The History Network

3605 The Battle of the Granicus Oct 20, 2024

In the Spring of 334 BC, the 22-year-old Macedonian king, Alexander III (r. 336-323 BC - not yet ‘the Great’), invaded the vast Achaemenid Persian Empire with an elite but small army of some 30-40,000 veteran infantry and only 5,000 cavalry. This invasion was the culmination of almost a century of pressure for some Greek commander or other to punish Persia for its own invasion of Greece during the fifth century BC. Persia had also continued to seriously meddle in Greek affairs thereafter, affecting the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC and with the King’s Peace in 386 BC. Dur: 31mins File: .mp3

3604 The Siege of Belgrade 1456 Oct 06, 2024

Twelve years have passed since the disastrous Crusader Battle of Varna and three years since the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. Europe is reeling under the relentless pressure of Ottoman advances: Serbia fell in 1455, and Sultan Mehmed II had now amassed his forces for an invasion of the Kingdom of Hungary. To launch this invasion, he first needs the fortress town of Belgrade... Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3603 The Italian Invasion of Somaliland 1940 Sep 22, 2024

The Italian invasion of British Somaliland is an often-overlooked action of the Second World War. Although small and a backwater of the British empire, the region would see several significant firsts of the Second World War. The loss of the colony in mid-1940 was the first significant loss of British colonial territory during the war. The loss alongside the few casualties suffered, caused frustration and concern in London. While the unexpected collapse of Italian East Africa less than a year later represented the first significant theaterwide defeat of the Axis powers. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3602 Heroics of the Second Anglo-Afghan War Sep 08, 2024

Among the many brave acts of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (November 1878-September 1880), sixteen were awarded the Victoria Cross. Among this relatively small collection of awards, however, are several remarkable circumstances. The war saw the last Victoria Cross awarded to a civilian and the same award was the first to a clergyman (Reverend James Adams). Dur: 33mins File: .mp3

3601 The Italo-Turkish War Aug 25, 2024

At the turn of the nineteenth century, Italy, a newly unified upstart Great Power, was looking to expand its political and economic influence into neighboring North Africa. Just a few years earlier, France had taken effective control of the North African coast from Tunisia to Morocco, while Egypt was a British protectorate. Just two areas of North Africa were unoccupied by Western European powers: Morocco and Ottoman Libya. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

3510 Heroics On The Edge of Passchendaele: The New Zealand Division and the Capture of La Basseville, July 1917 Jun 09, 2024

In the early stages of the Battle, aimed at capturing the high ground east and south of Ypres, the men of the New Zealand Division were tasked with capturing the village of La Basseville, southwest of the Messines Ridge (where the division had fought in June). La Basseville was situated on the Lys River (the border with France) and on the extreme right of Haig’s grand offensive. The New Zealanders' attack would act as a distraction to the German forces and, hopefully, cause them to divert troops away from the centre of Haig’s main attack. The Germans were under instructions that Warneton (an important rail hub), just north of La Basseville and with it La Basseville, must be held. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3509 The Roman Empire’s darkest day: disaster at the Battle of Adrianople, 9 August, AD 378 - Part2 May 26, 2024

In AD 376 an entire nation of Goths (the Theruingi) gathered on the northern banks of the Danube and asked permission to enter and settle within the Eastern Roman Empire. The Eastern Emperor, Valens (r. 364–78), agreed and this set off a series of events which would end in the greatest disaster for Rome since Cannae in 216 BC: the battle of Adrianople, fought on August 9, AD 378. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

3508 The Roman Empire’s darkest day: disaster at the Battle of Adrianople, 9 August, AD 378 - Part1 May 12, 2024

In AD 376 an entire nation of Goths (the Theruingi) gathered on the northern banks of the Danube and asked permission to enter and settle within the Eastern Roman Empire. The Eastern Emperor, Valens (r. 364–78), agreed and this set off a series of events which would end in the greatest disaster for Rome since Cannae in 216 BC. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

3507 Hanoi Hero: James Bond Stockdale Apr 28, 2024

It is a rare thing that a man be awarded his country's highest award for bravery because of his actions as a Prisoner of War, but that is exactly why Air Wing Commander James Stockdale was singled out. He was the highest ranking US Prisoner of War during Vietnam from 9 September 1965 until 12 February 1973 and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his unrelenting bravery in the Hanoi Hilton. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

3506 One Against Seven: Eddie Rickenbacker Proves Himself (Again) Apr 14, 2024

By the time of America's entry into WWI in April 1917, Eddie Rickenbacker was already famous. Always obsessed with engines, he had become a mechanic to Lee Frayer in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup at the age of only 15. In 1910 he became a race-car driver himself, racing in the Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3505 A Ruse Gone Wrong: The Battle of the Milvian Bridge Mar 31, 2024

In late October AD 312, the fate of the future of the Roman world was decided near the Pons Milvius, the Milvian Bridge (the modern Ponte Milvio, Italy), crossing the River Tiber some 5 kilometres north of Rome on the via Flaminia. The battle was the culmination of the war between rival Roman emperors, Maxentius and Constantine, to see who would dominate the western Roman Empire. Dur: 34mins File: .mp3

3504 Multiple firsts at the First Battle of Ypres, 1914 Mar 17, 2024

The First Battle of Ypres came at the end of the strategic 'race to the sea' which occurred following the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914, when allied forces halted the initial Axis advance made since the outbreak of the war. Before winter set in, several offensives were launched by both sides to try and outflank the other’s northern flank as they each moved towards the North Sea coast. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3503 The Luck of Li Guang: A Cavalryman’s Charge Through the Han-Xiongnu War Mar 03, 2024

This episode was written by Scott Forbes Crawford. An author based in Asia, he writes about ancient and medieval history in novels and nonfiction alike. A newly published history book, The Han-Xiongnu War, 133 BC – 89 AD, explores a decisive conflict between China and a nomadic steppe empire through the lives of fifteen historical figures, including the subject of today’s episode. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

3502 William Johnstone - Part 2 Feb 04, 2024

During the Baltic campaign of the Crimean War, in August 1854, Lieutenant John Bythesea together with Stoker William Johnstone of Her Majesty's ship HMS Arrogant performed an audacious act of bravery. This would lead to both men being awarded the Victoria Cross, among the first gazetted and earliest actions so awarded. Despite this, tragedy would soon envelop Stoker Johnstone and his story deserves to be better known. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

3501 William Johnstone - Part 1 Jan 21, 2024

During the Baltic campaign of the Crimean War, in August 1854, Lieutenant John Bythesea together with Stoker William Johnstone of Her Majesty's ship HMS Arrogant performed an audacious act of bravery. This would lead to both men being awarded the Victoria Cross, among the first gazetted and earliest actions so awarded. Despite this, tragedy would soon envelop Stoker Johnstone and his story deserves to be better known. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

3410 Eyewitness to war: Ammianus Marcellinus and the Siege of Amida AD 359 - Part 2 Dec 17, 2023

The legions of Magnentius and Decentius in Amida had been raised by the former usurper Magnentius (a general who usurped against Constantius in Gaul between 350 and 353) in his name and that of his brother. They were therefore a remnant of those disloyal troops, hence their stationing (a banishment) in the east. Their conduct at Amida would restore both their honour and reputation. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

3409 Eyewitness to war: Ammianus Marcellinus and the Siege of Amida AD 359 - Part 1 Dec 03, 2023

In the summer of AD 359, the armies of the Sasanian Persian Shahanshah ("King of Kings"), Shapur II (r. 309-379), invaded the Roman east. This invasion was the long-cherished revenge for a humiliating peace imposed on the Persians by the Romans sixty years earlier. The Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus was an eyewitness to the most dramatic events of this new war, serving in the army of the emperor Constantius II (r. 337-361) as a protector domesticus, a guard cavalryman. His Res Gestae (Roman History) at this point is full of precise detail and evocative description. No action is more dramatic than the Siege of Amida. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

3408 What’s in a name? The Battle of Megiddo from Thutmose III to World War One - Part 2 Nov 19, 2023

Our best source for Thutmose's battle of Megiddo are the Annals of Thutmose, an account kept by his scribe Tjaneni and then, almost twenty years later, inscribed into the interior walls of the sanctuary of the temple to Amun-Re at Karnak. There are other sources too. These were official documents, however, and we must be wary of 15th century BC spin. The traditional date of the battle is usually given as 1479 BC but it is more likely to date to 1457 BC - whichever year it was, it was the 23rd year of Thutmose’s reign. Dur: 24 mins File: .mp3

3407 What’s in a name? The Battle of Megiddo from Thutmose III to World War One - Part 1 Oct 15, 2023

The Battle of Megiddo, fought during the latter stages of the First World War over a week in late September 1918 against the Ottoman Turks, was so-named quite deliberately by the victorious British general, Edmund Allenby. Allenby was entirely conscious of the associations with the battles of Megiddo of the past (especially Thutmose’s famous battle although another had been fought in 609 BC) but also with Armageddon and Revelation, named after the ‘perfect’ battlefield the area around Megiddo represented. Dur: 30 mins File: .mp3

3406 Tackling the Takao – bravery beneath the waves of Singapore harbour Oct 01, 2023

On July 31st, 1945, the Japanese cruiser Takao sat at anchor in Singapore dockyard. Little did her crew know that beneath the surface of the water, Royal Navy divers prepared to place magnetic mines which would take her out of the war. The Takao-class heavy cruiser had been a threat to US and allied forces throughout the Pacific War. She had been in action since 1941 and participated in many engagements, sinking enemy shipping and supporting various landings and evacuations. She had also survived several engagements where many other Japanese ships had been sunk. With the sinking of her three sister ships, Atago, Maya, and Chōkai in late 1944, Takao, although damaged, remained a major threat in the theatre. Dur18 mins File: .mp3

3405 Iron Valour Sep 17, 2023

Only one man has ever been awarded both the Victoria Cross and the Iron Cross - Surgeon General William Manley. In 1864 he was awarded a VC for his actions during the siege of Gate Pa during the New Zealand Wars. Then, when the Franco-Prussian War broke out in 1870, Manley went with the British Ambulance Corps attached to the Prussian Army - in December 1870 he was awarded the Iron Cross (second class) for bravery in several engagements around Chateauneuf, Bretoncelles, Orleans, and Cravant. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

3404 Bushmen against the Boers – Australians in the Boer War Sep 03, 2023

When the Second Boer War was declared on October 11th, 1899, governments of colonies from around the British Empire offered to send troops to contribute to the British war effort. This included the governments of the six colonies of Australia (Australia would not be confederated into a Commonwealth until January 1st, 1901). Among the troops sent were the 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmens’ Contingent, a unit whose members would be awarded two Victoria Crosses. Most of the troops the colonies of Australia contributed were mounted units, formed before departure. This was despite a decree requesting infantry contingents as being of most service and cavalry of the least. Dur: 36mins File: .mp3

3403 The Treason of Benedict Arnold - Part 3 Aug 06, 2023

Benedict Arnold chose treason. In a shocking turn of events, one of the most talented American generals had turned traitor. The news sent shockwaves throughout the rebellious states. Arnold became the most wanted man in America as General George Washington made it clear he wanted Arnold captured and put on trial. Arnold, however, was safely behind British lines. Left behind was the British officer sent to recruit him, John André, another victim of Arnold's greed. But that was of little concern to Arnold. Now that his treason was complete and he a Brigadier General in the British Army, his focus was on winning the war and ensuring his place in history. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

3402 The Treason of Benedict Arnold - Part 2 Jul 23, 2023

Benedict Arnold spent years becoming a respectable merchant in Connecticut and the coming of the American War of Independence presented him with an opportunity to increase his standing even further. His bravery in battle was unquestioned, but his desire for reward led him to dubious actions. Congress had little money to pay the soldiers, so Arnold decided to pay himself through the sale of captured goods. His temper, greed, and arrogance created enemies within American ranks. Fellow officers wished to see him fail and forwarded complaints to Congress. The victory at Saratoga should have been Arnold’s crowning achievement, but his severe wound at the moment of triumph opened the door for his rival, Horatio Gates, to receive the credit. Dur: 24 mins File: .mp3

3401 The Treason of Benedict Arnold - Part 1 Jul 09, 2023

Benedict Arnold, a name in the American lexicon that is synonymous with treason. History remembers Arnold solely for his attempted betrayal and his subsequent return to the American War of Independence as a British general, this was only the sudden climax to a story that saw Arnold rise from humble beginnings as an apothecary apprentice to one of the most competent generals in the Continental Army. He fought to protect his honor and was quick to challenge any perceived slight. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

3310 King of the Few - Adolph 'Sailor' Malan May 21, 2023

On a clear day in 1960, a conversation took place between the pilot of a South African Airways passenger aircraft and Heathrow Airport's ground control. The pilot had a special request. He wanted to do a low-level circuit in London. In turn, the tower asked the reason for the special request. The pilot simply replied…I wish to show the Sailor his London. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

3309 - Bloodshed on the Blackwater - the Battle of Maldon Apr 30, 2023

The entry for the year AD 991 in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records that Olaf Tryggvason (later king of Norway) sailed with a fleet of ninety-three ships and raided the English coast. He began in Kent raiding Folkestone and then Sandwich, and then moved on to Ipswich in Suffolk. After overrunning Ipswich, the fleet moved onwards to Maldon in Essex, sailing up the River Blackwater and establishing a base at the island of Northey in early August. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3308 Fix Bayonets! An heroic old-fashioned charge in the Korean War Apr 09, 2023

1951 had begun disastrously for the United Nations forces in Korea. On December 31st, 1950, the Chinese 13th Army breached UN defences below the 38th parallel as part of the Third Phase Campaign and, on January 3rd, Seoul was evacuated by the US Eighth Army. The Eighth Army was commanded by Lieutenant General Matthew B. Ridgeway, who had been in office for little over a week, taking up his command only on December 26th, 1950. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3307 The Aitape-Wewak Campaign Mar 26, 2023

On their seemingly inexorable advance south in 1942, the Japanese had occupied Aitape in northern New Guinea on their advance south. Allied offensives to halt the Japanese advance began in 1943 and in April 1944 units of the United States Army, especially the 163rd Regimental Combat Team from the 41st Infantry Division landed at Aitape and retook parts of the area (centred on the Wewak airstrip). Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

3306 Heroism in the Hundred Days Offensive Mar 12, 2023

On 27 September 1918, Captain Frisby and Lance Corporal Jackson led the assault against enemy machine-gun positions during the battle of the Canal du Nord, Nord-pas-de-Calais region of Northern France. Following the successes of the German Spring Offensive in March 1918, the Allies launched a series of successful counter-attacks from May to July 1918 which forced the Germans to fall back.

