What happens when a nuclear bomb is accidentally dropped onto foreign soil? Or when a nuke just goes missing? Rather worryingly, it happens more often that you would think. There’s a special term for these nuclear near misses - ‘broken arrow incidents’. In this episode, James is joined by Warfare favourite and historian Alex Wellerstein, to explore these many broken arrow incidents spanning from the Cold War to the present day. They'll be finding out how close to disaster we’ve come over the yea...
Feb 10, 2023•39 min•Ep. 355
When you think of some of the remarkable feats of airpower throughout history, you might think of the Dambusters, or the Battle of Britain. But what about some of the untold stories of Britain's remarkable black airmen? Since the early 20th Century, black airmen played vital roles as pilots, ground crew, and even resistance fighters across the world wars and beyond. But what do we actually know about these exceptional figures? In this episode, James is joined by author K.N. Chimbiri to shine a l...
Feb 06, 2023•42 min•Ep. 354
The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest battle of the Second World War, seeing 1.2 million killed, and thousands more wounded. One of the most brutal clashes in history, the battle raged between the forces of Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia for five months from August 1942 to February 1943. A key turning point of World War Two, Stalingrad played host to some the fiercest urban warfare ever seen throughout history, and left a devastating legacy. In this episode, 80 years on from the siege endin...
Feb 03, 2023•38 min•Ep. 353
Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in 1890, before the Wright Brothers had completed man's first flight, and died just weeks short of man's first steps on the moon. With involvement in multiple wars, from soldier to president - how did 'Ike' as he was known become the giant of history that we know today? In this episode James is joined by award-winning Journalist, and White House press corps member Paul Brandus, who takes us through Eisenhower's remarkable career. Looking at the major conflicts he wa...
Jan 30, 2023•47 min•Ep. 352
The Bahía de Cochinos, also known as the Bay of Pigs, is a place that lives in infamy for the CIA. On April 17 1961, 1,500 US-trained Cuban exiles launched an unprecedented military landing operation on their homeland there, but how did it go so disastrously wrong? With hundreds of men killed, and even more captured, why did President John F. Kennedy sign off on such a perilous plan - and who really came up with it? In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by writer Jim Rasenberger to take us...
Jan 27, 2023•27 min•Ep. 351
Located off the coast of Florida, Puerto Rico, and its namesake Bermuda - the mysterious Bermuda Triangle is an urban myth that's risen in popularity over the decades. But how come so many planes and boats disappear in this region - and what makes Flight 19 so special? In December 1945, at the end of the Second World War, 5 bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale in a routine navigational training exercise. But these bombers, along with the crew members inside them, would never be seen again. So w...
Jan 23, 2023•34 min•Ep. 350
Founded in 1775, the United States Marines Corps (colloquially known as the US Marines) have a long standing history, and a reputation that precedes them. An elite group made up of personnel from across the United States, they played a vital role in the Pacific during the Second World War, and were tasked with taking on the Imperial Japanese army. But how did a group of Marines earn the nickname 'devil dogs', and who's responsible for telling this harrowing story? In this episode James is joined...
Jan 20, 2023•25 min•Ep. 349
After the fall of France during the Second World War, Britain became an isolated nation - dependent on the strength of it's coastal forces to keep the Axis powers at bay. The task to protect the small island nation fell on 2000 small, wooden boats to fight back against the enemy no matter the weather. But how successful were these forces, and why did they earn the nickname the 'Spitfires of the Seas'? In todays episode, James is joined by archaeologist and historian Stephen Fisher, to help shine...
Jan 16, 2023•44 min•Ep. 348
Known today as one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the world - the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more colloquially known as the FBI, didn't always have such a great reputation. Once riddled with scandal and unseemly behaviour, how did the FBI turn into the well oiled machine it is today? And just who was responsible for this change? In today's episode, James joined Professor Beverly Gage at Yale University to talk about the man behind this extraordinary feat - J. Edgar Hoover...
Jan 13, 2023•47 min•Ep. 347
Abraham Lincoln is a name that's been immortalised throughout history - the 16th President who led the country through the infamous American Civil War, and ultimately abolished slavery. But who is the man behind the myth, and why is he so revered even to this day? In this episode, James is joined by Professor Adam Smith to look at this giant of history. Looking at Lincoln's early life as a self-taught Lawyer, through to his meteoric political ascent - what drove Abraham Lincoln to greatness...
