History of the Second World War

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HISTORY
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History of the Second World War is a weekly podcast which will cover World War 2, beginning with the tumultuous years after the First World War, continuing into the descent into war during the 1930s, through the war years, and then into the post war aftermath.

3 DAYS AGO

235: The Battle After Britain Pt. 3 - The Blitz

In this gripping episode, we explore the devastating German night bombing campaign known as the Blitz, which terrorized Britain from September 1940 to May 1941. While London bore the brunt of 57 consecutive nights of bombing that killed 40,000 people and destroyed over a million homes, many other British cities suffered similar devastation as the Luftwaffe attempted to break British morale and cripple the nation's war effort. Despite the widespread destruction, the RAF's Fighter Command was ill-prepared for night interceptions, lacking both aerial radar technology and adequate anti-aircraft defenses, leaving British civilians to endure the onslaught largely unprotected. From the famous use of London Tube stations as makeshift shelters to the remarkable grassroots organization of shelter committees, ordinary British citizens demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of nightly terror. Though the Luftwaffe dropped thousands of tons of bombs and caused immense suffering, their strategic goals remained unfulfilled – instead of breaking British spirit, the Blitz ultimately strengthened national resolve and became a defining symbol of wartime endurance that would echo through history. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

35 min
6 DAYS AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Interview 44: Opening the Gates of Hell: Operation Barbarossa with Richard Hargreaves

This time I am joined by Richard Hargreaves to discuss his new book ⁠Opening the Gates of Hell: Operation Barbarossa.⁠ Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.

39 min
24 SEPT

234: The Battle After Britain Pt. 2 - Big Wings, Big Egos

By the end of September 1940, the threat of German invasion had passed, but victory in the Battle of Britain sparked a bitter internal conflict within RAF Fighter Command. Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park of 11 Group, who had successfully defended southeastern England using small, quick-response fighter formations, found himself under attack from Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory of 12 Group, who advocated for "Big Wing" tactics—concentrating multiple squadrons into large formations. This strategic disagreement, fueled by inflated victory claims and personal ambitions, ultimately led to the removal of both Hugh Dowding, head of Fighter Command, and Park himself in late 1940. Despite their crucial roles in Britain's survival during the summer of 1940, these architects of victory were cast aside just as the threat they had defeated was transforming into the night bombing campaign of the Blitz. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 min
18 SEPT

233: The Battle After Britain Pt. 1 - Sleeping Sea Lion

In the aftermath of Battle of Britain Day, both sides struggled to understand what had really changed in the aerial war over Britain. While the Luftwaffe leadership blamed their fighter pilots for the costly losses on September 15th, faulty intelligence drastically underestimated RAF strength at just 177 fighters when the actual number was 659—a miscalculation that would prove decisive. As the German high command faced the reality that their air campaign had failed to achieve air superiority, the logistical challenges of Operation Sea Lion became insurmountable, from RAF Bomber Command's devastating "Battle of the Barges" to the impossible timeline for moving armored divisions across the Channel. On September 17th, Hitler quietly postponed the invasion—not with fanfare, but with a bureaucratic whimper that effectively ended Germany's hopes of conquering Britain in 1940. The final daylight raids of September would see the Luftwaffe's grand campaign dissolve into desperate, costly attacks that only confirmed Fighter Command's continued strength, marking the end of one of history's most crucial air battles. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 min
10 SEPT

232: The Battle of Britain Pt. 7 - Battle of Britain Day

On September 15, 1940—Battle of Britain Day—the Luftwaffe launched what would become the climactic daylight assault of their campaign against Britain. In a desperate final effort to enable Operation Sea Lion, the German invasion of Britain, over 500 bombers escorted by hundreds of fighters targeted London's railways and dockyards in two massive raids. However, RAF Fighter Command rose to meet them with unprecedented coordination, deploying every available squadron in a series of perfectly timed intercepts that turned the skies above London into absolute mayhem. Despite wildly exaggerated victory claims on both sides, the day's fighting proved that Fighter Command was far from the spent force the Germans had hoped, while the Luftwaffe's mounting losses and fuel limitations exposed the futility of their campaign. As weather closed in and Hitler postponed Sea Lion indefinitely, September 15th marked not just the end of the daytime Battle of Britain, but the beginning of a new phase—the Blitz. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 min
3 SEPT

231: The Battle of Britain Pt. 6 - Stumbling to the End

In this episode, we explore the critical second week of September 1940, when the Battle of Britain reached a pivotal turning point that would ultimately determine the fate of Operation Sea Lion—Germany's planned invasion of Britain. Following the devastating bombing raids on London that began September 7th, German invasion preparations were paradoxically at their peak readiness while simultaneously becoming increasingly uncertain. As the Luftwaffe shifted focus from targeting RAF airfields to bombing London's civilian and industrial targets, Hitler repeatedly delayed his invasion decision, pushing the operation dangerously late into the season. Meanwhile, Fighter Command adapted brilliantly to the new German tactics, concentrating their forces more effectively and introducing coordinated squadron attacks that would prove devastatingly effective. We'll examine how weather, tactical missteps, and the growing exhaustion of both German and British pilots set the stage for the climactic confrontation of September 15th—later known as Battle of Britain Day—while exploring the human cost of this aerial campaign on both military personnel and London's civilian population. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

26 min
31 AUG

Interview 43: The Kwantung Army with Quin Cho

This week I was joined by Quin Cho of Pacific Atrocities to talk about an upcoming book on the foundation and early actions of the Kwantung Army. Get the Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK5F787QPacific Atrocities Education: https://www.pacificatrocities.org/ Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 min
29 AUG • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Interview 43: The Kwantung Army with Quin Cho

This week I was joined by Quin Cho of Pacific Atrocities to talk about an upcoming book on the foundation and early actions of the Kwantung Army. Get the Book: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FK5F787Q⁠ Pacific Atrocities Education: ⁠https://www.pacificatrocities.org/⁠ Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network.

42 min

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Intelligent Speech 2025

Come check out my keynote speech on the topic of Deception in February 2025: https://intelligentspeechonline.com/Coupon Code: SECOND Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Feb

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I'm Lindsay Holiday and I'm spilling the Tea on history! Join me every Tuesday for a steaming cup of the juiciest stories you won't learn in history class. Topics include Queens of the world, Royalty and Women's history. Check out my Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/lindsayholiday Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091781568503 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyteatimelindsayholiday/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@historyteatime Help me make more podcasts and videos at: Patreon.com/LindsayHoliday Theme music: Baroque Coffee House by Doug Maxwell Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on this podcast. For other inquiries: Lindsay.Holiday.productions@gmail.com

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History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.

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HISTORY

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Wesley Livesay

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History of the Second World War is a weekly podcast which will cover World War 2, beginning with the tumultuous years after the First World War, continuing into the descent into war during the 1930s, through the war years, and then into the post war aftermath.