Why We Fight ~ 1944

In this episode, Dr. Mitchell Yockelson joins me to talk about the history between American General Dwight D. Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and how their professional relationship was clearly more than simply colleagues but far from "besties". Links Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I ( Amazon ) Bor...

Dr. John McManus joins me again, this time talking about the American Experience in World War II, with an emphasis on the Americans in France following the invasion of Normandy. Links Dr. John McManus ( https://johncmcmanus.com/ ) Half American: The Heroic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad by Matthew Delmont ( Amazon ) The 7th Infantry Regiment - Combat in an Age...

In this episode, Paul Sparrow joins me to talk about the interesting and often challenging relationship between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and General Douglas MacArthur. Paul was the Director of the FDR Museum and Library for years and he has a book that came out in 2024 on FDR which is linked below. Links Awakening the Spirit of America: FDR's War of Words with Charles Lindbergh - and th...

Joining me in this episode is historian Trent Hone, continuing to share stories and insight of Admiral Nimitz in the Pacific and the unique challenges he faced in trying to effectively coordinate assets and work with other commanders. In this episode, Trent brings up the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Battle off Samar, both of which have dedicated episodes coming up with Dr. Regina Akers from the Na...

In this episode, Lt. Col. Brian Kerg joins me to talk about the Battle of Saipan in June/July 1944, and the leadership challenges that arose at the time, resulting in a Marine Corps Officer relieving an Army Officer. Links Commanding the Pacific: Marine Corps Generals in World War II by Stephen R. Taaffe ( Amazon ) Coral and Brass by Holland M. Smith ( Amazon ) Howlin Mad vs. The Army: Conflict in...

Dr. Grant Harward and Dr. Luke Truxal join me to continue this talk about the Jassy-Kishinev raids. Other episodes that are mentioned or connected to this one include: 1943 episode 11: Uniting Against the Reich with Dr. Luke Truxal 1943 Episode 44: Operation Tidal Wave with Dr. Luke Truxal 1943 Episode 79: Schweinfurt, Regensburg, and Operation Starkey: Inflated Numbers, Wrong Conclusions, and Fal...

In this first of two parts, Dr. Grant Harward and Dr. Luke Truxal join me to talk about the April / May 1944 raids on Romania, in particular the First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive. Other episodes that are mentioned or connected to this one include: 1943 episode 11: Uniting Against the Reich with Dr. Luke Truxal 1943 Episode 44: Operation Tidal Wave with Dr. Luke Truxal 1943 Episode 79: Schweinfurt, Re...

In this episode, Brazilian Army Colonel Giorgio Pizzani joins me to talk about the Brazilian Expeditionary Force from creation through 1944 -- a special formation of 25,000 volunteers from Brazil who travel to Italy to fight alongside the Allies. This was a feat made possible by President Roosevelt and the American forces transporting the BEF, then supplying and equipping the men to enable them to...

In this episode, Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Evans joins me to talk about the Military Police at Normandy and in 1944, as well as the challenges of future force structure planning and compromises. As LTC Evans explains in the episode, the MPs help extend the Commander's operational reach from the established bases of operations to the forward lines of troops through the balance of momentum, end...

Kevin Hymel joins me again to continue Patton's story in the war. In this episode, Kevin starts around the Knutsford incident and takes us to about 1 August 1944 when Patton finally get's Third Army on the Continent. Links Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership Volume I - NOV 1942 to JUL 1944 by Kevin Hymel ( Amazon ) Patton's War: An American General's Combat Leadership Volume II -...

In this episode, Steve Snyder joins me to talk about his book SHOT DOWN: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth in which he tells of his father's experience in the Second World War. Something that set Howard apart from other aircrew members was his initial Army experience as Infantry. Links SHOT DOWN: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17...

In this episode, Dr. Kate Lemay talks about some incredible women of Normandy, risking their lives and safety to protect downed American aircrews. She also talks about the ways the French grieved the war, and how some may have hyper-focused on protecting American gravesites as a way of managing their own grief. Links Triumph of the Dead: American World War II Cemeteries, Monuments, and Diplomacy i...

Dr. Cameron Zinsou joins me in this episode to talk about Charles de Gaulle and the French Resistance, to help add some depth to the series and help us better appreciate the French experience to this point in the war. This episode also compliments the next two episodes which will include talk of parts of the French Resistance. Links The Struggle for Cooperation: Liberated France and the American M...

