Category: All WWII

The study of WWII.

How did the Dambuster’s Raid wreak unexpected havoc with Sir Max Hastings

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Check the book out here: https://amzn.to/3aQGcbV

Sir Max Hastings has written extensively on military history, especially on World War II. He has a storied career as a newspaper writer and editor and now applies his skills to the writing of history. We spoke about his latest book, Operation Chastise (HarperCollins, 2020)

1:08 – Sir Max talks about what prompted his interest in writing about Operation Chastise.

3:13 – Sir Max talks about what public opinion was about the civilian casualties resulting from the operation.

12:06 – Sir Max talks about the idea of military theater with this operation.

14:31 – Sir Max talks about the American in the RAF, Joe McCarthy, who was part of the operation.

18:44 – Sir Max talks about Churchill’s involvement (or non-involvement) with the operation.

21:41 – Sir Max talks about the technical side of the operation and the bombs.

25:22 – Sir Max talks the pilots’ feelings about the operation.

31:19 – Sir Max talks about the losses sustained because of the operation.

33:17 – Sir Max talks about the torpedo netting the Germans used to protect the dams.

36:45 – Sir Max talks about British technology during WWII.

38:16 – Sir Max talks about the research for the book.

41:01 – Sir Max talks about the letters and diaries he used for his research.

44:56 – Sir Max talks about the speed with which the operation was put together but how young the bomber pilots were.

49:02 – Sir Max talks the life of the squadron after the operation.

52:00 – Sir Max talks about what he hopes the book will do for readers.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3aQGcbV

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062953636/operation-chastise/

https://www.maxhastings.com/

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Guests: Sir Max Hastings

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, HarperCollins, WWII, Germany, Britain, podcast,

Check the book out here: https://amzn.to/3aQGcbV

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

WWII aviation military history book – “Race of Aces” (Hachette Books, 2019) – John R. Bruning interview

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

John Bruning is a historian with a passion for WWII aviation. He’s written books on the subject and we spoke about his most recent book about the WWII race to be America’s top aviation ace Race of Aces. Check the book out here: https://amzn.to/2Rdem20

0:42 – John talks about how he got into writing on WWII army aviation.

2:47 – John talks about how he structures the story of the five airmen in the book.

4:44 – John talks about how he chose what parts of the story to tell.

7:27 – John talks about the personalities of these airmen.

11:13 – John talks about the Army’s concern with their aces getting shot down.

14:05 – John talks about the Aleutians campaign and its part in this ace race.

17:26 – John talks about the planes involved in the race.

19:21 – John talks about his favorite parts of the book including Gerald Johnson’s romance with his future wife.

24:41 – John talks about the documents he used for his research and who he interviewed.

36:32 – John talks about how his perceptions about General Kinney changed during research.

40:05 – John talks about the champagne prize for winning the ace race.

40:38 – John talks about pilot Charles MacDonald.

44:55 – John talks about the emotional impact researching the book had on him. He relates a story of being in a chinook in Afghanistan.

1:02:45 – John is on facebook at John R. Bruning at the website johnbruning.com and theamericanwarrior.com.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2Rdem20

https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/john-r-bruning/race-of-aces/9780316508643/

https://theamericanwarrior.com/

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Guests: John R. Bruning

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: military, history, military history, conflict, war, interview, non-fiction book, corsair, marines, history, fighter groups, richard bong, tommy mcguire, neil kirby, charles macdonald, gerald johynson, tommy lynch, 475th, 348th, aleutians, 5th figher command, general kenney, general whitehead, 5th air force, alaska, kiska, P-38, P-39, P-40, planes of fame, 457th, 49th fighter group, hind, japan, das boot, afghanistan, detroit lake, WWII, world war two

Check the book out here.: https://amzn.to/2Rdem20

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

How Soviet Russia prepared for WWII with Mark Harrison

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

The Industrialization of Soviet Russia

How Soviet Russia prepared for WWII with Mark Harrison

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3eIEmvT

Interview Timeline

Mark Harrison has been a historian studying the Soviet Union and the Soviet economy for many decades. We talked about his latest project, a book about the Soviet economy just prior to WWII which he co-authored. The Industrialization of Soviet Russia Volume 7 (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018)

0:51 – Mark talks about how he got into studying Soviet history and its economic history and how it pertains to WWII.

3:07 – Mark talks about how the book breaks down the subject and its place in a book series on Soviet history.

10:45 – Mark talks about how few people in the Soviet system wanted to make final decisions.

13:43 – Mark talks about how much control the central authority had over outlying areas of the Soviet Union.

18:45 – Mark talks about how a good harvest in the Soviet Union at this time hurt Stalin’s plans.

21:07 – Mark talks about how the Politburo decided how many armaments to make.

26:15 – Mark talks about how the Soviets were planning for massive future war. Stalin was also very worried about the fifth column and the “unconscious” enemy.

30:09 – Mark talks about Soviet strategy for future war.

34:05 – Mark talks about allied support to the Soviet Union and what the Soviets had expected.

39:15 – Mark talks about the various archives used for the research.

44:09 – Mark talks about Soviet and German record keeping and differences between Hitler’s and Stalin’s leadership styles.

49:18 – Mark talks about the Lithuanian KGB and archives about it.

53:29 – Mark talks about jet propulsion in the 1930s.

1:09:35 – Mark can be found by googling “Mark Harrison Warwick”. He also has a blog which can be found by googling the previous phrase and adding the word “blog.”

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3eIEmvT

Book’s home page – www.palgrave.com/9781137362377

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar

Guests: Mark Harrison

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: military, history, military history, conflict, war, interview, non-fiction book, Soviet Union, Germany, KGB, purges, agriculture, industrialization, WWII, world war two, Stalin, Hitler, Politburo, strategy

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3eIEmvT

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Military History Inside Out banner