The Unknown Soldiers Podcast

The Soviet military, a powerful force designed for World War III, was not prepared for Afghanistan. The Russian bear was overstretched, fighting a dangerous, resilient enemy called the Mujahideen, with no way forward and no way out. Its weaknesses became most apparent in a place called the Panjshir Valley, where they faced the brilliant guerrilla leader Ahmad Shah Massoud - the Lion of Panjshir. In Part II of a five-part series, we examine the war from 1980 to 1982, especially the tactics, the strategy, and the nature of the Mujahideen.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-and-sourcesNew Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-for-part-iiAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/We-Were-Soldiers-Once-and-Young-Audiobook/B07C9CFNBG?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:"Jihad" by LynnePublishing via Pond5.comhttps://music.orchestralis.net/track/38439579Pathfinder by Scott Buckley | https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckleyMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Bhangra Bass by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

The Soviet Armed Forces were the juggernaut of a nuclear superpower, the largest army on Earth, the embodiment of the massive, powerful Russian bear. But they were also deeply flawed. Their soldiers were mistreated, their equipment was crude, and they suffered from the paradoxes of the socialist empire. But above all, the Soviets were locked into an ideological prison of their own making: a Marxist approach to warfare.Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-more-maps-and-sources-part-i-and-soviet-army-short-round

In the late 1970s, two neighboring countries were in turmoil: the Soviet Union was beginning its decline and fall, and Afghanistan was roiled by political chaos. When a socialist, pro-Soviet government comes to power in Afghanistan, it immediately comes under attack by its own people - and the Soviets have to make a decision. In Part I of a five-part series, we will see how the Soviet Union stumbled into the graveyard of empires.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-and-sourcesAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Peoples-Tragedy-Audiobook/B07J5DSS8M?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:"Soviet Red Army Military March" by Rafael Kruxhttps://music.orchestralis.net/track/38439579Desert City Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Jalandhar Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Before we dive into the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, it's time to get acquainted - or reacquainted - with the Graveyard of Empires. Let's take a look at the peoples, places, and history of Afghanistan before 1979.(Or, to put it another way, I wrote way too much context for Soviet-Afghan War Part 1 and spun it off into its own thing.)Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-and-sourcesEmail Me: unknownsoldierspodcast@gmail.comMusic:Desert City Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

A brief introduction to the upcoming Soviet-Afghan War series, debuting March 3. Don't know your Kremlins from your Gremlins? Find the answers here!Sources and Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-soviet-afghan-war-series-maps-and-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodEmail me: unknownsoldierspodcast@gmail.com

The U.S. Army's 442nd Infantry Regiment was a unit unlike any other . Many of their families were behind barbed wire in internment camps, and all of them suffered discrimination from their own country. They didn't just fight for America…they fought to prove they were Americans. And they became America's most decorated combat unit of World War II.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-55-go-for-broke-sourcesAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/An-Army-at-Dawn-The-War-in-North-Africa-1942-1943-Audiobook/B00CBKIDUG?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:Superepic by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When the American Civil War began, the state of Kentucky wanted to remain neutral - but that was never in the cards. As the Union and Confederate armies spar over the outcome of the border states, a trio of incompetent Confederate generals ensures that Kentucky will go to the Union. The climax of this story is a small but decisive battle at Mill Springs, Kentucky - and one general, Felix K. Zollicoffer, who literally never saw it coming.Sources & Maps: Coming Soon

After the fall of their empire in 1849, the Sikhs have continued to render military service all over the world. They have served the British Empire, the modern Republic of India, the Canadian and Australian and U.S. militaries, on battlefields from Africa to China, from Italy to Burma, from Afghanistan to Palestine. This is the story of Sikhs in warfare after their conquest by the British - the legacy of the Khalsa.Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-54-glory-of-the-khalsa-maps-and-sources

In the early 19th Century, the followers of the Sikh religion forged in empire in northern India's Punjab region. The threat of the British Empire led their Maharaja, Ranjit Singh, to build a powerful Western-style army. But modern armies are a loaded gun that can be just as dangerous to the wielder as to its target. The Khalsa Army, one of India's greatest fighting forces, would be the ruin of the Sikh Empire.Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-54-glory-of-the-khalsa-maps-and-sourcesAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Anarchy-Audiobook/1526616971?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:"Battle Fight War Cinematic"by DIADOH via pond5.comYes I know about the title. I combed through like 200 songs to find one that wouldn't be too on the nose and offense and still contain the flavor. Surprisingly difficult!

