsarist regime. Together, they reflect on the ideas, motivations, and actions of those who shaped the course of history from this very spot over 100 years ago.

Sir Antony's new book on the Russian Revolution is available for pre-order here. 

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As Cold War tensions escalated in the early 1950s, the White House became obsessed with one core goal: Containing Communism. Nowhere was this more true than in Guatemala. The United States viewed the Central American country as one which was firmly within its own backyard, and thus fair game for external interference. It was for this reason that in 1954 - before the Bay of Pigs or the Cuban Missile Crisis - the CIA carried out one of its most damaging, and notorious, military coups - aiding the overthrow of Guatemala's first democratically elected President.

In this episode, James is joined by Dr Rachel Nolan from Boston University, to take a deep dive into the CIA's infamous 1954 military coup that sparked a wave of violence in Guatemala and beyond for decades. With the effects of this geopolitical scandal still felt today, what can we learn from this shocking moment in history, and how come not one, but two, US Presidents signed off on it?

For more US history, check out History Hit's newest podcast - American History Hit. From pre-colonial times to independence, slavery to civil rights, the Gold Rush to the Space Race, join Don Wildman as he explores America's past, to understand the United States of today. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen here, wherever you get you podcasts: https://pod.link/1638918169

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One year ago today, on February 24th 2022, the world watched as Russia launched a full scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite intelligence gathered from Ukraine's western allies in the previous months, the invasion was a shock to many in Ukraine and beyond. With the expectation that Kyiv would fall within a matter of days, it was a surprise to all when President Zelensky defiantly posted a video of him and his team standing in the middle of the city a day after the invasion, having rejected US offers of evacuation, declaring 'I need ammunition, not a ride'.

Since then, various world leaders have visited Kyiv to look at the destruction that has been caused in the last 12 months. With Western supplies of ammunition, and President Biden doubling down on his unwavering support for Ukraine, it's hard to see where, and when, this conflict will end. With an unconfirmed death toll from either side, and the largest European refugee crisis since the Second World War, peace is seemingly nowhere on the horizon a year on. So what's next for Ukraine? Today James is joined by Professor Michael Clarke, a leading defence expert and Government advisor, to look at the key turning points within the conflict, while trying to answer - what's next for Ukraine, and in hand, the rest of the world?

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie

The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe

Mixed & edited by Aidan Lonergan

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9/11 remains the most infamous act of terrorism perpetrated against the United States - but it did not mark the first time terrorists had targeted New York’s World Trade Center. Thirty years ago on February 26 1993, a huge 600kg bomb exploded in the parking garage beneath the twin towers, causing a 100ft crater that was several stories deep. Six people died instantly, with thousands hurt in panicked attempts to evacuate. And yet, due to what would happen at the World Trade Center eight years later, this attack is rarely remembered.

In this episode, James is joined by leading terrorism expert and University of Birmingham historian Dr Steve Hewitt to learn more about the day Middle Eastern terrorism arrived on American soil, foreshadowing the tragic events of 2001.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie

The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe

Mixed & edited by Aidan Lonergan

For more US history, check out History Hit's newest podcast - American History Hit. From pre-colonial times to independence, slavery to civil rights, the Gold Rush to the Space Race, join Don Wildman as he explores America's past, to understand the United States of today. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen here, wherever you get you podcasts: https://pod.link/1638918169

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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Vladimir Lenin is one name that is known across the world. Rising to power during the Russian Revolution and Civil War, he was the first Communist dictator in history and the architect of the Red Terror - a deadly campaign of political oppression and execution carried out in the earliest years of Soviet Russia. But contrary to his self-avowed image as champion of the proletariat, Lenin was actually raised in an upper-middle-class family of Russian monarchists, with little to mark him out as a future revolutionary.

In this episode James is joined by Victor Sebestyen, a renowned historian of Communism and Russian History. Together they examine the life of Lenin, from his privileged upbringing to his exile in the UK & Europe, and finally to his triumphant return to the motherland during the October Revolution that heralded a the Soviet Era. Looking at the events that shaped Lenin's political mind, it raises the question - was Lenin always destined to usher in a new age of Russian history?

Victor's book is available here.

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Before America officially entered the Second World War in December 1941, it offered the allies significant support in terms of military supplies and funds. A well oiled and efficient machine, American industry was serving the war effort from September 1940, and it's output only increased as the War went on. Over time, America provided two thirds of the Allies' military equipment, including 2 million army trucks and nearly 300,000 aircrafts. But where was this all happening, and how was it sustainable for the people running the show?

In this episode, James chats to Len Roberto at the Connecticut Air and Space Museum, about this fascinating moment of American History. Due to it's location on the Atlantic coast, Connecticut was a hub of innovation and industry during the Second World War. So what's there to be learnt about this lesser known part of American History, and just how much did it influence the War?

For more US history, check out History Hit's newest podcast - American History Hit. From pre-colonial times to independence, slavery to civil rights, the Gold Rush to the Space Race, join Don Wildman as he explores America's past, to understand the United States of today. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen here, wherever you get you podcasts: https://pod.link/1638918169

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

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What happens when a nuclear bomb is accidentally dropped onto foreign soil? Or when a nuke just goes missing? Rather worryingly, it happens more often that you would think.

There’s a special term for these nuclear near misses - ‘broken arrow incidents’. In this episode, James is joined by Warfare favourite and historian Alex Wellerstein, to explore these many broken arrow incidents spanning from the Cold War to the present day. They'll be finding out how close to disaster we’ve come over the years, and importantly where those missing nukes might be hiding.

Alex Wellerstein’s blog is here.

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Stuart Beckwith.

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When you think of some of the remarkable feats of airpower throughout history, you might think of the Dambusters, or the Battle of Britain. But what about some of the untold stories of Britain's remarkable black airmen? Since the early 20th Century, black airmen played vital roles as pilots, ground crew, and even resistance fighters across the world wars and beyond. But what do we actually know about these exceptional figures?

In this episode, James is joined by author K.N. Chimbiri to shine a light on some of the incredible men who helped shape Britain's future. Looking at the vital contributions these individuals made to the war effort, and even world history, what can we learn from the Britain's black airmen?

Kandace's book The Story of Britain's Black Airmen is available here.

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

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The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest battle of the Second World War, seeing 1.2 million killed, and thousands more wounded. One of the most brutal clashes in history, the battle raged between the forces of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia for five months from August 1942 to February 1943. A key turning point of World War Two, Stalingrad played host to some the fiercest urban warfare ever seen throughout history, and left a devastating legacy.

In this episode, 80 years on from the siege ending, James is joined by historian Iain MacGregor, to reveal the hidden truths at the heart of the Battle. Looking at the historical context and the significance it still holds today, what can we learn from the Battle of Stalingrad 80 years on?

Iain's book The Lighthouse of Stalingrad is available here.

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in 1890, before the Wright Brothers had completed man's first flight, and died just weeks short of man's first steps on the moon. With involvement in multiple wars, from soldier to president - how did 'Ike' as he was known become the giant of history that we know today?

In this episode James is joined by award-winning Journalist, and White House press corps member Paul Brandus, who takes us through Eisenhower's remarkable career. Looking at the major conflicts he was involved in, and the political legacy he left - what can Eisenhower's life & legacy teach us about the key moments in American History?

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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The Bahía de Cochinos, also known as the Bay of Pigs, is a place that lives in infamy for the CIA. On April 17 1961, 1,500 US-trained Cuban exiles launched an unprecedented military landing operation on their homeland there, but how did it go so disastrously wrong? With hundreds of men killed, and even more captured, why did President John F. Kennedy sign off on such a perilous plan - and who really came up with it?

In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by writer Jim Rasenberger to take us through this chaotic moment in history. Looking at the US's relationship with Cuban Dictator Fidel Castro, the logistics that went into the operation, and Jim's personal connection to the story - just what happened at the Bay of Pigs, and who was really to blame?

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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Located off the coast of Florida, Puerto Rico, and its namesake Bermuda - the mysterious Bermuda Triangle is an urban myth that's risen in popularity over the decades. But how come so many planes and boats disappear in this region - and what makes Flight 19 so special? In December 1945, at the end of the Second World War, 5 bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale in a routine navigational training exercise. But these bombers, along with the crew members inside them, would never be seen again. So what happened to Flight 19 and its men?

In this episode James is joined by historian David O'Keefe to help unravel this historical mystery. David put together an expert team to go out into the Triangle to see if they could recover any of the wreckage - but what did they actually find? And how did NASA and the President of the United States end up being involved?

Senior Producer: Elena Guthrie. Assistant Producer: Annie Coloe. Edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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Founded in 1775, the United States Marines Corps (colloquially known as the US Marines) have a long standing history, and a reputation that precedes them. An elite group made up of personnel from across the United States, they played a vital role in the Pacific during the Second World War, and were tasked with taking on the Imperial Japanese army. But how did a group of Marines earn the nickname 'devil dogs', and who's responsible for telling this harrowing story?

In this episode James is joined by award winning historian and author Saul David, to take us through the Devil Dog's journey. From Guadalcanal in 1942 to the shores of Japan in 1945 - what happened to this group of men, and who lived to tell the tale of Okinawa?

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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After the fall of France during the Second World War, Britain became an isolated nation - dependent on the strength of it's coastal forces to keep the Axis powers at bay. The task to protect the small island nation fell on 2000 small, wooden boats to fight back against the enemy no matter the weather. But how successful were these forces, and why did they earn the nickname the 'Spitfires of the Seas'?

In todays episode, James is joined by archaeologist and historian Stephen Fisher, to help shine a light on this often overlooked subject. Looking at the origins of these vital boats from both World Wars, through to their repurposed lives now - what do we know about the Spitfires of the Sea?

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription

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Known today as one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the world - the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more colloquially known as the FBI, didn't always have such a great reputation. Once riddled with scandal and unseemly behaviour, how did the FBI turn into the well oiled machine it is today? And just who was responsible for this change?

In today's episode, James joined Professor Beverly Gage at Yale University to talk about the man behind this extraordinary feat - J. Edgar Hoover. Looking at Beverly's decade of research into this infamous figure - just how did Hoover transform the FBI, and what secrets was she able to uncover in the process?

Beverly's book G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. 

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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Abraham Lincoln is a name that's been immortalised throughout history - the 16th President who led the country through the infamous American Civil War, and ultimately abolished slavery. But who is the man behind the myth, and why is he so revered even to this day?

In this episode, James is joined by Professor Adam Smith to look at this giant of history. Looking at Lincoln's early life as a self-taught Lawyer, through to his meteoric political ascent - what drove Abraham Lincoln to greatness, and is there anything to be learnt from his actions?

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Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and Boudicca. These are the names that normally top the list when it comes to the greatest military leaders in history, but today’s guest is taking a slightly different approach. 

Professor of War Studies at University of Warwick, Anthony King, is drawing on his experience with some of the most senior military leaders to rank his top five divisional commanders based on what he’s learnt about command, through their actions. 

What do you think needs to be taken into consideration to decide whether a commander is good or bad? Is It number of wins or defeats? Is it execution of logistics or operational sense? Is it their officer selection or how they deploy a division? 

Who would be in your list? And do you agree with Professor King? 

Anthony King is the author of Command: The Twenty-First Century General.

This episode was produced by Elena Guthrie, and edited by Joseph Knight.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. 

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for a free trial, plus 50% off your first three months' subscription.

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A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

Personal accounts of the Second World War are far and wide, and an invaluable tool for learning about one of the most devastating conflicts in history - but what can we learn from collective histories, specifically that of a small Bavarian Village? In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by author Julia Boyd to look at the shared history of the inhabitants of Oberstdorf, and how the arrival of fascism changed their lives.

Using first hand accounts from the people who lived through the war, Julia is able to shine a light on some of the lesser known aspects and consequences of living in Nazi Germany, and how people responded in the face of rising Nazism. Using a mix of interviews, archive materials and letters, Julia demonstrates just what life was really like for ordinary Germans during this tumultuous time in world history.

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In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over the frigid Russian Arctic. Hanging below this Soviet plane was a nuclear bomb the size of a small school bus. It was the largest and most powerful bomb ever to be created, and it was about to be tested. 

The Tsar Bomba’s gigantic detonation was intended to be secret, but was detected by American intelligence agencies—bringing brewing Cold War tensions to fever pitch. The thermonuclear hydrogen bomb yielded the equivalent of 50–58 megatons of TNT, enough to annihilate a small country. The resultant mushroom cloud reached an altitude seven times higher than Mount Everest, and its 8-km-wide wide fireball could be seen from almost 1,000km away.

This week, James is joined by Alex Wellerstein, an expert on the history of nuclear weapons. Together they discuss their development from WW2 to today, and the terrifying legacy of the largest man-made explosion in history.

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Like most aspects of the organisation, the CIA drone programme is shrouded in secrecy. With covert bases located across the globe, all armed with high tech sensors and precision missiles, it begs the questions, is anywhere safe in this new modern age? But how did the CIA drone programme begin, and how did it evolve into the covert operation it is today?

In the final episode of our CIA miniseries, James is joined by Professor Chris Fuller to look at the origins of CIA drone programme. Author of 'See It/Shoot It' Chris is the perfect guest to shed light on this clandestine part of the CIA. Looking at drone involvement in the 1980's and the role they played in locating Gaddafi, through to their uses in a post 9/11 world - what can we really know about the CIA drone programme, and is there anywhere on earth left to hide?

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The Special Air Service, more colloquially known as the SAS, was the creation of Officer David Stirling during the Second World War. Located in the deserts of Northern Africa, they were given instructions by Churchill himself to wage 'total war' against the Axis powers. Recently, this group of mavericks have been depicted in the TV series SAS Rogue Heroes - but how can we separate fact from fiction when the actual truth is so unbelievable?

