Why We Fight ~ 1944

In this first episode on the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), I'm joined by Kater Miller, a Marine Corps veteran and curator with the National Museum of the United States Marine Corps. Kater shares the story of Guadalcanal, which requires a little bit of back history since the battle lasted about six months and began in mid-1942. The episode is a couple weeks late but in February we had the 80th anniversary of the end of this Campaign (7 AUG 1942 to 9 FEB 1943), which did end in an Allied victory and had marked the beginning of Allied offensive operations in the PTO. Links to things mentioned in the episode: Marine Corps Museum: https://www.usmcmuseum.com/ Krulak Center: https://www.usmcu.edu/Academic-Programs/Brute-Krulak-Center-for-Innovation-and-Creativity/ Iron Bottom Sound: https://pacificwrecks.com/provinces/solomons/guadalcanal/maps/map-iron-bottom-sound-shipwrecks.html Naval History and Heritage Command: https://www.history.navy.mil/research/archives.html  Marine Corps History Publications: https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Publishing/History-Division-Publications/Books-by-topic/WWII/ https://www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Publishing/History-Division-Publications/Books-by-topic/ https://www.history.navy.mil/ For more information about this series, as well as links to all the other content, check out www.motheroftanks.com 

Dr. William Nance joins me in this episode to talk about the "growing up" we had to do following the losses in February 1943. If you haven't already listened to it, I recommend listening to Episode 3 first, that one is on the German Offensive, Sidi Bou Zid, and Kasserine Pass with Dr. Mark Calhoun. Bill references that episode several times.  You can find Bill's books here: Sabers Through the Reich  https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813177533/sabers-through-the-reich/ Commanding Professionalism https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813198231/commanding-professionalism/ (or Amazon Associates Links for "Sabers Through the Reich" https://amzn.to/3ECi9xS and "Commanding Professionalism" https://amzn.to/3kuouop if anyone wishes to use them. For info on these, check out http://www.motheroftanks.com/ads-sponsors-and-affiliate-links/)

Dr. Angela Riotto joins me to provide a good overview of the creation and challenges of the Tuskegee Airmen and when they will finally deploy in 1943. There are a couple of books mentioned in the episode so I will provide some links below.Red Tail Captured, Red Tail Free: Memoirs of a Tuskegee Airmen and POW by Alexander Jefferson (https://amzn.to/3SeZNsn  Brotherhood in Combat: How African Americans Found Equality in Korea and Vietnam by Dr. Jeremy P. Maxwell https://www.oupress.com/9780806161150/brotherhood-in-combat/ (https://amzn.to/3YGzSMK   For more information about this series, as well as links to all the content and other details, check out www.motheroftanks.com

In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Mark Calhoun, a military historian with the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at the WWII Museum, to discuss the German Offensive that began on 14 FEB 1943, the battle at Sidi Bou Zid, and Kasserine Pass. Tuesday's thread on the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid provides visuals and some introductory information to help the audience get the most out of this episode: https://twitter.com/Mother_of_Tanks/status/1625539987763609612Mark is also the author of the book General Leslie J. McNair: Unsung Architect of the US Army, a book which I used a lot in my first series, Building an American Army, back in 2021. You can find the book here https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700620708/ and here https://amzn.to/3IaGiwu (this one is an Amazon Affiliate link).The earlier paper discussed is entitled "Defeat at Kasserine: American Armor Doctrine, Training, and Battle Command in Northwest Africa, World War II" and can be found here: https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4013coll2/id/31/rec/14Recently Mark published this article for the WWII Museum, which, as discussed in this episode, demonstrates the changes in his analysis of the situation in Tunisia in February 1943 since the earlier paper, written in 2002: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/kasserine-pass-german-offensive-american-victoryFor more information about this series, as well as links to all the content and other details, check out www.motheroftanks.com

Joining me is MAJ Benjamin Griffin, the Chief of the Military History Division at the US Military Academy (West Point). Ben shares the story of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442d Infantry Regiment, which were Japanese-American units organized in 1942 and 1943, respectively, to allow these Americans to serve their country in the war. Since this year's series is only just beginning, we will have to continue the incredible story of this Regiment in later episodes, but the 442d becomes the most decorated unit in our history.  MAJ Griffin also has a book, Reagan's War Stories, which can be found here: https://www.usni.org/press/books/reagans-war-stories or here https://amzn.to/3JUqBfA (Amazon Affiliate Link) For more information about this series, as well as links to all the content and other details, check out www.motheroftanks.com

Paul Sparrow, former FDR Library director and documentary producer, guides listeners through FDR and Churchill's wartime partnership. He covers Roosevelt's bold tank decision, the secrecy and danger of his flight to Casablanca, tense Allied strategic debates, Operation Torch logistics, and intimate wartime moments that revealed shifting power between Britain and the U.S.

Sasha, known as the 'Mother of Tanks,' unveils an exciting new series that aims to explore the stories of 1943 in a multifaceted way. Listeners will gain insights into plans for guest experts and diverse topics ranging from naval history to race issues. The podcast aims to enrich its content through video presentations and detailed narratives, focusing on events like the Casablanca Conference and Operation Husky. With a commitment to making history relevant today, Sasha’s approach promises engaging, human stories alongside military analysis.