The World War Two Podcast

Angus Wallace

The WW2 Podcast is a history show looking at all aspects of the Second World War; military history, social history, the battles, the campaigns, tanks, guns and other equipment, the politics and those who ran the war. In each episode of the podcast, Angus interviews a WWII expert on a subject. No topics are out of bounds. Angus Wallace is a long-time military history podcaster, he holds a Master's degree in History, has lectured at university level and is just in the process of completing his PhD. read less

Our Editor's Take

The World War Two Podcast has a focused approach to talking about history. Most such shows examine the war chronologically. They might begin in 1939 and survey each battle and development until the end of the war. They analyze wins and losses and only talk about politics and warfare. This podcast examines many specific elements that relate to WWII. This provides listeners with different insights into this turbulent time in history.

In each episode of The World War Two Podcast, the host talks about an interesting aspect of the war. For instance, one episode might focus on the biography of a specific British major. Another will discuss a US Navy unit and its responsibilities at the time. Some episodes explore the Japanese viewpoint, while others discuss North Africa. It is a comprehensive investigation of WWII that history fans might appreciate.

UK-based host Angus Wallace developed a passion for WWII history at a young age. He grew up listening to tales of the war from family members and friends. His dad joined the Royal Army Service Corps in 1944. His uncles served in the Air Force on the Sunderland Flying Boats and the Lancaster Bombers. In addition, friends of Wallace's parents held a variety of positions, from radar operators to coal miners. Hearing about that time from people who were there made him feel connected on a personal level. It made him want to research the war even more, which he decided to do with his podcast. Alongside this show, Wallace returned to university to complete a Ph.D. on WWII.

Episodes of The World War Two Podcast almost always contain an interview with some type of expert. Some, like Wallace, are children of soldiers who share their parents' experiences. Others are authors, professors, historians, and movie directors. The conversations are informative, detailed, and sometimes even funny. Most of all, they showcase the personal aspect of that testing period. New episodes debut every two weeks.

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227 - D-Day: Sword Beach

227 - D-Day: Sword Beach

6th June 1944 saw the largest seaborne assault in human history: D-Day. While much has been written about the operation as a whole, little detailed attention has been paid to the battle for Sword Beach itself, the easternmost of the amphibious attack areas. For this episode, I am joined by Stephen Fisher. Stephen is a historian and archaeologist who specializes in military history. He is also the author of Sword Beach: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Forgotten Victory. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

Episodes

227 - D-Day: Sword Beach

227 - D-Day: Sword Beach

6th June 1944 saw the largest seaborne assault in human history: D-Day. While much has been written about the operation as a whole, little detailed attention has been paid to the battle for Sword Beach itself, the easternmost of the amphibious attack areas. For this episode, I am joined by Stephen Fisher. Stephen is a historian and archaeologist who specializes in military history. He is also the author of Sword Beach: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Forgotten Victory. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

226 - D-Day and the Great Deception

226 - D-Day and the Great Deception

As the Allied forces prepared for the monumental invasion of Normandy, concealing the massive build-up of troops in Britain from the Germans became increasingly challenging. To mislead German intelligence about the timing and location of the invasion, the Allies devised a series of elaborate deception plans. The most audacious of these schemes aimed to convince the Germans that the Normandy landings were merely a diversion. This ruse featured a fictitious army led by General Patton, complete with hundreds of realistic dummy landing crafts, tanks, and aircraft. Joining me to delve into the intricate web of D-Day deception is Taylor Downing, author of The Army That Never Was: D-Day and the Great Deception. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

225 - Hill 107 and the Battle of Crete

225 - Hill 107 and the Battle of Crete

On the morning of May 20, 1941, the Germans launched Operation Mercury. The invasion of Crete was the largest airborne operation yet attempted during the war, with thousands of Fallschirmjäger deployed. Key to the operation's success would be the capture of the airfield at Maleme. Outnumbered and having suffered horrendous casualties, when the airborne troops secured Hill 107, overlooking the airfield, it opened the door for reinforcements and, ultimately, the Allied withdrawal from the island. For this episode, I'm joined by Robert Kershaw, a now-regular show participant who was last with us to discuss Dunkirk. He has a new book available, The Hill: The Brutal Fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

