Why We Fight ~ 1944

By Sasha Lehtonen (MoT)History

Why We Fight ~ 1944 episodes

November 12, 2023 Semper Paratus: The Greenland Patrol and the US Coast Guard in 1943
In this episode, I'm joined by USCG Atlantic historian Dr. Bill Thiesen to talk about US Coast Guard history and involvement in World War II, with a particular focus on the Greenland Patrol and operations in the Arctic. Dr. Thiesen runs a US Coast Guard History blog called The Long Blue Line, linked below. This episode is really interesting and it is a part of our history that we don't often hear about so I hope everyone enjoys this story and I will make an effort to include more Coast Guard in WWII stories going forward.
Links
US Coast Guard History: The Long Blue Line (https://www.history.uscg.mil/Research/THE-LONG-BLUE-LINE/)
Life and Death on the Greenland Patrol, 1942 (https://www.amazon.com/Greenland-Perspectives-Maritime-Nautical-Archaeology-ebook/dp/B00MMENSDS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OJKX61D536R7&keywords=life+and+death+greenland+patrol&qid=1699810710&s=books&sprefix=life+and+death+greenland+patrol%2Cstripbooks%2C155&sr=1-1)
48 min
November 10, 2023 Marine Corps Amphibious Operations, Command Culture, and Operation Cherryblossom
Joining me again is Lt.Col. Brian Kerg, this time to talk Marine Corps history. This was actually the first episode we recorded. Brian talks about Operation Cherryblossom, the landings at Cape Torokina at the start of the Bougainville Campaign. He also talks about Marine Corps leadership and command culture in the Pacific Theater.

There will be other Bougainville episodes coming up but, as promised, this one is set to release on 10 November, which is the 248th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. And in celebratory spirit, I've included a little adjustment to the opening and ending.

1 hr 1 min
November 08, 2023 Six Degrees of Vietnam: World War II and the Vietnam War
In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Rob Thompson to talk about the Vietnam War and how that conflict is connected to World War II. This is a more conversational episode because I don't know as much about Vietnam and Rob is a friend of mine. As he explains early on, Vietnam at this time in 1943 was known as French Indochina, and things get really complicated and messy. But this is another example of how it is next to impossible to study this period in isolation, and how the Second World War had an impact everywhere.
Links
Dr. Rob Thompson (https://www.drrobthompson.com/)
Clear, Hold, and Destroy: Pacification in Phú Yên and the American War in Vietnam by Dr. Rob Thompson (https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Hold-Destroy-Pacification-American/dp/0806168692/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=clear+hold+and+destroy&qid=1606574614&sr=8-1)
Links from the US Army Center of Military History
The US Army Before Vietnam 1953-1965 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/076/76-3/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Allied Participation in Vietnam (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-5-1/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Base Development 1965-1970 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-6/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: The Development and Training of the South Vietnamese Army, 1950-1972 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-10/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Financial Management of the Vietnam Conflict, 1962-1972 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-13/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Law at War - Vietnam 1964-1973 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-14/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Medical Support 1965-1970 (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-16/index.html)
Vietnam Studies: Mounted Combat in Vietnam (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-17-1/index.html)
Dust Off: Army Aeromedical Evacuation in Vietnam (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-28-1/index.html)
Judge Advocates in Combat: Army Lawyers in Military Operations from Vietnam to Haiti (https://history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-77/index.html)
Seven Firefights in Vietnam (https://history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-4/index.html)
Vietnam from Cease-Fire to Capitulation (https://history.army.mil/html/books/090/90-29/index.html)
US Army CMH Publications Catalog (⁠https://history.army.mil/catalog/browse/title.html⁠)
1 hr 1 min
November 05, 2023 The Sunburst Division – 40th Infantry, California Army National Guard (Part I)
In this episode, Brigadier General Robert Wooldridge and Sergeant Major Daniel Sebby help us learn a bit about the history of the 40th Infantry Division, California National Guard, and what the division was doing up through 1943. Halfway through the year the Division moved from the US West Coast to Hawaii, and then later to Guadalcanal. We also talk a bit about the strengths of the National Guard — then and now — and the different responsibilities the CAARNG sometimes has to juggle. The 40th Infantry Division will be back next year to continue their story in 1944.
51 min
November 01, 2023 The Battle of Kiska
In this episode, I'm joined by Archaeologist Kirk Freeman to talk about the Battle of Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands, making this story part-Pacific Theater and technically also part-Homefront. In addition to the story from 1942-1943, Kirk talks about his experiences as an Archaeologist on Kiska and with some of the other islands in that chain.
1 hr 31 min
October 31, 2023 Bonus Halloween Episode: Zone Troopers (1985)
In this Bonus episode for Halloween, I'm joined again by Lt. Col. Brian Kerg and we discuss the 1985 film Zone Troopers, which takes place in Italy during World War II. The movie was not what we were expecting, and we were both pleasantly surprised by it. Linked below are the book mentioned and the movie, although I did not find it streaming anywhere that we could both access.
Links
Confessions of a Puppetmaster: A Hollywood Memoir of Ghouls, Guts, and Gonzo Filmmaking by Charles Band with Adam Felber (https://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Puppetmaster-Hollywood-Memoir-Filmmaking/dp/0063087340/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1698674570&sr=8-1)
Zone Troopers (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=zone+troopers&crid=2OF3AFKGF9BQY&sprefix=zone+trooper%2Caps%2C168&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_12)
43 min
October 25, 2023 Admiral Nimitz Reconfigures the Staff
Joining me again is Naval Historian Trent Hone and this time we talk about Admiral Nimitz and his efforts to reconfigure his staff to better fight and win in the Pacific in 1943 and beyond. If you missed the previous episode, Trent talked about the US Navy fighting in the dark in the Pacific, lessons learned throughout earlier parts of the war, and how we got to a point in 1943 where we start to get things right.
Links
Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-Command-Admiral-Chester/dp/1682475956/ref=monarch_sidesheet)
Fighting in the Dark: Naval Combat at Night: 1904 - 1944 Edited by Vincent O'Hara and Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Dark-Naval-Combat-1904-1944/dp/1682477800/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=)
Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the US Navy, 1898 - 1945 by Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Learning-War-Evolution-Fighting-1898-1945-ebook/dp/B07BF86ZH2?ref_=ast_author_dp)
Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds (⁠https://www.amazon.com/Nimitz-War-Command-Leadership-Harbor/dp/0197761321/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1698075998&sr=8-1⁠)
Central Pacific (CMH Publication)
https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-4/CMH_Pub_72-4(75th-Anniversary).pdf
57 min
October 23, 2023 Night Battles in the Solomon Islands
Joining me in this episode is Naval Historian Trent Hone and we talk about the US Navy (and Allies) involved in night battles in the Solomon Islands, and how this period in late 1943 reflects a tremendous amount of learning that the Navy did in the years prior. This episode has a little overlap with the Battle of Kula Gulf episode, so it ties in well with the previous 4 episodes in the series.

Links

Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Art-Command-Admiral-Chester/dp/1682475956/ref=monarch_sidesheet)

Fighting in the Dark: Naval Combat at Night: 1904 - 1944 Edited by Vincent O'Hara and Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Dark-Naval-Combat-1904-1944/dp/1682477800/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=)

Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the US Navy, 1898 - 1945 by Trent Hone (https://www.amazon.com/Learning-War-Evolution-Fighting-1898-1945-ebook/dp/B07BF86ZH2?ref_=ast_author_dp)
Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds (⁠https://www.amazon.com/Nimitz-War-Command-Leadership-Harbor/dp/0197761321/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1698075998&sr=8-1⁠)
1 hr
October 22, 2023 Battle of Munda Point: Fighting the Plan vs. Fighting the Enemy
Steve Wuensche, US Army veteran and current member of the Army University Press Combat Studies Institute (CSI) Staff Ride Team, joins me to talk about the Battle of Munda Point, during the New Georgia Campaign in the Pacific Theater. We also talk about Staff Rides and the available options for both virtual and in-person Staff Rides, as well as support for units looking to develop their own.

This episode works well with the two most recent episodes by Kater Miller on the Marine Raiders in the New Georgia Campaign and Operation Toenails, part of the New Georgia Campaign and planned to support this Battle of Munda Point. There are also connections between all of these episodes and Dr. Jon Bernstein's episode on the Battle of Kula Gulf.

Links
Army University Press Staff Rides
https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Staff-Rides/
1 hr 53 min
October 22, 2023 Battle of Kula Gulf
Joining me in this episode is Jon Bernstein, US Army veteran and the Arms and Armor Curator at the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps. Jon helps bring some US Navy history to the series, talking about the Battle of Kula Gulf which relates to the previous two episodes (Marine Raiders and Operation Toenails) and the next episode (Munda Point). We also talk about Jon's very special find in the Marine Corps Museum's macroartifacts, so please stick around for that part as well.
Link
Why We Fight ~ 1942: Pacific Theater
Guns and Ships (https://twitter.com/USMCMuseum/status/1486768008785711107)
National Museum of the United States Marine Corps
(https://www.usmcmuseum.com/)
51 min

About Why We Fight ~ 1944

From the publisher's feed

Season two of the largest Combined, Joint, Multinational Military History effort focuses on American and Allied Forces in Europe and the Pacific through 1944.