Warfare

The half century between 1870 and 1920 was one of conflict between British colonialism and the people of the Middle East and North Africa. In this episode, James is joined by archeologist and author Neil Faulkner to examine the clashes of armies, ideologies and forms of oppression, clashes which would prove fatal. Neil explains this revolutionary history, exploring British imperialism in northeast...

For five decades the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro ran a communist state on the doorstep of the United States. But in September 1960, he crossed into the US and paid a visit to New York. Simon Hall joins Dan Snow in this episode from the archive to talk about Castro’s trip. Based at Harlem’s Theresa Hotel, Castro met with a succession of political and cultural luminaries, including Malco...

Many have heard of the SAS (Special Air Service), but what about the SBS? Britain's SBS (Special Boat Service) was the first operations unit of its kind. Formed in 1940, this unit helped change the course of World War II. In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by Military Historian and author Saul David. Sharing his research with the full cooperation of the SBS, Saul sheds light on the h...

Drones are often considered among the most modern elements of warfare, and their use doesn't regularly feature in stories of the Vietnam War. But as David Axe tells us in this episode, the US use of drones was in its infancy during the 1960s and '70s. Having compiled military records, official histories and published first-hand accounts from early drone operators, David shares the revolutionary, a...

Andrew Lambert has written a magisterial history of sea power states, and the tools and methods of control they used to exert influence. From the Athenians to the British, Lambert discusses the way that states became sea powers, as well as offering insights on whether sea powers can exist in the same way they used to, and how American and Chinese interactions with the sea might change in the futur...

On 18 October 1942, a party of Norwegian agents were dropped into Telemark, Norway, for Operation Grouse. They were part of a mission to sabotage the German nuclear weapons programme by disrupting the stockpiling of heavy water at Vemork Norsk Hydro chemical plant. Arthur Herman is on Warfare today to explore the stories of these brave Norwegians. Why were they best suited to the job? And do their...

As the planet heats up, competition for resources rises and populations migrate. Even without the impact of natural disasters it’s enough to raise the tensions between nations. Gwynne Dyer is an historian, independent journalist and the author of 2011’s ‘Climate Wars: The Fight for Survival as the World Overheats’. In this episode, James and Gwynne discuss the ways in which climate change could le...

On 13 October 1943, one month after surrendering to the Allies, Italy declared war on its former partner, Nazi Germany. In this episde from the History Hit archives, Dan talks to Paul Reed about the role of Italy in World War Two, from the battles that they took part in to the alliances they made. Paul is a leading military historian, specializing in the two world wars. This photograph shows Warfa...

In September 1981 a small group of 36 Welsh women marched 120 miles from Cardiff to RAF Greenham Common and chained themselves to the gates. They were protesting against the storage of not only British, but possibly American nuclear weapons being stored on the supposedly public land at Greenham Common. Over the next 19 years, 70,000 women were involved in history’s most famous feminist protest. In...

October 7th, 2001 marks the beginning of the bombing campaign against Taliban forces. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) caused havoc in Afghanistan, adding a new form of warfare to conflict. As we reach the 20th anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan, James is joined by Patrick Bury. Patrick is a former  captain  in the Royal Irish Regiment who served in Sangin, Afghanistan...

On 21 October 1805, the British Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, emerged victorious over the combined French and Spanish fleets. In this episode from the archive, Andrew Baines, curator of HMS Victory, talks Dan through the events of 21 October 1805: the ship, the man, the battle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Second World War was the first time that many on the home front in the United States were able to see and hear war in action. In this episode, Professor Steven Casey from LSE introduces the correspondents who covered America's war against Japan in the Pacific theatre. He takes us through their experiences and their impact on the home front, shining a light on the critical role that journalists...

Though excluded from decisions on their occupation in the Munich Agreement in 1938, the citizens of the new country of Czechoslovakia were by no means passive for the rest of the war. The story of Czechoslovakian espionage and resistance is one which spans Europe and the length of the war, including assassinations of Nazi leaders and brave battles to the death. George Bearfield is the grandson of...

Although the use of drones has become well established and publicised in recent years, the history of unmanned aircraft stretches all the way back to the First World War. In this episode, James and Dan explore the development of drones and their use. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we think of the Holocaust, we tend to think about Europe and Germany. However, during World War II, Hitler's antisemitic race laws also penetrated North Africa and the Middle East, spreading havoc to countries including Libya, Egypt, Algeria, and even Iraq. In this episode of Warfare, we examine this forgotten aspect of the Holocaust. James is joined by journalist and author Gershom Gorenberg...

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a soldier, statesman, and prominent political figure who served the United Kingdom twice as Prime Minister. He is known to many as a successful defensive general, but what about when he was on the offensive? In this episode, we explore the life, career, and death of Wellington. James is once again accompanied by Historian and presenter Zack White as th...

Odette Sansom, was the most highly decorated woman, and the most decorated spy of any gender during World War II. She was awarded both the George Cross and was appointed a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur. Her wartime exploits and later imprisonment by the Nazis were celebrated in the years after the war, but she has fallen out of the spotlight recently. Larry Loftis' book reinstate her as one of...

From munitions factories and the cabinet war rooms, to flying aircraft and even shaking hands with Joseph Stalin; during the Second World War women could be found throughout the workforce. Lucy Fisher has been interviewing surviving women of the Second World War workforce and in this episode, she shares some of her favourite anecdotes. Lucy is an author and the Deputy Political Editor for The Dail...

Twenty years after the release of the landmark series Band of Brothers, screenwriter John Orloff is back to bring us Masters of the Air with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. James spoke to John to get some inside information about the ongoing production of this project, including the exact repllication of Second World War aircraft and buildings from American Air Force bases in Britain. John also di...

In June 1940 Nazi Germany overran France and forced the British army to evacuate at Dunkirk. Severely lacking in military equipment, Britain and its Empire now stood alone against Adolf Hitler's forces. To stand any chance of crossing the English Channel, Germany would have to crush the Royal Air Force and gain control of the skies during that summer. The Battle of Britain, the first major battle...

Her American nationality could have offered her protection from the Nazi Regime. Instead, she used it to benefit the resistance movement. Mildred Harnack and her German husband, Arvid, began their underground resistance group in Berlin in 1932. Both contributed bravely to what was later known to the Gestapo as the Red Orchestra, also taking part in espionage, until their capture and execution. In...

For the majority of us, our experience of 9/11 was transmitted through a TV screen, radio, newspaper or even history book. But Joe Dittmar’s experience of these terror attacks was personal. On the morning of the 11 September 2001, he was in a meeting on the 105th floor of the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Joe shares his story of surviving 9/11 in this moving episode. Joe’s WTC Survivor/ A...

At 8:46 am on 11 September 2001 the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Centre in Lower Manhattan. Over the next 9 hours, almost half a million people were evacuated from that island by boat, many other options being made impossible. Here to share the story of this maritime evacuation is Jessica DuLong. Jessica is a journalist and historian, as well as chief engineer emerita of the...

As the world prepares to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks two decades on, we discuss the history of plane hijackings. From politically motivated attacks to propaganda tools used by governments, Dr Yannick Veilleux-Lepage shares his knowledge of the broader context of the attacks of 2001. Dr. Yannick Veilleux-Lepage is assistant Professor of Terrorism and Political Violence at the Institute...

At lunchtime on 16 September 1920, a horse drawn cart exploded on the busiest corner of the Financial District of New York. To find out more about the United States’ first age of terror, James spoke to Professor Beverly Gage. Beverly explains what we know about this attack on Wall Street. Who were its victims, suspects, and investigators and what impact did it have on American society? Beverly is...