224 - The Theory and Practice of Command in the British and German Armies

224 - The Theory and Practice of Command in the British and German Armies

In this podcast episode, we will discuss the different approaches to command and control of the British Army and the German Army. From a management point of view, both organisations developed different doctrines to deal with the 'fog of war' or 'friction', which affected how commanders responded as a battle unfolded. We'll do this by delving into the origins of each nation's different approaches to doctrine and training and, most importantly, how these strategies played out during the pivotal Battle for France in 1940. Joining me today is Martin Samuels. Martin is the author of Piercing the Fog of War: The Theory and Practice of Command in the British and German Armies, 1918-1940, which builds upon his early work Command or Control? Command, Training and Tactics in the British and German Armies, 1888-1918. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

223 - Landing Craft Infantry

223 - Landing Craft Infantry

In this podcast episode, I'm looking at the work of LCI's, Landing Craft Infantry. These are not the smaller Higgins Boats we see storming the Normandy beaches in Saving Private Ryan but large beaching craft intended to transport and deliver fighting troops, typically a company of infantry or marines, to a hostile shore once a beachhead was secured. Joining me is Zach Morris. In When the Beaches Trembled, Zach writes about his grandfather, Stephen Ganzberger, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on LCI's during the war. Zach is also the former editor-in-chief of Elsie Item, the quarterly magazine newsletter of the USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association.

222 - The D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations

222 - The D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations

Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid on the coast of France, was a disaster in 1942. However, it did highlight the need for more reconnaissance before any other amphibious operations were mounted. In London, a small group of eccentric researchers, experimenting on themselves from inside pressure tanks in the middle of the London air raids, explored the deadly science needed to enable the critical reconnaissance vessels and underwater breathing apparatuses that would enable the Allies’ future amphibious landings, specifically D-Day. Joining me today is Dr Rachel Lance. Rachel is an Assistant Consulting Professor at Duke University, where she conducts research out of their Hyperbaric Medicine facility. She is also the author of Chamber Divers: The Untold Story of the D-Day Scientists Who Changed Special Operations Forever. Patreon:patreon.com/ww2podcast

221 - Training the Indian Army

221 - Training the Indian Army

The Indian Army was the largest volunteer army during the Second World War. Indian Army divisions fought in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy - and went to make up the overwhelming majority of the troops in South East Asia. Over two million personnel served in the Indian Army. In this episode, I am joined by Dr Alan Jefferys to discuss how the Indian Army developed a more comprehensive training structure than any other Commonwealth country during WWII. This was achieved through both the dissemination of doctrine and the professionalism of a small cadre of Indian Army officers who brought about a military culture within the Indian Army - starting in the 1930s - that came to fruition during the Second World War. Alan is the Head of Equipment and Uniform at the National Army Museum and the author of Approach to Battle: Training the Indian Army During the Second World War. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

220 - The Archer: Reversing to Victory

220 - The Archer: Reversing to Victory

From late 1944, an ungainly piece of equipment was introduced into service in the British and Canadian armies. Referred to at the time as the ‘Valentine 17-pounder SP’, and later as the ‘Archer’, it was a tracked vehicle with an open compartment at the front and a large gun facing to the rear. Joining me to tell the story of the Archer's development is loyal patron of the show, and author of ‘Self Propelled 17 Pounder - Archer’, Christopher Camfield. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

219 - D-Day Tourism

219 - D-Day Tourism

While at We Have Ways Fest, I caught Paul Woodadge, the host of WW2TV, giving an excellent talk on D-Day tourism. I thought I would ask him on the show to discuss tourism, how it has changed and what to see. Base in France, Paul has been a battlefield tour guide for over 20 years. More recently, he launched WW2TV and became a Second World War YouTube sensation. You can find Paul at DDayHistorian.com and ww2tv.com. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

