Category: Podcasts
-
The Home Intelligence Unit
During the Second World War, the Home Intelligence Unit—a branch of the Ministry of Information—was tasked with monitoring public attitudes on the home front. They compiled confidential reports on the state of popular morale, which were circulated among decision-makers in Whitehall. These reports offer a fascinating insight into how ordinary people coped with the stresses…
-
Private Snafu
Today, I’m joined by Peter Zablocki, a professor at Caldwell University, host of the History Shorts podcast, and author of The Death of General Sikorski. I was introduced to Peter after I recorded the episode looking at the death of Sikorski with Chris Wroblewski. Chatting I discovered Peter had researched and written about an entirely different but…
-
Patton and the Battle of the Bulge
In this episode, Angus is joined by acclaimed historian and bestselling author Alex Kershaw to explore one of the most pivotal moments of the Second World War: the Battle of the Bulge. This December marks the 80th anniversary of the battle, a critical turning point where General George S. Patton’s bold leadership and daring actions—most…
-
3608 – Australian Bravery in the Vietnam War – Part 1
‘Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War began in 1962. In July that year, the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) (or “the Team”) first arrived, consisting of thirty military advisers. These special teams were designed to train and advise local troops – ARVN units, Montagnards, territorial forces, and Mobile Strike (Mike) Forces. Although they were…
-
AW335 – Gladiator II
With the release of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, the Ancient Warfare team have headed off to their local cinemas (well, almost all of the team) for a screening. Will this be as influential on future historians as the original Gladiator movie?
-
The Mysterious Death of Wladyslaw Sikorski
In this episode, we are uncovering one of the great enigmas of the war: the tragic death of General Władysław Sikorski. Sikorski was a towering figure in the Polish government-in-exile, a man who held together the hopes of a nation during its darkest days. His sudden death in 1943, when his Liberator aircraft crashed into…
-
WSS94 – Competitive Gaming
In this episode, Guy and Chris head to Firestorm Games in Cardiff to participate in a Barons’ War tournament. Guy catches up with the tournament organiser for an insightful chat while Chris shares his thoughts on tournament gaming—a rare experience for him! As always, we also bring you all the latest news and updates from…
-
Frederick Rutland: The Double-Agent War Who Helped Japan
In this episode, Ronald Drabkin joins me to uncover the fascinating yet complex story of Frederick Rutland, a First World War hero with a unique story. Known as “Rutland of Jutland” for his bravery as an aviator in WWI, Rutland’s career took an unexpected turn in the interwar years as he became a spy for…
-
Spies in the Sky
In this episode, historian Taylor Downing joins Angus to explore the remarkable work of reconnaissance pilots and photo interpreters during the Second World War. These daring aviators flew perilous missions over Occupied Europe, risking life and limb to capture the detailed aerial photographs crucial to the Allied war effort. But capturing the images was only…
-
3607 – Martin Leake VC
“Arthur Martin-Leake, serving as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1914 was the first man to be awarded a Bar to the Victoria Cross he received during the Second Boer War in 1902. In both circumstances Martin-Leake’s conduct was to put the lives of his injured comrades first despite being exposed to…