Why We Fight ~ 1944

Joining me in this episode is Dr. Grant Harward to share the story of the US Army's 56th Medical Battalion, also ironically known as "The D-Day Medics" -- ironic because they were in Morocco, Sicily, Italy, and southern France... but not Normandy. Links Romania's Holy War: Soldiers, Motivation, and the Holocaust (Amazon Affiliate Link https://amzn.to/3qulStG) http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/

Following the Battle of Troina on Sicily, MG Terry Allen is relieved of command, along with his Deputy, Teddy Roosevelt Jr. In this episode, Dr. Greg Hospodor helps share the story of "Terrible Terry" de la Mesa Allen, along with some controversies surrounding the decision to relieve him on 6 August 1943. We also touch on leadership and professionalism and the politics among General Officers. Links Terrible Terry Allen: Combat General of WWII – The Life of an American Soldier (https://amzn.to/3Oniadq)   A Soldier’s Story – Omar Bradley (https://amzn.to/3qt2LQB)   A General’s Life: AN Autobiography by General of the Army Omar N. Bradley and Clay Blair (https://amzn.to/3KwFowi) http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/

In this episode, Dr. Luke Truxal joins me again to talk Air Power in 1943 – this time we talk about Operation Tidal Wave, an air raid against Romanian oil refineries. The operation was not just a failure on many levels but it had a negative impact on our ability to employ our air assets during the remainder of the Sicily Campaign and going into Italy as a result of significant losses and damage to the bombers. Links   Uniting Against the Reich: The American Air War in Europe – Dr. Luke Truxal (https://amzn.to/3Qp2I31)   Fortress Ploesti: The Campaign to Destroy Hitler’s Oil – LTC Jay Stout, USMC Ret. (https://amzn.to/3DNyuzb) (Jay A. Stout https://www.jayastout.com/)   Enlisted Personnel of Operation Tidal Wave (https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/AFEHRI/documents/WarsConflicts/fodor.pdf)   The Airmen Heritage Series: Operation “Tidal Wave” (https://media.defense.gov/2016/May/18/2001540805/-1/-1/0/AFD-160518-001-011.PDF)   1943 – Operation Tidal Wave: The Low-Level Bombing of the Ploesti Oil Refineries (https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/459003/1943-operation-tidalwave-the-low-level-bombing-of-the-ploesti-oil-refineries-1/)   Operation Tidal Wave (https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/mission/operation-tidal-wave)   On Thie Day (1 Aug 1943): Operation Tidal Wave (https://www.mightyeighth.org/operation-tidal-wave/)   Romania’s Holy War: Soldiers, Motivation, and the Holocaust – Dr. Grant Harward (https://amzn.to/3Kwp4vI)   Quest for Decisive Victory: From Stalemate to Blitzkrieg in Europe, 1899-1940 – Dr. Robert Citino (https://amzn.to/3Oqv1v7)   For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States from 1607 to 2012 (https://amzn.to/45jsSbp)   http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/

In this episode Major Darren Johnson, an Active-Duty Infantry Officer teaching history at West Point, joins me again and he graciously volunteered to share the story of the Biscari Massacre for this year's series. It is important when looking at our history that we see when things go wrong and how those situations were handled so that we can learn from this and continue to do better. This is the second part of a two-part episode. The first part discusses using Operation Husky to teach West Point cadets and some of the hard lessons the Allies learned while fighting in Sicily. This is one of about 30 episodes on the Sicily Campaign.

In this episode, MAJ Darren Johnson, an Active-Duty Infantry Officer teaching history at West Point, tells us about using Operation Husky to teach cadets, as well as some of the hard lessons the Allies learned while fighting in Sicily. There is a second part to this episode in which Darren talks about the Biscari Massacre. This is one of about 30 episodes on the Sicily Campaign.

In this episode I'm joined by Giulio Poggiaroni to talk about the Italians in Sicily in 1943 and Mussolini getting fired. Giulio's accounts are linked below - he offers an excellent array of WWII history content in both Italian and English, and he will join us again in a few weeks to talk about the Allied invasion of Italy and things getting even more complicated for the Italian people. This is one of about 30 episodes that help tell the story of the Sicily Campaign in 1943. Links Giulio Poggiaroni, Author at Comando Supremo (https://comandosupremo.com/author/giulo-poggiaroni/) Italian Military Archives on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@ITM_archives) Italian Military Archives on Instagram (http://instagram.com/italian_military_archives) Italian Military Archives on Twitter (http://twitter.com/@ITM_archives)

Joining me in this episode is Dr. Denise Neil, Executive Director of the Oklahoma National Guard Museum. Dr. Neil helps share the story of the 45th Infantry Division, the "Thunderbird" Division, which was trained but not yet combat-tested when they landed in Sicily on 10 July 1943. We do touch on the Biscari Massacre, but there will be a dedicated episode for that coming up soon. This is one of about 30 episodes that help tell the story of the Sicily Campaign in 1943. Links Oklahoma National Guard (https://ok.ng.mil/) Oklahoma National Guard Museum (https://www.facebook.com/45thInfantryDivisionMuseum) The Rock of Anzio: From Sicily to Dachau, A History of the US 45th Infantry Division by Flint Whitlock (Amazon Affiliate Link https://amzn.to/3Y58VCS) Citizen Soldiers: Oklahoma's National Guard by Kenny Franks (Amazon Affiliate Link https://amzn.to/3QifjES) http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/

Joining me in this episode is Steven Clay who works with the Army University Press Combat Studies Institute Staff Ride Team. Steve talks to us about the terrain in Sicily and how that terrain impacted operations including Operation Husky and throughout the Sicily Campaign. He also talks about the combat experiences of the 16th Infantry Regiment and 1st Infantry Division throughout the campaign. Steve created some really cool animated maps for this talk, but since this is an audio podcast I will put the maps on Twitter and paste the link here: https://twitter.com/Mother_of_Tanks/status/1683146971098370049 I will also link to the thread on my website on the Podcast page. This is one of about 30 episodes that help tell the story of the Sicily Campaign in 1943. Links Blood and Sacrifice: The History of the 16th Infantry Regiment from the Civil War Through the Gulf War (Amazon Affiliate Link https://amzn.to/3rBdLf3) Army University Press Combat Studies Institute Staff Ride Team (https://www.armyupress.army.mil/educational-services/staff-ride-team-offerings/) http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/

In this episode, I'm joined by Matthew Fraas, the US Army Transportation Museum's Education Specialist, and Matthew tells us about Army Transportation in 1943. This includes going into North Africa for Operation Torch, going into Sicily for Operation Husky, and then the invasion of mainland Italy beginning in September 1943. We talk lessons learned, lessons not learn, integrating capabilities, the importance of centralized control in military operations, and what the more modern fore calls Logistics Over the Shore (LOTS). This is one of about 30 episodes that help tell the story of the Sicily Campaign in 1943. Links US Army Transportation Museum (https://transportation.army.mil/museum/)

With the help of Dr. Greg Hospodor and Dr. Lee Windsor, here is part two of two episodes that tell the story of the Sicily Campaign, beginning with Operation Husky. This second part includes the Battle of Troina and the Axis escape from Sicily. This is one of about 30 episodes discussing Sicily in 1943. Links Dr. Lee Windsor (⁠https://www.unb.ca/faculty-staff/directory/arts-fr-history/windsor-lee.html⁠) Dr. Greg Hospodor - Bitter Victory? The Allied Campaign for Sicily Revisited (⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f060mKeIWIw⁠)