To help with this endeavour, bestselling author Damien Lewis joins James on the podcast to delve into the incredible histories of the men who made the SAS. Shining light on the brilliant people who helped change the face of warfare, what do we really know about this group of rogue heroes?

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The Cold War saw an era of heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union - double agents, clashing political ideologies, and advancements in nuclear war; it was a tense time on the geopolitical stage. But how did all of these factors ultimately lead to the CIA knowingly recruiting former Nazi's into their ranks?

In the third episode of our CIA series, James is joined by Professor Norm Goda to look at this dark chapter of the CIA's past. Co-author of 'US Intelligence and the Nazis', Norm takes us through his work on declassifying CIA material, and the stunning revelations behind one of the world's most formidable government organisations and it's dark past of the Nazi war criminals it once employed.

You can find Norm's book with Richard Breitman here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitlers-Shadow-Nazi-Criminals-Intelligence/dp/130034735X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BUEGKQLTAI14

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An accusation that has dogged the Qatar World Cup throughout the tournament is that of ‘sportswashing’. You’ve probably seen it in an article, or heard it in a news report. But what does ‘sportwashing’ actually mean, and where did it come from? While the term itself wasn't coined until 2015, the idea of despotic rulers and authoritarian regimes using large-scale sporting events to help cleanse their global image has been in practice for nearly a century — just look at the ‘Nazi Olympics’ in 1936. But how did Nazi Germany end up hosting those games, and what comes next for Qatar?

In today's episode, James is joined by Professor Martin Polley, the Director of the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University, to talk about the history of sportswashing. Together, they discuss the relationship between authoritarian regimes and Premier League football clubs, look at what the Nazis got right about the 1936 Olympics, and ask whether ‘sportwashing’ really does work…

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Annie Coloe.

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The CIA is one of the most well-known and powerful government organisations across the globe. But who's responsible for its creation, and why have they been overlooked by the history books?

In the wake of the Second World War, four agents played key roles in the organisations formation - dubbed the 'Wise Gals' by their colleagues, Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier are the unsung heroes of the CIAs history. They played dangerous roles behind enemy lines, recruited double agents, and helped track down stolen Nazi art - their contributions to world history are unrivalled. So why aren't they household names?

In this second episode of our mini-series on the CIA, James Rogers talks to New York Times bestselling author Nathalia Holt about this exceptional history. Together they discuss the unheard story of these remarkable spies who built the CIA and shaped the future of espionage.

You can find Nathalia Holt's book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/wise-gals-the-spies-who-built-the-cia-and-changed-the-future-of-espionage/9781785789588

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2022 marks 80 years since the Red Devils first remarkable campaign in North Africa. In Britain, they were known as the parachute regiment, but after their daring feats in the Second World War the name Red Devils quickly stuck.

In this episode, James is joined by BBC journalist and former British Army officer Mark Urban, to learn more about the eccentric group of individuals who, quite literally, jumped at the chance to wage a new type of warfare against the Nazis. Delving into the history of Operation Torch and the daring, ordinary men, behind this impressive feat - Mark shines a new light on this extraordinary history.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency, more colloquially known as the CIA. While viewed today as one of the most advanced and powerful intelligence agencies in the world, the United States didn't always sit at the top of this list.

Long before the CIA had been created, Great Britain, China, and even the Soviet Union had long standing intelligence agencies, aiding in matters of foreign affairs and espionage. So why was the United States so late to the intelligence game? And did this late arrival into espionage hinder the CIA's development and success?

In the first episode of our new mini-series on the CIA, James is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Tim Weiner, to talk about the history of this clandestine government organisation. From looking at the CIA's murky origins, to their post 9/11 purpose and their recent infiltration of the Kremlin, Tim takes us through the agency's tumultuous history.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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8.5 million soldiers died as a result from wounds and disease during the First World War, plunging a society into mourning as loved ones were left to deal with the loss of their family and friends. Desperately wanting to connect with their loved ones, families of fallen soldiers would seek out ways to do so, thus leading to the rise of spiritualism and the belief of ghosts in the post war years.

In today’s episode James is joined by author and academic Professor Andrew Smith, to take us through this strange, yet fascinating, world of friendly spirits and malevolent beings. Together they take a look at the figures who appeared in the trenches, literature and in the minds of those who struggled to cope with the tragic losses of war.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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The Irish War of Independence in 1919 was fought between the Irish Revolutionary Army and British Forces, with support of the RIC and USC. Wounds of this conflict are still visible today, both in Ireland and across the world. While there's a tendency to view this conflict as an insular issue of the time, with most fighting rooted in the Irish countryside - the struggle for independence was actually reflective of a tumultuous time in world history. 1919 - 1921 saw not only conflict in Ireland, but mass violence across central and eastern Europe as empires collapsed in a post war world. But how did these world wide events come to affect the Irish Revolution?

In today's episode James is joined by Irish historian and author Professor Fearghal McGarry from Queen’s University in Belfast. Together they discuss the struggles Ireland faced for independence and the ways in which their fight for liberation fits into the broader international context.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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November 22nd marks 59 years since the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. One of the most famous assassinations in history, JFK's death sent shockwaves not only through the United States, but across the world. However, before that fateful day in history, JFK was a journalist, a Senator, and finally President - but what do we know about his early political career? And what actually went on behind the closed doors of the Oval office?

Today James is joined by Deirdre Henderson, a former colleague and friend of JFK. Deirdre had worked with JFK when he was a senator, and played a significant role in helping to form a group of key advisors to secure his Presidential election. Not only that, but Deirdre went on to work in matters of defence and security for the state - and in the early years of their friendship, was gifted JFK's personal diary. Together, Deirdre and James talk about how Deirdre came to work for the then Senator, her experience at the 1961 Inauguration, and her final moments with JFK. Deirdre offers an unprecedented look inside JFK's White House, allowing for a new side of John F. Kennedy to be seen.

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Accounts of the Second World War usually involve tales of exceptional bravery in battle, as the allied nations stood together against fascism. But from the eyes of the 60,000 conscientious objectors who refuse to take up arms, the war looks extremely different - a perception of which has almost been entirely forgotten. A conscientious objector not only faced inordinate public scrutiny from their fellow countrymen, but even from their own families, often being viewed as cowards. But how accurate was that belief?

In this episode, James is joined by author Tobias Kelly who delves into why these people could not in good conscious, pick up arms, and how it changed their lives forever. Some faced jail time, others took up non-combat roles on the front lines - the scenes of which stayed with them long past the war. The 60,000 conscientious objectors role's in the War have often been overlooked in history, but their contribution to the wartime effort is now finally being discussed in a hopes to change common misconceptions.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Exactly a century after the 1922 March on Rome which brought fascist dictator Benito Mussolini to power, the far-right party Brothers of Italy have been voted into government.

Fratelli d'Italia (FDL), which has its roots in Italy’s post-war Neo-fascist social movement, is lead by prime minister Giorgia Meloni - the most right-wing Italian leader since Mussolini himself.

So with these contemporary events in mind, James is joined by renowned historian Professor John Gooch to dig deep into the origins of fascism and war in Italy.

You can find John's book Mussolini's War here.

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The 11th of November marks Remembrance Day, a memorial day honoured since the end of the First World War. Hostilities ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 after four years of global conflict. As we use this day to look back at those lost, it's important to understand what caused one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history.

On the 28th of June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. His death is often cited as the spark that started the First World War - but how accurate is this statement? Claiming this assassination as an isolated incident ignores the troubling context of the time. What should've been a conflict restricted to the Balkans somehow turned into a catastrophic global conflict, with rising nationalistic sentiments brewing, and the eventual involvement of European Superpowers - what really lead Gavrilo Princip to fire a shot against the heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire?

In this episode, James Rogers is joined by Paul Miller-Melamed to examine the origins of the wider geopolitical context of First World War.

You can find Paul Melamed's book here

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The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a key turning point in the Second World War - a moment when the Allies were no longer on the defensive, but on the offensive. Fought in the unrelenting deserts of North Africa, the eventual Allied victory prevented Nazi expansion into North Africa and the Middle East. Had the Axis-Power and German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel managed to breakthrough at El Alamein, it would have brought the Holocaust to the entire Middle East, where there were around 75,000 Jewish people in Egypt, over half a million in Palestine, and populations in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. It was the Allies victories in North Africa that prevented genocide happening on the same scale as Europe.

In this episode, James Rogers is joined by Washington Post Journalist and author Gershom Gorenberg to detail the decisive tactics of Rommel and the Allies, the importance of retreat as a military strategy, and the arrival of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, one of the most prominent and successful British commanders of the Second World War.

You can find Gershom's book here.

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The current uprisings in Iran have connections that date back to the 1979 Iranian revolution, which saw the country go from a monarchy, to an Islamic Republic. It became one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. 

Ayatollah Khomeini was now the Supreme Leader of the Republic of Iran, and a conservative rule of the country was now enforced. Freedoms that had been enjoyed previously in Iran like drinking alcohol and listening to western music were now banned, and women were now required by law to wear a veil.

Tensions between Iran and the West have continued fluctuate, with most recent events concerning Iran's support of Russia in the war against Ukraine by supplying arms. This comes at the same time as the Iranian government continues to suppress it's own people amid on-going anti-Government protests.

Today, James Rogers is joined by activist and author Nasrin Parvaz, who at the age of 23 in 1982 was arrested by the regime’s secret police for resisting the Ayatollah's regime. She was sentenced to death and tortured before her sentence was later commuted to 10 years imprisonment. She was released after 8. She discusses her experiences during this key turning point in modern history.

Warning: This episode contains content that some listeners may find distressing.

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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In a scathing attack on the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the world faces its most dangerous decade since WW2 - having reaffirmed that Russia will use every available weapon in its arsenal, including tactical nuclear weapons.

Not only that, Russia has also made unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine is preparing to deploy a dirty bomb - a mix or explosives and radioactive waste. This has led many in the West, including US president Joe Biden, to wonder if such remarks are laying the groundwork for Russia’s own tactical nuclear strike.

In this episode James welcomes Dr Jean-François Bélanger from the University of Waterloo back onto the podcast. Jean-Francois, who advises the Canadian Ministry of Defence, takes us through the history behind these latest nuclear escalations.

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Here’s a special episode of Cautionary Tales, a podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries.

On Cautionary Tales, bestselling author Tim Harford shares stories of human error, natural disasters, and tragic catastrophes from history that contain important lessons for today. In 1917, a brilliant British officer developed a way to use an emerging military technology: the tank. The British army promptly squandered the idea – but the Germans did not. Blitzkrieg, the devastating advance of German tanks across Europe in 1940, was invented by the British.

This is a common story: Sony invented the forerunner of the iPod, Xerox the personal computer, and Kodak the digital camera. In each case they failed to capitalize on the idea. Why? Find out on Cautionary Tales. You can hear more episodes at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/warfare.

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As protests continued across Iran last week, a number of Iranian-made kamikaze drones were fired by Russian forces at targets thousands of miles away in Kyiv, Ukraine.

It marks the first time that these Iranian weapons have been used against a European capital, as well as a new low for relations between Iran and the West - which were already under strain.

So how did we get here? In this episode, James is joined by Professor Ali Ansari of St Andrews University in Scotland to learn the historical context of modern Iran - from the Iranian Revolution to the nuclear deal torn up by former US President Donald Trump in 2018.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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The siege of Dien Bien Phu took place in 1954 and was a definitive victory for Vietnam. Although the battle brought an end to French colonial rule, the separation of the country’s north and south created a volatile political environment between capitalism and communism, eventually leading to American involvement.

But how did the long time leader of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh, take his guerilla army and turn it into a modern fighting force that was capable of overthrowing an empire?

In this episode, James is joined by author and Professor Christopher Goscha from the University of Quebec to help us understand just how the French lost their way in Vietnam.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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The Battle of Midway has gone down in history as a key turning point in the Pacific Campaign of the Second World War. In June 1942, the US Navy outthought, outflanked and overwhelmed the formidable Imperial Japanese forces thanks largely to the work of pioneering codebreakers.

Japan's first-line carrier strength was obliterated as well as a huge percentage of the country's highly-trained pilots, either of which were easily replaceable. But just how did the Americans find themselves in such a remarkable position, harnessing the element of surprise to devastating effect?

In this episode James is joined by award-winning historian Dr Sarah-Louise Miller, who reveals the forgotten history of the intelligence battle that set up a decisive victory at Midway.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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In a world so dependent on the need for oil and gas, it's no wonder why oil rich nations like Russia hold such power on the global stage. The power these Petrostates have influence foreign policy and conflicts around the globe. But why does oil play such a key role in global geo-politics? And what does the development of clean energy mean for those dependent on oil?

In this episode, James is joined by author Emma Ashford to help explore the potential links between oil production and possession in influencing foreign policy, as well as how global conflict can be exasperated by oil's very presence.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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In World War Two the ancient fortress of Colditz Castle was used by the German Army to hold its most defiant prisoners of war. Located near Leipzig, deep in Germany, it was almost impossible to escape.

If an Allied escapee did manage to make it out of the castle walls, they’d face a journey home of hundreds of miles in enemy territory, with no guarantee of safety or help. But the men of Colditz were no ordinary prisoners, and their captors were about to find out why.

In this episode James is joined by bestselling author Ben Macintyre as he reveals the characters who became legends of World War Two due to their daring escapes.

Ben's new book Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

For your chance to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books (including a signed copy of Dan Snow's On This Day in History), please fill out this short survey.

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When we think of pirates our minds turn to figures both real and fictitious such as Blackbeard and Long John Silver, or perhaps even Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa.

We certainly don't tend to think of their involvement in the American Revolution. After all, why would we? What role did those involved in piracy even play in the Revolutionary War?

Well to answer that very question James is joined today by historian, and grandson of General Patton, Robert H. Patton, whose book Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution recounts the role of American pirates in bringing an end to British overlordship.