Jan 09, 2023•36 min•Ep. 346
Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and Boudicca. These are the names that normally top the list when it comes to the greatest military leaders in history, but today’s guest is taking a slightly different approach. Professor of War Studies at University of Warwick, Anthony King, is drawing on his experience with some of the most senior military leaders to rank his top five divisional commanders based on what he’s learnt about command, through their actions. What do you think needs to be t...
Jan 06, 2023•58 min•Ep. 345
A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time. Personal accounts of the Second World War are far and wide, and an invaluable tool for learning about one of the most devastating conflicts in history - but what can we learn from collective histories, specifically that of a small Bavarian Village? In this episode of Warfare, James is joined by author Julia Boyd to look at the shared history of the inhabitants of Oberstd...
Jan 02, 2023•30 min•Ep. 344
In the early hours of 30 October 1961, a bomber took off from an airstrip in northern Russia and began its flight through cloudy skies over the frigid Russian Arctic. Hanging below this Soviet plane was a nuclear bomb the size of a small school bus. It was the largest and most powerful bomb ever to be created, and it was about to be tested. The Tsar Bomba’s gigantic detonation was intended to be secret, but was detected by American intelligence agencies—bringing brewing Cold War tensi...
Dec 30, 2022•1 hr
Like most aspects of the organisation, the CIA drone programme is shrouded in secrecy. With covert bases located across the globe, all armed with high tech sensors and precision missiles, it begs the questions, is anywhere safe in this new modern age? But how did the CIA drone programme begin, and how did it evolve into the covert operation it is today? In the final episode of our CIA miniseries, James is joined by Professor Chris Fuller to look at the origins of CIA drone programme. Author of '...
Dec 23, 2022•55 min
The Special Air Service, more colloquially known as the SAS, was the creation of Officer David Stirling during the Second World War. Located in the deserts of Northern Africa, they were given instructions by Churchill himself to wage 'total war' against the Axis powers. Recently, this group of mavericks have been depicted in the TV series SAS Rogue Heroes - but how can we separate fact from fiction when the actual truth is so unbelievable? To help with this endeavour, bestselling author Damien L...
Dec 19, 2022•31 min
The Cold War saw an era of heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union - double agents, clashing political ideologies, and advancements in nuclear war; it was a tense time on the geopolitical stage. But how did all of these factors ultimately lead to the CIA knowingly recruiting former Nazi's into their ranks? In the third episode of our CIA series, James is joined by Professor Norm Goda to look at this dark chapter of the CIA's past. Co-author of 'US Intelligence and the ...
Dec 16, 2022•51 min
An accusation that has dogged the Qatar World Cup throughout the tournament is that of ‘sportswashing’. You’ve probably seen it in an article, or heard it in a news report. But what does ‘sportwashing’ actually mean, and where did it come from? While the term itself wasn't coined until 2015, the idea of despotic rulers and authoritarian regimes using large-scale sporting events to help cleanse their global image has been in practice for nearly a century — just look at the ‘Nazi Olympics’ in 1936...
Dec 12, 2022•24 min
The CIA is one of the most well-known and powerful government organisations across the globe. But who's responsible for its creation, and why have they been overlooked by the history books? In the wake of the Second World War, four agents played key roles in the organisations formation - dubbed the 'Wise Gals' by their colleagues, Adelaide Hawkins, Mary Hutchison, Eloise Page, and Elizabeth Sudmeier are the unsung heroes of the CIAs history. They played dangerous roles behind enemy lines, recrui...
Dec 09, 2022•40 min
2022 marks 80 years since the Red Devils first remarkable campaign in North Africa. In Britain, they were known as the parachute regiment, but after their daring feats in the Second World War the name Red Devils quickly stuck. In this episode, James is joined by BBC journalist and former British Army officer Mark Urban, to learn more about the eccentric group of individuals who, quite literally, jumped at the chance to wage a new type of warfare against the Nazis. Delving into the history o...
Dec 05, 2022•35 min
2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency, more colloquially known as the CIA. While viewed today as one of the most advanced and powerful intelligence agencies in the world, the United States didn't always sit at the top of this list. Long before the CIA had been created, Great Britain, China, and even the Soviet Union had long standing intelligence agencies, aiding in matters of foreign affairs and espionage. So why was the United States so late to the intelligence gam...
Dec 02, 2022•37 min
8.5 million soldiers died as a result from wounds and disease during the First World War, plunging a society into mourning as loved ones were left to deal with the loss of their family and friends. Desperately wanting to connect with their loved ones, families of fallen soldiers would seek out ways to do so, thus leading to the rise of spiritualism and the belief of ghosts in the post war years. In today’s episode James is joined by author and academic Professor Andrew Smith, to take us through ...
Nov 28, 2022•30 min
The Irish War of Independence in 1919 was fought between the Irish Revolutionary Army and British Forces, with support of the RIC and USC. Wounds of this conflict are still visible today, both in Ireland and across the world. While there's a tendency to view this conflict as an insular issue of the time, with most fighting rooted in the Irish countryside - the struggle for independence was actually reflective of a tumultuous time in world history. 1919 - 1921 saw not only conflict in Ireland, bu...
Nov 25, 2022•35 min
November 22nd marks 59 years since the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy. One of the most famous assassinations in history, JFK's death sent shockwaves not only through the United States, but across the world. However, before that fateful day in history, JFK was a journalist, a Senator, and finally President - but what do we know about his early political career? And what actually went on behind the closed doors of the Oval office? Today James is joined by Deirdre Henderson, a former...
Nov 21, 2022•35 min
Accounts of the Second World War usually involve tales of exceptional bravery in battle, as the allied nations stood together against fascism. But from the eyes of the 60,000 conscientious objectors who refuse to take up arms, the war looks extremely different - a perception of which has almost been entirely forgotten. A conscientious objector not only faced inordinate public scrutiny from their fellow countrymen, but even from their own families, often being viewed as cowards. But how accurate ...
Nov 18, 2022•28 min
Exactly a century after the 1922 March on Rome which brought fascist dictator Benito Mussolini to power, the far-right party Brothers of Italy have been voted into government. Fratelli d'Italia (FDL), which has its roots in Italy’s post-war Neo-fascist social movement, is lead by prime minister Giorgia Meloni - the most right-wing Italian leader since Mussolini himself. So with these contemporary events in mind, James is joined by renowned historian Professor John Gooch to dig deep into the orig...
Nov 14, 2022•51 min
The 11th of November marks Remembrance Day, a memorial day honoured since the end of the First World War. Hostilities ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 after four years of global conflict. As we use this day to look back at those lost, it's important to understand what caused one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history. On the 28th of June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. His death is often cited as the spark that started the First ...
Nov 11, 2022•40 min
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a key turning point in the Second World War - a moment when the Allies were no longer on the defensive, but on the offensive. Fought in the unrelenting deserts of North Africa, the eventual Allied victory prevented Nazi expansion into North Africa and the Middle East. Had the Axis-Power and German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel managed to breakthrough at El Alamein, it would have brought the Holocaust to the entire Middle East, where there were around 75,000 J...
Nov 07, 2022•38 min
The current uprisings in Iran have connections that date back to the 1979 Iranian revolution, which saw the country go from a monarchy, to an Islamic Republic. It became one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. Ayatollah Khomeini was now the Supreme Leader of the Republic of Iran, and a conservative rule of the country was now enforced. Freedoms that had been enjoyed previously in Iran like drinking alcohol and listening to western music were now banned, and women were now req...
Nov 04, 2022•32 min
In a scathing attack on the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared the world faces its most dangerous decade since WW2 - having reaffirmed that Russia will use every available weapon in its arsenal, including tactical nuclear weapons. Not only that, Russia has also made unsubstantiated claims that Ukraine is preparing to deploy a dirty bomb - a mix or explosives and radioactive waste. This has led many in the West, including US president Joe Biden, to wonder if such remarks are layi...
Oct 31, 2022•30 min
Here’s a special episode of Cautionary Tales, a podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries. On Cautionary Tales, bestselling author Tim Harford shares stories of human error, natural disasters, and tragic catastrophes from history that contain important lessons for today. In 1917, a brilliant British officer developed a way to use an emerging military technology: the tank. The British army promptly squandered the idea – but the Germans did not. Blitzkrieg, the devastating advance of German t...
Oct 28, 2022•39 min
