WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

Heist From The Sky: Hell Breaks Loose (Part 3)

20 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What Nazi resistance was there to the British paratrooper raid? Why didn't the paras have any heavy support during the attack? When did the Royal Navy...

Heist From The Sky: The Raid Begins (Part 2)

18 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did British paratroopers train for the Bruneval Raid? What role did intelligence play in helping plan for the airborne operation? Why did the Germ...

Heist From The Sky: The Bruneval Raid (Part 1)

13 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When did Operation Biting happen? Why was this so important for the British war effort? What did British paratroopers hope to achieve? Join Al Murr...

A Buffalo Soldier In Italy

11 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Winston Churchill, Dominic Sandbrook, & Philippe Sands

08 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Was Churchill the greatest Briton of all time? Why are people like Boris Johnson so keen to be seen like Churchill? How did Nazi war criminals start n...

The Visionaries: One War Ends, Another Begins (Part 6)

06 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When did Harry S. Truman become President of The United States? How was Truman different to FDR? What were the causes of the Cold War between the US a...

The Visionaries: Planning For Peace (Part 5)

04 May 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why is the Bretton Woods conference so important to today's economies? How did the US dollar become the global currency, replacing the British pound s...

The Visionaries: A Global War (Part 4)

29 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Roosevelt enter World War Two? What was Atlantic Charter? How did the USSR defeat Operation Barbarossa? Join Al Murray and James Holland fo...

The Visionaries: Total Defence (Part 3)

27 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why was the Fall of France in 1940 such a surprise? How did FDR get the USA ready to fight in WW2? What did Churchill do to encourage American entry o...

The Visionaries: From Recovery To Rearmament (Part 2)

22 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why was there a stock market crash in 1929? How did The Great Depression help extremist political parties like the Nazis in Germany gain power? What d...

The Visionaries: Picking Up The Pieces (Part 1)

20 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When did America enter WW1? In what ways were The Treaty of Versailles and Wilson's 14 Points For Peace flawed? Why is this period of history importan...

How To Survive The Siberian Gulags

15 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Belfast, Bunkers, and Vichy Show Trials

13 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the Germans expend so much to defend the Norwegian coast? What does the engine room of HMS Belfast have in common with abstract art? How did V...

Japan's Road To War: Countdown To Infamy (Part 4)

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What did military planners in Japan think was the best way to attack The United States? How did the war in Europe influence policy in both America and...

Japan's Road To War: Honne & Tatemae (Part 3)

06 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What is Honne and Tatemae in Japanese culture? How did Honne and Tatemae possibly contribute to the slide into war? When was the deadline set for peac...

Japan's Road To War: Power Behind The Throne (Part 2)

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Yōsuke Matsuoko want war with the Western Allies? How did Japanese military planners contribute to aggressive imperial expansion? What did wi...

Japan's Road To War: Empire Of The Rising Sun (Part 1)

30 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Japan enter WW2? How did Japanese expansion in China lead to a deteriorating economy? When did Japan attack Pearl Harbor? Join Al Murray an...

Audie Murphy: Germany (Part 4)

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did Audie Murphy win his Medal of Honor? What did Audie Murphy do after WW2? When was the end of WW2 for the Allies? Join Al Murray and James H...

Audie Murphy: Rome & France (Part 3)

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When was Operation Dragoon? How many times did Audie Murphy get injured? What happened to the rest of Audie's friends? Join Al Murray and James Hol...

Audie Murphy: The Cave & Anzio (Part 2)

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What happened to Allied attacks at Anzio? How did Audie Murphy spend his time in Naples? When was Rome captured by the Allies in WW2? Join Al Murra...

Audie Murphy: Sicily & Salerno (Part 1)

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Audie Murphy join the Army in WW2? When did US troops fight against Axis forces for the first time? How old was Audie Murphy when he enlisted ...

The Channel Dash: Out The Frying Pan (Part 4)

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did attacks by British MTBs fail to sink any of the enemy fleet? When was Churchill informed of British failures to stop the Kriegsmarine from esc...

The Channel Dash: The Battle of The Narrow Seas (Part 3)

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why were Swordfish pilots sent outnumbered against the heavily guarded German capital ships? What happened with the land based artillery manned by arm...

The Channel Dash: Hide & Seek (Part 2)

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did it take British commanders so long to act once the German ships left Brest? How did local conditions help the German escape? What plans did Br...

The Channel Dash: Operation Cerberus vs Operation Fuller (Part 1)

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Hitler decide to move his ships from Occupied France? How did German commanders plan to get past formidable Royal Navy and RAF defences? What ...

The Magician Who Missed the Boat

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Books, Balls, and Bismarck

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How do you explain WW2 to a 10 year old? Did Hitler only have one ball? What are some of Jim and Al's top book recommendations for WW2? Join Al Mur...

Warbirds of Liberty: The Fantastic Fighting 4th - A Thousand Destroyed (Part 4)

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did The Fourth Fighter Group contribute to D-Day in 1944? Why did The Fourth Fighter Group keeping flying till the last days of the war? What happ...

Warbirds of Liberty: The Fantastic Fighting 4th - The Blakesleewaffe (Part 3)

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Who was responsible for The Fourth Fighter Group getting equipped with long-range P-51 Mustangs? What did the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine do for the Mus...

Warbirds of Liberty: The Fantastic Fighting 4th - Transition (Part 2)

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What made American pilots want to fight in WW2 before Pearl Harbor? When did The United States of America join WW2? How did Eagle Squadron pilots tran...

Warbirds of Liberty: The Fantastic Fighting 4th - The Eagle Squadrons (Part 1)

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did American pilots fight for Britain before the US entered WW2? When were the American 'Eagle Squadrons' formed in the UK? How did Don Blakeslee ...

Sink The Bismarck! Legacy

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What did the Bismarck sinking mean for Hitler's naval plans? When were the wrecks of Hood and Bismarck discovered? Why does the rapid sinking of HMS H...

Sink The Bismarck! Sink The Bismarck (Part 3)

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When was the Bismarck sunk? How did British destroyers contribute to the sinking of the Bismarck? Why did Bismarck take so much damage in order to sin...

Sink The Bismarck! Stringbags vs Bismarck (Part 2)

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What resources did the British deploy to hunt the Bismarck? How did British air power contribute to the sinking of the Bismarck? When did Bismarck get...

Sink The Bismarck! Pursuit (Part 1)

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

How did the Bismarck try to escape after sinking HMS Hood? Why was the Bismarck so hard to find in the Atlantic? When would Bismarck be safe from Roya...

Polish Heroism At Monte Cassino

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Atlantic Crossings, French Morale, & American Inaugurations

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why do ships and planes paint their interiors green? How did the cold winters of the 1940s lead to the Fall of France? How did FDR break convention wi...

How To Remember The Holocaust

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why should people remember the Holocaust? When did people start to commemorate the Holocaust? How do different countries around the world engage with ...

Hood vs Bismarck: Battle of the Denmark Strait (Part 4)

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

When did Hood and Bismarck begin firing at each other? Why did the battle end so quickly? How fast did the result of the battle spread across the worl...

Hood vs Bismarck: The Mighty Hood (Part 3)

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why was HMS Hood considered the peak of British sea power? Who was the commander of HMS Hood during The Battle of the Denmark Strait? When was HMS Hoo...

Hood vs Bismarck: Passage (Part 2)

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why was the Battleship Bismarck so feared? How well prepared were the British to fight the Bismarck? Is the Bismarck overrated? Join James Holland ...

Hood vs Bismarck: The Chase (Part 1)

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why was Bismarck such a threat to British sea power? Who was the commander of the Bismarck task force? When was Operation Rheinübung? Join James H...

Swordfish, Stalingrad, & Uniting Nations

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the Soviets bring a brass band to Finland? What is the significance of the Arcadia Conference in WW2? When was Operation Bodenplatte? Join ...

How To Commemorate WW2

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is remembrance still important now? Were Germans the 'bad guys' in WW2? What do relatives think of Montgomery and his legacy now? Join James Ho...

What Did My Family Do In WW2?

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did my family fight in WW2? What did people do at home during WW2? What was life like in WW2? Join James Holland and Al Murray as they explore the ...

A Blackmarket Christmas

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Arctic Patrol: Stringbags (Part 4)

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happened to the Fairey Swordfish after Taranto? What was life like on the Arctic Convoys? How did aircrew cope with the polar conditions in an op...

The Battle Of Taranto Ends: Stringbags (Episode 3)

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many Italian ships were damaged or destroyed during the Taranto raid? Why did the British cancel the second day of attacks for Operation Judgement...

The Battle Of Taranto Begins: Stringbags (Part 2)

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happened in the Battle Of Taranto? Did the raid on Taranto catch the Italian defenders by surprise? How many Swordfish attacked the Italian fleet...

