The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr

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Society & Culture History

What's The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr about?

A biweekly podcast covering the last great war. Join Ray Harris Jr as he explores World War Two in intimate detail.

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Episode 419-Across the Fini...

06.06.2023

Some of the merchant ships enter Grand Harbor and Adm. Burrough turns around to make for Gibraltar. But the Maltese notice that only three ships came with Burrough. Where were the others and most importantly, where was the tanker Ohio. ...

The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr episodes:

06.06.2023 Episode 419-Across the Finish Line Some of the merchant ships enter Grand Harbor and Adm. Burrough turns around to make for Gibraltar. But the Maltese notice that only three ships came with Burrough. Where were the others and most importantly, where was the tanker Ohio. ...
05.31.2023 Episode 418-The Show Must Go On As the escorting destroyers fill up with rescued crewmen, now it’s the Ohio’s turn as her engines give up the ghost. But the men in this story are determined to get her to Malta, by hook or by crook. For ...
05.23.2023 Episode 417-Interview w/ Craig Nelson about his book V is For Victory Craig Nelson's book V is For Victory has it all: FDR's early days of combatting the Great Depression, restoring faith in the country and gearing up for a war that many hoped would never come. But it was FDR putting ...
05.18.2023 Episode 416-The Terrifying Had Become Commonplace When the sun rose on August 13th, the Axis forces in the Mediterranean knew they had one last day to stop Operation Pedestal. As such, the Axis air formations came in hot and heavy, with their normal level of accuracy. ...
05.08.2023 Episode 415-Ships That Sink In The Night Within a four hour period of darkness, Pedestal will lose many ships. By morning, 7 of the 14 merchants were gone. Still if the rest can get through, then Pedestal would be considered a success. And yet, the rising sun ...
05.01.2023 Episode 414-In the Lap of the Gods As August 13th turns into the 14th, more ships of Pedestal are lost. Some fought bravely during their last moments, other’s not. But Adm. Syfret’s orders are that all ships are to try. And Commander Gibbs of the destroyer HMS ...
04.24.2023 Episode 413-I Was Always Grateful to Mussolini The ships of Pedestal have entered The Narrows. Waiting for them are Italian E-boats that rule the night. But Keith Park, Malta’s Air Arm commander, has an ace up his sleeve. Well, at least a great poker face. Meanwhile Kesselring ...
04.16.2023 Episode 412-Courage and Cowardice Churchill visits Stalin for the first time, only to give him bad news. There will be no Second Front in 1942. Then, back to Pedestal as the merchant ships have been scattered. The destroyers will try to round them up, ...
04.10.2023 Episode 411-The Deadly Game of Dodge Bomb As Pedestal nears the Narrows, more escorts and merchant ships are lost to Axis planes and submarines. The convoy had been laid on heavily, to make up for any anticipated losses, but the losses about to take place would strain ...
04.01.2023 Episode 410-Four Torpedoes Can Make All the Difference As Force Z leaves Force X and Pedestal to their fate, Italian subs and torpedo boats line up in the narrow Sicilian Narrows to finish off the merchantmen. Adm. Burrough is confident that he can get through, until a lone ...
03.24.2023 Episode 409-Will This Day Never End? It’s still August 12, 1942 and after two large attacks, the Axis now launch their main attack, that afternoon. There were to be Axis dive bombers, torpedo bombers, high level bombers, submarines and torpedo boats. A potpourri of death for ...
03.10.2023 Episode 408-Operation Pedestal-One Hell of an Afternoon The early afternoon of August 12th would be hell for the defenders of Pedestal. Several air attacks take place, in between U-boat attacks. And the Italians have their own technologically advanced surprise for the ships of Pedestal. But can they ...
03.01.2023 Episode 407-Interview w/ Chloe Melas about Frank Murphy's book: Luck of the Draw Chloe Melas, granddaughter of the author, comes on to discuss the book, Luck of the Draw. Frank Murphy, a navigator was shot down and became POW for 18 months. His camp was liberated by Gen. Patton. Frank Murphy will be ...
02.24.2023 Episode 406-Operation Pedestal: One Hell of a Morning It’s August 12, 1942 and it’s a beautiful day. Which makes Axis reconnaissance flights ideal. Soon, Rome knows all it needs to and its various ships, subs and planes are sent out, all to converge on the convoy. Pedestal will ...
02.17.2023 Episode 405-Operation Pedestal: Slow Gets You Killed HMS Furious having delivered its Spitfires to Malta, turns around with its escort. But they are not out of danger yet. Meanwhile, as the ships of Pedestal get closer to Malta, the Allies launch several distractions. Some are a waste ...
02.10.2023 Episode 404-Operation Pedestal: First Blood Churchill pushes to have the largest convoy thus far, sent to Malta. Yet the Germans and Italians are ready. Before the Merchantmen and the tanker Ohio can reach Malta, they will have to survive both enemy's air forces and U-boats, ...
02.02.2023 Introducing Grey History Podcasts: The French Revolution Join me in listening to the first episode of William Clark's exploration of The French Revolution, from the Grey History Podcast. Clark goes deep and explores the grey areas around all history and certainly of Revolutionary France. The following is ...
01.25.2023 Episode 403-Rommel is Stopped in His Tracks Rommel gathers his panzers in the south for another attack. But he has gone to the well, one time too many. Monty predicts this and plans his own cauldron trap. The question is, can the Afrika Korps be tricked into ...
01.18.2023 Episode 402-Monty Sets the Stage for Rommel Monty comes to grips with the type of fighter Rommel is and plans accordingly. More men are brought forward and a trap is set for the Axis forces. Meanwhile, Churchill brings the Allies closer together with a visit to Stalin ...
01.13.2023 Episode 401-Interview w/ Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch: The Nazi Conspiracy & Churchill Gives British 8th Army to Monty First, Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch come to discuss The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill. For the second episode: Auchinleck is out, Monty and Harold Alexander are in. They all know that Rommel is ...
01.06.2023 Episode 400-The Second Battle of Ruweisat Ridge Though both sides are depleted, Churchill wants Auchinleck to attack again, so he does. As not much has changed, the result is another loss of men, material and fuel, with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile, Rommel is asking for ...
12.29.2022 Episode 399-The First Battle of Ruweisat Ridge With the First Battle of El Alamein over, the two generals settle for smaller battles while their reinforcements arrive. C in C, ME Auchinleck will take a page from Rommel’s book, by forcing The Desert Fox to react to him. ...
12.21.2022 Episode 398-First Battle of El Alamein With the First Battle of El Alamein, Rommel’s building desperation clashes with Auchinleck’s determination to finally make a stand. But it’s the mistakes made by Afrika Korps that will determine the success or failure of The Desert Fox’s latest attack. ...
12.15.2022 Episode 397-Interview w/ Iain MacGregor: The Lighthouse of Stalingrad & Prelude to The 1st Battle of El Alamein Another 2 Episode Special! First, my interview with Iain MacGregor about his book, The Lighthouse at Stalingrad: The Hidden Truth at the Heart of the Greatest Battle of WWII. An excellent single source of the battle. Then, Prelude to the ...
12.09.2022 Episode 396-The Battle of Mersa Matruh As Tobruk has fallen, the next defensive line is set up at Mersa Matruh, but C in C, ME Auchinleck has little faith in Gen. Ritchie’s latest plan. Thus Auchinleck takes over the battle himself, but is frustrated by bad ...
12.02.2022 Episode 395-The Gazala Gallop With Tobruk lost, 8th British Army falls back to the Egyptian border. But C in C Claude Auchinleck is still not convinced that they are safe from Rommel, so agrees to another pull back to Mersa Matruh. Gen. Ritchie sets ...
11.26.2022 Episode 394-Warrior Next Door Podcast Interview & Tobruk Has Fallen First, Ryan Fairfield and Tony Lupo, the hosts of The Warrior Next Door Podcast return to share more clips of WWII Veterans and their experiences. The Second Episode: Now that the Battle of Gazala is over and the bulk of ...
11.18.2022 Episode 393-Interview w/ James Shone: The Host of the Taiwan Through Time Podcast & Operation Harpoon Two Episode Special! James Shone comes on to share what Taiwan, then Formosa was going through during, but also, before the war. Then, as Rommel prepares to surround Tobruk, Churchill and the War Cabinet decide to once again, try to ...
11.08.2022 Episode 392: Interview w/ Dr. Paul Gill Jr. about his father’s book: Armageddon in the Arctic Ocean. 2nd Ep: Tobruk is Surrounded First, Dr. Paul Gill Jr. comes on to talk about his dad’s book about his life and war time adventures, Armageddon in The Arctic Ocean: Up the Hawse Pipe from Galley Boy to Third Mate on a Legendary Liberty Ship ...
11.02.2022 Episode 391-Two Episode Special! Interview w/ Taylor Downing about his book 1942: Winston Churchill and Britain's Darkest Hour and The British 8th Army is Outfoxed First, historian Taylor Downing comes on to talk about his new book, 1942: Winston Churchill and Britain’s Darkest Hour and then we pick up with Rommel and Ritchie battling it out in North Africa. The Desert Fox will push his ...
10.27.2022 Episode 390-The Battle of Knightsbridge Box With the Battle of Bir Hakeem over Rommel is ready to drive on Tobruk, but first he has to get passed the Knightsbridge Box, where the 2nd and 4th Armored Brigades are waiting. What follows is mistakes by both sides, ...
10.21.2022 Episode 389-Interview w/ Saul David about his book Devil Dogs Historian Saul David talks about his latest book, Devil Dogs: From Guadalcanal to the Shores of Japan. King Company of the legendary 1st Marine Division will take part in 4 major battles in the Pacific; Guadalcanal, New Britain, Peleliu and ...
