Cauldron - A Military History Podcast

Hello again and thanks for listening to Cauldron I'm your host Cullen. Today we have another whopper of a story for you but first some housekeeping. As always check us out on the social media stuff just search Cauldron on Facebook or Instagram. Please rate and review on iTunes, shout out to Persons117 for the latest review! Also, check out Patreon and become a producer for the show. A buck a month...

Alright, this is the quick and dirty episode for July! Full of information on Japan, China, and the very first shots of the Second World War. From the mid-1800s to the 1930s, Japan was moving faster and faster towards superpower in the East status. By the early '30s, Japan had finally arrived on the big stage. China, on the other hand, was unraveling and had in the 20s only recently started to put...

Here it is, the most significant episode yet, which is fitting considering the topic! We have Dreadnoughts, the Royal Navy, German technical ability, and pretty much anything you'd want to cover on the battle of Jutland. This titanic fistfight between to two most dominant navies of the first half f the 20th century is full of wild little facts and fascinating tales. We also dive a little bit into...

The fighting was intense on Dong Ap Bia (the mountain of the crouching beast), but according to U.S. command, the hill was crucial to the overall success of Operation Apache Snow. Apache Snow’s goal was to clear the A Shau Valley of the enemy. The “crouching beast” moniker was appropriate as the Communist forces were well dug in and ready for a fight. For ten days the two sides smashed and sliced...

The 100 Years War was a seesaw clash between the French and English thrones. The first third of the war saw great victories won by the English, at Sluys and Crecy the English forces smashed their continental enemies. After a one-sided peace treaty was declared, the Channel separated foes settled into an uneasy Cold War. With the advent of the Black Death, both sides suffered massive losses to thei...

Thapsus was a rare battle in that it showed Caesar not as the consummate warlord but as a general that at times had no control over his own army. The action was joined after one of his wings charged the enemy of their own volition and unable to call his men back, Caesar was forced to order an all-out attack. Again at the end of the battle, we see another instance of Caesar having no power over his...

SEND IN THEORIES!!! - https://www.cauldronpodcast.com/sendustheories The song we used - Eastern Thought by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100682 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ This weeks main source - The Pacific War by William B. Hopkins T...

By the 1530's the conquest of the so-called new world and the age of discovery were both well underway. The wave upon wave of Spanish and Portuguese adventurers that had been crossing the Atlantic in search of wealth and fame had for decades brought the Christian god and death to the people of Central and South America. From the islands of the Caribbean to the cenotes of the Yucatan, Spanish steel...

This episode has been a real eyeopener for me. I knew going in that it would be a tough one to research and that very few facts are agreed upon. I did not know how heated social media can get lol. This was my first run-in with the kind of angry, acidic (often silly and factless) vitriol the internet is home to. Moving forward I will continue to delve into these controversial moments in history but...

The War of The Spanish Succession for the most part fought in Europe was still a huge, global affair just shy of what we would call a true “World War”. In Colonial America the war took the form of a number of French and Indian Wars mostly being fought in the 13 British Colonies. Queen Anne’s War was one of these and it was fought between the French and British with Native American tribes allied to...

Born in 1891, General Erwin Rommel, known as the Desert Fox, became one of Nazi Germany's most successful and famous field marshals. Highly decorated in World War One for bravery on the Italian Front, Rommel, even won the Pour le Merite. In the inter-war years, Rommel became a respected military theorist. With the invasion of France Rommel showed his brilliance, love of speed, and need for action...

Hello again and thanks for listening! Today we have a very cool little story about the spice trade, Portuguese exploration, Ottoman galleys and the fight for early global trade. To hear what sources I used and get a sneak peek into next weeks episode stick around until the end. Access it can be argued is one of the most consistent reasons for conflicts around the world and throughout history. Japa...

Hello again and thanks for listening! Today we have a very cool little story about the spice trade, Portuguese exploration, Ottoman galleys and the fight for early global trade. To hear what sources I used and get a sneak peek into next weeks episode stick around until the end. Access it can be argued is one of the most consistent reasons for conflicts around the world and throughout history. Japa...

