Category: WW2 Podcast
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Macau
In this episode, we discuss the role of Macau, the Portuguese colony in South China, and the experiences of John Reeves, the British Consul stationed there. Despite Portugal’s official neutrality, Macau found itself caught in the geopolitical struggles of the Pacific War. With Japanese forces surrounding the colony, John Reeves had the difficult task of…
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Fortress Britain
Alone, unprepared, and weak—these are the words often used to describe Britain’s position in 1940, a narrative that has persisted since the end of World War II. But is that the whole truth? The reality might surprise you. In this episode, Angus uncovers the fascinating story of Britain’s secret defences during the dark days of…
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Canadian Airmen in the Battle of Britain
In 1940, for 113 harrowing days, Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe unleashed relentless attacks on Great Britain, aiming to secure an early victory in World War II. The defence of southern England fell to the brave pilots of the Royal Air Force, joined in their hour of need by over 100 Canadian airmen. These men, hailing from…
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Fighting Vichy from Horseback
In 1939, incredibly, the British Army still fielded cavalry units that had yet to be mechanised, relying on horses as they prepared for war. When conflict broke out, these regiments—many of them Territorial Army Yeomanry units—were mobilised, with horses being requisitioned to meet the demand. By 1940, the 1st British Cavalry Division was deployed to…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…