10.18.2022 Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper Stalks London’s War-Torn Streets Here’s a preview of Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper. Over a single week in February 1942, a depraved serial killer stalked London’s dark and WWII bomb-ravaged streets, hunting for victims in the city’s bars and clubs. Using new research from ...
10.12.2022 Episode 388-The Battle of Bir Hakeem: The Redemption of French Honor Now that the Battle of the Cauldron was over, Rommel could come for the Free French at Bir Hakeem, to his SW. With this outpost removed, Africa Corps would be free to drive to the NE and take Tobruk. But ...
09.29.2022 Episode 387-The Battle of the Cauldron Rommel anticipates British 8th Army’s attack and prepares. The attack, Operation Aberdeen is launched, but will come to a sad end. This allows Rommel to commence his own attack, scattering thousands of Allies troops before him. The Battle of the ...
09.23.2022 Episode 386-Damien Lewis talks about his book, Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy Writer Damien Lewis returns to discuss his latest book about the beautiful Josephine Baker. She has found everything she wanted in France, but soon the country is over run by Nazis. Now she will be enlisted to spy for the ...
09.15.2022 Episode 385-The Cauldron Rommel’s lunge at Tobruk causes his panzers to get trapped. So the Desert Fox changes his plans and 8th Army Commander Ritchie gives Rommel days of freedom, while the Commonwealth troops set up to push on to Libya. Rommel uses ...
09.09.2022 Episode 384-The English GI: A Yorkshire Schoolboy's Adventures in the US and Europe This graphic novel by Jonathan Sandler covers the story of a young Jewish British citizen on vacation in NY when Pearl Harbor is attacked. Soon he is swept up in the US Army fighting for Uncle Sam, while his family ...
09.01.2022 Episode 383-Rommel Comes For Tobruk The day of battle is here. Both sides have made flawed plans. The question is who can adapt faster. Still, the first phase of the Battle of Gazala goes to The Desert Fox. But there is always the question of ...
08.26.2022 Episode 382-Dale Jenkins Covers The Battles of Coral Sea and Midway Retired Naval Officer Dale A. Jenkins, who served in the Pacific has a book coming out in December: Diplomats and Admirals. Today he sets up and examines the two battles, Coral Sea and Midway, then how their outcomes affected the ...
08.20.2022 Episode 381-The Battle at Gazala: The Waiting is All As The Allies and Axis prepare for a battle at Gazala, Rommel and Gen. Ritchie both feel confident that their plan is best. Yet both sides have weaknesses: Rommel doesn’t know where all the Allied formations are and the British ...
08.13.2022 Episode 380-The British 8th Army vs The Desert Fox Rommel is able to take Cyrenaica back from the British 8th Army, but between his fuel issues and C in C, ME Auchinleck’s personnel changes, the two sides will stare at each other for a while. But the combat will ...
08.08.2022 Episode 379: Rommel Strikes Back With the failure of Gen. Auchinleck's Operation Crusader, at the end of 1941, Rommel resupplies and heads out again, before the British can start Operation Acrobat, the drive on Tripoli. As it was a year ago, the Allies are stretched ...
08.01.2022 Episode 378: West Africa and Charles De Gaulle Before moving on to Operation Pedestal and then the Eastern Front, Gen. Charles De Gaulle’s moves in West Africa have to be covered. He seeks to rebuild the French Empire by grabbing African lands that went with the Vichy Government ...
07.23.2022 Episode 377-Iceland: A Peaceful Invasion In this one off episode, Iceland and Greenland’s participation in the war is covered. Denmark leads these two islands to the north, but when Nazi Germany occupies Denmark, the islands are on their own. Churchill, as the First Lord of ...
07.17.2022 Episode 376-The Falcon of Malta In the mold of Adrian Warburton, one George Beurling comes to Malta in July. Like Warby, George or Screwball as he is called, does not care for much for anything really, only flying and fighting. And in a short time, ...
07.11.2022 Episode 375-Starvation and Betrayal Lord Gort will have his own Quisling to deal with as a Malta youth comes ashore to spy for Mussolini. Meanwhile, another convoy is attempted, but it too will fail. Gort has no choice but to reduce rations further. His ...
06.23.2022 Episode 374-Churchill: Malta's Patron Saint As Field Marshall Kesselring loses some of his planes to other theaters, Malta, thanks to Churchill, gets a large influx of Spitfires. The defenders may be able to retake control of their skies, but this does nothing to bring in ...
06.17.2022 Episode 373-Malta: A Thunderstorm of Steel As April 1942 comes to an end, a spot of hope is dashed as the Axis continue their daily bombing of Malta. The ships and subs have been driven away, the island’s air force is weak. The only thing holding ...
06.10.2022 Episode 372-Malta Loses A Hero As Field Marshall Albert Kesselring ramps up his attacks on Malta, Adm. Andrew Cunningham and others will leave the theatre as they are beyond exhausted. Still, the fight goes on. And those still defending the island are about to experience ...

