The History of WWII Podcast - by Ray Harris Jr

The Americans come at Casablanca. But waiting for them are impressive batteries, submarines and the battleship Jean Bart. And for all the work the US State Department had done, Vichy will not submit quietly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Allied Center Task Force has its work cut out in trying to take Oran and the surrounding airfields. Surprise French attacks from the south and east wreck Allied plans and the timetable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though far from perfect, the Western Allies make landfall with their Eastern and Central Task Forces in North Africa. Shots are exchanged, planes are downed, ships sunk and men fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Western Allies had landed in North Africa, but two diversionary attacks go horribly wrong. The Americas have their first significant casualties of the war. Operation Torch has a rough start. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Torch, though a rushed affair, carried the hopes of Washington and London and all of Europe. After much wrangling, the details come together and the date is set, November 8, 1942. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though suffering heavy losses, Monty continues to attack Rommel. Both sides were bled, but this was something Rommel could not afford. The great race back west was on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monty hopes to confuse Rommel with several limited attacks, so when the big push comes, the German's main defenses will be out of place. This works and soon, 2 British brigades and the 2nd New Zealand Division attack during the night. Still, the Germans are formidable, even with their dwindling supplies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Barbarossa and the attack on Pearl Harbor created the Grand Alliance, but holding it together took constant work. Only by looking at their areas of conflict, as well as cooperation, are we able to understand the course of the war and world that developed in its aftermath. Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wwii45 TikTok-@wwiiguy Instagram - rayharrisjr youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@historyofwwiipodcast8712 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battle has been joined. Though the Axis are outmanned, their minefields allow them to hold back Monty's attacks. And Rommel is soon on his way back to take command once again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monty is now in command of 8th Army. Rommel is ill, but will return when the 2nd Battle of El Alamein gets underway. Still, Monty's plans do not start out well for his men. And the Torch landings are very far away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a series of body blows, Army Group South is forced back to the Dnieper River. Then they begin to construct the Panther Waton Line, but the Soviets don't wait and attack right away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Citadel is over, now its Moscow's turn. What follows is a series of hammer blow counter attacks by Moscow. Some succeed, some fail, but they all bleed the German invaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the German pincers bogged down, Moscow launches two massive counter attacks. One will attempt to trap the German 9th Army at Orel, the other will seek to shatter the 1st Panzer Army of Army Group South. Berlin has to shift its ever shrinking supply of men and panzers, again. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 12, 1943, Soviet Armies come at the SS 2nd Panzer Army. The Germans have attack plans, but the Soviets have attacking numbers. And then the German Army High Command gets horrible news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gen. Hoth's 4th Panzer Army reaches the Psel River, which threatens both the city of Prokhorovka and Oboyan. But taking from their Reserve forces, the Soviets launch a massive counter attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Checkout this incredible story of US Marine Corps fighter pilot Jefferson DeBlanc, who was shot down over the Solomon Islands. From there his story had just begun. Medal of Honor Podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the north Gen. Model releases his panzers. To the south, a new type of tank killing plane is tested by the Germans. Still, whoever controls the heights controls the battle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The panzers of Gen. Hoth's 4th Panzer Army of the southern pincer start off well, thanks to most Soviet defenders being to the north. Still, its a long way to Oboyan and enemy reinforcements are coming in fast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Battle has begun. In the north the Germans advance. In the south, there's the battle before the battle and Gen. Hoth had decided to change the attack plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last of men and material are put into place. And though still doubting, the German leader orders Operation Citadel to begin.  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wwii45 TikTok-@wwiiguy Instagram - rayharrisjr youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@historyofwwiipodcast8712 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