3305 The Battle of Montgisard Feb 19, 2023

The battle of Montgisard (fought near Ramla in central Israel) saw the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem unexpectedly defeat the forces of Saladin. The Latins were vastly outnumbered and fought thinking that they faced certain defeat. Their victory put an end to the inexorable advances that the Muslim conqueror Saladin had won up to that point. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

3304 Epaminondas of Thebes - Part 2 Feb 05, 2023

Epaminondas' victory at Leuctra created the Theban Hegemony, a brief period where Thebes dominated Greek politics. There has always been criticism that when Thebes defeated Sparta at the battle of Leuctra they had no real plan to replace the Spartan domination of Greece with one of their own. Hence the Theban hegemony of Greece was short-lived. One consideration to keep in mine is that Thebes only sought to end Spartan domination, not replace it. By achieving that feat at Leuctra, they actually created a power vacuum (which would eventually be filled by Macedon under Philip II, achieving domination of Greece in 338). Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

3303 Epaminondas of Thebes - Part 1 Jan 22, 2023

Epaminondas of Thebes is one of the greatest and most revolutionary commanders in military history, destroying the might of Sparta in a single day at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC. At that battle, Epaminondas led the outnumbered Theban phalanx to an overwhelming victory over an army of feared Spartan hoplites. Theban victory that day forever changed the political map of Greece. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3302 The Battle of Alcazar Jan 08, 2023

By mid-afternoon on the 4th of August 1578, three monarchs lay dead on the battlefield of Alcazar in Morocco: two Sultans and King Sebastian I of Portugal. The consequences of their deaths would resonate for decades throughout Europe and North Africa. The Battle of Alcazar is known by several names, all of which are attempts at Anglicizing the town of El-Ksar el-Kebir in Morocco where the battle was fought. It is also known, unsurprisingly, as the Battle of the Three Kings.

Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

3301 Charles Upham VC Dec 04, 2022

Just before his 31st birthday in September 1939, Charles Upham volunteered as a private in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF). He had been in the Territorials but refused to join at any higher rank. He was soon singled out for his natural leadership qualities and made temporary lance corporal, but refused to attend the Officer Cadet Training Unit since he feared that such training would delay his departure for Europe. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3210 The White Death: Finnish marksman Simo Häyhä Jul 31, 2022

Simo Häyhä tormented Soviet forces invading his native Finland between December 1939 and March 1940, killing 542 enemy soldiers in only 98 days. In the hostile, minus forty degree conditions of the Finnish winter of 1939-40, a man clad all in white lay with packed snow mounded in front of him as he awaited his enemy. The man was Simo Häyhä and he was armed with only a regulation, bolt action rifle – he preferred the standard sight as it could not fog over or catch the light and was less conspicuous than a telescopic sight. Next to him lay his sub-machinegun and he was no less deadly with that weapon. During the Winter War, Häyhä accurate sniper fire would account for almost an entire battalion of Russian soldiers. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

3209 The Castilian Civil War 1350-1369 Jul 17, 2022

A bitter war between legitimate and illegitimate heirs was fought for the throne of fourteenth century Castile. The ensuing conflict pulled in many powers, large and small, including both the kingdoms of England and France. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

3208 The Battle of Issus Jul 03, 2022

At the battle of Issus, fought in early November 333 BC, Alexander faced the Persian King Darius in person for the first time. Massively outnumbered, the Macedonian army faced the numberless might of the Persian military machine. The outcome would decide the future of both the Persian and the Macedonian empire. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3207 The Northwest Indian War - Part 2 Jun 19, 2022

The Legion of the United States was America's first attempt to establish a permanent military capable of defending its new borders, from hostile Native Americans, as a reaction to the defeats of the hastily raised regular and militia units during the Harmar Campaign and St. Clair’s Defeat. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3206 The Northwest Indian War - Part 1 Jun 05, 2022

In late 1791, during the Battle of the Wabash, also known as St. Clair's Defeat, saw the largest defeat of the American military at the hands of the Native Americans. Out of a force of about 1,000 men, the American suffered a 97% casualty rate: including 632 killed and 264 wounded. In addition, 200 camp followers, women and children included, were also killed against around 60 causalities on the Native American side. In a single morning, almost one quarter of the total United States Army was wiped out and the Western frontier left wide open for further Native American raids. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3205 Saladin May 15, 2022

On 4 July 1187, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, An-Nasir Yusuf Salah ad-Din ibn Ayyub - better known to us as Saladin - won a tremendous victory, one of the most famous of the Middle Ages. Beneath the Horns of Hattin, the twin peaks of an extinct volcano, his forces destroyed the largest army that the Crusader states ever fielded, killing or capturing the great majority of knights and foot soldiers. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

3204 Ross Lewis Mangles and William Fraser McDonell at the Siege of Arrah May 01, 2022

We saw in Season 31 Episode 4 and Season 30 Episode 7 that due to the remarkable actions of several civilians who took up arms under military orders during the Indian Mutiny in 1857 and 1858 that the newly instituted Victoria Cross was altered to allow such acts of bravery to be recognised. Although Thomas Henry Kavanagh was recognised as the 'first' civilian Victoria Cross for his action during the relief of Lucknow in November 1857, his actions were not the first. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

3203 The Battle of Poitiers Apr 10, 2022

On the death of King Charles IV of France in 1328, Edward III of England was his closest male heir and therefore the legitimate successor to the throne of the childless Charles. This was due to the ancient Salian (or Salic) law which prevented female succession (it had, however, only been enacted in 1316). Despite Edward's legitimate claim, the French crowned Philip, Count of Valois, King Philip VI of France and the slighted Edward refused to pay him homage. In revenge, Philip confiscated Edward’s lands in Aquitaine (held as a vasal Duchy to the crown of France). Edward therefore declared war against France and plunged England and France into a war that would last, on and off, for the next one hundred and sixteen years, a war we know as the Hundred Years War. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3202 The Gothic Genius of Fritigern - Part 2 Mar 20, 2022

In the year AD 378, the Eastern Roman Emperor Valens left Antioch to return via Constantinople to deal with the Gothic threat which had been ravaging Thrace and the surrounding provinces since 376. He also sought help from his nephew and the Western Roman Emperor, Gratian. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3201 The Gothic Genius of Fritigern - Part 1 Mar 06, 2022

The Gothic leader Fritigern (possibly based on the Gothic Frithugairns) is, perhaps, one of the most under-appreciated commanders in the ancient world. At the head of a complex confederation of Gothic tribes, he imposed a devastating defeat on the forces of the Western Roman empire at the battle of Adrianople (or Hadrianople) on August 9th, AD 378. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

3110 D-Day: The American Airborne Landings Feb 06, 2022

The Allied landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944 were the largest amphibious operation ever undertaken in military history. Across five separate beaches, over 150,000 men made up the landing forces from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. To protect the men on the beaches, a massive bombardment of naval gunfire and aerial bombs struck German fortified defences, troop concentrations, and artillery positions. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3109 Lord Dunmore's War Jan 16, 2022

At the end of the Seven Years War, the Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the British, which granted any lands west of the Appalachian Mountains in the Ohio Valley of North America to the Native Americans. American colonists could not settle any of these lands and would be forcibly removed by British forces if necessary. Dur: 18mins File: mp3

3108 The Armenian Massacre - Part 2 Jan 02, 2022

In his 1944 book Axis Rule in Occupied Europe, Raphael Lemkin says that "genocide is composite and manifold, and that it signifies a coordinated plan of different actions aiming at the destruction of the essential foundations of life of a [specific] group." Collective dispossession, including plunder and spoliation, is only one of the many crimes that accompany and even fortify genocidal policies—or perhaps better said, expropriation and pillaging are important aspects of the political economy of genocide. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

3107 The Armenian Massacre - Part1 Dec 19, 2021

Agitation from the Armenian community for political reform and autonomy, brewing since the 1870s, was further intensified by large-scale massacres that occurred across the empire in 1894–1897 and in Cilicia in 1909; additionally, the more seemingly benign expressions of oppression and discrimination faced by Armenians, which had increased throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, also contributed to growing discontent. Though they had already suffered grave injustices, the previous misfortunes of the Ottoman Armenians paled in comparison to the genocide of 1915–1916. As Bloxham notes, the massacres of the 1890s and genocide of 1915 differ in significant ways—notably in their motivations as well as in participation by centralized versus localized actors—but share a common time frame at the twilight of the Ottoman Empire. Finally, the massacres of 1894–1897 themselves charted the course of what was to come, conditioning the mentality of both perpetrators and victims.

This episode was written by Ümit Kurt.

Ümit Kurt is a historian of the Modern Middle East with a particular focus on the transformations of the imperial structures and their role in constituting the republican regime. Kurt is Polonsky Fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. He is the author of several books in Turkish and English, including “The Spirit of the Laws: The Plunder of Wealth in the Armenian Genocide.” His recent book is, The Armenians of Aintab: The Economics of Genocide in an Ottoman Province, published by Harvard University Press, May 2021. He is currently teaching in the Dept. of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Kurt is the winner of the Discovery Early Career Research Award of 2021, given by Australian Research Council.

Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

3106 The Battle of Königgrätz 1866 Dec 05, 2021

The battle of Königgrätz (also known as the battle of Sadowa or the battle of Chlum) was the most decisive clash between the armies of Prussia and those of Austria and her allies during the short, seven-week long, Austro-Prussian War in 1866. The war itself is also known under several different titles. Königgrätz was also one of the largest battles of the age with almost half a million men fighting on the field. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

3105 War in the Philippines Nov 14, 2021

At the end of the 19th century tensions had been high between the United States and Spain - the point of friction being Spanish colonial rule specifically in Cuba. When the USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana harbour, it pushed the American President McKinley into war with Spain. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

3104 Thomas Henry Kavanagh – The 'First' Civilian Victoria Cross Oct 24, 2021

When the Indian Mutiny broke out in May 1857, members of the Honourable East India Company became involved. Soon, several outstandingly brave deeds by them and other volunteer civilians were reported back in England but there was no official way to recognise civilian valour in times of armed conflict. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

3103 Interwar Naval Treaties and Battleship Development Oct 10, 2021

At the end of the First World War France and Italy had wanted the German High Seas Fleet divided between them, Britain and the USA wanted it scuttled, which Germany did anyway without permission. The resulting Treaty of Versailles imposed strict limits on size and number of warships the newly constituted German government was allowed to build and maintain. This nullified the threat of Germany at sea. Dur: 14mins File: .mp3

3102 The Battle of Marathon - Part 2 Sep 26, 2021

The Athenian army moved into position for the coming struggle. The right wing was commanded by Callimachus – for it was the regular practice at that time in Athens that the polemarch should lead the right wing; then followed the tribes, in order of their numbers; and, finally, on the left wing, were the Plataeans. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

3101 The Battle of Marathon - Part 1 Sep 12, 2021

On September 10th 490 BC, hoplites from the Greek city of Athens faced an invasion force sent from the enormous and powerful Persian Empire to the east on the field at Marathon, a bay 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometres) northeast of Athens. The Athenians were outnumbered but the result would not be what anyone expected. Dur: 21 mins File: .mp3

3010 Artemisia of Halicarnassus Jul 04, 2021

In his account of Xerxes' invasion of Greece, the historian Herodotus goes out of his way to give an account of Artemisia, female tyrant of Halicarnassus, before, during and in the aftermath of the battle Salamis in 480 BC. This account, and Artemisia herself, are remarkable for a variety of reasons but the idea of a woman commander, one as clever as a man, had a great impact on the ancient world. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

3009 The Battle of Landguard Fort Jun 20, 2021

England and the Netherlands were natural allies when they both became Protestant, which finally happened in England in 1558 when Elizabeth I was crowned queen. In 1585 the queen sent Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester with 5,000 to 6,000 troops to the Netherlands to help in their revolt against the Spanish rulers of the Netherlands. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

3008 The Rise of Naval Aviation and the Aircraft Carrier Jun 06, 2021

For centuries naval warfare consisted of vessels in relative close proximity to one, another fighting it out. This combat might take the form of ships in the ancient world ramming, or with the development of gunpowder vessels would launch broadsides at short range into the opposition. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

3007 Days of Valour Part2 May 21, 2021

The Residency complex at Lucknow was under siege. It had been since late June 1857. It was now October. A small relief force had broken through from Cawnpore but it was then too weak to enable the combined garrison to break out. Dur: 23 mins File: .mp3

3006 Days of Valour Part1 May 02, 2021

Throughout the Indian Mutiny of 1857-1858, a total of 182 Victoria Crosses were awarded; more than one third of those were awarded for actions in in the city of Lucknow. It is a place with which anyone who studies the history of military bravery should be intimately familiar. One of the most remarkable actions during that part of the conflict was the relief of Lucknow on November 16th, 1857. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

3005 The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived - Charles V Holy Roman Emperor - Part 2 Apr 18, 2021

In this second episode of the life of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor we continue the story of his reign and of the conflicts in the first half of the 16th Century that shaped Europe and the world. The ruler of an empire is forever in the saddle and so it was with Charles. Conflict began in the year of the Diet of Worms when the French under Francis 1 invaded Lombardy in Italy. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

3004 The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived - Charles V Holy Roman Emperor Apr 04, 2021

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor also known as Carlos was born in 1500 and he lived for 58 years, dying in the Spanish monastery of Yuste of malaria. As we list his titles, King of Spain, King of the Netherlands, Flanders and Belgium, Emperor of Austria and Hungary, ruler of much of Italy including Milan, Sicily, Sardinia and Naples and Emperor of the Americas, the listener is apt to think that his realm encompassed much of the known world, as indeed it did, but this does not take account of the periphery. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3003 Byzantium's Eastern Frontier Mar 21, 2021

The Byzantines, the subjects of the Eastern Roman Empire, were great survivors. They outlasted their cousins in the west by a thousand years, withstanding the great waves of barbarian invasions and even managing to flourish amidst the chaos. Less than a century after the last western emperor was deposed in 476, the Eastern Romans under Justinian reconquered Italy and North Africa, and seemed on their way to restoring the entire Mediterranean to Roman rule. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

3002 The Vicksburg Campaign Part 2 Mar 07, 2021

On May 18, 1863, Major General Ulysses S. Grant achieved the objective he had sought for months. Union troops surrounded Vicksburg on three sides, and on its west side, Admiral David Porter's warships controlled the waters of the Mississippi. For three months Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton had watched as Grant flailed about in the floodplain on various unsuccessful bayou expeditions. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