218 - Target Hong Kong

218 - Target Hong Kong

In January 1945, Admiral Halsey, with the third Fleet, conducted a raid into the South China Sea. This was designated Operation Gratitude. The raid was to support the landings on Luzon, in the Philippines, with the aim of destroying the Japanese navy, supply convoys and any air assets in the area. As part of this operation, Hong Kong would be attacked. Steven Bailey joins me. Steven is the author of Target Hong Kong, which looks at the raid from numerous angles, including an eyewitness account from a British prison officer held in a Japanese internment camp on the island. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

217 - How the Luftwaffe Lost the skies over Germany

217 - How the Luftwaffe Lost the skies over Germany

Starting with small raids at the start of the war, the aerial offensive grew into a massive operation. Huge air armadas would eventually pulverise Germany, with the Mighty Eigth Airforce flying by day and the Lancasters of Bomber Command by night. This 24-hour campaign seriously damaged Germany’s ability to make war and killed hundreds of thousands. Joining me is Jonathan Trigg, whose new book is The Air War Through German Eyes: How the Luftwaffe Lost the Skies over the Reich, which looks at the air war from the point of view of the Germans. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

216 - The Latvian Legion

216 - The Latvian Legion

'In Arctic blizzards between January and March 1945, the Latvian 15th SS Division - a core of Russian Front veterans but most raw teenage conscripts from Nazi-occupied Latvia - tried to stop the Red Army sweeping across Pomerania, now Poland. One in three died: the majority never returned home.' In this episode, I'm joined by Vincent Hunt, and we discuss the Latvians fighting with the Germans in the Latvian 15th SS Division. Through interviews, diaries, and never-before-utilised sources, in his book The Road of Slaughter: The Latvian 15th SS Division in Pomerania, January-March 1945, Vince has built a compelling narrative of desperate fighting as the Latvians were withdrawn from defending their own country to Poland. For listeners of the podcast, Helion has offered us a discount code for copies of the book purchased from their website helion.co.uk. The code is VHRS10. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

215 - The Power of Japanese Propaganda

215 - The Power of Japanese Propaganda

This episode will look at Japanese propaganda during the imperial era. With the rise of mass production of newspapers and magazines amidst the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese population became instilled in nationalism and militarism. Despite the era of demilitarisation and democratisation after the First World War, the Japanese Empire, once again, became fixated on expansion. Harnessing film, radio and cultural institutions, the country was galvanised for total war. Ray Matsumoto, author of Echoes of Empire: The Power of Japanese Propaganda, joined me. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

214 - Stan Hollis VC and the Green Howards on D-Day

214 - Stan Hollis VC and the Green Howards on D-Day

The Green Howards landed in the first wave on D-Day. With them was Company Sergeant Major Stan Hollis, who had seen action in France in 1940, being evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk. He fought in North Africa and took part in the invasion of Sicily. It is fair to say Hollis was a seasoned soldier. He is also the only recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions on the 6th of June 1944. I have made a field trip to the Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond, Yorkshire. In this episode, Steve Erskine joins me to discuss Hollis and the Green Howards on D-Day. The museum is hosting a special 80th D-Day anniversary event on the 6th of June, 2024. This is a unique event to be held at the museum in Richmond. Those attending will have the chance to explore items from the museum collection relating to this crucial phase of the Second World War. Hear accounts of the day itself and understand more about the impact of the events of 6 June 1944. You can find out more on the museum website greenhowards.org.uk. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

213 - The British Empire and Commonwealth’s War Against Imperial Japan

213 - The British Empire and Commonwealth’s War Against Imperial Japan

The war in Asia and the Pacific against Japan is often seen as an American affair. While the US did play a dominant role, the British and Commonwealth forces also made major contributions – on land, at sea and in the air – eventually involving over a million men and vast armadas of ships and aircraft. Joining me to discuss Britain and the Commonwealth's war in the Far East is Brian Walter, author of Forgotten War: The British Empire and Commonwealth’s Epic Struggle Against Imperial Japan. Long-time listeners might recall I discussed the war in the Atlantic with Brian in episode 127, and we looked at the naval campaign in the Mediterranean in episode 173. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