Welcome to the world of Late Antiquity, where the two superpowers of the age prepare for their final showdown. The Byzantine and Sasanian Empires - also known as the Romans and Persians - face off in a world war, an apocalyptic struggle saturated with divine power and visions of doom. But neither side sees the true danger coming from the desert.Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-53-world-war-622-adAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/Byzantium-Audiobook/B0BR6791XN?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday by LostDrone | https://soundcloud.com/lostdroneMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

The age of European imperialism is in full swing, and they have overrun every kingdom in Africa…except one: the ancient nation of Ethiopia, which faces a massive Italian invasion. At a place called Adwa, Emperor Menelik II - the last king of Africa - will fight one of history's decisive battles.Sources & Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-52-the-last-king-of-africaAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Gates-of-Europe-Audiobook/B0B25STPTT?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:Umoja by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Pedro II, the second and last ruler of the Brazilian Empire, was an oddity in the 19th Century: a monarch who actually did a half-decent job and worked in the best interests of his people. So of course, he was overthrown in a military coup. Let's dive into the life, legacy and tragedy of Dom Pedro the Magnanimous, one of the most fascinating men of the modern age.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

Just a barely scripted episode talking about the historiography and my key sources for the Paraguayan War. Then I rattle off a bunch of random thoughts about the conflict and my opinions on it. Hey, I'm on vacation and content is content. Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and so forth! See you next year!Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

Paraguay has lost the war by late 1868…but will they admit it? Francisco Solano Lopez drags his nation into the abyss, and the Triple Alliance shows no mercy as they grind Paraguay down. South America's greatest war approaches its apocalyptic finale. Nations can find themselves in victory...or lose themselves in defeat.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMaps: soon, I promiseAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/Embracing-Defeat-Audiobook/B002V5GT5WMusic:"Epic Finale" by Hakaneriksson, via Pond5.com https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/59734878-epic-finale"Memories of Argentina" by Mercade, via Pond5.com https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/71962407-memories-argentina

Eliza Lynch, Francisco Solano Lopez's mistress and the virtual First Lady of Paraguay is one of the most famous - and infamous - figures in the history of South America. And she played a starring role in the Paraguayan War. Was she a national icon, a greedy prostitute, a wicked queen, a tragic heroine or something else? Will the real Eliza Lynch please stand up?Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The Paraguayan War is in a stalemate. Paraguay and the Triple Alliance grapple with questions of war economy, homefront morale, and national will as the conflict becomes a war of attrition. And both sides are tested to their limits in the climactic struggle, the bitter grapple for the fortress of Humaitá - the Gibraltar of the South.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMaps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-paraguayan-war-part-4-gibraltar-of-the-south-mapsAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Wages-of-Destruction-Audiobook/0593417216?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:Legionnaire (2022 Remaster) by Scott Buckley | www.scottbuckley.com.au Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/ Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

As the main action of the Paraguayan War took place far to the south, the Brazilian government sent an expedition overland to recapture the occupied province of Mato Grosso. This disastrous campaign was a roadshow of human misery that somehow became a legendary Brazilian epic, and also a great demonstration of why you should never ignore the Iron Hand of Logistics.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMap: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/the-paraguayan-war-part-3-5-the-retreat-from-laguna-a-brazilian-odyssey-map

In 1866, Paraguay stood on the defensive as the Triple Alliance prepared to invade. The great battles of that year, bloodbaths like Tuyutí, Boquerón, and Curupayty, accomplished very little in military terms. But the largest and bloodiest battles in South American history etched themselves into national memories, and set the war on the road to Armageddon.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMaps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/paraguayan-war-part-3-the-funnel-of-death-mapsAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/Six-Days-of-War-Audiobook/B002V0PWJGMusic: "Military" by florews, via Pond5.com: https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/111522136-military-epic-patriotic-cinematic