How the Navy Learned to Fly: Stringbags (Part 1)

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did naval aviation develop out of The First World War? Why was the Fairey Swordfish so good? What is the nickname of a Fairey Swordfish? Join J...

Atlantic War: The Loss Of Three Aces (Part 6)

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did destroyers and escort groups protect convoys from U-Boat attack? When did convoy HX112 encounter the U-Boat 'Wolfpack' of Kretschmer and Schep...

Atlantic War: The Turning Point (Part 5)

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did the British government overhaul the port system to process convoys? What is a corvette? Why was life on an Atlantic convoy so dangerous? Jo...

Introducing: The Rest Is Science

01 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forget what you think you know about reality. The Rest Is Science is a mind-bending new show from Goalhanger that tears down familiar ideas… time, r...

Atlantic War: Papering Over The Cracks (Part 4)

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was so important about Cyril Thompson and the British Shipbuilding Commission in the USA? When was the first Liberty ship made? How did Hitler an...

Atlantic War: The Happy Time (Part 3)

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was this period known as 'The Happy Time' for Germany's U-Boats? How much merchant tonnage did the Allies lose to Nazi U-Boat aces? Has the impact...

War Under The Waves

21 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did submariners survive for weeks at a time at sea on patrol? Were there any perks to joining the submarine service? Why did so many submariners i...

Atlantic War: Norwegian Interlude (Part 2)

20 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was Norway attacked in WW2? Why might the Norwegian Campaign be considered a success at sea for the Allies? What was the result of The Fall Of Nor...

Atlantic War: No Phoney War At Sea (Part 1)

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is the battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the Allied war effort in WW2? How did Prien manage to sink Royal Oak in Scapa Flow? When did the civil...

The Siege Of Malta: Operation Pedestal (Part 6)

13 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is Operation Pedestal such an important event in WW2? How many ships in the convoy were sunk by Axis forces? What happened to the tanker, the Ohio...

The Siege Of Malta: Starving (Part 5)

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When did Lord Gort and Sir Keith Park arrive on Fortress Malta? How many calories did people on Malta have each day for survival? What made George Scr...

The Siege Of Malta: The Most Bombed Place On Earth (Part 4)

06 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why did King George VI award Malta the George Cross? How did the 'Target Date' of starvation and surrender affect morale on the island? Were the Anti-...

The Siege Of Malta: Spitfire (Part 3)

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was the arrival of RAF Spitfires so important to Malta's defence? How did the Fall Of Singapore impact the situation in Malta? Was the British lea...

The Siege Of Malta: Britain's Submarine Ace (Part 2)

30 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was Malta such a threat to Nazi plans? What made HMS Upholder the most successful British submarine of WW2? How did British submarines disrupt Axi...

The Siege Of Malta: Fortress Malta (Part 1)

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was Malta attacked in WW2? Where in the world is Malta? How did the British fail to build up Malta's defences before Italy entered the war on Nazi...

WW2 British Tank Myths

22 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What made British tank steel so superior? Why do people think British tanks were so bad in WW2? How was the Centurion the peak of British tank enginee...

Death In The Mountains: Warning From History

20 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What happened after the war to the communities around Monte Sole? Why did SS troops execute civilians, including women and children? How did survivors...

Death In The Mountains: Massacre At Monte Sole

15 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did the SS units fight back against the Italian partisan brigades? When was the Marzabotto massacre? What happened to the leaders of the Stella Ro...

Death In The Mountains: Italy's Robin Hood

13 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Where is Monte Sole in Italy? Why was the Stella Rossa such a successful partisan group? What resistance did Italians engage in to fight Nazi Germany?...

Spy Family

08 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Bader, Berets, & Apache Helicopters

06 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did Daphne du Maurier design the paratroopers' maroon beret? Why was the defence of Malta so poor? What do the Army Air Corps do? Join James Hollan...

The Battle Of Britain: The Defeat Of The Luftwaffe

01 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Hitler give up on Operation Sealion and look East for conquest? What longterm consequences did British victory have for the wider war? When di...

The Battle Of Britain: Black Saturday

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When was the worst day for RAF casualties in The Battle Of Britain? Why did bombing London mean relief for RAF Fighter Command? What happened on Septe...

The Battle Of Britain: Attrition

24 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What made a fighter pilot an ace in aerial combat? Why did Nazi Germany switch to bombing British cities? When did Polish and Czech pilots join the fr...