Bob's book is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

For your chance to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books (including a signed copy of Dan Snow's On This Day in History), please fill out this short survey.

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The resistance fighters of the Moro, an indigenous Muslim population of the Philippines, have been described as most the most successful and least-known guerrillas of World War II's Pacific Theatre.

The Moro mounted an armed opposition so vigorous that the soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army found themselves outfought time and again by their far less well-armed adversaries. When the soldiers of the Empire of Japan invaded their homeland, the Moros, sometimes with swords as their only weapons, bravely fought on alone after the rapid American surrender of the Philippines.

In this episode James is joined by Thomas McKenna, the author of a new book on the Moro warriors, to learn more about arguably the most successful and unlikely resistance movements of the entire Second World War.

Tom's book Moro Warrior: The Untold Story of the Most Remarkable Resistance Fighters of World War II in the Pacific is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

For your chance to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books (including a signed copy of Dan Snow's On This Day in History), please fill out this short survey.

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General George S. Patton was one of America's most successful - and indeed unconventional - military leaders.

From a young age, 'Georgie' Patton believed he was destined to lead a great army, and after an eventful youth - in which he even competed in the 1912 Olympic Games - the Californian forged an incredible military career during both World Wars.

In this episode James is joined by General Patton's grandson, Robert H. Patton, to discuss his grandfather's esteemed, if not slightly controversial career - as well as the conspiracies surrounding his death in 1945.

Bob's book The Pattons: A Personal History of an American Family is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

For your chance to win 5 Historical Non-Fiction Books (including a signed copy of Dan Snow's On This Day in History), please fill out this short survey.

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Warning: This episode contains content that some listeners may find upsetting

No matter the war being fought, it's a sad fact that war crimes take place all around the world - we need only look to Russia's offensive war in Ukraine to see how civilians can be illegally targeted in an indiscriminate and disproportionate fashion.

With contemporary events in mind, we decided to take a look at the long history of war crimes and how perpetrators have been held to account over the decades.

To help with this James is joined once again by Oona Hathaway, Professor of International Law at Yale Law School and member of the Advisory Committee on International Law at the US Department of State since 2005.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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When you think of the Blitz, you think of the Blitz on London. The two are synonymous, and not without reason. Over 57 consecutive nights and days, Luftwaffe raids left tens of thousands dead in Britain's capital in late 1940.

But the truth is that the heavy bombardment of the UK involved so many towns and cities across the country: from Plymouth in the southwest, to Swansea in Wales, to Belfast in Northern Ireland, to the Clydebank in Scotland and all up the northeast coast of England from Hull to Newcastle.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Stephen Moore to learn about the Blitz of the east coast, helping us understand why cities like Newcastle were targeted by the Luftwaffe & why they have become oft forgotten, marginalised histories.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy our episode on 9/11: From the 105th Floor, which was also just shortlisted for a Lovie Award in the Best Interview/Talk Show Category.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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This month marks 75 years since the establishment of the United States Air Force (USAF). So to mark this anniversary, we wanted to follow up on listener Rick Harrison's request for more air power. Well Rick, we hope this will suffice!

In this episode James is joined by Lt Col Whit 'Skate' Collins, a current USAF fighter pilot with the 64th aggressor squadron who is responsible for knowing, teaching, and replicating  adversary tactics in order to train aircrews of the US and its allies.

Skate was kind enough to take us through the long, explosive history of jet fighter aircraft from the last months of the Second World War through to the constantly evolving Top Gun world of today.

Note: Out of respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II, this episode was moved from the day of Her Majesty's funeral on Monday September 19 to Tuesday September 20. Warfare's normal Monday & Friday schedule will return next week.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Following the recent death of Mikhail Gorbachev at the age of 91, we've decided to take a look into the beginnings, career and legacy of the last ever leader of the Soviet Union.

There was a mix of sadness in the West as well as sorrow, silence and indifference in Russia at the news of Gorbachev's passing on August 30, no surprise given how extraordinary his relatively short time in power would prove.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Susan Colbourn to explore Gorbachev's contested legacy, focusing in on one of his most controversial achievements - his Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty, which eliminated an entire class of nuclear weapons for the first time ever.

Susan's new book Euromissiles: The Nuclear Weapons That Nearly Destroyed NATO is available to pre-order here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Chief Joseph W. Pfeifer was the first senior fire chief to arrive at the World Trade Center on 9/11. His actions, along with those of hundreds of other firefighters, helped save tens of thousands of lives on that fateful morning 21 years ago.

Joe's key role in organising the emergency response on September 11 2001 was captured on tape by the Naudet brothers in their extraordinary film 9/11, and the Warfare podcast was honoured to welcome the retired chief - who now lecturers at Harvard - onto the podcast recently.

Join James as Joe leads him through his own personal history of one of the pivotal events of our time.

Joe's book Ordinary Heroes: A Memoir of 9/11 is available here.

If you enjoyed this episode, you might also enjoy our episode on 9/11: From the 105th Floor, which was also just shortlisted for a Lovie Award in the Best Interview/Talk Show Category.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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As a mark of respect and remembrance to the late Queen Elizabeth II, we've chosen to focus on Her Majesty's personal history as a veteran of the Second World War.

For this episode, James is joined by Tessa Dunlop to learn more about how the inspirational, dedicated, and devoted monarch that was Elizabeth II went from a young girl living through the blitz, to serving as a second subaltern in the all-female Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) by the end of WW2.

Note: This episode was recorded before the announcement of Queen Elizabeth II's death.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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If Germany's audacious plan to invade Britain - Operation Sea Lion - had succeeded, what exactly would the country's last line of defence have looked like?

Well much like the French Resistance, who were backed by the UK's very own Special Operations Executive (SOE), Britain had prepared its very own network of brave civilian saboteurs, spies, and assassins - many of whom went to their grave without revealing a word of what they'd been tasked to do.

In this episode James is joined by historian & author Andrew Chatterton, who helps us understand exactly what a British Resistance movement would have looked like.

Mark's new book Britain’s Secret Defences: Civilian saboteurs, spies and assassins during the Second World War is available here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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The Battle of Salamanca was fought in Napoleonic Spain on 22 July 1812, during the Peninsula War. It pitted Lt Gen Arthur Arthur Wellesley, the future Duke of Wellington, against the French military master Marshal Auguste de Marmont.

Despite being one of the lesser discussed Napoleonic battles, Salamanca defined Wellington's reputation as a defensive general and shattered French dominance on the Iberian peninsula.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Zack White to learn more about the bloody & brutal battle that marked such a turning point in the Napoleonic Era on its 210th anniversary.

You can support the Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity here.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Their attacks of September 11 2001 sparked a War on Terror which has a legacy that very much lasts 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?

In this episode James is joined by Dr Afzal Ashraf, an expert on the terror group's ideologies 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.

A version of this episode was originally released in September 2021.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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After the Fall of Singapore in February 1942, the focus of the Pacific War moved closer to Australia. Japanese forces bombed Darwin and began to launch attacks on Papua New Guinea, with a view to capturing its capital Port Moresby.

If the Japanese had captured that city, they would have been able to bomb vital Allied bases in northern Australia - potentially turning the tide of the war in their favour.

In this episode, James is joined by author David W. Cameron to find out about the ferocious, desperate, and incredibly vicious seven-month struggle that followed: the Kokoda Track campaign - often claimed to be 'Australia's Thermopylae'.

David's latest book The Battle for Isurava is available here via Simon & Schuster.

Produced and edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for two weeks free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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In 1970, the deadliest storm in modern history ripped Pakistan in two, leading the world to the brink of nuclear war after American and Soviet forces converged in the Bay of Bengal.

Over the course of just a few hours, the Great Bhola Cyclone would kill 500,000 people and begin a chain reaction of turmoil, genocide, and war.

In this episode James is joined by Scott Carney and Jason Miklian, who take us deep into the story of the cyclone and its aftermath, told through the eyes of those who lived through it - including the infamous president of Pakistan, General Yahya Khan, and his close friend Richard Nixon.

Scott & Jason's book The Vortex: A True Story of History's Deadliest Storm, an Unspeakable War, and Liberation is available here.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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80 years ago today on 19 August 1942, a 6,000 strong combined Allied landing force took part in a raid on Dieppe, Northern France.

Tragically, no less than 67% of these fighters - most of them Canadians - became casualties in what has gone down in history as an unmitigated catastrophe conceived chiefly by Lord Mountbatten.

In this episode to mark the Dieppe Raid's 80th anniversary, James is joined by David O'Keefe who has uncovered declassified material proving how the disastrous raid concealed a secret pinch mission to steal one of the Nazis' Enigma code machines.

David's book One Day in August: Ian Fleming, Enigma, and the Deadly Raid on Dieppe is available here.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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If you were asked what you thought about the Iraq War in Alaska, you'd probably be more than a little confused. But that confusion might turn to shock when you learn about the conflict's controversial legacy of destruction in America's 49th state, of all places.

Despite long-held local protests and previous restrictions, the US Department of Defense controversially reopened Eagle River Flats - an Alaskan estuary that had been historically polluted with white phosphorous munitions - for weapons testing & training during the Iraq War.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Matthew Leep, the researcher who pioneered a damning study on the issue, who helps us understand the broader impact of war well outside the regions of declared conflict - and how war has also impacted animal life, plant life and a whole range of flora & fauna in Alaska.

Edited and sound designed by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Today's guest Kitty Baxter was aged just nine when World War II broke out in 1939. One of five children born to a road sweeper and a cleaner, Kitty joined thousands of children being evacuated to the countryside as German bombing raids loomed.

This would be the first of three times that she was rehoused far from home over the course of the war. Sometimes treated more like a servant than a small child, Kitty endured gruelling years cut off from her parents rather than a safe haven from war.

In this episode she regales James with her experiences living with strangers' families in environments radically different to working-class London, and how she navigated joyful moments as well as times of struggle & loss. One of the last generation of women from this era, Kitty's voice remains as whip-smart as her irrepressible nine-year-old self who triumphed over the adversity of a most unusual childhood.

Kitty's new book I'll Take That One: An Evacuee's Childhood is available here.

Edited and sound designed by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Warning: The events recounted in this episode may be distressing to some listeners

At 11.02 am on August 9 1945, America dropped the world's most powerful atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The Japanese port city was flattened to the ground 'as if it had been swept aside by a broom', with over 70,000 people killed. 

At that time, hundreds of Allied prisoners of war were working close to the bomb's detonation point, as forced labourers in the shipyards and foundries of Nagasaki. Having survived four years of malnutrition, disease, and brutality, they now faced the prospect of the US dropping its second atomic bomb on their prison home.

In this episode James is joined by John Willis, whose new book Nagasaki: The Forgotten Prisoners paint a vivid picture of defeat, endurance, and survival against astonishing odds.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Warning: The events recounted in this episode may be distressing to some listeners

Keiko Ogura was just eight years old on August 6 1945 when her home city of Hiroshima was destroyed by the US in the first atomic bomb attack in history.

Almost 150,000 people lost their lives in that first bombing, which was followed three days later on August 9 by the destruction of Nagasaki, in which around half that number perished. Japan surrendered shortly thereafter, drawing a close to the Second World War.

Those who survived the a-bombs are known as hibakusha, and Keiko - as a storyteller for the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation - is among the most prominent. In this incredible episode, James is joined by Keiko herself to learn her riveting story of survival against all odds.

Produced and sound designed by Elena Guthrie. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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Located just 100 miles off the coast of mainland China, the nation of Taiwan sits in the so-called 'first island chain' - a group of US-friendly territories deemed crucial to American foreign policy.

Yet China's president Xi Jinping maintains that Chinese reunification with Taiwan must be fulfilled. He's not ruled out the possible use of military force - and neither has US president Joe Biden. Tensions have grown even in the last few weeks, so to what extent can tensions over Taiwan be compared to those between Russia and Ukraine?

In this episode James is joined by Samir Puri, Senior Fellow in Urban Security and Hybrid Warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies based in Singapore, to take a deep dive into the history between China & Taiwan and answer the question: could Taiwan really become China's Ukraine?

Produced by Sophie Gee and Aidan Lonergan. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store.

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With Kim Jong-un having issued a new threat of nuclear war just this week on the anniversary of the Korean War armistice in 1953, we take a look at the origins of the North Korean state and the Kim dynasty that has ruled it with an iron fist since that conflict.

From founder Kim Il-sung, to his successors Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un, the ruling family of North Korea have lasted remarkably long by the standards of authoritarian dictators.

In this episode - the fifth and final of our special miniseries on the Korean War and its legacies - James is joined once again by former Pyongyang AP bureau chief and co-host of The Lazarus Heist podcast, Jean Lee, to take a deep dive into the birth of North Korea and the Kim dynasty.

Produced by Elena Guthrie and Aidan Lonergan. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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The war in Ukraine has left many of us aghast that open armed conflict could again erupt on the European continent... except the idea of a peaceful post-WW2 Europe is hardly historically correct.

The Kosovo War of 1999 is but one example. Over 78 days NATO aircraft bombarded the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's forces into submission, achieving a swift victory without a single ground troop having to be deployed.

The conflict has been described as Tony Blair's 'Perfect War', but is this accurate? In this episode James is joined by author and former UK diplomat Arthur Snell to find out.

Arthur's new book How Britain Broke the World is available here.

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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In July 1945 when Korea was divided by the 38th parallel into North and South, families were suddenly torn apart by a border that would change the course of history. Post World War Two, Korea was of massive strategic importance, a stepping stone to the rest of Asia. After centuries of monarchy and 35 years of brutal colonial rule - many Koreans were unsure which side would provide them with a future that promised them independence.

