272 - Second Front: Anglo-American Rivalry
The WW2 Podcast
When we talk about the Second Front, most of us think of the Allied invasion of Northwest Europe—D-Day, June 1944. But in his new book, , historian Professor Marc Milner offers a different perspective. What if the real second front wasn’t in Normandy, but in Washington? Milner argues that while Britain fought alongside the United States on the battlefields of Europe, it was also engaged in a very different kind of struggle across the Atlantic: a political and diplomatic battle to retain its influence over an increasingly dominant America. By the time Allied troops landed in France, the...
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271 - Feeding the Bear: Lend Lease to the USSR
The WW2 Podcast
In this episode, we’re doing something a little different. I recently joined Scott Bury on his podcast , which takes a close look at the Eastern Front of the Second World War from a Soviet perspective. Together, we explored the topic of American aid to the USSR through the Lend-Lease program. The usual narrative often paints Lend-Lease as the lifeline that saved the Soviet Union. But, as with most things in history, the reality is far more complex. While Lend-Lease undeniably made a difference—especially in the war's later stages—its impact, timing, and strategic value are worth...
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270 - Bruce Lockhart and the Political Warfare Executive
The WW2 Podcast
In this episode of the WW2 Podcast, I am joined by Professor James Crossland to discuss the extraordinary life of Robert Bruce Lockhart — a British diplomat, journalist, author, and secret agent. Though not a household name, Lockhart was a key figure behind the scenes of 20th-century history. His career began before the First World War and took him from revolutionary Russia to wartime Britain, often placing him near the centre of power and influence. During the Second World War, he served as Director-General of the Political Warfare Executive, the organisation responsible for coordinating...
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269 - The Diary of a German POW
The WW2 Podcast
In this episode of the WW2 Podcast, I am joined by Bernd Häber to discuss the remarkable story of his grandfather, Fritz Häber — a German soldier who became a prisoner of war in American custody at the end of World War II. During his 16 months in a U.S. POW camp, Fritz kept a diary that not only captured the daily realities of captivity but also reflected on his wartime experiences and personal history. Now published as , the account provides a rare and honest perspective from the losing side of the conflict. Bernd shares insights into his grandfather’s life, the motivations behind the...
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268 - The First US Army Rangers of WWII
The WW2 Podcast
In the early stages of America’s involvement in the Second World War, the U.S. Army began forming a new kind of fighting force—elite units trained for speed, surprise, and special operations behind enemy lines. These were the first Army Rangers, inspired by British Commandos and destined for some of the toughest missions of the war. In this episode, I’m joined by historian and author Mir Bahmanyar to talk about the formation and deployment of these early Rangers, from their beginnings in North Africa and Sicily to their fateful engagement at Cisterna in 1944, a battle that ended in...
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267 - The T-13 Tank Destroyer
The WW2 Podcast
During the critical interwar years, Belgium found itself walking a diplomatic tightrope—maintaining neutrality while neighbouring Germany rapidly rearmed. Faced with the growing threat of conflict, the country was forced to modernise its defences. One of Belgium’s key military developments during this period was the T-13 tank destroyer—an armoured vehicle that, although modest by international standards, played a vital role in the country's attempt to resist the German invasion in 1940. In this episode, we head to Brussels to uncover the story of the T-13 with Robby Houben from the...
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266 - Robert Capa's D-Day Photographs
The WW2 Podcast
On the morning of June 6th, 1944, war photographer Robert Capa waded ashore on Omaha Beach during the Allied landings in Normandy. What happened next became the stuff of legend: under withering fire, Capa supposedly captured over a hundred photographs of the chaos and courage of D-Day, only for all but eleven to be lost in a darkroom accident. These surviving images, the so-called “Magnificent Eleven,” helped define the visual memory of D-Day and cemented Capa’s reputation as the greatest war photographer of the 20th century. But what if the story we've long accepted isn't entirely true?...
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265 - British Tanks of the Red Army
The WW2 Podcast
Today, we are exploring a topic that doesn’t get talked about much — the British tanks that ended up serving with the Red Army during the Second World War. We often think about the Soviet Union producing huge numbers of its own tanks like the T-34, but in the early years of the war—and even before it—the Soviets were looking abroad for armoured vehicles to strengthen their forces. Britain, with its long history of tank development stretching back to the First World War, was one of the countries they turned to. Joining me is Peter Samsonov, who’s spent a lot of time researching Soviet...
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264 - SAS Great Escapes, Archie Gibson
The WW2 Podcast
In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Damien Lewis to talk about one of the remarkable men featured in his new book — Archie Gibson. Archie served with the Long Range Desert Group and worked closely with the SAS during some of their earliest and most daring operations. His wartime journey took him from the harsh deserts of North Africa to the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia, where he operated alongside local resistance fighters behind enemy lines. We also delve into the ongoing campaign to award SAS legend Paddy Mayne a posthumous Victoria Cross, recognition he was...
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263 - The Halbe Pocket, 1945
The WW2 Podcast
In the final weeks of the Second World War, as Soviet forces closed in on Berlin, tens of thousands of German soldiers and civilians found themselves encircled in what became known as the Halbe Pocket. In a desperate attempt to break out west and surrender to the Americans rather than the Soviets, brutal fighting erupted in the forests south of Berlin. The result was one of the bloodiest and most chaotic battles of the war’s final days. Joining me is . David is a British-German World War II historian and podcaster based in Berlin. He’s the producer and host of , a weekly podcast that...
info_outlineGeneral Montgomery was a complex figure, and his legacy remains the subject of debate among historians. In this episode, I’m joined by Andrew Harrison, author of Caen, Cobra and Confusion, to examine the controversies surrounding Monty’s leadership during the Normandy campaign.
Central to our conversation are the misunderstandings about Monty’s intentions for Caen and the American breakout at Operation Cobra, misconceptions that have played a significant role in shaping his legacy. We’ll explore how events beyond the battlefield, as well as the perspectives of historians, have influenced how Montgomery’s decisions are viewed today.