British writer Laurence Rees comes on the show to cover the 12 warnings he has learned from studying WWII. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While both Moscow and Berlin focus on the Kursk salient, Operation Mincemeat convinces the Germans to focus troops in the wrong place. Meanwhile, Zhukov convinces Stalin to let the enemy attack first, for they will be ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manstein overcame Hitler's objections and then two Soviet Fronts. By early March 1943, Kursk was exposed and open to attack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Manstein overcame Hitler's objections and then the two Soviet Fronts. By early March 1943, Kursk was exposed and open to attack. Want to go beyond the battlefield with The History of WWII Podcast? Dive deeper into the war with exclusive bonus episodes, expert interviews, and commercial-free listening for just $5/month! Every penny supports the show and keeps the history coming. Sign up now.  Donations are always welcome and help keep the History of WWII Podcast free for all. Follow The History of WWII Podcast: RSS – https://feeds.megaphone.fm/history-of-world-war-ii Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wwii45 Twitter – https://twitter.com/WW2Podcaster Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rayharrisjr/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@wwiiguy YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@historyofwwiipodcast8712 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Having tasted defeat and now victory, Stalin wants more operations in southern Russia. And what he gets will change the course of the war on the Eastern Front. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Axis retreat from the Don River was haphazard. Armies were lost as was much equipment. Army Group South would regroup and form another line, but it was much reduced and the Soviets were only getting stronger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Becky Aikman tells the story of American female pilots that chose to go to Britain, to fly for the Air Transport Auxiliary. While flying Spitfires and Hurricanes, they live their lives to the fullest. It's a new land and a new chance to reinvent themselves. But not all will make it to the end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Stavka made the South its main area of operations in 1942, saving Stalingrad was only the beginning. Next, the Italians were wiped out, then the Romanians were finished off. Now, it was the Hungarian's turn and what was coming at them was a tidal wave of steel, shot and shell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the 8th Italian Army destroyed, the Soviets will now focus on the German forces SE of Stalingrad and the 2nd Hungarian Army. The US liaison officer will see the results of these battles and report the slaughter to FDR. Meanwhile, Gen. Manstein is forced to order a pull back of all forces. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Picking another weak point of the Axis defensive line to the NW of Stalingrad, the Italian 8th, the Hungarian 2nd and what remained of the Romanian 3rd Armies would be attacked. Then the airfield feeding Gen. Paulus' 6th Army would be raided. The German forces would be tied down and unable to assist. Punch by punch Army Group South is losing its strength. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Mars was the sister Soviet counter attack to Uranus, which freed Stalingrad. But Mars would end very differently for the Soviets. When it was all over, the Stavka would turn their attention back to the south.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author Jonathan Horn's Book, The Fate of Generals: MacArthur, Wainwright and the Epic battle for the Philippines, covers the experiences of both generals during the war. Yet, one is remembered by history, the other, not so much. This book seeks to rectify this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gen. von Manstein is sent north to capture Leningrad. But days before his attack is launched, the Soviets launch their own. And the results of this battle will be felt all the way to Stalingrad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The German 17th Army on the Taman peninsula is bending, but not breaking. Then the Soviets realize, they don't have to win, just hold. For events at Kursk will decide the fate of the Caucasus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the building up of troops on the Taman Peninsula, the Germans realize they need an all out attack to drive the enemy back into the Black Sea. Thus Operation Neptune is born. Yet as the Germans look into their cupboard for reserves, they are shocked by what they find. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Stalingrad is liberated, the Stavka decide to clear the Caucasus of Axis troops. Which means annihilating the German 17th Army and the Romanian 3rd Army. But Soviet mistakes will start things off badly for the, now attackers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With overwhelming forces, the German 6th Army is trapped by the Soviets and then reduced. Paulus does not want to surrender, but the call is not his to make. The 6th Army is no more and Army Group South is very much weakened for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Soviets squeeze the trapped German 6th Army even more. Axis air fields are attacked, making it impossible to feed Paulus' men. By January of 1943, the Russian winter now has its grip on the Axis soldiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Gen. Manstein readies for Operation Thunderclap, the breakout of the German 6th Army, the Soviets attack again. This time, against the Italian 8th Army. They will be no more successful in resisting, than were the Romanians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Operation Uranus is launched. The Axis forces, caught unawares, fall back. Berlin makes plans, but they simply do not have the means to counter the Soviet attack, not that they realize this yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Stalingrad holds out, additional Soviet Armies are being assembled nearby. And in mid November they would be launched, to either side of Gen. Paulus' 6th Army. If all goes well, those German troops within and near Stalingrad would be surrounded. But the trap must first be set. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stalingrad's defenders are pushed to the breaking point. Worse, they are only sometimes given help by Zhukov. The Germans attack again and the defense all but collapses. Fortunately, the attackers get tired and the Russians hang on. Meanwhile, while Zhukov is making moves behind the lines, certain German officers realize, how weak the Romanian divisions are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices