Why We Fight ~ 1944

Dr. Bill Nance returns to talk about LTG William Simpson, the US Ninth Army, and how average but doctrinally-proficient leaders made things happen. Not everyone needs to be a Patton. This includes a look at Army Groups and those higher echelon levels of command, command relationships, and intricate coordination to ensure the US forces were able to fight effectively.

Links

Commanding Professionalism: Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army by Dr. William S. Nance (Amazon)

Sabers Through the Reich: World War II Corps Cavalry from Normandy to the Elbe by Dr. William S. Nance and Dr. Robert M. Citino (Amazon)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and current Command Historian for the United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) Tim Gilhool joins me to talk about the "Arsenal of Democracy" which made it possible for the United States to keep the Allies in the fight against the Nazis and Axis forces around the world, while simultaneously arming and equipping a massive American military force that helped fight and win the Second World War.

Links

The Army Green Books (https://www.history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/collect/usaww2.html)

The Blue Books

(https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/458967/the-u-s-army-air-forces-in-world-war-ii/)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, I'm joined by MAJ Jason Boswell to discuss Armor Doctrine development that will ultimately impact how the US Army's Armored Forces conduct themselves and their operations in 1944. This includes talk of the Interwar Period, between the First and Second World Wars, and the late 1930s through 1941, with talk of the 1941 GHQ Maneuvers which were the main event in the beginning of this series - before it was Why We Fight, the first year was called Building an American Army.

Links

From Horses to Horsepower: The Mechanization and Demise of the US Cavalry, 1916-1950 by Alexander Bielakowski

(Amazon)

Mobility, Shock, Firepower: The Emergence of the US Army's Armor Branch, 1917-1945 by Robert S. Cameron

(https://www.history.army.mil/html/books/Mobility_Shock_and_Firepower/CMH_30-23-1.pdf)

The US Army GHQ Maneuvers of 1941 by Christopher Gable

(https://www.history.army.mil/html/books/070/70-41-1/CMH_Pub_70-41-1.pdf)

In the Presence of Soldiers: The 2nd Army Maneuvers & Other World War II Activity in Tennessee by Woody Cillin

(Amazon)

General Lesley J. McNair: Unsung Architect of the US Army by Dr. Mark Calhoun

(Amazon)

The Rise of the G.I. Army, 1940-1941: The Forgotten Story of How America Forged a Powerful Army Before Pearl Harbor by Paul Dickson

(Amazon)

Monschau's Lucky 38 by Jason Boswell

(Amazon)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, LTC Nathan Jennings joins me to talk about some of the important lessons in land warfare that were taken from the Battle of France in 1940 and how those lessons come into play by 1944.

Links

Maneuver and Breakthrough in 1940 France: Insights for the US Army and the Russo-Ukrainian War by LTC Nathan A. Jennings, PhD

(https://www.ausa.org/publications/maneuver-and-breakthrough-1940-france-insights-us-army-and-russo-ukrainian-war)

Association of the United States Army - Land Warfare Papers

(https://www.ausa.org/land-warfare-papers)

Fighting by Minutes: Time and the Art of War by Robert R. Leonhard

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Joining me in this episode is Ken Campbell. Ken has a background in history and works in education. Last year he contributed to the 1943 series with a similar episode discussing two movies that were released in 1943 - This is the Army and Destination Tokyo. For the 1944 series, Ken chose Tunisian Victory and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo.

Links

Why We Fight ~ 1943 Episode 63: Hollywood and the American War Effort in 1943 (Apple Podcasts) (Spotify)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

This episode turned out slightly different than expected but it's a great one! Dr. Myra Miller joins me to share the story of how learning about her father's experience in World War II literally changed her life and her family's connection to this history. Dr. Miller has done some incredible work to make the history of the 83rd Infantry more accessible, as well as other work with documentaries and publications.

Links

Solder Stories Vol. I (Amazon)

Soldier Stories Vol. II (Amazon)

Myron H. Miller (https://db.83rdinfdivdocs.org/share/a5fad8b8-5c5d-48ba-9082-0bacfec00994)

Morning Reports (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/docs/morning-reports)

83rd Infantry Division After Action Reports (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/units/83rd-id)

83rd Infantry Division Newspapers (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/docs/newspapers)

KINGSIZE | Lost WWII B-24 Bomber Identified After 78 Years

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaGQRsNuZ-c)

SNAFO DOCS (https://www.youtube.com/SNAFUDOCS)

Reveille (https://www.reveillefilm.com/about)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, Dr. Mitchell Yockelson joins me to talk about the history between American General Dwight D. Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and how their professional relationship was clearly more than simply colleagues but far from "besties".

Links

Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I (Amazon)

Borrowed Soldiers: Americans Under British Command, 1918 (Amazon)

The Paratrooper Generals: Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, and the American Airborne from D-Day through Normandy (Amazon)

MacArthur: America's General (Amazon)

Dr. Mitchell Yockelson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchyockelson)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Dr. John McManus joins me again, this time talking about the American Experience in World War II, with an emphasis on the Americans in France following the invasion of Normandy.

Links

Half American: The Heroic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad by Matthew Delmont (Amazon)

The 7th Infantry Regiment - Combat in an Age of Terror: The Korean War Through the Present (https://johncmcmanus.com/books/the-7th-infantry-regiment-combat-in-an-age-of-terror-the-korean-war-through-the-present/)

The Deadly Brotherhood: The American Combat Soldier in World War II (https://johncmcmanus.com/books/the-deadly-brotherhood-the-american-combat-soldier-in-world-war-ii/)

Somebody Talked! The Official Podcast of the National D-Day Memorial (https://www.dday.org/someone-talked-podcast/)

We Have Ways USA (https://wehavewayspod.com/episodes/)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, Paul Sparrow joins me to talk about the interesting and often challenging relationship between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and General Douglas MacArthur. Paul was the Director of the FDR Museum and Library for years and he has a book that came out in 2024 on FDR which is linked below.

Links

Awakening the Spirit of America: FDR's War of Words with Charles Lindbergh - and the Battle to Save Democracy by Paul M. Sparrow (Amazon)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Joining me in this episode is historian Trent Hone, continuing to share stories and insight of Admiral Nimitz in the Pacific and the unique challenges he faced in trying to effectively coordinate assets and work with other commanders. In this episode, Trent brings up the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the Battle off Samar, both of which have dedicated episodes coming up with Dr. Regina Akers from the Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC), US Army veteran, historian, and author Dr. James Young, and retired US Navy LCDR Parks Stephenson. There is also an episode on Kamikaze attacks with Guy Nasuti, US Navy veteran and historian with the NHHC.

Links

Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific by Trent Hone (Amazon)

Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the US Navy, 1898 - 1945 by Trent Hone (Amazon)

Major Fleet-Versus-Fleet Operation in the Pacific War, 1941 - 1945 by Milan Vego (Amazon)

The Allure of Battle: A History of How Wars Have Been Won and Lost by Cathal Nolan (Amazon)

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the US Navy's Finest Hour by James D. Hornfischer (Amazon)

Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay by Craig L. Symonds (Amazon)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)