This time around we head way way back to the Ancient World. On a field in Greece (of course) Philip of Macedon defeated a coalition of Thebans and Athenians, finally asserting himself as the most powerful ruler in the land. His young son Alexander began his military career on the same field and the world would never be the same. From the Sacred Band to the sarissa and everything in between, strap...

In this battlecast we cover the events leading up to (and the battle itself obviously lol) the 2nd El Alamein. The desert, Rommel, and Monty (not to mention a whole lot of tank talk) all play key roles in the titanic fight in the sands. Sacrifice, persistence, and ferocity are the watchwords with witch the British 8th Army won the day and showed the Allies that even Hitler’s finest general could b...

In this battlecast we cover the events leading up to, and the battle itself, at the 2nd El Alamein. The desert, Rommel, and Monty (not to mention a whole lot of tank talk) all play key roles in the titanic fight in the sands. Sacrifice, persistence, and ferocity are the watchwords with witch the British 8th Army won the day and showed the Allies that even Hitler's finest general could be beaten. W...

In this Quick Hit I cover the victory of the Byzantine army under Heraclius over Persian Sassanid forces. On a plain not far from the rubble of the ancient Assyrian City of Nineveh, Byzantine cataphracts used superior numbers and generalship to bring an end to a decades long war with their eastern enemy. The end of the centuries long conflict known as the Roman-Persian Wars left a power vacuum in...

In this episode Angelo the Armorer and I shoot the shit about one of the greatest battles of the Crusades. We cover the various weapons and methods of fighting used by the Saracens and Franks, as well as doing a deep dive into the historical context of the time period. Clocking in at just a tick over an hour, this was a lot of fun to record and at times we get fairly nerdy so be prepared! Thanks f...

In this episode we cover what many believe to be the single most lopsided naval victory ever -the Battle of Trafalgar! From heroic Nelson in his final battle, the desperate struggle to stop Napoleon from conquering the globe, to the destructive power of the ship of the line we cover it all. Thanks to David Hilowitz and to JerryBryant and Starboard Mess for the music!

This episode we have Dr. Greg Jackson of the History That Doesn’t Suck podcast on to chat about the most significant and maybe most decisive battle of the American Revolution, the battle of Saratoga. Its long and nerdy but we had fun chatting (please forgive the awkward talk over parts) but I think we found a decent rhythm. Greg has some great facts and interesting stories about this wild battle i...

The siege of Masada saw some truly amazing feats of Roman engineering, logistical organization, and deadly dedication. For the trapped Jewish Sicarri inside the city this was to be their final act of defiance in a failed revolt. A battering ram, siege tower, and a still standing agger all played a role in the capturing of a city most thought impregnable. Sources - The War Chronicles by Cummins Fig...

Paul K Davis - 100 Decisive Battles Charles Keen - Medieval Warfare Winston S. Churchill - A History of the English Speaking Peoples Melhaks for the artwork West Point History Department for the maps Free Music Archive for the music

The brilliant general Hannibal Barca uses an incredible command of tactics to defeat a Roman Army twice his size. By utterly destroying an army of 80,000 Hannibal believed he could bring Rome to her knees. With the amount of blood spilt on this southern Italian plain, it's shocking that the defeat at Cannae didn't break Rome but in fact Cannae made Rome stronger. Thanks for listening and don't for...

In this battlecast we cover the daring 1976 hostage rescue at the Entebbe Airport. In Israel's long history dealing with terrorism this hour long hostage rescue may just be it's shinning moment. Flawless execution and precise timing combined to save the lives over 100 hostages. Only losing one man, the team leader Yoni Netanyahu, Israel's crack rescue team became the model for all nation's on how...

In this battle cast we cover one of the deadliest battles of the First World War - the battle of the Somme. With its trenches and heavy casualties the Somme represents the very worst of the "Great War". Since the end of the battle many historians, politicians, journalists and armchair generals have argued that the battle was a senseless slaughter engineered by the generals, and though a...