The fourth episode in our series on the Korean War, James is joined by former Pyongyang AP bureau chief and co-host of The Lazarus Heist podcast, Jean Lee, to talk about her family's experiences in South Korea during this period. Devastating famines, brutal fighting, and families split up with no way of contact - it was a harrowing experience for the Korean people. With nearly 5 million casualties, many of them civilians, why is the Korean War known as the "Forgotten War"? And what impacts can still be felt today?

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18 minutes. That's how much extra time the US Navy Seals had during their raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In that time they managed to secure never seen before correspondence from across the Al-Qaeda network giving US intelligence a new insight into their movements and plans.

In this episode, James is joined by Dr Nelly Lahoud, a senior fellow in New America's International Security program, to talk about this vital raid and why this information is so important. Giving us a new perspective on internal relationships, communications, and beliefs within Al-Qaeda - those extra 18 minutes have provided invaluable information.

Nelly's book The Bin Laden Papers is available on Amazon here.

Produced by Aidan Lonergan. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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Moored in the River Thames, the HMS Belfast is an important part of the Imperial War Museums and a brilliant learning resource for those who visit. But for veteran Ron Yardley, it was his home for two years while he served in the Korean War.

In this episode of our Korean War miniseries, Ron joins James aboard the Belfast to talk about his experiences and memories of those unforgettable years. Remembering the much sought after rum rations, the benefits of a good hammock, and honouring those who lost their lives - Ron offers a profound insight into the real life reverberations this conflict had on those involved.

Produced by Elena Guthrie and Sophie Gee. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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Join James for this special episode as we take an exclusive look at an astonishing discovery made at the Waterloo battlefield in Belgium.

Watch History Hit's exclusive documentary on the Waterloo Uncovered discovery here.

This episode was edited by Aidan Lonergan.

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NATO is expanding and enlarging. With the number of rapid response troops set to increase to 300,000, and Sweden & Finland in line to gain membership, the organisation has truly awoken to the evolving threat posed by Russia.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Sten Rynning from the University of Southern Denmark to examine the full history of NATO to see when it has expanded and enlarged before.

Follow Sten on Twitter at @stenrynning and keep an eye out for his book in late 2022/early 2023.

This episode was edited by Annie Coloe.

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With the range to sail anywhere in the world and the supplies to facilitate it, HMS Belfast served a crucial role in the Korean War.

Once again aboard HMS Belfast, in the second episode of Warfare's miniseries on the Korean War, James is joined by the director of Belfast, Rob Rumble, to answer this question.

With post-war Britain on the brink of financial collapse - and the once pre-eminent Royal Navy overtaken by the US amidst the Cold War - the UK had to find its place in the new world order. Did the Korean War provide Britain with an opportunity to step back into an imperial role, and why were they so desperate to do so?

Produced by Elena Guthrie and Sophie Gee. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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It's exactly 80 years since Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Perhaps the most well-known Jewish victim of the Holocaust, Anne achieved posthumous fame with the 1947 publication of The Diary of a Young Girl, the journal in which she documented her life in hiding from 1942-1944.

But fewer of us know much about what the Netherlands was like under German occupation, the brave people who hid the Franks and others in the Secret Annex, or indeed the numerous fates of those involved. The Anne Frank story didn’t start when she went into hiding in July 1942 and began writing her diary, nor indeed–given a recent controversy over the ‘traitor theory’–is it done.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Gertjan Broek, Senior Historical Researcher at the Anne Frank House, to hear what his extensive research has uncovered about the life of Anne Frank.

Produced by Aidan Lonergan. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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Millions dead. A higher proportion of civilian casualties than in World War Two. America, Britain, Russia & China all involved in a conflict that—technically—remains active to this day. So why is the Korean War of 1950-53 nicknamed The Forgotten War?

In this first episode of Warfare’s miniseries on the Korean War, James is joined by Dr Ian Johnson onboard the HMS Belfast—one of six Royal Navy vessels that provided fire support in the summer of 1950—to find out why the mighty British ship was there in the first place.

Helping to prevent further North Korean incursions in the peninsula, the Belfast played a vital role in the Korean War—with its famed six inch guns succeeding in slowing down enemy advancements. So why was there a war in Korea? And which individuals defined this most overlooked of wars?

Produced by Elena Guthrie and Sophie Gee. Edited by Annie Coloe.

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2022 marks the 80 year anniversary of the White Rose resistance against Nazism. The White Rose was made up of 5 students and an academic in Munich, who saw the atrocities of the Nazi regime and knew that somebody had to stand up against it. At great personal risk, they typed up anti-nazi rhetoric and disseminated it across universities in the hopes of stopping World War 2, and preventing the Nazi party from further bloodshed. Eventually giving their lives, this important story is being shared by Alexandra LLoyd from Oxford University, providing a detailed explanation of what happened, and what lessons can be learnt from this remarkable sacrifice.

The Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Aidan Lonergan.

Edited and mixed by Annie Coloe

Extracts performed by Sophia Fabian

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With 300,000 US troops stationed in Northern Ireland between 1942 and 1945 - Northern Ireland soon became overrun. Known as the 'Friendly Invasion', why was Northern Ireland chosen as the site of the first US deployment in Europe during WW2? Poitín, information pamphlets, and lasting social impacts - what happened when the Americans came to stay?

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The Cold War wasn’t just limited to nuclear tensions and competition between the great powers. 

What’s often overlooked is that major transformations took place in the 1950s and 60s across West Africa, as power transferred from colonial powers such as Britain & France to independent African nations.

In this episode, James is joined by Professor Marco Wyss from Lancaster University to discuss the fascinating postcolonial story behind West Africa’s Cold War.

Marco's book Postcolonial Security: Britain, France, and West Africa's Cold War is available via Oxford University Press.

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It's easy to forget there was a time before the special relationship, when the United States might never have gotten involved in the First World War.

Three figures, two presidents and a social reformer - Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Jane Addams - were key in shaping American foreign policy as the Great War commenced.

In this episode James is joined by Neil Lanctot to find out why the US entered the European theatre of WW1 when so many of its citizens were against the idea back in the heyday of American isolationism.

Neil's book Approaching Storm, The: Roosevelt, Wilson, Addams, and Their Clash Over America's Future is available on Amazon here.

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Russia has been accused of using food as a weapon of war in Ukraine, pushing up to 49 million people into famine.

Further afield, Putin's war has affected food supply and prices around the world - as the 'breadbasket' region is vitally important to global grain production in particular.

Sadly this is nothing new, as our guest knows all too well. Today James is joined by Oxfam's Marc Cohen to explore the evolving yet ever present relationship between food, famine and warfare.

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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. For this episode we're digging into our Warfare archives to 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.

This episode first aired June 2nd 2021.

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Watch James's new documentary D-Day - 24 Hours in Normandy on History Hit now.

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There was only one Victoria Cross awarded on the 6th June 1944, D-Day. It went to Company Sergeant Major Stanley Hollis of the 6th Battalion of the Green Howards. Alongside the 7th Battalion of the same regiment, the 6th were to advance 7 miles inland on the first day of Operation Overlord, the furthest of any other forces from Britain and the United States.

To explore the actions of the individuals from the Green Howards who made this advance, including the 180 who lost their lives in doing so, James spoke to Eric Le Doux-Turnbull. Eric runs D-Day Landing private tours and is one of the contributors for the History Hit TV special on the D-Day landings.

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Watch James's new documentary D-Day - 24 Hours in Normandy on History Hit now.

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Happy Platinum Jubilee! As Queen Elizabeth II becomes the first British monarch to mark 70 years on the throne - as well as commander-in-chief of Her Majesty's Armed Forces - we trace the origins of the House of Windsor's close-knit links to the British military.

Why are the two so seemingly inseparable? The story begins in the First World War, when the dynasty changed its name from the House of Saxe-Coburg & Gotha to distance itself from its German roots. Rather than suffer due to its kinship with the kaiser, the royal family's stock amongst the UK public and its soldiery actually rose during and after the Great War.

In this episode James is joined by Heather Jones, Professor in Modern & Contemporary European History at UCL and the author of a new book on the subject, to explore exactly why the Armed Forces serve for king, queen and country.

Prof. Jones's book For King and Country: The British Monarchy and the First World War is out now via Cambridge University Press.

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On a winter day in 1903, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the Wright Brothers changed history when they took the world's first engine-powered flight. It didn't take long for countries around the world to realise that the Wright flying machine had the potential to revolutionise warfare and soon everybody wanted flying machines of their own. But the US didn't have the advantage; Historian and TV Consultant Gavin Mortimer tells Dan Snow that after that first flight, the Wright Brothers spent more time in court trying to protect their patent and ground other aviators than they did in their workshop. Not only did it make them largely despised by their contemporaries, they quickly fell behind in the race to master the air.

For more about those dramatic days of pioneering aviation, Gavin's book is called 'Chasing Icarus: The Seventeen Days in 1910 That Changing American Aviation'

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This episode was originally published on Dan Snow's History Hit on 17 December 2021.

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The US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan marked the beginning of the longest wars in US history - but how were they funded for upwards of two decades? James is joined by Professor Sarah Kreps to talk about how warfare has changed over the course of American history, and how that's allowed for a change in funding. From buying bonds and loved ones being sent off to war in their millions, to often unnoticed taxes and drone led warfare in the present - is there now a lack of transparency and accountability in understanding the funding of wars?

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He was nicknamed ‘the man with the iron heart’ by Hitler, and was tipped to be his successor. But on the 27th May 1942, Reinhard Heydrich was mortally injured in Prague by Czechoslovak resistance operatives Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš. They were part of Operation Anthropoid, and today George Bearfield is back with James to talk about the decision to target Heydrich, the plan and its execution, and the final stand and reprisals.

George provides the definitive story of Czechoslovakia's role in the Second World War through the eyes of his grandfather, who was a member of that country’s intelligence service, in Foursquare: The Last Parachutist

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While the Allies reeled from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and Hitler's declaration of war on the United States, a ferocious battle was also raging across the icy steppes of Russia in early December 1941. Hitler had launched his invasion of the Soviet Union in June of that year - Operation Barbarossa - the largest and deadliest in modern history. The German army was no match for the sheer number of soldiers sent by Stalin or the brutal conditions of a Russian winter. By the time Hitler's army reached the gates of Moscow on the 2nd of December, millions from both sides had died. 

In June 2021, Dan was joined by historian and veteran broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby to discuss the beginning of Operation Barbarossa and the German offensive. Jonathan joins Dan once more to look at Stalin's response, what was going on in the city during the Battle of Moscow and why the Soviets ultimately succeeded in defeating the Germans. 

This episode was first broadcast on Dan Snow's History Hit, 9th December 2021.

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What if we could take people completely out of the equation when planning military strikes? ‘Lethal autonomous weapons systems’ use artificial intelligence to identify, select and kill human targets without human intervention. Whilst with unmanned military drones, the decision to strike is made remotely by a human operator, in the case of lethal autonomous weapons the decision is made by algorithms. But how does this work, and what are the dangers of the proliferation of these weapons?

James is with Emilia Javorsky, a physician from the Future of Life Institute. Emilia takes us through the probabilities of a future with autonomous weapons, including the risks to our world and to the development of artificial intelligence.

You can find more about this at https://futureoflife.org/ and https://autonomousweapons.org/

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Siegfried Sassoon is one of the most famous poets of the 20th century. But he is also famous as a soldier, decorated for his bravery on the battlefield of World War One, who then became a vocal critic of the war upon his return. After acclaimed premiere screenings at TIFF, San Sebastian and the BFI London Film Festival, two BIFA nominations and a long-list for BAFTA for Outstanding British Film, Benediction is out now in the UK and Ireland.

James spoke to writer and director Terence Davies about his inspiration for making the film, and actor Jack Lowden about his preparations for, and experience of, starring as a young Sassoon.

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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=warefare.

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Robert ‘Bob’ Binzer wanted to be a pilot from a young age, and during the Second World War he got his wish. Bob was an aviator with the United States Air Force in the China, Burma and India (CBI) theatre of the war; carrying critical supplies, weapons and even soldiers over the Himalayan mountains on a daily basis.

His daughter, Rainy Horvath, joins James for this episode of the Warfare podcast to explore this CBI theatre of war, and to give us a glimpse into Bob’s experiences there.

Rainy’s book, ‘The Able Queen: Memoirs of an Indiana Hump Pilot Lost in the Himalayas’ can be found here: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-able-queen-rainy-horvath/1138469702

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Whether talking about shell shock, war neurosis, combat trauma or PTSD; the impacts of war zones on those who fight in them or encounter them have long been discussed. With increasing understanding, however, definitions and treatments continue to change.

James is joined for this episode by Dr Heather Venable from the Department of Airpower at the United States Air Force Air Command and Staff College Montgomery, Alabama. Together, they question the definition of Post Traumatic Stress as a disorder and compare its symptoms and causes with that of moral injury. They then journey through understandings of the experience and lasting effects of combat, from Ancient Greece to civil wars to present day bomber pilots and drone operators.

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By the summer of 1942 Malta had been under siege by Axis forces for over a year and the situation on the island was bleak with food and fuel almost exhausted. This vital allied foothold in the Mediterranean had to be held at all cost in order to prevent the collapse of the allied effort in North Africa where Rommel's forces were finding much success.

In a desperate bid to prevent the loss of Malta, Winston Churchill ordered that a convoy like no other be dispatched to run the air and sea gauntlet in the Mediterranean. In August 1942 4 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 7 light cruisers, 32 destroyers, 11 submarines and a host of smaller vessels and aircraft accompanied 14 merchant ships as they attempted to battle their way to the beleaguered island fortress.

The legendary Max Hastings joins Dan in this episode from the archive to tell the story of the incredible bravery and tenacity of the men who took part in Operation Pedestal.

This episode was first broadcast on Dan Snow's History Hit, 13th July 2021.

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Enrique ‘Ric’ Prado found himself in his first firefight at age seven. The son of a middle-class Cuban family caught in the midst of the Castro Revolution, his family fled Cuba and their home for the hope of a better life in America.