212 - Invisible Generals

212 - Invisible Generals

When President McKinley turned down Benjamin Oliver Davis for a place at West Point due to the colour of his skin, Davis joined the army as a private. Davis soon worked his way through the ranks to receive his second lieutenant commission in 1901. It would be over 30 years before another black officer would receive his commission, and that would be Benjamin Oliver Davis's son, Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. In theory, black troops would be barred from combat, but Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. would lead the first Black flying squadron, the Tuskegee Airmen, to success during WWII. For this episode, I'm joined by Doug Melville, a direct relative of Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. and Sr. When George Lucas's film 'Red Tails' (2012), celebrating the Tuskegee Airmen, was released, Doug was shocked when he realised that Ben Jr.’s name had been omitted and replaced by the fictional Colonel A. J. Bullard. And Ben’s father, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., America’s first Black general who helped integrate the military, was left out too. The film inspired him to rediscover his family’s story, which spans five generations, and write Invisible Generals: Rediscovering Family Legacy, and a Quest to Honor America's First Black Generals. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

211 - HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-boats

211 - HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-boats

The convoy HG-76 sailed from Gibraltar to Britain in December 1941. The Royal Navy commander in charge was 'Johnnie' Walker, an anti-submarine expert who had developed new, aggressive U-boat hunting tactics. Accompanying the escorts was HMS Audacity, the Royal Navy's first escort carrier - a new type of warship purpose-built to defend convoys from enemy aircraft and U-boats. Aware of the departure of HG-76, a wolfpack of U-boats was sent against it, and the Luftwaffe was heavily committed to, in a rare example of German inter-service cooperation. German intelligence agents in Gibraltar and Spain also knew every detail of HG-76 before it sailed, seemingly stacking the odds in favour of the Kriegsmarine. Joining me on this episode is Angus Konstam. Angus is a naval historian and author of The Convoy: HG-76: Taking the Fight to Hitler's U-boats For patrons of the podcast, Osprey Publishing has given us a discount code to be used on their website, ospreypublishing.com. If you are not a patron of the show, you can sign up at patreon.com/ww2podcast. Patrons can get advert-free listening and extra WWII chat. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

210 - The Battle for Italy, 1943

210 - The Battle for Italy, 1943

Hot on the heels of victory in Sicily, the Allies crossed into Southern Italy in September 1943. They expected to drive the Axis forces north and be in Rome by Christmas. Although Italy surrendered, the German forces resisted fiercely, and the swift, hoped-for victory descended into one of the most brutal battles of the war. I am joined by James Holland, author of The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943 and co-host of the We Have Ways podcast. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

209 - Hospital Trains of WWII

209 - Hospital Trains of WWII

From the middle of the 19th century, the railways had an integral role in warfare. Trains brought food, ammunition and essential supplies. They also transported troops into the combat zone, and then trains would be used to bring men home. Hospital trains were not a new concept in WWII, but their development moved the carriages away from being ambulances for evacuating the wounded to mobile hospital units with operating theatres. Joining me is Alexandra Kitty, author of A Different Track: Hospital Trains of the Second World War. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast

208 - 2SAS and Bill Sterling

208 - 2SAS and Bill Sterling

David Stirling is the name synonymous with the wartime SAS, but the real brains behind the operation was, in fact, Bill Stirling, David’s eldest brother. Having originally joined the SOE in March 1940, Bill Stirling sailed for Cairo in 1941 and there had the idea for a small special forces unit to be led by his mercurial brother. But despite some success, David allowed the legendary 1SAS to drift under his leadership. Following his capture, Bill re-directed 2SAS, under his personal command, to the strategy he had originally envisaged: parachuting behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Joining me is Gavin Mortimer. Gavin is the author of several books focusing on the SAS, including a biography of David Sterling. His latest book is 2SAS: Bill Stirling and the forgotten special forces unit of World War II. Patreonpatreon.com/ww2podcast