The Battle Of Britain: Attack Of The Eagles

22 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was Eagle Day? Why was German intelligence about British defences so poor? Was British success due to 'The Few'? Join James Holland and Al Mur...

The Battle Of Britain: The Dowding System

17 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was The Dowding System? Why was Chain Home pivotal to the defence of Britain in WW2? How many hours of training did RAF pilots have on average? ...

The Battle Of Britain: Their Finest Hour

15 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When did the Luftwaffe begin the Kanalkampf phase of The Battle Of Britain? How many fighters and bombers did Nazi Germany have for the air war over B...

Rommel: Germany's Best General

10 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who was known as 'Smiling Albert'? Why is von Manstein overrated? What makes Model such a good general? Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 6...

The Best Panzer Generals Of WW2

08 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Which Prussian general wore a kilt and tricked British units with his excellent English? Why did Halder lose command even after his successes in Polan...

The Case Against General Patton

03 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How many times was George S. Patton fired by his superiors? Why isn't Lucian Truscott better known? Was Ridgway the most effective airborne commander ...

Eisenhower: America's Best General

01 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Was General Eisenhower the best US general of WW2? What decision impacts the reputation of Jumpin' Jim Gavin? When did General Mark Clark capture Rome...

Montgomery: Britain's Best General

27 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Was Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery a bad general? Why isn't Richard O'Connor known for his stunning victories? When did Horrocks take command of XXX...

The Best British General Of WW2

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Was Harold Alexander the best land forces commander the British Empire had? Why was Field Marshal Alan Brooke called Lord Alanbrooke? What's so funny ...

A Clash In The Fog

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This seri...

Hiroshima: VJ Day

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When was WW2 over? How did different leaders behave at the end of the war? Why was the surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri? Join James Hollan...

Hiroshima: Nagasaki

13 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why was the second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki? How did Japanese mutineers in government try to keep the war going? When did the Emperor Hirohito ...

Hiroshima: Dropping The Bomb

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When was Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima? How did different people react to the news of the explosion? Why was the second atomic bomb dropped on Nagas...

Hiroshima: The Manhattan Project

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the Manhattan Project? How accurate is the movie Oppenheimer? Why was the world's first nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima? Join James Ho...

Burma '45: The Forgotten General

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who was the forgotten general in the Burma campaign? When was he made the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff and a Field Marshal? How understren...

Burma '45: The Race To Rangoon

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Who won the race to liberate Rangoon: Mountbatten or Slim? When was Operation Dracula in 1945? Why was the treatment of Slim so bad after his incredib...

Burma '45: The Road To Mandalay

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Allied air superiority and mechanisation contribute to the liberation of Central Burma? In what ways did Heitarō Kimura and William Slim comp...

Burma '45: The Master Stroke

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Slim and the Allies plan to deceive Japanese forces in Burma? What was the true worth of the Chindits under Orde Wingate? When did the Allies ...

Burma '45: The Great Gamble

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why did different Allied commanders clash in their goals and methods to win the Burma campaign? What happened to the Japanese forces that tried to swi...

Burma '45: The Empire Strikes Back

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did Mountbatten and South East Asia Command marshall new forces and tactics to retake Burma? What were conditions life for soldiers fighting in Bu...

Burma '45: Killer Jungle

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was war like in Burma in 1944 and 1945? How did British and allied forces overcome the difficulties of jungle warfare and tropical disease? When ...

Potsdam: New World Order

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did the Potsdam Conference lead to the Marshall Plan, NATO, and The Warsaw Pact? What was The Long Telegram and the US policy of Containment? When...

Potsdam: Origins Of The Cold War

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did President Truman help America become the leader of the free world? In what ways did Stalin's Communist USSR win WW2? When did Atlee replace Ch...

Hollywood And Nuremberg

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As a part of our ongoing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series. This series ...

British Sea Power, Canadian Riots, & Japanese Death Rockets

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why did superpowers try to limit the growth of their navies? What impact does this have on international politics with Iran today? How were some Germa...

Okinawa '45: Kamikaze

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What mistakes were made during the fight for Okinawa in 1945? How did the campaign finally end? How many service personnel and civilians from both sid...

Okinawa '45: Apocalypse Now

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What was the fighting like for Americans on Okinawa in 1945? How many days did young marines like Bill Pierce & Dick Whitaker survive on the island? I...