The History of WWII Podcast

Stalin’s second wave of massive counter attacks get underway in January 1942. Yet the Germans are a bit more prepared this time. Not that Gen. von Kluge will not have to fire numerous commanders as Army Group Center is threatened with encirclement.

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Ryan Fairfield and Tony "The Tiger" Lupo return to the show, bringing interview clips from WWII Veterans. We cover incredible moments from D-Day and the 8th Army Air Force.

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As both sides still think they can win in the East, Germany and Soviet Russia will clash along the entire line of fighting. But no where more intensely than Rzhev. It will become a black hole of human lives and war equipment.

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Stalin, not giving up winning the war by early 1942 has ordered a massive attack across the Volkhov River, to the SE of Leningrad. Meanwhile, Hitler’s troops have finally cut the rail line feeding supplies to Leningrad. The Russians have the numbers and the desire, but they lack practically everything an army needs to stay in the fight. 

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Stalin, tasting a bit of success, now launches massive counter attacks up and down the line of all three German Army Groups. Yet, he will find out, in war, as in life, some things can not be rushed.

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Army Group Center commander Von Kluge goes round and round with Hitler about retreating. Hitler’s reasons become more wild, but events on the ground take over. And while Stalin is happy to take arms from the Western countries, he did all he could to make sure war would erupt between the U.S. and the Empire of Japan.

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Astronaut Jan Davis' book tells of her father's time as a B-17 pilot and POW. His can do attitude that gets challenged in a German prisoner Camp. Then, Army Group Center is under constant attack. There are breaches and encirclements along 4th Army’s lines. So whether official or not, Kluge starts ordering pull backs as his suspects the OKH of not telling Hitler the full story. But when 4th Army’s entire line starts to pull back, Stalin orders an increase in attacks.

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From painful experiences during the Spanish Civil War and the Winter War against Finland, Soviet Russia started several sniper schools. Hence when the Axis came and the Eastern Front was born, these men and women took the fight to the enemy. But not as much as their greatest sniper, Ivan Sidorenko. He was self taught and would go on to teach hundreds more of the craft of snipping. 

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2 Ep Special! 1st, Interview with Shannon Monaghan about her book, A Quiet Company of Dangerous Men: The Forgotten British Special Operations Soldiers of WW2. Then, as Christmas approaches, the Germans continually fall back, unable to face the onslaught of Zhukov’s attacks. The Holiday will be bleak for the fighting men, but rather lively for the officers far away. And Hitler will find out that his defiant speeches have been for nothing as he is told his men lack enough of anything, but mostly, winter clothing.

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Writer Robert Hutton comes on to discuss his latest book, The Illusionist: The true story of the man who fooled Hitler. Early in the war, the British need every advantage they could get, including military deception, which brings in Dudley Clarke. And of all his tricks, his greatest is tricking Rommel right before Monty attacks at El Alamein.

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