Returning in this episode is retired US Army Colonel Greg Fontenot, continuing the story of the 1st Infantry Division and the Division's participation in the post D-Day operations at Normandy and Saint-Lô. Links No Sacrifice Too Great: The 1st Infantry Division in World War II by Greg Fontenot Diary of a Combat Infantryman by Jim Sharp Sergeant of the Guard at Nuremberg by Jim Sharp Mother of Tank...

In this episode, MAJ Jonathan Curran joins me to talk about the Battle of Cherbourg in June 1944 and what that meant for the US Army and the Allies at the time and going forward. There will also be about 90 minutes of bonus content associated with this episode which will be available on Patreon as soon as I have a chance to put it together into a single bonus episode.   Links   Mother of Tanks web...

In this episode, Dr. Sanders Marble returns to talk about Army Doctors, Nurses, and Medics at Normandy. Links History of the Office of Medical History ( https://medcoeckapwstorprd01.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/achh/HistoryoftheOfficeofMedicalHistory_12247.pdf ) Army Medicine History ( https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/AMDM ) US Army Hospitals, Nurses, and Medical Units in the North Africa Campaign wit...

Dr. Ryan Wadle returns in this episode to talk about the US Navy in Operation Neptune — before, during, and a little after D-Day in 1944. While we don't necessarily discuss books, I'll include a few relevant links below. Links World War II: D-Day, The Invasion of Normandy ( https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/research/online-documents/world-war-ii-d-day-invasion-normandy ) The Invasion Fleet that Li...

In this episode I'm joined by retired US Coast Guard Commander Gary Thomas who offers us a taste of the many MANY contributions of the USCG to the American war effort in the Second World War including the extensive support provided by the Coast Guard for the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Links The Long Blue Line - USCG History Blog ( https://www.history.uscg.mil/Research/THE-LONG-BLUE-LINE/ )...

Joining me in this this episode is Dr. Frank Blazich Jr. Frank spoke with me last year about the pontoons used to support Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, and here he continues this story to talk about the Rhino Ferries and Mulberries at Normandy in June 1944. Link Inventors and Innovators: Naval Lighterage and Anglo-American Success in the Amphibious Invasions of German-Occup...

In this episode, Dr. Rob Williams joins me to talk about the US Army Airborne forces at Normandy in June 1944. Rob contributed to the 1943 series as well, with his episode linked below for those who missed it. Also linked below is Rob's upcoming book, The Airborne Mafia. Links Dispersion, Decentralization, Chaos, & LGOPs: US Army Airborne Culture & Operations in Italy 1943 The Airborne Maf...

Continuing the Normandy 1944 coverage, in this episode I'm joined by Dr. Curtis King, retired US Army Armor Officer and current member of the Army University Press Combat Studies Institute Staff Ride Team, to talk about Utah Beach. Curt provided a PPT to accompany his episode and you can find it here, at the bottom of the Podcast notes, right above the embedded podcast episodes: http://www.mothero...

In this episode, historian Joseph Balkoski joins me to talk about the history of the 29th Infantry Division, some challenges the Division faced before D-Day, the Division's connection to the Army Rangers, and the Division's leadership as they prepared for the Cross-Channel attack. Joe will pick this story up in a second episode to talk about the 29th Infantry Division's experiences on...

Rounding out his 3-part coverage of the Normandy Invasion, Steve Clay returns to tell us what happened at Omaha Beach for the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division on 6 June 1944, versus the plans he discussed in the previous episode. Steve prepared a PowerPoint Presentation to go with the episode and you can find the download here, at the bottom of the Podcast notes, right above the embed...

Continuing his three-episode coverage of the preparations for and execution of the invasion of Normandy, in this episode Steve Clay talks about the tactical and operational environments, the order of battle for the invasion, and the plans, including a series of assumptions made - most of which proved inaccurate. Steve will conclude this three-episode coverage in the next episode when he talks abou...

This is part one of three episodes contributed to the D-Day part of the 1944 series by retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Steve Clay, who recently retired from the Staff Ride Team at the Army University Press Combat Studies Institute. Steve contributed last year in the 1943 series and has multiple contributions for 1944 starting with this episode on the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Divisio...