3001 The Vicksburg Campaign Part 1 Feb 21, 2021

On May 18, 1863, Major General Ulysses S. Grant achieved the objective he had sought for months. Union troops surrounded Vicksburg on three sides, and on its west side, Admiral David Porter's warships controlled the waters of the Mississippi. For three months Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton had watched as Grant flailed about in the floodplain on various unsuccessful bayou expeditions. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

2910 After Cannae Jan 17, 2021

At the Battle of Cannae, 2 August, 216 B.C., Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca administered one of Rome's most crushing military defeats. Depending upon the ancient source, Roman losses on the Apulian battlefield numbered anywhere from roughly 50,000, as Livy relates, to around 70,000, as Polybius insists. Hannibal had enacted a double envelopment of the Roman army, a maneuver widely considered to be a tactical masterpiece that is to this day studied in war colleges around the world. Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

2909 Army Exercises in the English Countryside, 1853-1914 Jan 03, 2021

The last pitched battles on English soil were Sedgemoor in 1685 and Preston in 1715. But after that the army still needed to train and practice. The first land on Salisbury Plain was not bought for army training until 1897 and Catterick Camp was opened after the outbreak of WW1. So from 1853 when there was a renewed invasion scare, to 1914, there were many large scale army exercises or 'manoeuvres' all across the countryside of southern England. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

2908 The First Victoria Cross - Part 2 Dec 20, 2020

When the first actions were gazetted in The London Gazette on February 24th, 1857, the first name to appear was that of Cecil Buckley. The action for his award was performed in May 1855 while he was a lieutenant but he had been promoted Commander soon after and so was the highest ranking naval officer gazetted in that initial list. Dur: 16 mins File: .mp3

2907 The First Victoria Cross - Part 1 Dec 06, 2020

The First Victoria Cross – Charles Davis Lucas, Cecil William Buckley, or Henry James Raby. During the Crimean War (March 1854-February 1856), the movement to recognise the valour of the ordinary fighting man of the various branches of the British armed forces gained immense momentum. The Crimean War was the first conflict where newspaper reporters were with the troops (today we’d use the term ‘embedded’) and wrote back to their publications with the details of the heroism of the rank and file. Dur: 16mins. File: .mp3

2906 Royal Navy actions during the Battle of Britain: Continuing a long tradition Nov 22, 2020

Ask most people about the Battle of Britain, and they will think of the Spitfires and Hurricanes of RAF fighter command in combat with the German Luftwaffe over southern England in 1940. History books will often also mention Bomber Command carrying out raids on the French and Belgian ports where the Germans were assembling the fleet of barges and small craft to be used to transport German troops across the Channel in Operation Sealion. Dur: 19 mins File: .mp3

2905 Charlemagne - The Father of Europe Part 2 Nov 08, 2020

The machinery of war which Charlemagne inherited from his father. Pepin the Short, and grandfather (Charles Martel, 'the hammer') was singularly well tuned to wage war. All of Charlemagne's vassals were expected to serve militarily and all free men were expected to serve if needed. This service included bishops, abbots and abbesses; they too could be called upon to provide armed men or other provisions of war according to the wealth of their estates. Dur: 17mins. File: .mp3

2904 Charlemagne - The Father of Eurpope Part1 Oct 18, 2020

Charles the Great, known as Charlemagne and the father of Europe, created an empire which would last 1,000 years. To secure it he fought continuously, on multiple fronts, throughout his long reign. Charlemagne came to power at a time when Europe was made up of many small kingdoms and principalities. Since the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, it had also faced invasion from various peoples who had established kingdoms of their own, such as the Visigoths and Muslims in Spain. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

2903 The 2500th Anniversary of The Battles of Thermopylae, Artemisium and Salamis - Part 2 Oct 04, 2020

Thermopylae and Artemisium were never intended to be decisive stands even though the defeat of the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae has gone down in history as just such a stand. There were also 700 Thespians and 400 Thebans at that defeat but their sacrifice has been all but been ignored. (indeed the historian Herodotus goes out of his way to show the Thebans to be perfidious traitors). The other cities' soldiers had already withdrawn, and fierce debate ensued to keep the alliance together. Dur: 23mins. File: .mp3

2902 The 2500th Anniversary of The Battles of Thermopylae, Artemisium and Salamis - Part 1 Sep 20, 2020

The year 2020 represents the 2,500th anniversary of three battles which played a major part in shaping the future of the western Mediterranean world: the battles of Thermopylae, Artemisum, and Salamis. Dur: 19mins. File: .mp3

2901 The Lewis and Clark Air Rifle Sep 06, 2020

The American West contains many epic tales and stories, perhaps the most astounding is the story of Lewis and Clark and the Corp of Discovery. Over the course of seventeen months a group of over forty individuals traveled seven thousand miles through hostile native tribes from the middle of America through previously unexplored mountain ranges to the Pacific Ocean and returned healthy and well with only one casualty. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

2810 The Battle of Stony Point Jul 12, 2020

July 15th 1779. The night was dark, the soldiers were ordered to fix bayonets and unload their rifles. Men exhausted, a 14 mile road march in the dead of summer that started at noon got them to this point. Anxiety filled the air as Washington's men set to take back Stony Point. What took 20 minutes left the southern and western and northern flanks of the point covered in blood. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

2809 John Hawkwood - The Greatest Mercenary of His Age - Part 2 Jun 28, 2020

The greatest mercenary commander of the 14th century, inspiration for historians, poets, novelists and playwrights, John Hawkwood is a name everyone should know. 14th century Europe was a plagued with incessant warfare. The Hundred Years' War began between France and England in 1337 and would last until the middle of the next century. Other conflicts engulfed various parts of Europe as well, especially in Italy where Sir John Hawkwood would make and maintain his name. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2808 John Hawkwood - The Greatest Mercenary of His Age - Part1 Jun 14, 2020

The greatest mercenary commander of the 14th century, inspiration for historians, poets, novelists and playwrights, John Hawkwood is a name everyone should know. 14th century Europe was a plagued with incessant warfare. The Hundred Years' War began between France and England in 1337 and would last until the middle of the next century. Other conflicts engulfed various parts of Europe as well, especially in Italy where Sir John Hawkwood would make and maintain his name. Dur 18mins File: .mp3

2807 The Battle of Stamford Bridge May 31, 2020

By the beginning of September 1066, King Harold II was in a quandary. Expecting Duke William of Normandy to invade, he had summoned the fyrd (what passed for the army in Anglo-Saxon times; made up of a proportion of the freemen of each shire who were required to perform military service in defence of the land) back in April and they had long since passed the usual two to three months' service. And now they were starting to grumble... Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2806 Sir Jeffrey Amherst and the Conquest of New France May 17, 2020

The Seven Years War, fought from 1756 to 1763, pitted the alliance of France, Austria, Sweden, Saxony, Russia and Spain; against Great Britain, Prussia and Hanover. The first truly world war, campaigns in the war were fought in Europe, India, North America, and on the oceans throughout the world. Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

2805 The ubiquity of the Cretan Archer in Ancient Warfare - Part 2 May 03, 2020

One thing to note in regard to Cretans is that when they are mentioned in our sources they are always referred to as Cretan archers or just ‘Cretans’ or, occasionally just archers and we must work out from the context that they were Cretan. Dur: 25mins. File. mp3

2804 The ubiquity of the Cretan Archer in Ancient Warfare - Part 1 Apr 19, 2020

When a contingent of archers is mentioned in the context of Greek and Roman armies, more often than not the culture associated with them is that of Crete. Indeed, when we just have archers mentioned in an army without a specified origin, Cretan archers are commonly assumed to be meant, so ubiquitous with archery and groups of mercenary archers were the Cretans. The Cretans are the most famous, but certainly not the only ‘nation’ associated with a particular fighting style (Rhodian slingers and Thracian peltasts leap to mind but there are others too). The long history of Cretan archers can be seen in the sources – according to some stretching from the First Messenian War right down to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Even in the reliable historical record we find Cretan archer units from the Peloponnesian War well into the Roman period. Dur: 14mins File: .mp3

2803 - Bougainville: Civil War leads to new nation Apr 05, 2020

Bougainville is a 9000 sq. km pacific island and was first subject to European contact in 1768 when Louis Antoine De Bougainville landed there and, in an act of typical vainglory, named it for himself. People had been on Bougainville for 28,000 years but it was the Austronesian people who 4,000 years ago established pigs, chickens, dogs and cultivation with obsidian tools. The Comte De Bougainville was every bit the equal of James Cook and it was he who established the Falkland Islands, circumnavigated the globe and fought as a captain of dragoons in the what was effectively the first world war, the 7 years’ war between England and France. As an Admiral he sailed south from Tahiti and nearly discovered the Great Barrier Reef then in 1768 encountered Bougainville, east of Papua New Guinea. The wonderful variegated coloured flower, Bougainvillea, is named for him. The island is a natural wonder and historical treasure.

This episode was written by Lt Col Chris Alroe.

Chris was an Australian Army Officer and specialist medical practitioner who spent twenty-one years full and part time in the Australian Defence Forces. He was at one time SMO 11 BDE and later appointed SMO 3 BDE, retiring from the army before taking up the appointment. During Operation Bel Isi commenced 1999, the UN Peace Keeping Mission to the Island of Bougainville after the civil war there, he was appointed Officer Commanding the Combined Health Element for the mission. He was commended by the Brigadier of the Mission for his survey of New Guinea Health services which he conducted as part of the plan to complete the Mission.

2802 The Battle For New York - Part 2 Mar 22, 2020

The year 1776 began joyously for the American rebels. After the Battle of Bunker Hill and the subsequent siege of Boston, the rebel army, now formally organized into the Continental Army commanded by George Washington, successfully forced the British army under William Howe to withdraw from Boston and sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia. There Howe licked his wounds and awaited reinforcements. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

2801 The Battle For New York - Part 1 Mar 08, 2020

The year 1776 began joyously for the American rebels. After the Battle of Bunker Hill and the subsequent siege of Boston, the rebel army, now formally organized into the Continental Army commanded by George Washington, successfully forced the British army under William Howe to withdraw from Boston and sail for Halifax, Nova Scotia. There Howe licked his wounds and awaited reinforcements. Dur: 33mins File: .mp3

2710 The Battle of The Standard - Part 2 Jan 19, 2020

At the moment when the Galwegians were at their most hard pressed, it seems as if Prince Henry led his Battle in a charge (the detail is not in Richard of Hexham). Henry 'hurled himself, fierce as a lion, upon the opposing wing.' He put the English to flight on that wing (the English left) and continued on against the men stationed with the horses (some distance away from the English line if we use the detail from Richard of Hexham). The English there fled two furlongs and the poorly armed peasants ran with them. Several reconstructions of the battle have Henry's charge a mounted one although this is far from clear and there are reasons to believe his charge was on foot (he could not mingle with the English pursuing the retreating Scots as he did if he was mounted and therefore obviously stood out from the English troops). Dur: 19 mins File: .mp3

2709 The Battle of The Standard - Part 1 Jan 05, 2020

King David I of Scotland invaded England in the summer of 1138 in support of his niece, the Empress Matilda, who was embroiled in a fight against her cousin, King Stephen (of Blois) for control of the English throne. This period of civil war, known as the Anarchy, raged in England from 1135 until 1153. It was caused by the succession crisis following the drowning death of William Adelin in the White Ship disaster in 1120. William was Henry I’s only legitimate son and, even though Henry nominated his daughter Matilda as his heir, when the king died in 1135, his nephew Stephen of Blois seized the throne. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

2708 The Macedonian Phalangite vs Persian Warrior Dec 22, 2019

In August 334 BC, Alexander the Great invaded the Persian Empire and systematically set about its conquest. At the core of Alexander's army were 10,000 members of the phalanx, the phalangites. Armed with a long pike and fighting in formations up to 16 ranks deep, these grizzled veterans were the mainstay of the Macedonian army.

Facing them were the myriad armies of the peoples that made up the Persian Empire. At the centre of these forces was the formation known as the Immortals: 10,000 elite infantry, armed with spears and bows.

In this episode we're going to be discussing the "Macedonian Phalangite vs Persian Warrior" with Ancient Warfare Podcast regular Murray Dahm, who has literally written the book on the topic.

2707 Surviving a Siege Dec 08, 2019

The treatise How to Survive Under Siege by Aineias Tacticus, is among the earliest treatises to survive from the genre of didactic military literature. Its author was regarded as the pre-eminent authority on military science in subsequent centuries because he wrote many other works. None of these survive. This single surviving treatise (although incomplete) covers nearly everything that a city need do in order to survive a siege by an enemy. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

2706 Franco-German Rivalry Nov 24, 2019

In the First World War, one of the main aims of the French was to retake the "lost provinces" of Alsace and Lorraine, which had been occupied by the Germans since the Franco-Prussian war of 1871. But this was only one phase of a long cycle of power imbalances leading to invasions and thirst for revenge between these two countries. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

2705 The British Campaign in Egypt, 1801 - Part 2 Nov 03, 2019

The British now occupied the tip of the Aboukir peninsula directly opposite the French forces. The flanks of both armies were secured by the Mediterranean Sea on the one side, and the marshy ground of the dried up Lake Mareotis on the other. Following the landing on the 8 March, the British built defences, heaved supplies ashore and buried the dead. A short action took place on 13 March, during which the British repulsed an attack by French cavalry and horse-artillery. After this, the British paused to consider their next move. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

2704 - The British campaign in Egypt, 1801. part 1 Nov 01, 2019

If one was to ask about the contribution of the British army during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, some of the immediate responses would concern the Duke of Wellington, the Peninsular War and the Battle of Waterloo. These subjects have acquired great fame over the past two decades, thanks in part to Bernard Cornwall’s popular Sharpe novels, and to the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo in 2015. However, the battles fought at Waterloo and in the Spanish Peninsula were only a fraction of those fought by the British army during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. One British campaign that has largely been forgotten was fought in Egypt in 1801. Although the numbers of men who fought in Egypt were far smaller than in later campaigns in Spain, Portugal and Belgium, Egypt nevertheless proved a turning point in the fortunes of the British army. The significance of the Egyptian campaign can still be felt to this day.

This episode was written by Simon Quinn

Simon is a postdoctoral research fellow in history at the University of York. He has recently completed a PhD studying the lives of British soldiers on campaign in Egypt in 1801.

2703 Pontiac's Wars Oct 06, 2019

The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1763 ending the Seven Years War. The victorious British moved west into the Ohio Valley of North America and occupied the forts and outposts of the defeated French. New and drastic policies were instituted on the Native tribes inhabiting the area. These tribes rose up and attacked the British and displaced colonists from the territory. This began a summer of conflict between the Native tribes, the American colonists and British military. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2702 Quintus Sertorius - Reluctant renegade - Part 2 Sep 22, 2019

Sertorius spent the winter training his Iberian troops and accustoming himself to their nature and tactics. He had a core of veteran Roman legionaries who followed him through many battles. A small number of Iberians were heavy infantry armed in the Roman style but the majority were light troops. Dur: 35mins File: .mp3

2701 Quintus Sertorius - Reluctant renegade - Part 1 Sep 08, 2019

Quintus Sertorius could lay claim to a position among the greatest generals of ancient times. A loyal Roman, who lost an eye defending the Roman frontier, fortune then pitted him against the Roman military machine and some of its premier commanders, including Pompey the Great. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

WSS30 - GreatWargameSurvey.com Aug 02, 2019

The boys are back to remind you that the great war-game survey is now 'live', you can find it here, so please go fill it in.

In this episode Guy updates us with what in new in the hobby and we get a chance to listen to the panel discussion he took part in at the Joy of Six.

2610 John Paul Jones: The American War of Independance comes to Britain Jul 14, 2019

On 27th February 1782 the British parliament voted to immediately cease the war in America; Britain had lost the War of Independence, (or the Revolutionary war as it is known in America). But Great Britain was not fighting America alone; by 1782 they were at war with 3 European countries and had survived the most serious invasion threat since the Spanish armada. The war had escalated far beyond the 13 colonies, to threaten Britain and her European bases. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

2609 The Battle of Glen Shiel Jun 30, 2019

The government troops approached from the east, their redcoats standing out against the green of the glen and the dark waters of the River Shiel. The skies overhead were clear, it was the height of the summer, unusually hot for the Scottish Highlands and marching up Glen Shiel were 850 infantry, over 100 dragoons on horseback and a similar number of Highland levies. A long trail pack horses followed in their wake. Dur: 19mins File:.mp3

2608 Magic Weapons and Armour in the Middle Ages - Part 2, King Arthur and his Knights Jun 16, 2019

Many 'magical' items belong to the stories of Arthur and his knights although their genesis is more complicated. Sir Percival had the shield of Joseph of Arimathea, Gawain had the shield of Judas Maccabeus, Galahad the Shield of king Evalach (which had a cross drawn on it by Joseph of Arimathea in his own blood). The knights also had named swords and lances. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2607 Magic Weapons and Armour in the Middle Ages Jun 02, 2019

Magic weapons and armour are things we usually associate with the realms of myth or fantasy rather than history. And yet, in semi-historical and even historical sources throughout the medieval period we find accounts of magic weapons which bring down foes or inspire comrades, or of shields and armour which protect the wearer no matter what they faced. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

2506 The Spanish invasion and conquest of Mexico, 1519-1521 - Part 2 May 12, 2019

The conquest of Mexico was a landmark in the history of the world, changing its course forever. A mere 600 adventurers, speculators and journeymen from a European nation that had only existed in its current form for a few decades, landed in an unknown land and proceeded to conquer a massive, ruthless and predatory empire in the space of just a few of years. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2605 The Spanish invasion and conquest of Mexico, 1519-1521 - Part 1 Apr 28, 2019

The conquest of Mexico was a landmark in the history of the world, changing its course forever. A mere 600 adventurers, speculators and journeymen from a European nation that had only existed in its current form for a few decades, landed in an unknown land and proceeded to conquer a massive, ruthless and predatory empire in the space of just a few of years. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

2604 The Battle of Leuctra - Part 2 Apr 14, 2019

The battle of Leuctra, fought between the forces of Sparta and the Boeotian League led by Thebes, in early July 371 BC, altered forever the map of ancient Greek history. In a single afternoon, what the ancient Greeks of the early 4th century BC had come to understand as their world order was swept way. The Theban tactics at Leuctra included the revolutionary ideas of deployment in depth and of a refused flank, where part of a formation was drawn up in echelon. These tactics and their implementation indelibly changed the history of western warfare and are still studied and put into practice to this day. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

2603 The Battle of Leuctra - Part 1 Mar 31, 2019

The battle of Leuctra, fought between the forces of Sparta and the Boeotian League led by Thebes, in early July 371 BC, altered forever the map of ancient Greek history. In a single afternoon, what the ancient Greeks of the early 4th century BC had come to understand as their world order was swept way. The Theban tactics at Leuctra included the revolutionary ideas of deployment in depth and of a refused flank, where part of a formation was drawn up in echelon. These tactics and their implementation indelibly changed the history of western warfare and are still studied and put into practice to this day. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2602 No Man's Land Mar 17, 2019

No Man's Land. Three of the most evocative words of The Great War. Never forgotten by combatants. A place of death, danger, wire, bullets, shells, poison gas, mud, rats, bodies, and fear. A place which was never safe. When going "over the top" the place where you were most likely to die, but being wounded there could be worse. A quiet place occasionally, an inferno of fire and noise at other times. Occasionally a place of peace and friendship such as Christmas 1914. But Usually not. Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

2601 Fort Ligonier and the Fall of Fort Duquesne Mar 03, 2019

In May 1754 a young George Washington's first combat experience occurred at the Battle of Jumonville Glen located in southwest Pennsylvania in the Ohio Valley, where he defeated a small group of French on a diplomatic mission to inform the British that they needed to leave the area; it was French territory and quickly became a flashpoint in the fight for the supremacy of North America. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

2510 The Battle of Marston Moor Dec 30, 2018

On Sunday 22nd of August, 1642, Charles I of England unfurled his standard at Nottingham, it would signal the start of the English Civil war; a struggle which pitted regal power against Parliament. The war had ebbed and flowed for two years with varied success when in April of 1644 a Parliamentarian force laid siege to York, which was considered key to the Royalist defence of the north of England. When an army was dispatched under the young Prince Rupert to raise the siege the scene would be set for one of the bloodiest battles fought on British soil, when the two sides met at Marston Moor. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2509 Operation Longcloth Dec 16, 2018

Following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941, Japanese forces simultaneously invaded British Malaya, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Japanese troops took just 70 days to crush the British Empire forces in Malaya and Singapore, which was surrendered on 15 February 1942. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

2508 William "Billy" Bishop - Part 2 Dec 04, 2018

On May 7, the Royal Flying Corps suffered one of their greatest losses when the great Albert Ball was shot down near Annoeullin, France. Ball had just scored his 44th victory and was pursuing another plane when he disappeared into a cloud. When he reappeared, his plane was falling from the sky and his propeller was motionless. Ball fell from the sky and his plane crashed some distance away. Lothar von Richthofen, the Red Baron’s younger brother, was officially credited with the kill. Dur: 24 mins File: .mp3

2507 William "Billy" Bishop - Part 1 Nov 19, 2018

Just ten years after the Wright brothers successfully flew the world's first powered airplane, the First World War erupted across Europe and with it came the first air war. Airplanes of wood, metal, and canvas took to the skies to act as observers and engage in combat with enemy planes. The best pilots became known as "aces" and were celebrated by both sides. Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

