The History Of Wwii Podcast - By Ray Harris Jr

First, Ryan Fairfield and Tony Lupo, the hosts of The Warrior Next Door Podcast return to share more clips of WWII Veterans and their experiences. The Second Episode: Now that the Battle of Gazala is over and the bulk of the 8th British Army was back along with Egyptian border, Rommel is ready to go after Tobruk. And his speed will amaze and overawe the defenders. Meanwhile, Gen. Ritchie and C in C Auchinleck think they have weeks to prepare their counter attack. But in the end, PM Churchill will receive the soul crushing news that Tobruk has fallen. The mighty British Empire was being chipped away by her enemies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two Episode Special! James Shone comes on to share what Taiwan, then Formosa was going through during, but also, before the war. Then, as Rommel prepares to surround Tobruk, Churchill and the War Cabinet decide to once again, try to get supplies to Malta. What follows is more disaster and death. The dark year that is 1942 continues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, Dr. Paul Gill Jr. comes on to talk about his dad’s book about his life and war time adventures, Armageddon in The Arctic Ocean: Up the Hawse Pipe from Galley Boy to Third Mate on a Legendary Liberty Ship in the Biggest Convoy Battle of WWII and then the North Africa campaign continues with Tobruk is Surrounded.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First, historian Taylor Downing comes on to talk about his new book, 1942: Winston Churchill and Britain’s Darkest Hour and then we pick up with Rommel and Ritchie battling it out in North Africa. The Desert Fox will push his men to the breaking point, but the Axis Forces will win the Battle of Gazala. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Battle of Bir Hakeem over Rommel is ready to drive on Tobruk, but first he has to get passed the Knightsbridge Box, where the 2nd and 4th Armored Brigades are waiting. What follows is mistakes by both sides, but Rommel reacts more quickly because he is with his men. Meanwhile, 8th Army Commander Ritchie is far away and has no idea what’s going on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historian Saul David talks about his latest book, Devil Dogs: From Guadalcanal to the Shores of Japan. King Company of the legendary 1st Marine Division will take part in 4 major battles in the Pacific; Guadalcanal, New Britain, Peleliu and Okinawa. But first comes the Canal. The Marines were only meant to establish a beach head and pave the way for others to fight. Instead, they will be on Guadalcanal for 4 long months with never enough food, support or men. Still, they have a job to do, hold at all costs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s a preview of Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper. Over a single week in February 1942, a depraved serial killer stalked London’s dark and WWII bomb-ravaged streets, hunting for victims in the city’s bars and clubs. Using new research from police files, court transcripts and exhaustive genealogical studies, season 2 of Hallie Rubenhold’s Bad Women reconstructs the lives of the women The Blackout Ripper brutally attacked and murdered. These were women who were dismissed as asking for trouble for choosing to lead independent lives. Bad Women: The Blackout Ripper examines what placed these women at the margins of society and why the war years were perilous for so many women. Listen to Bad Women at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/bwblackout?sid=war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that the Battle of the Cauldron was over, Rommel could come for the Free French at Bir Hakeem, to his SW. With this outpost removed, Africa Corps would be free to drive to the NE and take Tobruk. But the Desert Air Force would strive mightily to save the French, now dubbed, The Fighting French. And those men, a mixed bag of nationalities would show the Nazis and the world, the heart of a warrior. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rommel anticipates British 8th Army’s attack and prepares. The attack, Operation Aberdeen is launched, but will come to a sad end. This allows Rommel to commence his own attack, scattering thousands of Allies troops before him. The Battle of the Cauldron was supposed to be the beginning of end of The Desert Fox. Instead, it will be the beginning of the end of Gen. Neil Ritchie.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Damien Lewis returns to discuss his latest book about the beautiful Josephine Baker. She has found everything she wanted in France, but soon the country is over run by Nazis. Now she will be enlisted to spy for the Allies so France can, one day, return to its position as one of Europe's most powerful countries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rommel’s lunge at Tobruk causes his panzers to get trapped. So the Desert Fox changes his plans and 8th Army Commander Ritchie gives Rommel days of freedom, while the Commonwealth troops set up to push on to Libya. Rommel uses this time to attack the isolated 150th Brigade Group over and over.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This graphic novel by Jonathan Sandler covers the story of a young Jewish British citizen on vacation in NY when Pearl Harbor is attacked. Soon he is swept up in the US Army fighting for Uncle Sam, while his family back in Leeds worries over his safety. The story is taken from the main character’s real wartime experiences and unofficial memoir.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The day of battle is here. Both sides have made flawed plans. The question is who can adapt faster. Still, the first phase of the Battle of Gazala goes to The Desert Fox. But there is always the question of fuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Naval Officer Dale A. Jenkins, who served in the Pacific has a book coming out in December: Diplomats and Admirals. Today he sets up and examines the two battles, Coral Sea and Midway, then how their outcomes affected the rest of the Pacific War. His website is https://daleajenkins.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As The Allies and Axis prepare for a battle at Gazala, Rommel and Gen. Ritchie both feel confident that their plan is best. Yet both sides have weaknesses: Rommel doesn’t know where all the Allied formations are and the British led forces think they have it easier in only defending their positions. Both sides will make mistakes, but who will exploit them better? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rommel is able to take Cyrenaica back from the British 8th Army, but between his fuel issues and C in C, ME Auchinleck’s personnel changes, the two sides will stare at each other for a while. But the combat will return as North Africa’s fate will determine the future of the Middle East and the Suez Canal. It’s all or nothing, but having to deal with the Japanese Empire, now in the war, is stretching the Allies to the breaking point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the failure of Gen. Auchinleck's Operation Crusader, at the end of 1941, Rommel resupplies and heads out again, before the British can start Operation Acrobat, the drive on Tripoli. As it was a year ago, the Allies are stretched far too thin and the men are under trained and under staffed. Rommel hopes to take Cyrenaica, then Tobruk, all in preparation for a much larger offensive that will finally end the war in North Africa, Egypt and possibly, the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before moving on to Operation Pedestal and then the Eastern Front, Gen. Charles De Gaulle’s moves in West Africa have to be covered. He seeks to rebuild the French Empire by grabbing African lands that went with the Vichy Government after France fell to German forces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this one off episode, Iceland and Greenland’s participation in the war is covered. Denmark leads these two islands to the north, but when Nazi Germany occupies Denmark, the islands are on their own. Churchill, as the First Lord of the Admiralty decides that these two islands must come under British control. But it will take American and Canadian help to pull it off, for once Hitler finds out about any talks, Berlin will react as they did in Norway, with their own invasion force. At the end is a recording of FDR and listen how he leads the American people into believing, it's only a matter of time before the US has to fight, because the Nazis are set on world domination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the mold of Adrian Warburton, one George Beurling comes to Malta in July. Like Warby, George or Screwball as he is called, does not care for much for anything really, only flying and fighting. And in a short time, he will cause hell for the Axis pilots. However, Kesselring has ordered Fliegerkorps II to be given more pilots. The overwhelming air attacks on Malta are gearing up again. But this time, it will be Vice Air Marshall Keith Park leading the defense of Malta. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices