World War II Daily Podcast

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The World War II Daily Podcast takes you beyond the textbooks to uncover the hidden stories of the Second World War. Hosted by Pietro Deserti, a Brazilian, grandson of an Italian WWII veteran, and Samuel de Korte, a Dutch WWII writer, this podcast features rare narratives and experiences that often go unnoticed. Each episode includes not only interviews with historians, collectors, and writers from various backgrounds but also episodes with exclusive stories from the war time, shedding light on the complexities of the event and its enduring legacy. Join us to discover much more about WW2!

  1. 4d ago

    Episode 29 — Dr. Jason Bell: Operation Sparrow: The Allied Spies Who Tricked Hitler.

    How do you convince Nazi Germany that the Allied invasion of Western Europe will take place somewhere other than Normandy? In March 1944, three American commandos embarked on a mission in which capture by the enemy was not a failure, but part of the plan. In Episode 29 of The World War II Daily Podcast, I speak with Dr. Jason Bell, professor of philosophy at the University of New Brunswick and author of Operation Sparrow: The Incredible True Story of the Spies Who Tricked Hitler and Won the War. Drawing on recently declassified intelligence documents, Jason uncovers the extraordinary story of Operation Sparrow, a daring Allied deception operation involving three commandos sent into Nazi-occupied Hungary. Their mission was to mislead German intelligence into believing that the Allies intended to invade the Balkans rather than Normandy, helping protect the plans for D-Day. We discuss the operation, the men behind the mission, the intelligence work that made it possible, and how Jason uncovered this remarkable story through archival research. We also explore his work as a historian of intelligence and his earlier book, Cracking the Nazi Code, which examines the life and espionage work of Winthrop Pickard Bell. ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Jason Bell is a professor of philosophy at the University of New Brunswick in Canada. He has served as a Fulbright Professor in Germany and was the first scholar granted exclusive access to Winthrop Pickard Bell’s classified espionage papers. His research has helped bring forgotten stories of intelligence, resistance, and the fight against Nazism to a wider audience. EXPLORE JASON BELL'S WORK Jason Bell's official website: https://jasonbell.org/ Operation Sparrow: The Incredible True Story of the Spies Who Tricked Hitler and Won the War BOOK PURCHASE LINK — OPERATION SPARROW Cracking the Nazi Code: The Untold Story of Agent A12 and the Solving of the Holocaust Code BOOK PURCHASE LINK — CRACKING THE NAZI CODE FOLLOW THE WORLD WAR II DAILY PODCAST Instagram: The World War II Daily Podcast Thank you for listening and for supporting our work to bring lesser-known stories of the Second World War to a wider audience.

  2. Aug 28

    Episode 28 - Katie S. Sanders and the incredible story of Peter Ortiz

    In Episode 28 of The World War II Daily Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Katie S. Sanders, an award-winning journalist, podcast producer, and co-author of the remarkable new book, Ortiz’s War. Katie has built an impressive career telling compelling stories for some of the world’s most respected publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME, Smithsonian, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post Magazine. Her reporting has taken her into places few journalists ever get to see, from the CIA and the White House to the homes of World War II veterans and Holocaust survivors. But her connection to the Second World War is also deeply personal. Katie discovered that her late grandfather, a Jewish-American pilot who was shot down over France before D-Day, had been rescued by one of the most extraordinary figures of the war: OSS Marine Colonel Peter Ortiz. That discovery set Katie on a remarkable journey. Together with historian and retired U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Nicholas Reynolds, she set out to uncover and chronicle the story of the man who had saved her grandfather. The result is Ortiz’s War, an extraordinary account of a warrior whose life seems almost too incredible to be true. Peter Ortiz parachuted into Nazi-occupied France, worked alongside the French Resistance, helped rescue Allied airmen, evaded the Gestapo, and endured horrific imprisonment. His wartime story is one of courage, survival, and an extraordinary commitment to the fight against Nazi Germany. In this episode, Katie and I discuss her fascinating career, the deeply personal discovery that connected her family to Peter Ortiz, the research behind Ortiz’s War, and the incredible life and legacy of the man they describe as one of America’s most remarkable warriors. It was a fascinating conversation, and I’m very excited for you to hear it.Click here and buy now Ortiz's War Book Follow: @katiessander and @ortizswarbook For daily WW2 content: @worldwarii_daily and @samuel.dekorte

  3. Jul 31

    Episode 27 - Isaac Lamberth: Overshadowed Marines

    In Episode 27 of The World War II Daily Podcast, we are joined by Captain Isaac Lamberth, an active-duty United State Marine Corps officer, military communications professional, and author. Coming from a family with eight generations of military service, Isaac has served in the Marine Corps since 2008, including a deployment to Afghanistan, while also building a reputation as a military historian and educator. Our conversation centers on his book, Overshadowed, which explores one of the least discussed aspects of Marine Corps history during the Second World War: the service of U.S. Marines outside the Pacific Theater. While the Marines are almost universally associated with iconic battles such as Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, thousands also served in Europe, the Mediterranean, China, Iceland, and other theaters where their contributions have largely faded from public memory. Together, we examine the origins of this overlooked story, the diverse roles Marines played beyond the island campaigns, and why these men have remained in the shadow of the Corps' more famous Pacific legacy. Isaac also discusses the extensive research behind Overshadowed and why preserving these forgotten stories remains important today.  Purchase Overshadowed:CLICK HERE  Follow Captain Isaac Lamberth on Instagram: Follow us on Instagram: The World War II Daily Samuel de Korte If you enjoy conversations that uncover the lesser-known stories of the Second World War, be sure to subscribe to The World War II Daily Podcast and share this episode with fellow history enthusiasts. Thank you and see you next time!

  4. Jul 2

    Episode 26 – Linda Hervieux: The Story of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion

    In Episode 26 of the WW2 Daily Podcast, Samuel sits down with journalist, photographer, and author Linda Hervieux to discuss one of the most overlooked stories of the Second World War, the men of the 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion. Together, they explore what first led Linda to uncover the battalion's remarkable history, the vital role barrage balloons played during and after D-Day, and what June 6, 1944, looked like for the soldiers of the 320th. The conversation also examines how racial segregation shaped the unit's experience, why their contributions remained largely unrecognized for decades, and how their story enriches our understanding of Black military service during World War II. Whether you're discovering the 320th for the first time or looking to deepen your knowledge of D-Day, this episode offers an insightful conversation about remembrance, historical research, and the importance of bringing forgotten stories to light. 📖 Linda Hervieux's book: Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day's Black Heroes, at Home and at War 🌐 WW2 Daily Website Follow WW2 Daily Follow Samuel Follow Linda Hervieux

  5. May 29

    Episode 25 – Jenny Chan: Inside Imperial Japan’s Darkest Secret

    On Episode 25 we welcome back our friend Jenny Chan for her second round here in the show. Jenny is the co-founder of Pacific Atrocities Education, a nonprofit she helped establish in 2014 to research and preserve WWII history in the Pacific. Growing up in the United States, Jenny became interested in this work after hearing her grandmother’s experiences living under Japanese occupation in Hong Kong, stories that were largely absent from what she learned in school. Through Pacific Atrocities Education, she and her team have worked to recover survivor testimonies and digitize over a million fragile war crimes documents from the U.S. National Archives. With extensive expertise on Unit 731, Jenny has dedicated years to researching Japanese wartime atrocities and preserving historical evidence that is very often forgotten.  In this episode, we focus entirely on Unit 731, examining its origins, operations, human experimentation, the evidence left behind, and how complicated the after war was. Learn more about the Pacific Atrocities Education: https://www.pacificatrocities.org/ Follow on instagram: - @pacificatrocities.edu - @samuel.dekorte - @worldwarii_daily

  6. Apr 24

    Episode 24 - Dr. Bastiaan Willems: author of the book “Violence in Defeat: The Wehrmacht on German Soil, 1944–1945"

    Episode 24 brings you a conversation that challenges conventional narratives about the final phase of the Second World War. In this episode, we’re joined by Bastiaan Willems, a researcher of modern European history whose work examines the conduct of the German army as the war turned decisively against them. Drawing from his book Violence in Defeat, Willems shifts the lens away from the widely studied brutality of the Eastern Front and redirects it inward, into Germany itself during its final collapse. We explore how years of exposure to extreme violence shaped a “barbarized” mindset within the Wehrmacht, one that did not remain confined to distant battlefields. As German forces retreated, these patterns of behavior followed them home, contributing to a surge of violence within Germany in 1944–45. The episode examines how the boundaries between front line and home front eroded, how civilians became entangled in the logic of total war, and how these dynamics influenced the chaotic disintegration of the Third Reich. This discussion offers a deeper understanding of how war transforms not only outcomes, but societies and how its consequences can reverberate far beyond the battlefield. — Check out Bastiaan Willems’ book here: https://www.amazon.com.br/Violence-Defeat-Wehrmacht-1944-1945-Cambridge-ebook/dp/B08TRL3BHJ Follow and stay connected: Instagram: @worldwarii_daily and @samuel.dekorte

  7. Mar 27

    Episode 23 - Dr. Henning Pieper: Fegelein's Horsemen and Genocidal Warfare: The SS Cavalry Brigade in the Soviet Union

    In this episode, we’re joined by Henning Pieper, historian and educator. He studied atthe Universities of Freiburg, Nottingham and Sheffield, and has previously worked as a visitor guide at the Belsen Memorial as well as a school consultant for the German War Graves Commission. Since 2017, he has been teaching History and English at the high school level. Henning is the author of Fegelein’s Horsemen and Genocidal Warfare: The SS Cavalry Brigade in the Soviet Union and has published several articles on the SS and German counterinsurgency during World War II. In our conversation, we explore the role of the SS Cavalry Brigade on the Eastern Front, the nature of anti-partisan warfare, and how these operations were connected to broader patterns of violence during the war. Dr. Pieper's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Fegeleins-Horsemen-Genocidal-Warfare-Holocaust-ebook/dp/B00PG00X4CInstagram:@worldwarii_daily and @samuel.dekorte

  8. Feb 21

    Episode 22 – Jenny Chan From the Pacific Atrocities Education

    SUPPORT US BY SUBSCRIBING! A new year, a new season! The World War II Daily Podcast returns today for its 3rd year. Episode 22 features Jenny Chan, co-founder of Pacific Atrocities Education, a nonprofit she helped establish in 2014 to research and preserve World War II history in the Asia-Pacific. Growing up in the United States, Jenny became interested in this work after hearing her grandmother’s experiences living under Japanese occupation in Hong Kong, stories that were largely absent from what shelearned in school. Through Pacific Atrocities Education, she and her team have worked to recover survivor testimonies and digitize over a million fragile war crimes documents from the U.S. National Archives. Her work focuses on documenting Japanese wartime atrocities, preserving historical evidence, and bringing greater attention to parts of the war that remain less discussed in mainstream narratives. In this episode, we discuss Japanese wartime atrocities in general and take a closer look at Unit 731 — exploring the historical context, the available evidence, and the importance of preserving these histories for future generations. For daily WW2 content check out our Instagram: @worldwarii_daily and @samuel.dekortePacific Atrocities Education: @pacificatrocitieseduLearn more about Pacific Atrocities Education: https://www.pacificatrocities.org/ Thank you for watching!

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About

The World War II Daily Podcast takes you beyond the textbooks to uncover the hidden stories of the Second World War. Hosted by Pietro Deserti, a Brazilian, grandson of an Italian WWII veteran, and Samuel de Korte, a Dutch WWII writer, this podcast features rare narratives and experiences that often go unnoticed. Each episode includes not only interviews with historians, collectors, and writers from various backgrounds but also episodes with exclusive stories from the war time, shedding light on the complexities of the event and its enduring legacy. Join us to discover much more about WW2!

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  • Creator
    WorldWarII_Daily
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © WorldWarII_Daily
  • Show Website
    World War II Daily Podcast