Why We Fight ~ 1944

In this episode I'm joined by now-Major Jonathan Bratten to talk about the Engineers in WWII. We also talk a bit about his grandfather's experiences during the war, and occasionally get sidetracked talking about Doctrine then and now. Links The US Army GHQ Maneuvers of 1941 by Christopher Gabel ( https://history.army.mil/portals/143/Images/Publications/catalog/70-41-1.pdf ) US Army Center...

In this episode, Dr. Ben Schneider returns to continue the story of military justice, and it's limitations, in the US Army during the Second World War. We mention the Biscari Massacre, which was discussed in an episode with MAJ Darren Johnson, and also the first episode on this topic, so links to both episodes are below. Links The Biscari Massacre (Apple) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-...

In this episode, Dr. Philip Blood returns to talk about the Battle of Aachen which is the subject of his latest book, War Comes to Aachen: The Nazis, Churchill, and the 'Stalingrad of the West'. Links War Comes to Aachen (Amazon ⁠https://www.amazon.com/War-Comes-Aachen-Churchill-Stalingrad/dp/1911723693⁠ ) WW2TV Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHNorlGemTE WW2TV Part 2 https://www.yo...

Dr. Regina Akers joins me in this episode to talk about African American service in the Second World War, as well as a discussion of available resources for those researching this topic. She then tells of the story of Alonzo Swann and his journey to finally receiving the Navy Cross. Links Mother of Tanks website ( ⁠http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/⁠ ) Bonus Content ( ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c...

Retired US Navy Lieutenant Commander and Director of the USS Kidd Museum in Louisiana Parks Stephenson joins me to talk about the Battle Off Samar, and his experience diving for and finding the wreck of the USS Johnston. Links USS Kidd Museum Ship ( https://www.usskidd.com/ ) Mother of Tanks website ( http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/ ) Bonus Content ( https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks )

Navy veteran and historian Guy Nasuti joins me in this episode to talk about the Kamikazes in the Pacific during World War II. Links On the Verge of Breaking Down Completely: Surviving the Kamikaze off Okinawa, 1945 by Guy Nasuti https://www.history.navy.mil/research/publications/publications-by-subject/on-the-verge-of-breaking-down-completely.html Mother of Tanks website ( http://www.motheroftank...

In this episode, Dr. James Young joins me to talk about the Battle of Leyte Gulf. James is also an author of a number of alternative history novels and his work is linked below. Links Dr. James Young -- Author ( Amazon ) ( US Naval Institute ) Mother of Tanks website ( ⁠http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/⁠ ) Bonus Content ( ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks⁠ )

In this episode, Ian Brown, a retired US Marine Corps pilot, joins me to talk about Foo Fighters, Unexplained Anomalous Phenomena, and other weird sightings noted by World War II Night Fighter Pilots. Links A New Conception of War: John Boyd, The U.S. Marines, and Maneuver Warfare by Ian T. Brown ( https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Marine-Corps-University-Press/Books-by-topic/MCUP-Titles-A-Z/A-New-Co...

In this episode, retired US Army Brigadier General John Aarsen, Director of the 82d Airborne Division War Memorial Museum, joins me to talk about the 82d Airborne in Operation Market Garden. Links Mother of Tanks website ( ⁠http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/⁠ )   Bonus Content ( ⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks⁠ )

Dr. Roger Cirillo joins me again in this episode to talk about the preparations for Operation Market Garden, as well as an overview of the operation. This episode complements the next episode will include a closer look from the perspective of the 82d Airborne Division. Roger mentions several other events and concepts for which there are related episodes so I will link to those below. Links LSCO, M...

In this episode, Troy Lewis returns to share the story of the Battle of Noemfoor, with Operation Cyclone involving the 158th Regimental Combat Team of the Arizona Army National Guard, and Operation Table Tennis involving the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, which belongs to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based at Vicenza, Italy today. The Battle of Noemfoor Island is one of the Virtual Staff Rides...

Returning to talk US Army Air Force Fighters in Europe is Dr. Graham Cross, senior lecturer in American History at the Manchester Metropolitan University. If you missed the 1943 episode on US AAF Fighters, I will link it below, but Graham does include a bit of recap here and there when the comparison between 1943 and 1944 is necessary to understand the bigger picture. Links Fighters Over Europe: A...

Returning to continue the story of Bougainville from the 1943 series is Troy Lewis, US Army veteran and part of the Army University Press Combat Studies Institute Staff Ride Team. Troy picks up with a brief recap from the previous episode and takes us through the end of the fighting to when the island is handed off to the Australians. Links Operation Cherryblossom & The US Army at Bougainville...

Joining me in this episode are Dr. Chris Carey and returning guest Tim Gilhool to talk about the Red Ball Express. Both Chris and Tim worked on the Army University Press film covering the Red Ball Express, and Tim is a retired Logistics Officer who currently serves as the Command Historian for CASCOM - the US Army's Combined Arms Support Command. Links The Red Ball Express: Past Lessons for Future...

Dr. John McManus returns to continue the story of the US 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, which enters the fighting in France through the south during Operation Dragoon. This is one of the many stories included in Dr. McManus's book American Courage, American Carnage, which is linked below. Links American Courage, American Carnage: The 7th Infantry Regiment's Combat Experience, 1812 T...

Dr. David Murphy joins me to talk about some of the many details of Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France following the invasion of Normandy. Often ignored or overlooked because it was overshadowed by the Normandy Invasion, but it is still an important part of this story and it ties in with the next episode which covers the US 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division in Southern F...

In this episode, retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Mark Reardon joins me to talk about Operation Lüttich, one of two counteroffensives the Germans launched following the Allied invasion at Normandy in the summer of 1944; the second being the Battle of the Bulge. Mark provides significant detail from his book, Victory at Mortain: Stopping Hitler's Panzer Counteroffensive, which I will link to belo...

In this episode, Dr. Robert Lyman joins me to talk about India, the Indian Army, and the Second World War, which is an important topic that has largely been missing from this series except for a few episodes I mention at the start of this episode and will link to below. Those three episode are with guest Christopher Kolakowski, the Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, who contributed stories...

Retired US Army Sergeant Major Mike Vining joins me in this episode to talk about the history of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Branch and Bomb Disposal during World War II. He also talks with me about his 30 year Army career in both EOD and Delta Force and some of his accomplishments as an EOD historian. Links EOD Warrior Foundation ( https://eodwarriorfoundation.org/ ) Retired Sergeant Ma...

Dr. Bill Nance returns to talk about LTG William Simpson, the US Ninth Army, and how average but doctrinally-proficient leaders made things happen. Not everyone needs to be a Patton. This includes a look at Army Groups and those higher echelon levels of command, command relationships, and intricate coordination to ensure the US forces were able to fight effectively. Links Commanding Professionalis...

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and current Command Historian for the United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) Tim Gilhool joins me to talk about the "Arsenal of Democracy" which made it possible for the United States to keep the Allies in the fight against the Nazis and Axis forces around the world, while simultaneously arming and equipping a massive American military force th...

In this episode, I'm joined by MAJ Jason Boswell to discuss Armor Doctrine development that will ultimately impact how the US Army's Armored Forces conduct themselves and their operations in 1944. This includes talk of the Interwar Period, between the First and Second World Wars, and the late 1930s through 1941, with talk of the 1941 GHQ Maneuvers which were the main event in the beginning...

In this episode, LTC Nathan Jennings joins me to talk about some of the important lessons in land warfare that were taken from the Battle of France in 1940 and how those lessons come into play by 1944. Links Maneuver and Breakthrough in 1940 France: Insights for the US Army and the Russo-Ukrainian War by LTC Nathan A. Jennings, PhD ( https://www.ausa.org/publications/maneuver-and-breakthrough-1940...

Joining me in this episode is Ken Campbell. Ken has a background in history and works in education. Last year he contributed to the 1943 series with a similar episode discussing two movies that were released in 1943 - This is the Army and Destination Tokyo. For the 1944 series, Ken chose Tunisian Victory and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo. Links Why We Fight ~ 1943 Episode 63: Hollywood and the American Wa...

This episode turned out slightly different than expected but it's a great one! Dr. Myra Miller joins me to share the story of how learning about her father's experience in World War II literally changed her life and her family's connection to this history. Dr. Miller has done some incredible work to make the history of the 83rd Infantry more accessible, as well as other work with documentaries and...