Ric joins James for today's episode - retired from the Central Intelligence Agency as the CIA equivalent of a two star general - to talk about his legendary career in the shadowy world of assassins, terrorists, spies and revolutionaries. Operating in the shadows during the Cold War and the War on Terror, Ric and his fellow CIA officers fought a little-seen and virtually unknown war to keep USA safe. Ric's memories offer a unique glimpse into the shadow wars that America fought since the Vietnam Era, and the long battle with Al Qaeda.

You can buy Ric’s book ‘Black ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior’ here: shorturl.at/qvNYZ

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As the Cold War came to an end, US President George H.W. Bush defined his 1992 election bid in terms of the War on Drugs. It was said that there was no longer a Soviet foe to grapple with and that, instead, illegal narcotics now posed an existential threat to the American people.

Yet as it turns out, the War on Drugs actually began much longer ago than this, back to the founding of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) in 1930.

In this episode, James is joined by Matthew Pembleton from the American University in Washington DC to help trace the origins of America's bloody and costly global War on Drugs.

Matt's book Containing Addiction: The Federal Bureau of Narcotics and the Origins of America's Global Drug War is available on Amazon here.

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The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 1941 remains etched in public memory as the turning point of WW2. But in fact, it was Hitler’s declaration of war on the United States – four days later on December 11, 1941 – that changed everything.

In this episode, Professor of International Relations at Cambridge University Brendan Simms tells Dan the story of those five unsettling days. Churchill did not sleep “the sleep of the saved and thankful” after the attack, as he later claimed. Japan’s leaders were unsure whether Hitler would honour a private commitment to declare war. Roosevelt knew that many Americans didn’t want their country to entangle itself in a conflict with the Third Reich as well as Japan. In the end, it was Hitler’s decision that ended the uncertainty, bringing the US into the European war and transforming world history. You can read more in 'Hitler's American Gamble' by Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman.

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Stalin, the 'Man of Steel' and supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century, is readily associated with his ruthless regime inside the USSR, and with his fierce opposition to Western Europe and the United States during the Cold War. Commonly, however, this is set aside for narratives of the Second World War, from which he emerged victorious with his Western Allies. Sean McMeekin has been taking a closer look at this. Was Stalin partially to blame for the beginning of the Second World War? And did the USSR emerge in a better position than both its opposition and its allies?

As the author of Stalin's War, historian and author Sean tells James more about Stalin, from his ruthless creation of an empire to the ramifications of his regime during World War 2.

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As the reality of atrocities in Ukraine continues to be uncovered, we look back at a massacre of Polish officers in the Second World War, the truth of which is still being exposed to this day. Under the orders of Stalin, in 1940 the NKVD carried out a secret operational order. However, for almost fifty years, the Soviet regime's fiction of Katyn being a Nazi atrocity was unchallenged. In this episode, writer and filmmaker Jane Rogoyska joins James once again on Warfare. As the author of Surviving Katyn: Stalin's Polish Massacre and the Search for Truth, Jane takes us through the results of decades-long efforts to unearth answers; as we focus on the experience of the few survivors and newly-opened archives.

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Over six decades John Simpson has been on the frontline of reporting bringing news from some of the most dangerous places on the planet to the television screens of millions of people. His work has opened the public's eyes to the terrible cost of conflict across the globe. Along the way, John has been arrested, harassed, beaten up, threatened and nearly killed on a number of occasions. He joins Dan on this podcast to talk about his life, his career, the therapy of writing, why he keeps working and how his new novel 'Our Friends in Beijing' has been inspired by his experiences reporting in China.

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In September 2001, Al-Qaeda had struck and America was aghast. Eight brave CIA officers set the pace, being the first Americans to step foot on enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. Under the codename Team Alpha, they were on a mission to protect America. 

In this episode, James is joined by Toby Harnden. A former foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times of London, and the Daily Telegraph, Toby specializes in terrorism and war. As the author of First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11, a winner of the Orwell Prize for Books, Toby takes us through the events of the first operation inside Afghan territory a mere weeks after the attacks. Amid chaos and mourning, how did this mission unfold?

Toby Harnden is the author of ‘First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11’, published by Back Bay Books

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The Falklands War, or the Guerra de las Malvinas? For today’s guest, it was the latter. Roberto Herrscher grew up singing the songs of the Malvinas at school, and in 1982 was conscripted into the Argentinian Navy to fight against the British. 

In this episode, find out what it was like to be conscripted, how Roberto felt and continues to feel about the war, and the continuing impact of the conflict on those who fought there and on the broader culture. Roberto is a professor of Journalism at the Alberto Hurtado University in Chile. He has carried out academic papers and presentations on the coverage of the war and the journalistic treatment of its memory and its aftermath. He is the author of ‘The Voyages of the Penelope’, tracing the history of the vessel that he served on in the Falklands.

Due to the nature of this episode, some distressing topics are addressed including suicide.

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On Sunday 18 June 1815 60,000 men were slaughtered in the Battle of Waterloo. Napoleon Bonaparte's French army was finally defeated by an almighty coalition of troops from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Hanover, Brunswick and Nassau, led by the Duke of Wellington, and the Prussian army under the command of Field Marshal von Blücher. In this archive episode Zack White, who set up Voices of the Battlefield, an oral history project featuring 41 readings of eyewitness testimony from the campaign, joins the podcast. Dan and Zack discuss the battle and hear accounts, ranging from a 10 year old triangle player remembering the chaos of the battlefield to Wellington's own remorse at the horrific bloodshed of what happened that fateful day.

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As Europe prepared for the Second World War, a challenge presented itself to the men and women of Britain’s museums, galleries and archives: how could they keep their many national treasures safe? From stately homes and slate mines, to castles and prisons, in today’s episode Dr Caroline Shenton explores the race to protect British heritage.

Caroline is an archivist and historian, her new book ‘National Treasures: Saving The Nation's Art in World War II’ can be found here.

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The role of successful and strategic intelligence operations is a vital part of determining the outcomes of battles and wars. But with every decision having the potential of catastrophic repercussions, how do you even begin to gather intelligence on a new foe? In this third installment of a new miniseries from Warfare focusing on the Falklands War, James is joined by Nick van der Bijl - Nick served 24 years as a Regular in the British Army in armour, military intelligence, and security, and finally as an infantry officer in the Territorial Army. Seeing active service with the 3rd Commando Brigade during the Falkland conflict, Nick takes us back through the period, with extraordinary first-hand accounts.

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Today, James is the guest on our NEW sister podcast Patented, hosted by Dallas Campbell. Together, they talk us through the century-long history of military drones.

Drone technology has transformed the way we wage war today. They have been key in every major conflict since at least 2008, including the current war in Ukraine. But military drones have a much longer history than you might imagine, dating all the way back to the First World War.

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On the 7th April 1945, 702 French members of the Special Air Service parachuted into the Netherlands to recapture Dutch canals, bridges and airfields in the fight against the occupiers. This was one of the last major airborne missions of the Second World War and, despite a multitude of difficulties, it resulted in the liberation of parts of the Netherlands and paved the way for the Canadian advance. Joël Stoppels is a battlefield guide and founder of Battlefield Tours, he takes us through the mission and its challenges, and explores some of the atrocities perpetrated throughout the war and during the German retreat, discovered by the advancing French paratroopers.

 

Joël’s website can be found here.

 

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As a mist set in and the sea began to swell, British and Argentine warships circled one another off the coast of the Falkland Islands. Yet hidden beneath the waves, HMS Conqueror - a Royal Navy nuclear submarine - stalked the packed decks of the Belgrano. This pivotal day 40 years ago witnessed one of the key turning points that shifted the course of the Falklands War.

In this second instalment of a new miniseries from Warfare focusing on that very conflict, James is joined by Sir Lawrence Freedman - official historian of the Falklands War - to find out more about the crucial moments that led to Britain's victory in 1982.

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The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in American military history. They faced discrimination and segregation at home but in the skies of Europe, they became one of the most successful and feared fighter units as they escorted bombers on raids in Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Germany.

In this week's episode from the archive, Dan discovers just how dangerous becoming a Tuskegee Airmen was. We also hear about a fascinating project to recover the wreckage of the downed plane of a Tuskegee Airman and erect a memorial to honour those pilots who gave their lives whilst training. Dan speaks to Wayne Lusardi, State Underwater Archaeologist for Michigan, and Erik Denson, Lead Instructor with Diving With a Purpose, about their important archaeological work.

In the second half of the episode, we hear from Col Harry Stewart Jr., one of the last surviving Tuskegee airmen. Harry discusses his experiences of dogfights in the skies over Europe during World War Two, the discrimination he and his colleagues faced, the progress that he has seen in his lifetime and what it was like to get back into the cockpit of a P-51 Mustang after 70 years.

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On November 15 2021 Russia tested an anti-satellite weapon, shattering one of their own satellites into over a thousand pieces. This space debris will orbit the Earth for a very long time, posing a threat to space travel and other satellites.

With space increasingly becoming a site of military activity, is war in space a real possibility? In this episode James is joined by Major General Robert H. Latiff, who retired from the US Air Force in 2006, to find out whether human conflict could really cross into the final frontier.

Robert's new book Future Peace: Technology, Aggression, and the Rush to War is available here.

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April 2022 marks 40 years since the beginning of the Falklands War - but how and why did these small islands in the South Atlantic become the setting of an international conflict?

In this first episode of a new miniseries from Warfare focusing on the Falklands War, James is joined by geopolitical lecturer and author Klaus Dodds. Together they discuss why the 'Las Malvinas' dispute was so important in the 1980s and to the present day, how the war started, and whether its consequences can still be felt in the 21st century.

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Whilst Churchill is best remembered for his achievements during the dark days of the Second World War, much of the rest of his career had much more to do with failure than success. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, journalist and author of 'Churchill's Shadow: An Astonishing Life and a Dangerous Legacy', joins Dan for this episode from the archive. They discuss Geoffrey's radical reappraisal of Churchill's life and work and the myth that continues to shape our view of one of the most complex figures of the 20th Century.

For more about the Second World War, check out History Hit's new original 'The Traces of War: The Battle for France' which includes Warfare's own James Rogers.

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Did build up to World War Two only begin in the 20th century, or was the century of violent imperial expansion before 1939 the ultimate cause of one of the deadliest conflicts marked in modern history? In this episode James is joined by historian and author Richard Overy to discuss his fresh perspective of World War Two. In his new book 'Blood and Ruins The Great Imperial War' - Richard argues that World War Two should be seen as the final point of nearly a century of imperial expansion across the globe. Together he and James discuss the lesser known imperialistic views of major players in the Second World War, the origins and consequences of imperialistic views, and why this new outlook is important in shaping our understanding of one of the deadliest conflicts in history.

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The conflict we know today as the Vietnam War–involving the United States and the Viet Cong–was actually the second of the Indochina Wars, the first having been fought shortly after WW2 between France and the Viet Minh.

In this episode James is joined by Dr Pablo de Orellana of King's College London, whose new book focuses on the often forgotten conflict that he calls the First Vietnam War.

Dr Pablo's book The Road to Vietnam: America, France, Britain, and the First Vietnam War, is available here.

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After the First World War the German Army was in crisis. Limited in the size and its equipment by the Versailles Treaty which ended the war, it was a shadow of the mighty force it had been in 1914. Help came from a surprising source. Soviet Russia.

Historian Ian Johnson explains to Dan how it was the Soviets who helped rebuild the German military machine before World War Two. In this episode from the archive, explore this relationship in which the Soviets helped turn the Wehrmacht into a military machine that in 1941-2 came very close to toppling the Soviet state.

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His ideas were cast aside in the early 20th century, but later went on to help Allied forces win the Second World War, but who was Julian Corbett and what were his recommendations on strategy? By combining history, emerging technology, and geopolitical structures - Corbett revolutionised the concepts behind readying Britain for Warfare. In this episode, James is joined by Professor Andrew Lambert to discuss Julian Corbett's life, ideas, and his posthumous legacy in British Warfare.

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Russia and the UK have very different political structures and ambitions, from their alliance at the Battle of Navarino in 1827 to the historic low of their relations now. In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by Lord David Owen, who formerly served as Navy Minister, British foreign secretary, and EU peace negotiator in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. With over two decades of working closely with Russia, Lord Owen takes us through his knowledge of the complex history of dealings.

David Owen is the author of 'Riddle, Mystery, and Enigma: Two Hundred Years of British-Russian Relations' published by Haus Publishing.

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In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we wanted to take a closer look at Russian President, Vladimir Putin's rise to power. We've dug out this episode from June 2020, when Catherine Belton joined Dan on the pod to discuss the former KGB spy-turned political figure's rule. After working from 2007-2013 as the Moscow correspondent for the Financial Times, Catherine's career has offered an exclusive insight into workings of Putin's Kremlin. Her new book 'Putin's People' is packed with interviews from key inside players, uncovering details about how Putin subverted Russia’s economy and legal system and extended the Kremlin's reach into the United States and Europe. It's a story of billions of dollars being siphoned out of state enterprises, murky networks of operatives and a suppression of independent voice. 

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Boko Haram is one of the largest Islamist militant groups in Africa, with Nigeria’s ongoing battle with insurgent groups and government corruption threatening the stability and political integrity of Africa’s most populous state. But who exactly are Boko Haram? In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by Dr. Olayinka Ajala, lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Leeds Beckett University and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. With over a decade of studying the terror group that Boko Haram, Olayinka takes us through his in-depth knowledge of the terrorist organisation.

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In this interview from the History Hit archive with Julie McDowall, she talks Dan through exactly how the British government prepared for a worst case nuclear scenario. They discuss surviving the attack, the women who planned to provide jigsaws to the survivors and how Britain might remake itself in the aftermath of armageddon.

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Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine has seen warfare return to the streets of Europe for the first time in decades, with Putin's troops launching major offensives to take key cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odessa. Both Ukrainian soldiers and civilians continue to mount fierce resistance against the occupiers throughout their country's urban terrain.

But what is the history of urban warfare and what can it tell us about the future of this horrific new war? In this episode James is joined by John Spencer, a decorated American war veteran and Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the West Point US Military Academy, to find out more.

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Located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the elongated embayment of the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east is The Gallipoli peninsula. When we think of Gallipoli, people often look at the land-based components, but what about airpower? In this episode, James is joined by author and military historian Sterling Michael Pavelec to examine airpower and engineering in the emerging world of modern warfare. From dummy airplanes, the first torpedo attack, and the advancement of aerial photography, we take an in-depth look into the skies of the Gallipoli campaign. Airpower Over Gallipoli, 1915–1916 by Sterling Michael Pavelec.

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In February 2022, UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss voiced her support for those individuals who wanted to travel to Ukraine to help, what she interpreted as, "a fight for democracy". These comments have come under fire from fellow politicians, journalists and former members of the Armed Forces - but why? In this episode James is joined by Giles Tremlett, to discuss the similarities, and lessons that can be learnt from the foreign volunteers in the Spanish Civil war. Tales of George Orwell's experiences, fights against fascism, and stories from those en route to Ukraine already : when people go to war for another country, do they really know what they're signing up for?

Giles' book is called 'The International Brigades: Fascism, Freedom and the Spanish Civil War'

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Of all the clubs in the world, perhaps the most extraordinary is the Guinea Pig Club, a group of Second World War veterans that suffered terrible injuries and were then treated by pioneering surgeon Archibald McIndoe. In this episode from the archive, Dan Snow visits Jan Stangreciuk, one of the few surviving members, to hear his remarkable life story. Also featuring contributions from renowned World War Two historian Roger Moorhouse.

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By law, gay men and women were banned from serving in the British military until the year 2000. Until that year, over 250 service personnel were thrown out of the military each year because of their sexuality alone. This week James is joined by Ed Hall, who was sacked by the Royal Navy for being gay before going on to found the Armed Forces Legal Challenge Group that campaigned successfully to abolish the ban just 22 years ago.

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Ukraine has been invaded by Russia. But why? What is NATO’s purpose, and why does it bother Vladimir Putin so much? In this episode of Warfare, we’re joined by Jamie Shea, the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary-General at NATO, who’s sat across the table from the Russian President himself. Jamie and James explore the birth of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the questions surrounding its membership, and how it impacts the current situation in Ukraine. Jamie has decades of experience working for NATO since the Cold War era, and shares incredible insights into the ups and downs of its relationship with Russia over the years.

To hear more from Jamie, check out his weekly look at emerging geopolitical crises as well as threats in security and defence here.

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In August 1991 there was an attempted coup in the Soviet Union as communist hard-liners sought to re-establish the dominance of Soviet rule in Russia and its satellite states. The coup attempt collapsed after three days and it eventually led to the collapse of communism. Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary on 24 August and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR suspended the activities of the party on 29 August. Following this, later former soviet states declared their independence which has radically reshaped the world in the decades since. As Russia attempts to reassert its influence in Ukraine, we have searched the archives for this episode in which Dan is joined by historian and holocaust survivor Peter Kenez to help understand the causes of the collapse of the Soviet Union and its ongoing consequences.

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At the end of the Second World War thousands of German children were sent to the frontlines in the largest mobilisation of underage combatants in history. In this episode James chats to Helene Munson, whose father was one of these child soldiers, about the indoctrination he was subjected to and the unthinkable perils he faced on the Eastern Front as a teenage boy.

Helene's new book is available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-Soldiers-Personal-Schooling-Legacy/dp/0750997117

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With a 130,000 estimated Russian troops stationed at various points along the Ukrainian border - tensions are rising not only in eastern Europe, but globally. A conflict dating back to 2013, uncertainty for Ukraine's future has only increased in the last 9 years. This week James is joined by Henry Langston, who reported for Vice from the front lines of Ukraine in 2014, to discuss the renewed Russian aggression, his first hand experiences on the line, and whether a diplomatic agreement can be reached.

This episode was recorded during February 2022. 

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The Atlantic Wall is one of the biggest construction projects in history a line of formidable defences stretching from the Pyrenees to the Norwegian Arctic but how effective was it? In this episode from the archive, James spoke to Dan about his recent History Hit documentary In Defence of the Reich: Hitler's Atlantic Wall. They discuss how and why the Atlantic Wall was built, Hitler's obsession with it, how effective it was and whether it could have ever been successful against an allied invasion.

Image credit: Bundesarchiv

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Abraham Lincoln, Stag-do-esque antics, and forbidden overnight stays within the Vatican - the tale of the Last Emperor of Mexico sounds more like a period drama and not the sadly true and tragic end of Maximilian I. This week James is joined by Edward Shawcross to talk about the titular character of his new book 'The Last Emperor of Mexico: Disaster in the New World'. Together they discuss inadequate leadership, paranoid Empresses, and the role the American Civil war played beyond it's borders.

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Imagine jetting off on holiday only to land in a warzone and get taken hostage by Saddam Hussein. It might sound far-fetched, but in 1990 that's exactly the fate that awaited the passengers and crew of British Airlines Flight 149. What followed has been called the most shocking government cover-up of the last thirty years. This week James is joined by journalist Stephen Davis, who has investigated the story for three decades and authored a book and new podcast on the lies, spies and ruined lives of that fated flight.

The Secret History of Flight 149 is available to listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Stephen's book is available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/OPERATION-TROJAN-HORSE-shocking-government/dp/1789464617/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1644502013&sr=8-5

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit

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In this episode from the History Hit archive, Dan Snow speaks to British military historian Mark Simner about the Opium Wars, events that are rarely taught in British schools, but taught ubiquitously across China. He explains the provenance of both conflicts, and explores some of the reasons why resentment still lingers to this day. The Opium Wars are a critical part of Chinese history, vital to understanding the first half of the 20th century in China, and to some extent, modern-day China.

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In the midst of World War Two, the 7th of February marks the beginning of the week long battle between the Japanese Empire and the British over the eastern stronghold of Singapore. The Fall of Singapore in 1942 is known as one of Britain's largest surrenders. Impeccable Japanese preparations, feeble British bureaucracy, and failures of communication - led to one of the bloodiest weeks of fighting known. This week James is joined by Professor Malcom Murfett of Kings College London to discuss this important part of global history.

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Molotov Cocktails, stealth skiing, and a ruined Birthday party for Stalin? What exactly happened in the Winter War of 1939-40 between Russia and Finland? This week James is joined by Elisabeth Braw from the American Enterprise Institute to discuss the Finnish-Russo war of the 20th Century and it's impact on geo-politics today. Together they cover Russia's unexpected loss, the advantages of fighting on Finnish turf, and how in the face of a foreign enemy, internal politics can be put aside to unite communities.

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Were the German Luftwaffe the mighty Goliath to Britain's David during the Battle of Britain, or were they in fact more evenly matched? And what on earth was the Luftwaffe's strategy for knocking Britain out of the war? Victoria Taylor is an aviation historian who is just completing her PhD in the Luftwaffe and its politicisation under the Nazis. In this episode from the archives, she talks to Dan Snow about how the Germans approached the Battle of Britain.

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Half a century ago on January 30 1972, British soldiers shot dead 14 unarmed protesters during a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. The soldiers were from the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment ("1 Para"), the same battalion implicated in the Ballymurphy massacre just months before. It took decades of campaigning and two huge inquests by the UK Government to accept sole wrongdoing and apologise for the atrocity.

In this episode, James chats to Julieann Campbell, the spokesperson for the Bloody Sunday family whose uncle Jackie Daddy, 17, was the first fatality of the massacre. Julieann has written a new book, ‘On Bloody Sunday: A New History Of The Day And Its Aftermath – By The People Who Were There’, to mark the 50th anniversary of one of the darkest days of The Troubles.

WARNING: Some listeners may find the content of this episode upsetting or distressing.

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This week, in honour of Holocaust memorial day, James is joined once again by Agnes Grunwald-Spier to discuss her experiences in the Holocaust and the work she's done since researching those from non-Jewish communities who risked their lives to help the jewish community during the Holocaust. These so called 'Other Schindlers' risked their own lives, and the lives of their families to hide Jewish peoples during the horrific events of World War Two. Agnes was being born in the Budapest Ghetto, liberated by the Russians and survived the Holocaust. She talks about her and her mother's experiences in the Ghetto along with exploring a small number of the thousands of stories detailing those 'Other Schindlers' and the life saving work they did.

Due to the nature of this episode some distressing topics are addressed including suicide and rape.

Image Credit: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy Stock Photo

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In this archive episode, Dan Snow concludes his fascinating talk with Sir Cedric Delves and Danny West about the involvement of the SAS in the Falklands War.

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Jim Burrows OAM, 98, served as a Coastwatcher in the South Pacific during World War Two. The Coastwatchers were an intelligence arm of the Allied Intelligence Bureau, and were set up to alert Australia of any military threat from the north. Jim was a radio operator, and spent 10 months behind enemy lines in occupied Japanese territory. 

Jim’s wife Beryl, 97, served in the Royal Australian Air Force as a records keeper, and also features in this episode to tell James what it was like living in Australia while the country was under serious threat of invasion from Japan. 

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Join James this week for a special episode of Warfare, chatting to the writer and cast of the new film 'Munich - the Edge of War'. Set in 1938, the movie follows Chamberlain's attempts to appease Hitler, desperate to avoid another Great War. Joining James is author Robert Harris, along with lead actors George Mackay and Jannis Niewöhner. Together they discuss the historical significance of Chamberlain and Hitler's relationship, Munich's role in contemporary politics, and the pressures of having to learn German in a week. Munich – The Edge of War is in select cinemas now and on Netflix from January 21st.

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In this episode from the archive, Dan Snow hears the incredible story of the SAS's involvement in the Falklands from the men who were actually there: Sir Cedric Delves and Danny West. Image Credit: Harold Lang/Shutterstock

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In the 2022 New Year Honours list, alongside the names of Joanna Lumley, Moira Stuart and Emma Raducanu, was that of Tony Blair. Over a million people have since signed a petition opposing his appointment as Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, because of his involvement in the Iraq war. In this episode, we go back to take a look at the decisions that led to Iraq and at the context it occured in. Brigadier (retd) Ben Barry OBE is a former director of the British Army Staff in the UK Ministry of Defence and author of the Army’s lessons learned analysis of post-conflict stabilisation of Iraq. He is now Senior Fellow for Land Warfare, International Institute for Strategic Studies, and joins us to share his opinion on the Iraq war. His book is ‘Blood, Metal and Dust: How Victory Turned into Defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq’.

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In 1999, the UK’s first and only war crimes trial for murder perpetrated during the Holocaust took place. The extraordinary court case brought back together the interwoven lives of two childhood friends from Belarus. Tragically, one would be the main witness to the atrocities that their friend committed, and the other would be the accused war criminal—a man who had worked at a London tube station for decades.

In this episode, James chats to Mike Anderson and Neil Hanson, the authors of an incredible new book on the little-known case—'The Ticket Collector from Belarus: An Extraordinary True Story of Britain's Only War Crimes Trial'. What an astonishing story.

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In 1814, a British expeditionary force landed in Maryland marched on Washington, brushed aside an American army and stormed into the US capital. The British looted and burnt the Capitol, then moved on to the White House, ate President Madison's dinner and then torched the White House. Even members of the British force described it as 'barbaric.' Two hundred years later Peter Snow, Dan's dad, wrote an account of the raid. He seemed like the obvious guy to talk to when The Capitol was once again attacked in January 2021.

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Since late 2013, Ukraine has been in crisis. But the problems there go much further back. To examine the history of the conflict in Ukraine, we welcome one of our first guests, Professor Chris Bellamy, back to the podcast. Chris takes us right back to the late 18th century to look at the sources and development of the crisis. Chris is Professor Emeritus of Maritime Security at the University of Greenwich and author of a number of books including Absolute War: Soviet Russia in the Second World War.

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Chuck Richardson is a former member of the United States Airforce, serving across Europe in his B17 bomber during World War 2. He, and co-author of their new book Emily Wilson, join James this week to talk about Chuck's remarkable achievements, life, and extraordinary tales from the War. From flying a plane with over 600 bullet holes in, landing in Icelandic storms, to seeking refuge in Madame Tussauds during a bombing raid, Chuck's truly astounding life is full of stories that won't be forgotten.

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During the Second World War, from 1941 onwards, Stalin's Soviet Union was joined in a close but awkward coalition with the Western allies. Military aid and intelligence flowed to the Soviets but virtually no troops. This episode from the archives explores the exception: a small group of US airmen who were sent to Russia to set up an air operation to bomb targets in the Third Reich. They called themselves the Forgotten Bastards of the Eastern Front and Harvard Professor Serhii Plokhii has uncovered new material which sheds light on their time in Stalin's Russia.

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A 13-day political and military standoff took place in October 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Just 90 miles off the coast of Florida, the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba was in fruition. But how did the leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union evade this near-catastrophic escalation? In this episode, James is joined by presidential crisis historian Michael Dobbs. Michael takes us through the intense standoff and the happenings around it. From the roles played to evert nuclear war to the final decisions made by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and President John F. Kennedy. Just how close were we to a state of armageddon?

Micheal Dobbs, Author of One Minute To Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War.

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In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over the frigid Russian Arctic. Hanging below this Soviet plane was a nuclear bomb the size of a small school bus. It was the largest and most powerful bomb ever to be created, and it was about to be tested. 

The Tsar Bomba’s gigantic detonation was intended to be secret, but was detected by American intelligence agencies—bringing brewing Cold War tensions to fever pitch. The thermonuclear hydrogen bomb yielded the equivalent of 50–58 megatons of TNT, enough to annihilate a small country. The resultant mushroom cloud reached an altitude seven times higher than Mount Everest, and its 8-km-wide wide fireball could be seen from almost 1,000km away.

This week, James is joined by Alex Wellerstein, an expert on the history of nuclear weapons. Together they discuss their development from WW2 to today, and the terrifying legacy of the largest man-made explosion in history.

Please vote for us! Dan Snow's History Hit has been nominated for a Podbible award in the 'informative' category: https://bit.ly/3pykkds

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What was it like in Stalag Luft III? In this episode from the History Hit archives, Dan Snow speaks with Air Commodore Charles Clarke, a prisoner-of-war during the Great Escape.

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The search for Peace on Earth has spanned centuries, and involved the creation and dissolution of numerous treaties and organisations. So how does the United Nations fit into this story? Why was it created, and has it been successful in its task? Ian Johnson is a historian of war, technology and diplomacy at the University of Notre Dame. He returns to the podcast for a third time.

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Moored on the Thames, HMS Belfast has become a permanent fixture in the landscape of London, but since her initial launch over 80 years ago she has seen action at D-Day and during the Korean War. In this episode, James speaks to Robert Rumble, lead curator for HMS Belfast, about the ship and, in particular, her service in the Arctic Convoys during the Second World War. Listen to find out about HMS Belfast’s contribution to the Battle of the North Cape, the people on board and the strange (and sad!) story of Olga the reindeer.

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It's a special forces unit known largely for its secrecy, but Damien Lewis is on a mission of his own, to uncover everything about its beginnings. In this episode from the Dan Snow's History Hit archive, he tells us more about the formation of the SAS, starting in autumn 1940, two days after Dunkirk, with Colonel Dudley Clarke.

© IWM

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Anything that James Holland doesn't know about tanks isn't worth knowing. And in this episode, the greats are warring against eachother as he counts down his top 5 tanks of the Second World War. Agility, climbing ability, speed and practicality are all measured to come up with this ultimate list. James Holland presents History Hit's four-part series on tanks which you can find here: https://access.historyhit.com/

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Despite its Orwellian sounding name - the Ministry of Information was not something from a dystopian novel, but instead a government department that played a vital role in WWII. With so-called Snoopers listening in on conversations in pubs, spies eavesdropping at bus stops, and government censoring throughout- the Ministry of Information was responsible for gathering information about public morale, and helping to ensure that no important military information fell into the wrong hands. This week James is joined by Simon Elliot, where the two delve into the history of the Ministry of Information and the impact it had on the British public during the war.

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During the Second World War the Netherlands fell to advancing German forces in just a few hours. The Dutch found themselves under Nazi occupation. Many men and women resisted, which took many different forms. Recently the story emerged of three young women who chose a particularly dangerous way in which to strike back against the German occupiers.

In this podcast from the History Hit archives, Dan Snow talks to the writer Sophie Poldermans about Hannie Schaft and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen. With astonishing bravery these three young women seduced high-ranking Nazi officers, lured them into the woods and killed them. They also provided Jewish children with safe houses and gathered vital intelligence for the resistance. Sophie tells us their story.

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Sitting Bull, best known for his initiative and victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn, is a greatly revered Native American Chief. But he was more than a fierce leader of his people. Bestowed the name ‘Sitting Bull’ at only 14 by his father, he showed characteristics of courage, perseverance, and intelligence beyond his years - traits that would come to define him, and the relationship between Native Americans and the US government for generations. This week, James is joined by Professor Jeff Olster, who specialises in the impact of the United States on Native Americans between the 18th and 20th centuries. Together they discuss who Sitting Bull was, the journey that led him to Little Bighorn, and the injustices inflicted upon the Native American people by the US Government.

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When the USS Arizona was destroyed on 7 December 1941, it was the United States’ Navy’s single biggest loss of life. Producers Annette Hull and Warren Hull have worked tirelessly to tell the stories of some of those who were on board the ship. In this episode they tell us about the life of Lou Conter, one of the survivors of the USS Arizona, and the USS Arizona band, all of whom were among the more than 1,170 killed when a bomb exploded in a magazine.

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Credit to AnnWar productions for the interview with Lou Conter.

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Betty Webb was heavily involved with the work going on at Bletchley Park. While she was not part of the code-breaking team, her work was invaluable to the success of Bletchley. In this episode from the History Hit archive, Dan Snow talks to her about her life and wartime experiences.

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On 7 December 1941, Imperial Japan launched an attack on the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. In this episode 80 years later, James speaks to Adrian Kerrison, a curator at the Imperial War Museums. Adrian takes us through the events of that day, the motives behind the attack and its lasting legacy.

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This week marks the 22nd anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) coming into effect, a crucial development in the Northern Ireland peace process that ended most of the violence of The Troubles. In today's episode, we commemorate the GFA signed in 1999, marking an important day in UK history, not only for the country and the people but in terrorism and peace. James is joined by Counterterrorism expert Tom Parker, as they examine the IRA and its impact. From personally falling victim to a terror attack to his involvement in the Bishopsgate bombing investigations, Tom takes us through his extensive knowledge and first-hand experience of the IRA. We delve into era-defining cases, monumental rulings, and life-changing acts of terror. How did we progress and get to where we are today?

World Scientific Press is offering a special promotional discount on new purchases of Avoiding the Terrorist Trap: Why Respect for Human Rights is the Key to Defeating Terrorism. Go to www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/p995 for 55% off the hardback (use code P995PARKERHC), 30% off the eBook (use code P995PARKEREB), and 20% off the paperback (use code WSSOC20).

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Between September 1940 and May 1941, the German Luftwaffe relentlessly pounded British cities with bombs in an attempt to force the British to surrender. Ultimately whilst killing thousands and causing extensive damage the bombing offensive failed. The morale of the British public was largely undimmed and war production was never seriously impacted. The Blitz has become a key part of the British national psyche with many celebrating the 'Blitz spirit' with people coming together and helping one another during the crisis. But, as with much of history, the reality was much messier and complex. Spivs and looters profited from the chaos, people explored new ideas and sexualities, and there were new opportunities for women. In this interview from the archive of Dan Snow's History Hit the author of The Secret History of the Blitz, Joshua Levine, discusses the myths and realities of the Blitz and the social and political changes it brought about.

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2 December is a special date for those fascinated by Napoleon Bonaparte. Not only is this the date he crowned himself Emperor of France in 1804, but also the date of his greatest victory a year later, the Battle of Austerlitz. James Rogers is joined by world-leading historian Andrew Roberts to dissect the conditions, tactics and aftermath of Napoleon's greatest battle.

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Passages read by Matt Lewis

Music:

Not My Taste (a) - Doug B Rossi, Tony Phillips

Majesty (a) - Bradley Andrew Segal, Haim Mazar

Force of Nature (a) - John Christopher Lucas Lemke

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About one in six of the men who served in the First World War came from undivided India. However, unlike those who hailed from Britain and the rest of Europe, records of their service can be difficult to access. After almost one hundred years of being left unread in the archives of Lahore Museum in Pakistan, however, the files of 320,000 troops from the Punjab have now been digitised. In this special episode, James speaks to Gavin Rand from the University of Greenwich about the experiences of men from the Punjab during the First World War. Why they signed up and what they received in return. Next, James speaks to Dr Irfan Malik who, using these new records, has finally been able to understand the roles of not one, but two of his ancestors.

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The Battle of Prokhorovka was one of the largest tank battles in military history. Taking place on the Eastern Front, it was fought on 12 July 1943 as part of the wider Battle of Kursk. Two elite SS divisions were obliterated, and about 300 panzers were destroyed as the Red Army began to turn the tide for Hitler. Prokhorovka has always been notorious, but British historian Ben Wheatley has challenged the traditional myths surrounding the battle by fine-combing through the evidence. In this episode from Dan Snow's History Hit, he joins Dan to reveal his findings, and argue how it was impossible for the German's to have suffered the major losses which have been marked out in history books.

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During the Second World War, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa left her usual position in the Louvre, Paris. From 1939 to 1945, the portrait was moved between five different hiding places in the French countryside, and she was not alone. In this episode, Laura Morelli guides us through the twin stories of the Nazis who were tasked with finding and seizing treasured artworks from across Europe, and the curators, archivists and others who risked their lives to prevent this from happening. Laura is a USA Today bestselling historical novelist and an art historian. She is the author of ‘The Stolen Lady: A Novel of World War II and the Mona Lisa’.

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Whilst battles were fought across the globe, in Britain, the anti aircraft gun sites acted as the British frontline. From 1941, they were also the first operational war zone women were allowed to work on. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the National Service Act, James Rogers is joined by Tessa Dunlop, author of 'Army Girls', an intimate look at the lives of the final few women who served in World War Two, and the first women called up to serve both king and country.

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On 20 November 1945 the Nuremberg Trials began. In the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, a tribunal set about prosecuting prominent members of Nazi Germany for war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes against peace. In this episode from the archives, Tom Bower joined Dan Snow to discuss the history and legacy of the Nuremberg Trials.

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You might know Raj Bisram best as a TV antiques expert, but he actually started his career by joining the military in the 70s. From becoming an expert skier, to navigating racism, and later becoming a patron for “Tommy Club”, a charity supporting Armed Forces Veterans, it’s a fascinating and frank conversation.  To find out more information on “Tommy Club”, or to donate, make sure to check out tommyclub.co.uk.

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At the end of the First World War, around one million citizens of the British Empire had been lost, and the whereabouts of about half of these was unknown. Families could be waiting weeks, months or years to hear whether their loved ones were imprisoned, wounded, missing or dead, if they heard at all. This was the task of the searchers. In the years following the war, these volunteer investigators conducted 5 million interviews, finding answers for around 400 thousand families. Robert Sackville-West is on Warfare to bring us the stories of those looking for news of their fathers, brothers and sons, and the evolution of the search to this day. Robert’s book ‘The Searchers: The Quest for the Lost of the First World War’ is out now.

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The Battle of Jutland was the decisive naval clash of the First World War, pitting the German High Seas Fleet against the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet in an all or nothing battle for supremacy and survival. At the end of the war, the defeated German fleet was scuttled at Scapa Flow. Or so we thought. New evidence suggests that wrecks in Portsmouth harbour, previously thought to be nondescript vessels, are in fact German veterans of the Battle of Jutland, scrapped at Portsmouth rather than Scotland. Dan Snow joins a team of marine archaeologists to explore these wrecks. But will he make it across the treacherous mud to reach them?

© Vic Verlinden

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On 9 November 1989, the commander of a Berlin Wall border crossing yielded to demands and allowed guards to open the checkpoints. By the end of the day parts of the wall were being chipped off as souvenirs. In this episode, Helena Merriman takes us through the surprise overnight building of the wall which cut neighbourhoods, streets and families in half. She then takes us through the many methods of escape attempted by East Berliners. In particular, we are introduced to Joachim Rudolph who, very unusually, tunnelled back to the East after his escape in order to help others. Helena is the award-winning creator of the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 podcast, Tunnel 29, and the author of a book of the same title.

© GeorgeLouis

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September 1868, 3 years after the Civil War, saw an outnumbered United States Army patrol against six hundred Native warriors on the American Frontier. In this episode, we explore the heroism displayed by the soldiers on both sides of the fight. James is joined by author Terry Mort, as he explains in great detail the Battle of Beecher Island, otherwise known as the Battle of Arikaree Fork.

Terry Mort is the author of "Cheyenne Summer: The Battle of Beecher Island: A History", published by Pegasus Books.

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In this archive episode, Vince Houghton joins Dan Snow to talk about some of the weirdest and craziest ideas put forward during the twentieth century. They talk exploding bats, sonic cats, aircraft carriers made of icebergs and detonating a nuclear missile on the moon just to show that you could do it! Vince Houghton is the historian and curator of the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. He also is the host and creative director of the Museum's podcast, SpyCast.

©Shutterstock

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‘Brain-fog’, dizziness, ringing in the ears, fatigue: everyday symptoms of attacks by a possibly extraordinary weapon. In 2016, a number of CIA agents began to report these symptoms, alongside a possible cause of an unusual sound. Now over 200 Americans and Canadians have reported symptoms, and Kamala Harris, America’s vice president, this August delayed a flight to Vietnam because of suspected cases in Hanoi. But what causes Havana Syndrome? Is it the result of attacks by microwave weapons, or is it something more banal? Robert Bartholomew is on the podcast today to talk to James about reports of Havana Syndrome, and the veracity of the microwave weapon and Frey effect theories. Robert discusses the results of experimentation over the years, and the support for a theory of Mass Psychogenic Illness. Alongside Robert Baloh, Robert Bartholomew is a co-author of ‘Havana Syndrome: Mass Psychogenic Illness and the Real Story Behind the Embassy Mystery and Hysteria’.

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The half century between 1870 and 1920 was one of conflict between British colonialism and the people of the Middle East and North Africa. In this episode, James is joined by archeologist and author Neil Faulkner to examine the clashes of armies, ideologies and forms of oppression, clashes which would prove fatal. Neil explains this revolutionary history, exploring British imperialism in northeast Africa which has repercussions rippling into the 21st century. Can this war be considered the first modern Jihad?

Neil Faulkner is the author of 'Empire and Jihad: The Anglo-Arab Wars of 1870-1920', Published by Yale University Press.

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For five decades the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro ran a communist state on the doorstep of the United States. But in September 1960, he crossed into the US and paid a visit to New York. Simon Hall joins Dan Snow in this episode from the archive to talk about Castro’s trip. Based at Harlem’s Theresa Hotel, Castro met with a succession of political and cultural luminaries, including Malcolm X, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Nikita Khrushchev, Amiri Baraka, and Allen Ginsberg. We discuss the coming together of revolutionaries embracing the politics of anti-imperialism, racial equality, and leftist revolution.

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Many have heard of the SAS (Special Air Service), but what about the SBS? Britain's SBS (Special Boat Service) was the first operations unit of its kind. Formed in 1940, this unit helped change the course of World War II. In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by Military Historian and author Saul David. Sharing his research with the full cooperation of the SBS, Saul sheds light on the heroic tales of the frontline SBS soldiers.

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Drones are often considered among the most modern elements of warfare, and their use doesn't regularly feature in stories of the Vietnam War. But as David Axe tells us in this episode, the US use of drones was in its infancy during the 1960s and '70s. Having compiled military records, official histories and published first-hand accounts from early drone operators, David shares the revolutionary, and top secret, use of drones in the Vietnam War. David is an American military correspondent, his book is Drone War Vietnam: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Drone-War-Vietnam-Hardback/p/19099.

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Andrew Lambert has written a magisterial history of sea power states, and the tools and methods of control they used to exert influence. From the Athenians to the British, Lambert discusses the way that states became sea powers, as well as offering insights on whether sea powers can exist in the same way they used to, and how American and Chinese interactions with the sea might change in the future.

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On 18 October 1942, a party of Norwegian agents were dropped into Telemark, Norway, for Operation Grouse. They were part of a mission to sabotage the German nuclear weapons programme by disrupting the stockpiling of heavy water at Vemork Norsk Hydro chemical plant. Arthur Herman is on Warfare today to explore the stories of these brave Norwegians. Why were they best suited to the job? And do their actions reveal anything about the so called Viking hearts of Scandinavia?

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As the planet heats up, competition for resources rises and populations migrate. Even without the impact of natural disasters it’s enough to raise the tensions between nations. Gwynne Dyer is an historian, independent journalist and the author of 2011’s ‘Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats’. In this episode, James and Gwynne discuss the ways in which climate change could lead to wars in the future, and whether it is possible to prevent this. Gwynne’s new book can be found here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shortest-History-War-Gwynne-Dyer/dp/191040084X

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On 13 October 1943, one month after surrendering to the Allies, Italy declared war on its former partner, Nazi Germany. In this episde from the History Hit archives, Dan talks to Paul Reed about the role of Italy in World War Two, from the battles that they took part in to the alliances they made. Paul is a leading military historian, specializing in the two world wars.

This photograph shows Warfare presenter James Rogers' grandfather, Sgt Ted Rogers (Coldstream Guards), leading his men into Impruneta, Italy, in 1944. The image was colourised by TIG.

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In September 1981 a small group of 36 Welsh women marched 120 miles from Cardiff to RAF Greenham Common and chained themselves to the gates. They were protesting against the storage of not only British, but possibly American nuclear weapons being stored on the supposedly public land at Greenham Common. Over the next 19 years, 70,000 women were involved in history’s most famous feminist protest. In this episode, Rebecca Morden and Jill ‘Ray’ Raymond share their personal stories of protesting nuclear weapons in Britain.

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October 7th, 2001 marks the beginning of the bombing campaign against Taliban forces. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) caused havoc in Afghanistan, adding a new form of warfare to conflict. As we reach the 20th anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan, James is joined by Patrick Bury. Patrick is a former captain in the Royal Irish Regiment who served in Sangin, Afghanistan. Patrick takes us through his first-hand, personal experiences and encounters with IEDs as we reflect on the history of the battle.

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On 21 October 1805, the British Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, emerged victorious over the combined French and Spanish fleets. In this episode from the archive, Andrew Baines, curator of HMS Victory, talks Dan through the events of 21 October 1805: the ship, the man, the battle.

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The Second World War was the first time that many on the home front in the United States were able to see and hear war in action. In this episode, Professor Steven Casey from LSE introduces the correspondents who covered America's war against Japan in the Pacific theatre. He takes us through their experiences and their impact on the home front, shining a light on the critical role that journalists on the frontline played.

Steven Casey is the author of 'The War Beat, Pacific: The American Media at War Against Japan', published by Oxford University Press Inc.

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Though excluded from decisions on their occupation in the Munich Agreement in 1938, the citizens of the new country of Czechoslovakia were by no means passive for the rest of the war. The story of Czechoslovakian espionage and resistance is one which spans Europe and the length of the war, including assassinations of Nazi leaders and brave battles to the death. George Bearfield is the grandson of Jaroslav Bublík, a key figure in intelligence and the leader of possibly the last parachute drop of the Second World War. He has been studying his grandfather’s experiences during the war for his book ‘Foursquare: The Last Parachutist’. In this episode he sheds light on this story and whether an operation which was thought to have been cancelled really went ahead.

© Everett Collection/Shutterstock

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Although the use of drones has become well established and publicised in recent years, the history of unmanned aircraft stretches all the way back to the First World War. In this episode, James and Dan explore the development of drones and their use.

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When we think of the Holocaust, we tend to think about Europe and Germany. However, during World War II, Hitler's antisemitic race laws also penetrated North Africa and the Middle East, spreading havoc to countries including Libya, Egypt, Algeria, and even Iraq. In this episode of Warfare, we examine this forgotten aspect of the Holocaust. James is joined by journalist and author Gershom Gorenberg to tell us more about its impact on the people of Africa.

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Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a soldier, statesman, and prominent political figure who served the United Kingdom twice as Prime Minister. He is known to many as a successful defensive general, but what about when he was on the offensive? In this episode, we explore the life, career, and death of Wellington. James is once again accompanied by Historian and presenter Zack White as they delve into the complex life of Wellington. Debunking myths, exploring his life, legacy, and controversies.

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 TheNapoleonicWars.net.

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Odette Sansom, was the most highly decorated woman, and the most decorated spy of any gender during World War II. She was awarded both the George Cross and was appointed a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. Her wartime exploits and later imprisonment by the Nazis were celebrated in the years after the war, but she has fallen out of the spotlight recently. Larry Loftis' book reinstate her as one of the most celebrated members of the Special Operations Executive, the British sabotage and espionage organisation.

© PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo

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From munitions factories and the cabinet war rooms, to flying aircraft and even shaking hands with Joseph Stalin; during the Second World War women could be found throughout the workforce. Lucy Fisher has been interviewing surviving women of the Second World War workforce and in this episode, she shares some of her favourite anecdotes. Lucy is an author and the Deputy Political Editor for The Daily Telegraph, having formerly been a Defence editor for The Times. Her book ‘Women in the War’ is out now.

© IWM

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Twenty years after the release of the landmark series Band of Brothers, screenwriter John Orloff is back to bring us Masters of the Air with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. James spoke to John to get some inside information about the ongoing production of this project, including the exact repllication of Second World War aircraft and buildings from American Air Force bases in Britain. John also discusses how writing Masters of the Air differed from writing Band of Brothers, and the involvement of veterans.

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In June 1940 Nazi Germany overran France and forced the British army to evacuate at Dunkirk. Severely lacking in military equipment, Britain and its Empire now stood alone against Adolf Hitler's forces. To stand any chance of crossing the English Channel, Germany would have to crush the Royal Air Force and gain control of the skies during that summer. The Battle of Britain, the first major battle to be decided entirely by air power, had begun. Dan talks to military historian Andy Saunders about the Battle of Britain to find out which parts of the narrative we have got wrong and which we have right. Dan also spoke to veteran of the Battle of Britain, Wing Commander Thomas Neil.

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Her American nationality could have offered her protection from the Nazi Regime. Instead, she used it to benefit the resistance movement. Mildred Harnack and her German husband, Arvid, began their underground resistance group in Berlin in 1932. Both contributed bravely to what was later known to the Gestapo as the Red Orchestra, also taking part in espionage, until their capture and execution. In this episode, Rebecca Donner explores the extraordinary life of Mildred, who also happens to be her great aunt. Rebecca’s New York Times bestseller on this topic is called ‘All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days’.

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For the majority of us, our experience of 9/11 was transmitted through a TV screen, radio, newspaper or even history book. But Joe Dittmar’s experience of these terror attacks was personal. On the morning of the 11 September 2001, he was in a meeting on the 105th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Joe shares his story of surviving 9/11 in this moving episode.

Joe’s WTC Survivor/ Always Remember Initiative if found here http://www.wtceskp.com/

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At 8:46 am on 11 September 2001 the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre in Lower Manhattan. Over the next 9 hours, almost half a million people were evacuated from that island by boat, many other options being made impossible. Here to share the story of this maritime evacuation is Jessica DuLong. Jessica is a journalist and historian, as well as chief engineer emerita of the retired 1931 New York City fireboat, John J. Harvey. She tells us about the boats involved, the obstacles they faced, and about her own experience of ground zero.  Her book on this topic is called ‘Saved at the Seawall: Stories from the September 11 Boat Lift’.

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As the world prepares to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks two decades on, we discuss the history of plane hijackings. From politically motivated attacks to propaganda tools used by governments, Dr Yannick Veilleux-Lepage shares his knowledge of the broader context of the attacks of 2001. Dr. Yannick Veilleux-Lepage is assistant Professor of Terrorism and Political Violence at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs at Leiden University. His book, 'How Terror Evolves: The Emergence and Spread of Terrorist Techniques' is published by Rowman & Littlefield.

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At lunchtime on 16 September 1920, a horse drawn cart exploded on the busiest corner of the Financial District of New York. To find out more about the United States’ first age of terror, James spoke to Professor Beverly Gage. Beverly explains what we know about this attack on Wall Street. Who were its victims, suspects, and investigators and what impact did it have on American society? Beverly is a professor of 20th-century American history at Yale University and author of ‘The Day Wall Street Exploded: A Story of America in Its First Age of Terror’.

© Everett Collection/Shutterstock

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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.

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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.

Dr Nick gives us a step-by-step history on the multilayered missile system, which is said to act as a deterrence posture.

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.

Hear why the UK first got nuclear weapons, whether they actually work as a deterrence, and find out the many challenges which lie ahead.

Dr Nick’s book, A Nuclear Weapons-Free World?: Britain, Trident and the Challenges Ahead, is available now.

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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.

© Shutterstock/Everett Collection

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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.

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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/

Image Credit: CC/Pentagon Archives

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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.

Image Credit: CC/Hungarian National Gallery/Tate

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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.

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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.

Tim is the author of 'Strick: Tank Hero of Arras': https://www.casematepublishing.co.uk/strick

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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’.

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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? 

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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.

Their book can be found here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/692279/the-button-by-william-j-perry/9781948836999.

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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.

Nicholas’ book, The War Lords and The Gallipoli Disaster, is available now: www.oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780197545201.001.0001/oso-9780197545201 

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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’.

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‘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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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’.

© Cpl Mike O'Neill RLC LBIPP/MOD

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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 Sunday Times bestseller is called ‘The Spitfire Kids: The generation who built, supported and flew Britain's most beloved fighter’.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

© IWM

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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. 

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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.

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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.

 

www.cvhf.org.uk

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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. 

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: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIarzhxtGsU&ab_channel=EddySmythe

Tim’s article can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55286092

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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.

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.

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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. 

 

www.cvhf.org.uk

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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'.

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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/

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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.

For information about this year's event, visit https://cvhf.org.uk/

© Granger Historical Picture Archive / Alamy Stock Photo

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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.

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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.

You can read more in Norman Fine’s book, Blind Bombing: How Microwave Radar Brought the Allies to D-Day and Victory in World, which is out now.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

© IWM

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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.

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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/

© Memorial Museum of German Anti-Fascists

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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In 1942 the British launched a 12 man raid and reconnaissance mission to the Channel Island of Sark. On the night of the 3 October, a cast of characters who gave their colleague Ian Fleming ideas for a secret agent character, James Bond, crept ashore. They escaped hours later with one German prisoner, a further two having been killed in a scuffle. That might have been the end of it. When Hitler heard the news, however, he went ballistic and very shortly after he issued his infamous Commando Order: henceforth they were to be shot on sight. Operation Basalt signalled another ratcheting up of the ferocity and criminality of the Nazi war effort. To find out more and retrace the steps of the raid, Dan visited the Channel Islands and met local experts.

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Six years of exile on a remote island blighted with unpleasant weather conditions, in lodgings far inferior to those enjoyed whilst leader of France, hardly seems fitting for the final years of Napoleon Bonaparte. Yet, in this second episode with Zack White, we hear about how this remarkable military commander came to fall so far from the top. Zack takes us through Napoleon’s loss of power, his representation in British propaganda, his two exiles and his eventual death, including the debates around the real cause of his demise. 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.

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He is widely remembered as one of the most exceptional military commanders that the world has ever seen, a man whose influence was so pervasive that an entire era of European history is referred to in his name. Napoleon is just as divisive in death as he was in life, and for this first of two episodes with Zack White, we are discussing the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and his impact on France. 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.

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Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union on Sunday 22 June 1941 was one of the bloodiest military campaigns mankind has ever known. Now, BAFTA winning producer and author Stewart Binns is telling the story of this catastrophic campaign from the perspective of the Soviet people. Listen as he and James explore the different perspectives on how Nazi Germany’s turn on its former ally occurred, and uncover the often overlooked stories of the civilians and soldiers of Eastern Europe. Stewart’s book, ‘Barbarossa: And the Bloodiest War in History’ is out now.

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In the dying days of the Second World War, a group of Georgians rose up against their German overlords on the Dutch island of Texel. Thousands of Georgians served in the Soviet forces during World War II and when captured and given the choice to “starve or fight”, some took up the German offer to don Wehrmacht uniforms.

When the opportunity arose in April 1945, these Georgians rose up and slaughtered their German captors, seizing control of the island. In just a few hours, they massacred some 400 German officers using knives and bayonets to avoid raising the alarm. Dan is joined by author Eric Lee to hear how he uncovered this little known story, about the retaliation ordered by Hitler and about the end to the slaughter when Canadian forces landed on the island 12 days later.

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