The History Of Wwii Podcast - By Ray Harris Jr

Adm. Cunningham is given Force K, a gift from Churchill. And right away Force K will prove itself by annihilating an entire convoy, looking to resupply Rommel.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Malta based subs and planes are having a surge of success against Axis shipping heading to North Africa, but increased operations means more fuel is needed. Thus, another convoy is headed to the Mediterranean. This one will be the largest so far, but the Italians will send a massive force to intercept it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Martin comes on the show to talk about the book he wrote with RAF Pilot Denis Elliott. Denis' early life was full of pain, which caused a lack of confidence. But then comes the war and young Denis will find himself and grow in belief in himself as a part of the RAF, fighting the Japanese. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Child, an Emmy® Nominated Producer / Director comes on the show to discuss his latest book, Immortal Valor. The Black Medal of Honor winners of WWII. Just over one million African Americans participated in the war against The Axis, but only 7 of them were given the nation’s highest award. And it took decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though Operation Substance successfully resupplied Malta in July 1941, the Allies lost planes, ships and men. What followed was the Battle of Valletta, as the Italians try to finish off the convoy while in the Grand Harbor. Paying in kind, sub commander Shrimp Simpson will send 3 subs, HMS Unique, P32 and P33 to Tripoli to wipe out the latest Axis convoy, bound for Rommel. Both sides draw blood and many lives are lost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adm. Cunningham begins to believe that he may loose Malta. The Germans are gone, but he only has half his normal fleet and the Axis are not slowing down in transporting men to Rommel in North Africa. Picture-HMS Olympus, a part of the Magic Carpet Service. She lost all but 9 men of her crew and passengers out of 98 on May 8, 1942, 7 miles out from Malta after hitting a mine. She was discovered in 2019.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ray Boomhower has written about 3 important war correspondents, Richard Tregaskis, Ernie Pyle and Robert L. Sherrod. Today we discuss the young Tregaskis as he covers events like Midway, Guadalcanal, and the invasion of Sicily. Tregaskis will almost die in Italy, but will return to the Pacific to cover the approach to the Japanese home islands.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scott Rank comes on the show to discuss the more impactful events of the Pacific Campaign: The East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, The Battle of Midway, the Fire Bombing of Tokyo and the likely casualties of an Allied invasion onto the main Japanese Islands.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Battle for the Atlantic is not going well for the Allies, Churchill’s War Cabinet puts into motion a plan to steal a Nazi Enigma machine. Bletchley Park has been trying to break the German Naval codes for years, but more is needed. Meanwhile Malta is about to get a reprieve from the Germans who are preparing for Operation Barbarossa. But one last air raid is needed. Pic-U-110 and the HMS Bulldog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Crete falling so quickly Churchill and Adm. Cunningham have to assume that Malta is next. Still, ABC expects his subs, like the Upholder, to hold the line until Malta can be reinforced. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Scott Bury joins us to talk about his Eastern Front Trilogy. The story centers around Maurice Bury, a Canadian who is forced to fight for Soviet Russia against Nazi Germany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We return to Malta as Adm. Cunningham is at his low point. Churchill wants total war, but Cunningham needs more of everything, including time. The short term answer seems to be more subs, but Malta will have to make do, for now. Doing his part is Lt. Commander Wanklyn and the sub HMS Upholder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's offering is an episode from Gary Arndt's Podcast, Everything Everywhere Daily. On this show, he covers the important contribution of Native Americans using their language to stump the Nazi Intelligence services from breaking the Allied Code. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on the show, I talk to Tony Lupo and Ryan Fairfield about their show, The Warrior Next Door Podcast. Listen to the oral histories of World War II veterans from interviews conducted by Tony and Ryan as they provide historical context. Their efforts will help the experiences of these brave warriors live forever. Twitter - @WW2Podcaster. www.thewarriornextdoor.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist Joe Lee comes on the show to talk about his book, Forgiveness: The Story of Eva Kor, Survivor of The Auschwitz Twin Experiments. Find out what happens to Dr. Josef Mengele, the tormentor of Eva, her sister Miriam and the other twins of Auschwitz and the founding of Candles-Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeffrey Jackson, professor of history at Rhodes College comes on the show to tell us about Lucy and Suzanne’s courage in defying the nazi occupation of the channel island Jersey. These two lovers, having developed their avant garde artistry in 1920 and 1930’s Paris, will put all their skill to work, when undermining the enemy troops on their island. Professor Jeffrey Jackson, author of Paris Under Water: How the City of Light Survived the Great Flood of 1910 describes how these two courageous women’s paper bullets made the Nazi’s question their own safety and why they were there at all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Ambassador to Luxembourg and before that, the Director of Policy Planning at the US department of State, Ambassador McKean is currently the senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the US in Washington, DC. Today he joins us to talk about how all but one of FDR’s ambassadors in Europe misjudged Hitler and his intentions. Cyber Month Deal! Go to https://NordVPN.com/worldwar2 or use coupon code WORLDWAR2 to get up to 73% off your NordVPN plan plus 1 bonus month for free! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

War reporter Jack Fairweather comes on to discuss his latest book A Rebel in Auschwitz. The story is of Witold Pilecki, a member of the Polish Resistance who is chosen to purposefully get arrested to be taken to the camp. Upon seeing the daily cruelty, Witold has to let the world know what is happening to the vanquished Polish people and later, the Jewish prisoners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PM Churchill wants Adm. Andrew Cunningham to sink supply ships heading for Rommel's North African Army. Cunningham wants more ships, but is told to make do with what he has. So in mid April, Cunningham sends out 4 destroyers under the Flagship HMS Jervis, with Capt. Phillip Mack in command. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and lecturer Chris Berman joins us to discuss the Night Witches, the female soviet pilots, cultural perceptions of warfare and the lady pilots of The United States and Great Britain. Check out his latest book, A White Star in a Red Sky. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices