Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and Boudicca. These are the names that normally top the list when it comes to the greatest military leaders in history, but today’s guest is taking a slightly different approach. 

Professor of War Studies at University of Warwick, Anthony King, is drawing on his experience with some of the most senior military leaders to rank his top five divisional commanders based on what he’s learnt about command, through their actions. 

What do you think needs to be taken into consideration to decide whether a commander is good or bad? Is It number of wins or defeats? Is it execution of logistics or operational sense? Is it their officer selection or how they deploy a division? 

Who would be in your list? And do you agree with Professor King? 

Anthony King is the author of Command: The Twenty-First Century General.

This episode was produced by Elena Guthrie, and edited by Joseph Knight.

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A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.

Personal accounts of the Second World War are far and wide, and an invaluable tool for learning about one of the most devastating conflicts in history - but what can we learn from collective histories, specifically that of a small Bavarian Village? In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by author Julia Boyd to look at the shared history of the inhabitants of Oberstdorf, and how the arrival of fascism changed their lives.

Using first hand accounts from the people who lived through the war, Julia is able to shine a light on some of the lesser known aspects and consequences of living in Nazi Germany, and how people responded in the face of rising Nazism. Using a mix of interviews, archive materials and letters, Julia demonstrates just what life was really like for ordinary Germans during this tumultuous time in world history.

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In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over the frigid Russian Arctic. Hanging below this Soviet plane was a nuclear bomb the size of a small school bus. It was the largest and most powerful bomb ever to be created, and it was about to be tested. 

The Tsar Bomba’s gigantic detonation was intended to be secret, but was detected by American intelligence agencies—bringing brewing Cold War tensions to fever pitch. The thermonuclear hydrogen bomb yielded the equivalent of 50–58 megatons of TNT, enough to annihilate a small country. The resultant mushroom cloud reached an altitude seven times higher than Mount Everest, and its 8-km-wide wide fireball could be seen from almost 1,000km away.

This week, James is joined by Alex Wellerstein, an expert on the history of nuclear weapons. Together they discuss their development from WW2 to today, and the terrifying legacy of the largest man-made explosion in history.

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Like most aspects of the organisation, the CIA drone programme is shrouded in secrecy. With covert bases located across the globe, all armed with high tech sensors and precision missiles, it begs the questions, is anywhere safe in this new modern age? But how did the CIA drone programme begin, and how did it evolve into the covert operation it is today?

In the final episode of our CIA miniseries, James is joined by Professor Chris Fuller to look at the origins of CIA drone programme. Author of 'See It/Shoot It' Chris is the perfect guest to shed light on this clandestine part of the CIA. Looking at drone involvement in the 1980's and the role they played in locating Gaddafi, through to their uses in a post 9/11 world - what can we really know about the CIA drone programme, and is there anywhere on earth left to hide?

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The Special Air Service, more colloquially known as the SAS, was the creation of Officer David Stirling during the Second World War. Located in the deserts of Northern Africa, they were given instructions by Churchill himself to wage 'total war' against the Axis powers. Recently, this group of mavericks have been depicted in the TV series SAS Rogue Heroes - but how can we separate fact from fiction when the actual truth is so unbelievable?

To help with this endeavour, bestselling author Damien Lewis joins James on the podcast to delve into the incredible histories of the men who made the SAS. Shining light on the brilliant people who helped change the face of warfare, what do we really know about this group of rogue heroes?

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The Cold War saw an era of heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union - double agents, clashing political ideologies, and advancements in nuclear war; it was a tense time on the geopolitical stage. But how did all of these factors ultimately lead to the CIA knowingly recruiting former Nazi's into their ranks?

In the third episode of our CIA series, James is joined by Professor Norm Goda to look at this dark chapter of the CIA's past. Co-author of 'US Intelligence and the Nazis', Norm takes us through his work on declassifying CIA material, and the stunning revelations behind one of the world's most formidable government organisations and it's dark past of the Nazi war criminals it once employed.

You can find Norm's book with Richard Breitman here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hitlers-Shadow-Nazi-Criminals-Intelligence/dp/130034735X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BUEGKQLTAI14

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An accusation that has dogged the Qatar World Cup throughout the tournament is that of ‘sportswashing’. You’ve probably seen it in an article, or heard it in a news report. But what does ‘sportwashing’ actually mean, and where did it come from? While the term itself wasn't coined until 2015, the idea of despotic rulers and authoritarian regimes using large-scale sporting events to help cleanse their global image has been in practice for nearly a century — just look at the ‘Nazi Olympics’ in 1936. But how did Nazi Germany end up hosting those games, and what comes next for Qatar?

In today's episode, James is joined by Professor Martin Polley, the Director of the International Centre for Sports History and Culture at De Montfort University, to talk about the history of sportswashing. Together, they discuss the relationship between authoritarian regimes and Premier League football clubs, look at what the Nazis got right about the 1936 Olympics, and ask whether ‘sportwashing’ really does work…

This episode was edited by Joseph Knight and produced by Annie Coloe.

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The CIA is one of the most well-known and powerful government organisations across the globe. But who's responsible for its creation, and why have they been overlooked by the history books?

In the wake of the Second World War, four agents played key roles in the organisations formation - dubbed the 'Wise Gals' by their colleagues, Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier are the unsung heroes of the CIAs history. They played dangerous roles behind enemy lines, recruited double agents, and helped track down stolen Nazi art - their contributions to world history are unrivalled. So why aren't they household names?

In this second episode of our mini-series on the CIA, James Rogers talks to New York Times bestselling author Nathalia Holt about this exceptional history. Together they discuss the unheard story of these remarkable spies who built the CIA and shaped the future of espionage.

You can find Nathalia Holt's book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/wise-gals-the-spies-who-built-the-cia-and-changed-the-future-of-espionage/9781785789588

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2022 marks 80 years since the Red Devils first remarkable campaign in North Africa. In Britain, they were known as the parachute regiment, but after their daring feats in the Second World War the name Red Devils quickly stuck.

In this episode, James is joined by BBC journalist and former British Army officer Mark Urban, to learn more about the eccentric group of individuals who, quite literally, jumped at the chance to wage a new type of warfare against the Nazis. Delving into the history of Operation Torch and the daring, ordinary men, behind this impressive feat - Mark shines a new light on this extraordinary history.

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2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency, more colloquially known as the CIA. While viewed today as one of the most advanced and powerful intelligence agencies in the world, the United States didn't always sit at the top of this list.

Long before the CIA had been created, Great Britain, China, and even the Soviet Union had long standing intelligence agencies, aiding in matters of foreign affairs and espionage. So why was the United States so late to the intelligence game? And did this late arrival into espionage hinder the CIA's development and success?

In the first episode of our new mini-series on the CIA, James is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Tim Weiner, to talk about the history of this clandestine government organisation. From looking at the CIA's murky origins, to their post 9/11 purpose and their recent infiltration of the Kremlin, Tim takes us through the agency's tumultuous history.

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If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - enter promo code WARFARE for 7 days free + 50% off your first three months' subscription. To download, go to Android or Apple store.