Dan Snow's History Hit

Destroying a Nazi Stronghold: The St Nazaire Raid


Listen Later

On 28 March 1942, in the darkest months of World War Two, Churchill approved what seemed to many like a suicide mission. Under orders to attack the St Nazaire U-boat base on the Atlantic seaboard, British commandos undertook “the greatest raid of all”, turning an old destroyer into a live bomb and using it to ram the gates of a Nazi stronghold. Five Victoria Crosses were awarded - more than in any similar operation.


Giles Whittell, author and journalist, has unearthed the untold human stories of Operation Chariot. Giles joins Dan on the podcast to discuss how the most daring British commando raid of World War Two was fundamentally misconceived - its impact and legacy secured only by astonishing bravery.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Dan Snow's History HitBy History Hit

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

3,921 ratings


More shows like Dan Snow's History Hit

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,401 Listeners

History Extra podcast by Immediate Media

History Extra podcast

3,204 Listeners

Talking Tudors by Natalie Grueninger

Talking Tudors

676 Listeners

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk by Goalhanger

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

1,306 Listeners

Real Dictators by NOISER

Real Dictators

5,202 Listeners

How and Why History by History Hit

How and Why History

114 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

2,941 Listeners

Warfare by History Hit

Warfare

528 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

12,517 Listeners

Gone Medieval by History Hit

Gone Medieval

1,715 Listeners

Not Just the Tudors by History Hit

Not Just the Tudors

1,937 Listeners

Short History Of... by NOISER

Short History Of...

2,588 Listeners

Patented: History of Inventions by History Hit

Patented: History of Inventions

177 Listeners

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society by History Hit

Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society

1,159 Listeners

American History Hit by History Hit

American History Hit

1,369 Listeners

Empire by Goalhanger

Empire

2,009 Listeners

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal by History Hit

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

815 Listeners