In 1865, Francisco Solano Lopez's armies and navies were on the offensive. Three nations joined the war against Paraguay: Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, a combination that came to be known as the Triple Alliance. Alliances have their problems, but Paraguay was fighting all alone...and as it turned out, that was worse.Especially when they had to fight naval battles with canoes.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMaps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/paraguayan-war-part-2-the-triple-alliance-mapsAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/To-Rule-the-Waves-Audiobook/B01MRXZIE1?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic: "Down the River" by lynnepublishing, via Pond5.com: https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/47771833-down-river-loop-01

19th-Century South America was a dangerous place for new nations. One of these was a small, landlocked, deeply weird country called Paraguay. And in 1864, Paraguay's dictator made some of the worst foreign policy decisions in modern history, kicking off South America's longest and most terrible war.And you thought your political leaders were bad.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-47-51-the-paraguayan-war-series-sourcesMaps: COMING SOONAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Pursuit-of-Power-Audiobook/B01MRK05KY?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic: "Memories of Argentina" by Mercade, via Pond5.com https://www.pond5.com/royalty-free-music/item/71962407-memories-argentina

Today's story spans thousands of years across the globe. Our protagonists make decisions that determine the lives of thousands, wield unimaginable powers of destruction, decide the fate of nations, even as they are blind, paralyzed, shackled…by the chains of command. Let's look through the eyes of four generals from the ancient world to the modern day.Sources:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-46-the-chains-of-command-sourcesAudible Recommendation: https://www.audible.com/pd/Napoleon-Audiobook/B00OSJZ7BQ?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic:Blood Eagle by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Spirit Of The Dream by Keys of Moon | https://soundcloud.com/keysofmoon Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Battlefield by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/An Epic Story by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/ Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Some of the greatest soldiers of the American Revolution remain unknown. The women of America, both extraordinary and ordinary, worked, suffered, took action, and sometimes even fought to guarantee their new nation's freedom. And in the process, something else would be born: the seeds of a second revolution.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-45-daughters-of-liberty-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodAudible Recommendation:https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Men-Who-Lost-America-British-Leadership-the-American-Revolution-and-the-Fate-of-the-Empire-Audiobook/B00GLJ3DJ4?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdpMusic: "Legends of Patriots" by Talekeeper_Music via Pond5.com

World War I is at its climax in 1918, when the Americans arrive in France. Among them are the African-American 369th Infantry Regiment. They descend into the Western Front...and ascend into legend as the Harlem Hellfighters. But they have to wage two wars: one against the Germans in the trenches; the other against racism at home.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-44-hellfighters-sourcesSocial Media:https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Battlefield by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Inheritance disputes always bring out the worst in a family. In 1135, King Henry I of England died, plunging his realm into civil war. Let's take a look at the complexities of medieval warfare, as the grandchildren of William the Conqueror fight for his throne...but unlike the HBO show based on these events, no dragons are involved. (But there is castration, so it evens out.)Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-43-house-of-the-conqueror-maps-and-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:"Reign of the King" by CitySound, via Pond5.com

Brief update on the current status and future direction of the Unknown Soldiers Podcast. No episode this week, but more to come soon! Check the Website: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The Roman Empire under Augustus Caesar was at the peak of its power in the last years BC, when it decided to turn its attention to the dark forests across the Rhine - a place they called Germania. Betrayal, disaster, and destiny await the Legions and their imperialist hubris in the dark shadows of the Teutoburg Forest.Sources: Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Hymn To The Gods by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When World War I broke out in Africa, the Kaiser's only warship in the area - the light cruiser SMS Konigsberg - found a new hiding place in an African jungle. The British had a new mission: track down and destroy the Kaiser's African Queen. The Battle of the Rufiji Delta would be one of history's longest - and craziest - naval battles.Where did I get my info? Here are my sources:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-41-the-kaiser-s-lions-maps-and-sources-you-guys-might-need-some-mapsSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

When the Great War broke out in 1914, Germany's overseas African colonies were swept up in the maelstrom. In German East Africa, a daring Prussian officer and his remarkable Black soldiers, the Askaris, held the British Empire at bay for four long years. Welcome to the First World War in Africa...as seen by the Africans themselves.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-41-the-kaiser-s-lions-maps-and-sources-you-guys-might-need-some-mapsSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:"For the Cause" by DeanJordan via pond5.com

In the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, it was clear that the US Army was in desperate need of reform. Its salvation would come in the form of a sarcastic, kinda mean New York lawyer named Elihu Root. Let's get into some spicy, exciting, adrenaline-soaked military reform!Where did I get my info? Here are my sources:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The Philippine War ends not with a glorious triumph, but a descent into America's heart of darkness in Batangas, Samar and the Moro Provinces. When the people of the United States confront the truth, will they accept the reality...or cling to a glorious image? The end of the war is only the beginning.Map of the Final Campaigns: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-39-and-49-philippine-war-parts-iii-iv-mapsSources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:"Driving Atmospheric Dread" by EdwardCNBrown via pond5.com"America the Beautiful" as arranged by StockMusicCom via pond5.com

Women served on both sides in the Philippine War, in capacities as varied as they were surprising. American women were activists, teachers, nurses and Army wives; Filipinas were revolutionaries, camp followers, and even warriors. But in the end, what truly made them different was their relationship to colonialism and empire.Check out my maps:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-the-philippine-war-part-i-american-empire-mapWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

By 1900, the Americans seemed to have defeated the Philippine resistance...but the war had actually shifted into Phase 2. Ambushes, atrocities, and presidential politics swirl around America's new empire as the war gets bitter and ugly. Is it possible for America to defeat an insurgency?Map of the Campaigns of 1899: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-38-the-philippine-war-part-2-shock-and-awe-mapsSources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Lock And Load by Hayden Folker | https://soundcloud.com/hayden-folkerMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US

The Buffalo Soldiers, the African-American regiments, might have been the U.S. Army's elite units of its imperial age. But Black Americans had a different experience and different reaction to the conflict, and it wasn't always positive. How did America's racial history intersect with the Philippine War?Check out my maps:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-the-philippine-war-part-i-american-empire-mapWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources:https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The United States has decided to civilize the people of the Philippines, but the Filipinos beg to differ. The campaigns of 1899 will show war in all its glory and all its ugliness. It's time to bring freedom to the Philippines...whether they want it or not.Map of the Campaigns of 1899: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-38-the-philippine-war-part-2-shock-and-awe-mapsSources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic: "Gentlemen at War" by PlayAgain via Pond5.com

The United States Army and Marine Corps were in a transitional period during the Philippine-American War. They had strengths and weaknesses on many different levels, but at the end of the day they were an imperial army...and they did what imperial armies do.Check out my maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-the-philippine-war-part-i-american-empire-mapWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The United States has won the Spanish-American War, and finds itself in control of the Philippine Islands. The Filipinos think they're being liberated, but the Yankees have other ideas. Will America stay true to its values, or succumb to the temptation of empire?Map of the Philippines in 1898: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-the-philippine-war-part-i-american-empire-mapSources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-37-40-the-philippine-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic: Selections of John Philip Sousa marches (public domain)

A brief introduction to the upcoming Philippine-American War series, debuting October 31. Don't know your McKinleys from your McDoubles? Find the answers here!Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

In today's Unfiltered Soldiers, it's time to crack open some more myths...this time about the American Civil War. The turning points of the war, slavery, guerrilla warfare, Grant and Lee...all sorts of fun stuff! And what was the Civil War even about? (Slavery. 100%. Let's get that one out of the way.)Check the website: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The American Civil War was not just North versus South. In modern day Oklahoma, the American Indians of the Indian Territory find themselves caught in the middle and have to pick a side. Their internal civil wars are no less fierce than the big one. You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you.Maps and Sources; https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/episode-36-between-blue-and-gray-maps-and-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic: Sad Folk Ballad With Fiddle Lead (Civil War Era Folk Ballad - Full Length) by BigAltX via pond5.com

In 1932, Australia had an emu problem. They decided to solve it with soldiers and machine guns. They lost.That's it. That's the summary.Check the website: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The story of Australia in World War II is one of a country finding its identity, and the keystone of this story is the Kokoda Track Campaign of 1942. The Australian militia that battled the Japanese in the jungles of New Guinea would ascend into legend.Maps & Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-35-the-legend-of-kokoda-maps-and-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:"World War Infinity" by Lownotes, via Pond5.com

In 1878, after 36 years of peace between their countries, the British Empire invaded Afghanistan once again. Some people never learn. The Second Anglo-Afghan War would shake the Empire...and the Afghans...to their foundations.Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Jalandhar Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all/

Coming September 5 - SEASON 2 of the Unknown Soldiers Podcast! Premiering with Episode #34, "Return to the Graveyard of Empires".Check the website: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

A surprise Special Edition episode from the Unknown Soldiers Podcast! Military logistics is one of the least sexy but most important aspects of warfare. This episode contains four case studies: Xerxes in Greece, Sherman in Georgia, Hitler in Russia, Eisenhower in France...that lay out the challenges imposed by the Iron Hand of Logistics.Sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-33-the-iron-hand-of-logistics-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcasthttps://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic: x4Checkpoint by Hayden Folker | https://soundcloud.com/hayden-folker Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US“Traditional Americana Folk Ballad” by CBL, via Pond5.com.100 Seconds by Punch Deck | https://soundcloud.com/punch-deckMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_USSuperepic by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

First in the Unknown Soldiers Podcast's interview series, we have Mr. David Townsend, author of "My Road to Mandalay: Compiled from his Father's Letters." David's father fought in the Burma Campaign of World War II, and his letters were only found years later. David tells us about his discovery of the side of his father that he never knew: one more of history's Unknown Soldiers.Amazon link to My Road to Mandalay: https://tinyurl.com/mw9m3689Check the website: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.comDavid's website:https://www.myroadtomandalay.com/Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

In the early months of the American Civil War, the Confederacy launched an invasion of New Mexico to achieve their dream of empire. This forgotten campaign culminated in a small but important battle at Glorieta Pass - the Gettysburg of the West.Sources, Images, Maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-32-gettysburg-of-the-west-maps-images-and-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:"Spaghetti Western Theme P5" by CrossGateProductions, via Pond5.com

The soldiers of the Crimean War had pretty miserable diets and a strong desire for all kinds of alcohol. If you are what you eat, the Crimean War's soldiers were salt beef, biscuit, and liquor - though that, like everything else, was about to change.Check out my hand-drawn maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-27-31-crimean-war-mapsWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-27-31-the-crimean-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

Russian imperialism, and its opponents, are often forgotten. Throughout the early 19th Century, Russia fought to subdue the mountain tribes of Chechnya and Dagestan and the Muslim guerrilla leader Imam Shamil. Who will become Lord of the Caucasus?Check out my hand-drawn maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-27-31-crimean-war-mapsWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-27-31-the-crimean-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

The last stages of the Crimean War saw some of its fiercest combat in the Allied assaults on Sevastopol. What the nations of Europe learned in the trenches would change how they viewed each other - and how they viewed themselves.Check out my hand-drawn maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-27-31-crimean-war-mapsWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-27-31-the-crimean-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspodMusic:Slow Walk Into The Sunset by Alexander Nakarada | https://www.serpentsoundstudios.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In 1855, a woman of color arrived on the Crimea to do her part for the British war effort. Mary Seacole, a mixed-race Creole widow, would be one of the great British heroines of the Crimea, a light driving back the melting dark.Check out my hand-drawn maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-27-31-crimean-war-mapsWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-27-31-the-crimean-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod

A young Russian army officer arrived in Sevastopol in December 1854, and he was transformed by his experience in the Crimean War. Let's take a look at the Siege of Sevastopol with our tour guide, Ensign Leo Tolstoy.Check out my hand-drawn maps: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episode-27-31-crimean-war-mapsWhere did I get my info? Here are my sources: https://www.unknownsoldierspodcast.com/post/unknown-soldiers-podcast-episodes-27-31-the-crimean-war-series-sourcesSocial Media: https://www.facebook.com/unknownsoldierspodcast https://twitter.com/unksoldierspod