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The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr

What's The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr about?

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The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr episodes:

Episode 419-Across the Finish Line

Episode 418-The Show Must Go On

Episode 417-Interview w/ Craig Nelson about his book V is For Victory

Episode 416-The Terrifying Had Become Commonplace

Episode 415-Ships That Sink In The Night

Episode 414-In the Lap of the Gods

Episode 413-I Was Always Grateful to Mussolini

Episode 412-Courage and Cowardice

Episode 411-The Deadly Game of Dodge Bomb

Episode 410-Four Torpedoes Can Make All the Difference

Episode 409-Will This Day Never End?

Episode 408-Operation Pedestal-One Hell of an Afternoon

Episode 407-Interview w/ Chloe Melas about Frank Murphy's book: Luck of the Draw

Episode 406-Operation Pedestal: One Hell of a Morning

Episode 405-Operation Pedestal: Slow Gets You Killed

Episode 404-Operation Pedestal: First Blood

Introducing Grey History Podcasts: The French Revolution

Episode 403-Rommel is Stopped in His Tracks

Episode 402-Monty Sets the Stage for Rommel

Episode 401-Interview w/ Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch: The Nazi Conspiracy & Churchill Gives British 8th Army to Monty

Episode 400-The Second Battle of Ruweisat Ridge

Episode 399-The First Battle of Ruweisat Ridge

Episode 398-First Battle of El Alamein

Episode 397-Interview w/ Iain MacGregor: The Lighthouse of Stalingrad & Prelude to The 1st Battle of El Alamein

Episode 396-The Battle of Mersa Matruh

Episode 395-The Gazala Gallop

Episode 394-Warrior Next Door Podcast Interview & Tobruk Has Fallen

Episode 393-Interview w/ James Shone: The Host of the Taiwan Through Time Podcast & Operation Harpoon

Episode 392: Interview w/ Dr. Paul Gill Jr. about his father’s book: Armageddon in the Arctic Ocean. 2nd Ep: Tobruk is Surrounded

Episode 391-Two Episode Special! Interview w/ Taylor Downing about his book 1942: Winston Churchill and Britain's Darkest Hour and The British 8th Army is Outfoxed

Episode 390-The Battle of Knightsbridge Box

Episode 389-Interview w/ Saul David about his book Devil Dogs

Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper Stalks London’s War-Torn Streets

Episode 388-The Battle of Bir Hakeem: The Redemption of French Honor

Episode 387-The Battle of the Cauldron

Episode 386-Damien Lewis talks about his book, Agent Josephine: American Beauty, French Hero, British Spy

Episode 385-The Cauldron

Episode 384-The English GI: A Yorkshire Schoolboy's Adventures in the US and Europe

Episode 383-Rommel Comes For Tobruk

Episode 382-Dale Jenkins Covers The Battles of Coral Sea and Midway

Episode 381-The Battle at Gazala: The Waiting is All

Episode 380-The British 8th Army vs The Desert Fox

Episode 379: Rommel Strikes Back

Episode 378: West Africa and Charles De Gaulle

Episode 377-Iceland: A Peaceful Invasion

Episode 376-The Falcon of Malta

Episode 375-Starvation and Betrayal

Episode 374-Churchill: Malta's Patron Saint

Episode 373-Malta: A Thunderstorm of Steel

Episode 372-Malta Loses A Hero

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