Why We Fight ~ 1944

Joining me in this episode is Ben Brands to talk about the American Battle Monuments Commission or ABMC, the work they do, and the importance of that work for the last 100 years. Below you'll find the link to the virtual tours Ben talks about. Link ABMC Virtual 360s (https://www.abmc.gov/virtual-360s)

In this episode, Dr. David Murphy joins me to talk about the Irish contributions to the Second World War, including the very nuanced neutrality under which Ireland operated during the war, people deserting to actually join the war, and the 38th (Irish) Brigade, which at this point had been in North Africa and Sicily and will join the other Allied forces at Anzio in Italy in January 1944. Links The Finnish-Soviet Winter War 1939-40: Stalin's Hollow Victory by Dr. David Murphy, illustrated by Johnny Shumate (https://www.amazon.com/Finnish-Soviet-Winter-War-1939-40-Campaign-ebook/dp/B0BKSW2H3V?ref_=ast_author_mpb)

In this episode, Nicholas Moran aka "The Chieftain" joins me to talk about Armor Technology in 1943, focusing on the main Axis and Allied Armor developments, with a bit of Doctrine thrown in too. Links The Chieftain's Hatch (https://www.youtube.com/@TheChieftainsHatch/videos) Stinky and the Emergency (https://worldoftanks.com/en/news/history/chieftains-hatch-stinky-emergency/) Stinky's Sequel (https://worldoftanks.com/en/news/history/The_chieftains_Hatch_Sinky2/) Iron Hulls, Iron Hearts: Mussolini's Elite Armoured Divisions in North Africa by Ian Walker (https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Hulls-Hearts-Mussolinis-Divisions-ebook/dp/B00APDVFEM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=DCFV3HQC8431&keywords=iron+hulls+iron+hearts&qid=1702152464&sprefix=iron+hulls%2Caps%2C514&sr=8-1)

In this episode, Dr. Graham Cross joins me to talk about the Fighters over Europe, particularly VIII Fighter Command and the Americanization of the Air War in 1943. Dr. Cross is a senior lecturer in American History at Manchester Metropolitan University and an Anglo-American historian that focuses on the diplomatic and political issues as well as the military history. Links The Wings of Democracy: The Influence of Air Power on the Roosevelt Administration 1933-1941 by Jeffery S. Underwood (https://www.amazon.com/Wings-Democracy-Administration-Williams-Ford-University/dp/0890963886/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3536RMETOY5RU&keywords=the+wings+of+democracy&qid=1701545518&sprefix=the+wings+of+democracy%2Caps%2C492&sr=8-1) Global Mission by Henry Harley "Hap" Arnold (https://www.amazon.com/Global-Mission-Military-Classics-Harley/dp/0830640045/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701545606&sr=8-2)

In this episode, I'm joined again by Dr. John Curatola to talk about the Strategic Air War in Europe, with a particular focus on Black Week in October 1943. This episode works well with Episode 79 with Dr. Luke Truxal, which also talks about the Schweinfurt and Regensburg raids, episode 80 with Dr. Rich Muller on the Luftwaffe aerial defense over Germany, episode 81 with Lt.Col. Alex Moon which discusses the Combined Bomber Offensive, and also the next episode with Dr. Graham Cross on the Allied Fighters in Europe. Links John Curatola, PhD (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/contributors/john-curatola-phd) Autumn of Our Discontent: Fall 1949 and the Crisis in American National Security (https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Our-Discontent-American-National/dp/1682476200/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701003497&sr=8-1) Bigger Bombs for a Brighter Tomorrow: The Strategic Air Command and the American War Plans at the Dawn of the Atomic Age, 1945-1950 (https://www.amazon.com/Bigger-Bombs-Brighter-Tomorrow-Strategic/dp/0786494190/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701003552&sr=8-3) No Quarter Given: The Change in Strategic Bombing Application in the Pacific Theater During World War II (https://www.amazon.com/No-Quarter-Given-Strategic-Application-ebook/dp/B06XGJ2DQM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U36YERQFF9IO&keywords=no+quarter+given%2C+the+change+in+strategic+bombing&qid=1701003598&sprefix=no+quartr+given%2C+the+change+in+strategic+bombing%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1)

In this episode, US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Alex Moon joins me to talk about some interesting family connections to World War II history and we talk about the bombers and bomber crews in the European Theater, the unique challenges these young men faced with their very dangerous missions, and there is a lot of overlap between these stories and the ones told in earlier episodes with Jane Gulliford Lowes (ep. 20, A Day in the Life of an RAF Bomber Crew), Dr. Luke Truxal's episode on Schweinfurt and Regensburg (ep. 79), and the previous episode with Dr. Rich Muller (ep. 80) who served as Lt.Col. Moon's thesis supervisor at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS). There will also be some overlap with the next two episodes (ep. 82) featuring Dr. John Curatola and (ep. 83) Graham Cross. Links Grin 'n Bear It: The Effects of Strategic Decisions on Eighth Air Force Bomber Crews from October 1943 to February 1944 by Alex Moon (https://aul.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/delivery/01AUL_INST:AUL/1295444870006836)

In this episode, Dr. Rich Muller talks about the aerial defense of Germany during World War II, and how the German Luftwaffe was supplied, manned, attrited and replenished / reconstituted throughout the war and what that meant for the Allies and Allied Air Forces, We also talk a bit about the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, SAASS, which is the US Air Force's version of SAMS (the School of Advanced Military Studies) in the Army and SAW (the School of Advanced Warfighting) in the Marine Corps. Links The Luftwaffe Over Germany: Defense of the Reich by Donald Caldwell and Richard Muller (https://www.amazon.com/Luftwaffe-Over-Germany-Defense-Reich/dp/1848327412)

In this episode, Dr. Luke Truxal joins me for his third and final 1943 episode to talk about the Schweinfurt / Regensburg raids and Operation Starkey, a Military Deception (MILDEC) plan organized within the larger Operation Cockade. We talk about intelligence failures from inaccurate analysis and wrong conclusions, over confidence and false confidence stemming from such conclusions, and the inflation of numbers when reporting on air raids after missions. Dr. Truxal will be back next year to cover more Air Power and Air War in Europe history in the 1944 series.

In this episode, I'm joined by USCG Atlantic historian Dr. Bill Thiesen to talk about US Coast Guard history and involvement in World War II, with a particular focus on the Greenland Patrol and operations in the Arctic. Dr. Thiesen runs a US Coast Guard History blog called The Long Blue Line, linked below. This episode is really interesting and it is a part of our history that we don't often hear about so I hope everyone enjoys this story and I will make an effort to include more Coast Guard in WWII stories going forward. Links US Coast Guard History: The Long Blue Line (https://www.history.uscg.mil/Research/THE-LONG-BLUE-LINE/) Life and Death on the Greenland Patrol, 1942 (https://www.amazon.com/Greenland-Perspectives-Maritime-Nautical-Archaeology-ebook/dp/B00MMENSDS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3OJKX61D536R7&keywords=life+and+death+greenland+patrol&qid=1699810710&s=books&sprefix=life+and+death+greenland+patrol%2Cstripbooks%2C155&sr=1-1)

Joining me again is Lt.Col. Brian Kerg, this time to talk Marine Corps history. This was actually the first episode we recorded. Brian talks about Operation Cherryblossom, the landings at Cape Torokina at the start of the Bougainville Campaign. He also talks about Marine Corps leadership and command culture in the Pacific Theater. There will be other Bougainville episodes coming up but, as promised, this one is set to release on 10 November, which is the 248th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. And in celebratory spirit, I've included a little adjustment to the opening and ending.