The History Of Wwii Podcast - By Ray Harris Jr

Backing up a bit, we begin the story of the battle for the Atlantic, as German U-boats attempt to starve Britain into submission. Meanwhile, the U.S. moves closer to the Allied camp by selling arms to Britain and France.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gen. Rommel keeps winning battles but losses men and tanks, that are not replaced. Meanwhile, British 8th Army, refuses to give up, each time it's beaten and C in C Auchinleck makes sure the Commonwealth's losses are replaced. Rommel will have to decided what comes next for the Afrika Korps. Ep 178-Trotsky moves into a position to better serve Lenin, along with Stalin. And the Leninist's Bolsheviks find themselves on the edge of power, if they will but reach out and take it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 175-As Gen. Rommel sends his panzers to surprise the British 8th Army near the Frontier Wire, Gen. Cunningham's forces finally reach Tobruk to help Gen. Scobie and his men escape. Ep 176-Lenin is on the cusp of power, but fails to take the final step. Lenin is then forced to hide from Kerensky of the Provisional Government,  but Stalin steps up to lead their faction of the Bolshevik Party.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guests today are writers Bob Drury and Tom Clavin to discuss their latest book, Lucky 666-The Impossible Mission. Mavericks or "Screw ups" Jay Zeamer and Joseph Sarnoski, sent to the Pacific Theater to help defend Australia from invasion by Japanese Imperial forces, will end up rebuilding a dilapidated B-17 and volunteering to photograph the western coast of Bougainville for the impending U.S. invasion. Little do they know that they will be involved in the longest dogfight in history. One of them will not make it back alive.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acting on misinformation, both generals, Rommel and Cunningham make plans for the next day, hoping to wipe out the other's armor. Yet Rommel is in a much better position to succeed. Cunningham just doesn't know poorly Operation Crusader is unfolding. Meanwhile, Lenin has to face down his own faction, including Stalin, to move his Bolsheviks closer to the desire of the Russian peasants.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ep 170-As Operation Crusader goes forward Gen. Cunningham feels confident as his tanks make it close to Tobruk. However Rommel feels threatened, even though his panzers have destroyed many of Cunningham's tanks. Meanwhile Gen. Scobie, the British commander in Tobruk readies to break out. Ep 171-Tsar Nicholas II tries to have his way even though he is loosing the throne and Lenin gets the help of Germany to finally come home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gen. Auchinleck's Operation Crusader is finally launched, but Rommel does not react as predicted as his focus is still on taking Tobruk. AND Tsar Nicholas II guides Russia through the Great War. At its end, Stalin is freed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The British Western Desert Army is transformed into the 8th British Army proper. C in C ME Auchinleck has tapped Gen. Sir Alan Cunningham to lead it. His first order of business is to destroy Rommel's panzers and relieve Tobruk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stalin will endure several more arrests, but while in exile, Lenin will maneuver to have Koba made a member of the newly created Bolshevik Central Committee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stalin is newly married, but has little time for his wife and soon to arrive child. He is still focused on the Marxism revolution and his rise in the Bolshevik party, not to mention the destruction of the Menshevik faction. Vladimir Lenin choses the younger man to be his muscle as he defies the Socialist Democrats of Russia.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a new commander in the Middle East, Churchill wants the war against Rommel renewed, but C in C Auchinleck has his own ideas. Yet the Desert Fox will spoil everyone's plans with his own attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young Stalin begins to the learn of the wider world of international politics and the intrigues that comes with it. Lenin his hero, does not measure up upon their first face to face. And Koba goes through his own metamorphosis when he returns from the 4th Congress and marries a local Tiflis girl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early 1942, the U.S. and Great Britain work together to develop the Atomic Bomb, but London needs to make sure Nazi Germany doesn't get there first. Today's guest is author Neal Bascomb. We discuss his new book, out today, The Winter Fortress: The Epic Mission to Sabotage Hitler's Atomic Bomb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stalin, the young revolutionary, stumbles and is on the outs with the Georgian Social Democratic Worker's Party. Yet, after making another mistake, he is tepidly allowed to re-enter the group. Sent to a back water area, the workers there will soon strike and put the mining town and Stalin, at the center of the revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leningraders volunteer in such numbers that the Stavka orders several divisions to be organized, to resist the German invaders. Yet the men are thrown in untrained, mostly weaponless, armed only with a desire for revenge.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ioseph Jughashvili, AKA Stalin, leaves the seminary under mysterious circumstances. Following the path of his mentor Lado Ketskhoveli, Soso becomes a revolutionary and learns the joy of mentoring the people but also to fear the police. Seeking refuge for himself, Stalin goes underground, after serving his first long prison sentence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The people of Leningrad take an affront to Nazi Germany invading their country. The men volunteer in droves for military service, the women are sent off to dig trenches. Though many of the men will die that summer of 1941, the Soviet Red Banner Baltic Fleet will undergo its own "Dunkirk" as a fleet of 228 vessels flee from Tallinn, Estonia, facing shore batteries, Finnish torpedo boats and miles of mines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Young Stalin begins the process of moving away from the Seminary and towards the life of a revolutionary. The picture is of Marx and Engels.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Army Group South continues pressing closer towards the Soviet Capital. But General Secretary Stalin and General Zhukov attempt to defy the invaders. They are soon assisted by General Winter. Meanwhile, we catch up with Army Groups North and South, where Stalin has planned counter attacks as he knows the germans are focused on his capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixteen year old Soso (Stalin) enters the Tiflis Theological Seminary, on his way to becoming a priest. But what the boy may not know is that, he has entered an intellectual battleground and being a good Georgian, there is only one side he can choose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices