History of the Second World War
History of the Second World War is a weekly podcast which will cover World War 2, beginning with the tumultuous years after the First World War, continuing into the descent into war during the 1930s, through the war years, and then into the post war aftermath.
Episodes
November 19, 2025 • 20 mins
As Italy advances into Egypt, Britain quietly prepares its first major offensive — Operation Compass — in this tense buildup episode. We explore the friction between Churchill’s impatient push for victory and General Wavell’s insistence on realistic desert readiness, while massive reinforcements arrive: Matilda tanks, armored regiments, artillery, and supplies all vital to a bold strike through the Enba Gap. You’ll also see how Ita...
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November 16, 2025 • 48 mins
This time I was joined by Robert Forsyth to discuss his new book Defenders of the Reich: The Luftwaffe's War Against America's Bombers which you can purchase from Osprey publishing here: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/defenders-of-the-reich-9781472862860/
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November 12, 2025 • 30 mins
The first shots have been fired in the desert war! This episode covers the opening moves of the North African campaign in 1940. From small-scale raids and skirmishes to the first major Italian offensive, we'll see how both sides tested each other's strengths and weaknesses. While the Italians pushed into Egypt, their advance was hampered by logistical problems and a determined, if small, British resistance. The stage is set for a d...
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November 9, 2025 • 61 mins
This time I was joined by Anthony Tucker-Jones to discuss his new book Rhineland: Hitlers Last Defence 1944-45 which covers the Allied efforts in late 1944 and early 1945 to move their forces into western Germany.
Buy the Book: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/rhineland-9781472859921/
Used code WorldWar20 to get 20% off and Free Shipping!
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November 5, 2025 • 23 mins
While the Italians were preparing for war, what were the British doing? This episode dives into the British perspective on the North African campaign in 1940. We'll explore the strategic importance of the Suez Canal, the desperate attempts to keep Italy out of the war, and the state of the British army in Egypt. Led by the often-underestimated General Wavell, the British were about to embark on a campaign that would defy all expect...
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November 2, 2025 • 36 mins
In this interview I was joined by Hans Smith to talk about his book Bombs Away: A B-17b Pilot's 'Small' Part in a Big War which covers the experiences of his Great Uncle Herbert Small who flew with the 384th Bomb Group during the war.
Bombs Away can be purchased here: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=mP2MsCJWp54htljFc6ecBoyyXdmJ2aZaV9857QcJ7WN
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October 29, 2025 • 28 mins
In the summer of 1940, with the fall of France, the war in North Africa began in earnest. On one side, the Italian army in Libya, massive in number but beset by industrial and logistical problems. On the other, a small British force in Egypt, tasked with defending the Suez Canal. This episode explores the Italian war effort in the opening months of the North African campaign, from the strategic decisions made in Rome to the realiti...
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October 26, 2025 • 61 mins
This time I was joined by Dr. Alan Allport to discuss his new book: Advance Britannia: The Epic Story of the Second World War, 1942-1945
You can order the book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/548833/advance-britannia-by-alan-allport/
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October 22, 2025 • 28 mins
This summary episode explores the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the devastating conflict that served as a bloody rehearsal for World War II where competing political ideologies clashed with deadly consequences. Born from the collapse of Spain's military dictatorship and the struggle of the Second Spanish Republic against economic depression and social upheaval, the war erupted when General Francisco Franco launched a military coup...
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October 19, 2025 • 35 mins
Prit Buttar joins the podcast for the second time to discuss his recently released book for Osprey Publishing titled Into the Reich: The Red Army's Advance to the Oder in 1945.
You can find out more about the book, and purchase your own copy here: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/into-the-reich-9781472866998/
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October 15, 2025 • 23 mins
This summary episode revisits the rise of Italian fascism and Benito Mussolini's path to power during the tumultuous early 1920s. Born from Italy's sense of betrayal after World War I—when promised territorial gains in the Mediterranean never materialized—the fascist movement gained momentum as a bulwark against the growing Communist threat. Led by military veterans discharged into a war-ravaged economy, fascist squads found suppor...
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October 12, 2025 • 35 mins
For this interview I was joined by William Hiestand to discuss his upcoming book on the usage of airpower over the battlefield of Kursk in 1943. You can grab a copy here: https://www.ospreypublishing.com/us/kursk-1943-9781472865168/
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October 8, 2025 • 28 mins
In this concluding episode of the Battle of Britain series, we examine the final outcomes and lasting impact of Germany's 1940 air campaign against Britain. While the Luftwaffe lost approximately 1,900 aircraft compared to the RAF's 1,600, the true failure lay in Germany's inability to achieve their strategic goal of neutralizing Fighter Command before the planned invasion. Despite inflated kill claims on both sides, Air Marshal Do...
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October 5, 2025 • 41 mins
This time I am joined by Richard Hargreaves to discuss his new book Opening the Gates of Hell: Operation Barbarossa.
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October 1, 2025 • 35 mins
In this gripping episode, we explore the devastating German night bombing campaign known as the Blitz, which terrorized Britain from September 1940 to May 1941. While London bore the brunt of 57 consecutive nights of bombing that killed 40,000 people and destroyed over a million homes, many other British cities suffered similar devastation as the Luftwaffe attempted to break British morale and cripple the nation's war effort. Despi...
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September 24, 2025 • 25 mins
By the end of September 1940, the threat of German invasion had passed, but victory in the Battle of Britain sparked a bitter internal conflict within RAF Fighter Command. Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park of 11 Group, who had successfully defended southeastern England using small, quick-response fighter formations, found himself under attack from Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory of 12 Group, who advocated for "Big Wing" tactics—concentrat...
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September 18, 2025 • 26 mins
In the aftermath of Battle of Britain Day, both sides struggled to understand what had really changed in the aerial war over Britain. While the Luftwaffe leadership blamed their fighter pilots for the costly losses on September 15th, faulty intelligence drastically underestimated RAF strength at just 177 fighters when the actual number was 659—a miscalculation that would prove decisive. As the German high command faced the reality ...
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September 10, 2025 • 28 mins
On September 15, 1940—Battle of Britain Day—the Luftwaffe launched what would become the climactic daylight assault of their campaign against Britain. In a desperate final effort to enable Operation Sea Lion, the German invasion of Britain, over 500 bombers escorted by hundreds of fighters targeted London's railways and dockyards in two massive raids. However, RAF Fighter Command rose to meet them with unprecedented coordination, d...
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September 3, 2025 • 25 mins
In this episode, we explore the critical second week of September 1940, when the Battle of Britain reached a pivotal turning point that would ultimately determine the fate of Operation Sea Lion—Germany's planned invasion of Britain. Following the devastating bombing raids on London that began September 7th, German invasion preparations were paradoxically at their peak readiness while simultaneously becoming increasingly uncertain. ...
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August 31, 2025 • 44 mins
This week I was joined by Quin Cho of Pacific Atrocities to talk about an upcoming book on the foundation and early actions of the Kwantung Army.
Get the Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK5F787QPacific Atrocities Education: https://www.pacificatrocities.org/
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