313 - 1942: Hitler's Gamble for Victory

In early September 1944, as Allied forces raced across France and Belgium, the German occupation of Brussels was beginning to collapse. On 2 September, around 1,500 prisoners, including members of the Belgian Resistance, Allied airmen, SOE agents, and political prisoners, were ta ...  Show more

In June 1944, as the Allied armies fought to break out from the Normandy beachhead, attention turned to a series of heavily defended German positions west of Caen. Among them was Rauray Spur, a vital piece of high ground that overlooked much of the surrounding countryside and off ...  Show more

Do commanders matter? Were the British generals effective or "foppish"? How did the Allies rebound from huge losses such as the Battle of Dunkirk to victories like Alamein and D-Day? Tom and Dominic are joined by Al Murray to discuss all this and more, following the release of Al ...  Show more

How much do you know about the relationship between the Royal Navy and pirates during the Second World War? Vichy France, Hawker Typhoons, and a Jamaican epic are the topics on today's podcast - plus there's also a sneak preview of James' latest book on Italy during the War... A ...  Show more

How did the Battle of Berlin begin? Was Germany doomed from the start? Did Stalin make the situation worse? Al Murray and James Holland explore the opening moments of the Battle of Berlin - from Stalin's psychotic leadership style, the pincer movement that captured the heart of N ...  Show more

As the launch of OPERATION SHINGLE nears, Al Murray and James Holland dig deeper into the mountains, mud and mayhem that categorised the fighting in Italy in January 1944 and take a look at the opening battles of the year. They also review the innumerable failures of German high ...  Show more