Harvest of Mars: History and War

Joseph A. Campo
Harvest of Mars: History and War

Harvest of Mars seeks to uncover the essentials of war. Essentials that have been swept under the rug or forgotten by people and societies eager to rewrite history in a way that is intellectually pleasing. This podcast seeks to open your eyes to aspects of military history that, as Paul Fussell accurately noted, never got into the books because of what he called the Disneyfication of war. Here you will get authentic insights from someone who has a genuine love for the material.If you are curious and enjoy seeing things from a new perspective, this is the podcast for you! You do not even know a lot about military history. Perhaps you enjoy stories about the past but have never taken a history course and are just curious. It’s all good. I get students all the time who are new to history and they learn a ton because I nudge people toward new things they have not thought about rather than have them memorize facts. .

  1. Could the Axis Powers Have Won WWII?: Part II

    NOV 29

    Could the Axis Powers Have Won WWII?: Part II

    “When America had defeated Japan by detonating an atomic bomb, the Führer had sent a V-3 rocket to explode in the skies of New York to prove he could retaliate in kind if struck. After that, the war had dwindled to ... a nuclear stalemate the diplomats called the cold war.” - Robert Harris, from the novel Fatherland.In this episode we continue to look at one of the most common “What If?” questions in history: the plausibility of the Axis powers (specifically Germany) winning the S...

    1h 3m
  2. Could the Axis Powers Have Won WWII?: Part I

    AUG 21

    Could the Axis Powers Have Won WWII?: Part I

    “This is how history went after McCoy changed it … Because ALL this lets them develop the A-bomb first. With the A-bomb & with their V2 rockets to carry them, Germany captured the world.” - Spock, from the Star Trek Episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever.”In this episode we look at one of the most common “What If?” questions in history: the plausibility of the Axis powers (specifically Germany) winning the Second World War. Also, probably the most complicated. C...

    37 min
  3. S.L.A. Marshall and the Ratio-of-Fire Theory: Did Only 15-20% of US Riflemen Fire Their Weapons during WWII?

    JUN 15

    S.L.A. Marshall and the Ratio-of-Fire Theory: Did Only 15-20% of US Riflemen Fire Their Weapons during WWII?

    “I had a feeling of the essential rightness of all. He was dead and I was alive; it could so easily have been the other way round; and that would somehow have been right too.” - Richard Hillary, Royal Air Force pilot, reflecting on the first German plane he shot downIn this episode we look at the controversial claim made by US Army General S.L.A. Marshall in 1947, when he asserted that less than 25% of US riflemen fired their weapons at the enemy in WWII. What is usually cal...

    55 min
  4. “Attack at Pearl Harbor: Opting for War with Eyes Closed”

    MAR 24

    “Attack at Pearl Harbor: Opting for War with Eyes Closed”

    "AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR. THIS IS NOT DRILL." – US Navy dispatch, December 7, 1941.In this episode we look at one of the all-too frequent examples of a successful surprise attack in modern warfare. Most students of history are familiar with the basics: an (un)fortunate set of circumstances enabled Japanese carrier air forces to achieve complete surprise and inflict heavy damage to US military forces at the Hawaiian naval base. Here we dig a little deeper ...

    39 min
  5. Helmuth von Moltke: Railroads, the General Staff, and the Rise of Prussia 1866-1871

    FEB 13

    Helmuth von Moltke: Railroads, the General Staff, and the Rise of Prussia 1866-1871

    "Moltke is not a general to copy but to study" - J.F.C. Fuller In this episode we look at Helmuth von Moltke (the Elder), the Prussian Chief of the Prussian General Staff most noted for the dramatic Prussian victories over Austria and France which led to the foundation of Germany in 1871. Most historians will casually acknowledge him as a brilliant military figure and attribute the dramatic rise of Prussia military prowess to his leadership. Not wrong,...

    1h 14m
  6. Russia-Ukraine War, November 2023: The Unrealistic Expectations of Ukraine's Summer Offensive

    11/13/2023

    Russia-Ukraine War, November 2023: The Unrealistic Expectations of Ukraine's Summer Offensive

    "All the ingredients of a successful counteroffensive have already been unfolding over the past weeks" - Vox, June 12, 2023In this episode we examine Ukraine's 2023 summer offensive, specifically why it has not achieved the lofty expectations that many Ukrainian backers were hoping for. I suspect future historians will look back at the offensive and cite it as a classic case of psychological incompetence. Too much was asked and expected of what was objectively a ...

    44 min
  7. "Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars."

    08/01/2023

    "Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars."

    “The guerrilla wins if he does not lose.” – Henry KissingerIn this episode we update a classic article written by Andrew Mack back in 1975. As I feel strongly enough that a 50-year-old article is worth re-investigating and much of this analysis is based on Mack’s original conclusions, I highly recommend you read the original which is easily available in digital format. Its full title is “Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars: The Politics of Asymmetric Conflict” and it appeared in...

    1 hr
  8. The Battle of Midway: Did the United States Win Because of Luck?

    06/20/2023

    The Battle of Midway: Did the United States Win Because of Luck?

    “There is a story, no doubt apocryphal, that gamers at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, have many times replayed the 1942 Battle of Midway - but have never been able to produce an American victory.” – Taken from historian Robert Cowley’s book What If? “Find better gamers.” – My response. In this episode, we look at the celebrated Battle of Midway, in which US naval forces decisively defeated the Imperial Japanese Navy. The prevail...

    56 min
See All (22)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Harvest of Mars seeks to uncover the essentials of war. Essentials that have been swept under the rug or forgotten by people and societies eager to rewrite history in a way that is intellectually pleasing. This podcast seeks to open your eyes to aspects of military history that, as Paul Fussell accurately noted, never got into the books because of what he called the Disneyfication of war. Here you will get authentic insights from someone who has a genuine love for the material.If you are curious and enjoy seeing things from a new perspective, this is the podcast for you! You do not even know a lot about military history. Perhaps you enjoy stories about the past but have never taken a history course and are just curious. It’s all good. I get students all the time who are new to history and they learn a ton because I nudge people toward new things they have not thought about rather than have them memorize facts. .

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph A. Campo
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Harvest of Mars: History and War
  • Show Website
    Harvest of Mars: History and War

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