2506 Sidearms of the Great War Nov 04, 2018

It is a cliche that wars seldom go according to plan, but perhaps none has gone astray as dramatically as the First World War. The vast German sweep through the Low Countries succeeded only in branding the Kaiser's Reich a nation of butchers and bringing the United Kingdom into the war. Field commanders were unable to achieve the clock-work precision required by the Schlieffen Plan and the German advance was stopped at the Marne in early September 1914. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2505 Le Grand Derangement Oct 21, 2018

If one were to travel through the modern day US state Louisiana, you would quickly be transported to what seems like another world. French language signs adorn the streets as the sounds of Zydeco or Louisiana French folk music fills the air. Most would cite the menagerie of foods combining french peasant recipes with African and native additions cooked into the various creatures inhabiting the bayou or swamps as the most intriguing sight of all. The genesis of this unique culture started far to the north in what is now the modern Canadian Maritime province of Nova Scotia. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

2304 The French Campaign in Egypt and Syria, 1798-1801 - Part 2 Oct 05, 2018

Although a good amount of time was allowed to prepare for the operation, the campaign itself was poorly planned. Inexplicably, the 13,000 men Napoleon led across the Sinai desert towards Syria in January 1799 were not properly equipped for the desert conditions. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

2503 The French Campaign in Egypt and Syria, 1798-1801 - Part 1 Sep 16, 2018

The French invasion of Egypt in the summer of 1798 was the first great seaborne invasion of the modern era. With 335 ships and almost 40,000 men, it was the largest seaborne force ever launched in the Western world – at least since Xerxes' vast fleet attacked Athens at the Battle of Salamis in 480BC. It remained the largest ever seaborne invasion throughout the nineteenth century, only to be superseded in size by the Gallipoli landings in 1915. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

2502 Remember Scarborough Sep 02, 2018

On the morning of 16 December 1914, at around 8am, the German battlecruisers SMS Von der Tann and Derfflinger opened fire on the British coastal resort of Scarborough. For the town's inhabitants the shelling seemed indiscriminate, the prominent Grand Hotel was hit a number of times, as was the medieval castle overlooking the bay and residential parts of the town. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

2501 Braddock's Defeat – Washington and the Battle of Monongahela Aug 19, 2018

In 1753, the Governor of the colony of Virginia sent George Washington, who was a twenty one year old major in the Virginia militia, to the French Fort LeBoeuf near Lake Erie in the Ohio Valley, to demand the French leave the area. This ultimatum was rejected and Washington returned to deliver the message. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2410 The Battle For Dorking and Spy Fever May 21, 2018

A battle at Dorking, that never happened, and German spies that never existed were a cause of great anguish to the British in the early part of the twentieth century. The result would be the creation a secret service, the rounding up of foreign nationals and an explosion in the popularity of the spy genre; which would manifest itself with classics such as John Buchan's 'The Thirty-Nine Steps' Dur: 17mins File .mp3

2409 The Raid on the Medway 1667 May 06, 2018

We all know that Britain was last successfully invaded in 1066, when William the Conqueror defeated the Saxon King Harold at Hastings, but, that does not mean the shores of Albion have not since been attacked. In 1797 the French landed a small force near Fishguard, in Wales, and were ignominiously forced to surrender. In 1914 a German naval squadron sailed long the north-east coast and bombarded the towns of Scarborough, Whitby and Hartlepool, though no landing was attempted it caused widespread consination. A more successful attack was made in 1667 by the Dutch, they sailed up the river Medway, which flows into the Thames estuary, attacking British ships whilst they were in dock. It proved to be a crushing defeat for the Royal Navy. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

2408 The Battle of Assaye Apr 22, 2018

The Duke of Wellington, late in life, was asked what was his most difficult battle during all his years of soldiering, after a short pause he replied with just one word, Assaye; his great victory against the Marathas in 1803. A hard fought battle, he would lose a third of his men, the Indian Marathas troops were well equipped and drilled in modern tactics by mercenary European officers. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

2407 Led By Lions Apr 08, 2018

Long time listeners might know after ten years of producing the podcast, last year Angus took the decision to return to university to study a Masters Degree in History. More by chance than design his niche turned out to be the First World War.

During his studies he came across a new book titled ‘Led By Lions’ written by Neil Thornton, which looks at British Members of Parliament, who, serviced in the military during World War One.

So he asked Neil if he fancied a chat!

2406 You could be the next Alexander the Great Mar 25, 2018

As some of you might be aware Angus hosts the Ancient Warfare podcast, a monthly round table discussion about war in the ancient world. Last year we launched a patreon page for the podcast.

Historians aren’t the best paid lot, and everyone is essentially doing the podcast for free. We thought it might be a good way to help cover costs, and if you enjoy it, to tip us a $ each time we produce something.

The upshot is regular, Murray Dahm has decided to read some of his old Articles he’s written for Ancient Warfare Magazine, exclusively for patrons of the podcast.

As we had a hole in our schedule, we thought we’d let you guys have a listen to the first one Murray recorded… 'You could be the next Alexander’

2405 The Battle of Bunker Hill - Part 2 Mar 11, 2018

British soldiers in Boston were furious. They were pent up in the city by a bunch of farmers and merchants while their commander seemingly did nothing. April turned to May. The militia forces grew stronger as more companies joined the siege. By now, four colonies were represented at Boston: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

2404 The Battle of Bunker Hill - Part 1 Feb 25, 2018

On June 17, 1775, over one thousand New England militia stood on a hill overlooking Charlestown, Massachusetts and Boston Harbor. Arrayed in front of them in their scarlet and white uniforms, brushed clean for the occasion, were regiments of the British Army. Their goal was to take this hill from the erstwhile colonists-turned-rebels and fortify it, which would prevent the rebels from controlling the harbor. Honor would not allow General Thomas Gage, commander of British Forces in North America and governor of the Colony of Massachusetts, to stand by while farmers and merchants made pitiful displays of defiance. Gage expected these amateur soldiers to flee at the sight of his professional army. Instead, to the shock of British command, the American colonists stood and fought. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

2403 Caesar Feb 11, 2018

Julius Caesar waged campaigns of strategic boldness and tactical prudence. He fused himself into both head of state and military commander and in the chaos of the late republic, where it became nearly impossible to distinguish war as politics by other means, Caesar waged both war and politics. In his success was sown the seeds of his demise and that of the republic he served. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

2402 Mikhail Petrovic Devyataev Jan 28, 2018

Mikhail Petrovic Devyataev was the 13th child of a Moldovian blacksmith who provided one of the most extraordinary stories of World War 2. The Soviet pilot, captured by the Germans in July 1944, made an incredible escape from Usedom, an island on the Baltic coast, where Hitler's V rockets were being made to return home, eventually becoming a Hero of the Soviet Union. Dur: 13mins File: .mp3

2401 Fort Necessity and the Battle of Jumonville Glen Jan 15, 2018

In the year 1754, twenty two year old George Washington was on a mission from the Governor of Virginia to enforce the colony's land claim on the area of western Pennsylvania. The French forces had just built Fort Duquesne (modern day Pittsburgh) as a means to solidify their claim to the land. At this time both England and France had started to develop the area. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

Darkest Hour Dec 10, 2017

Something a little different for you with this episode, we were offered the opportunity to speak to Anthony McCarten the scriptwriter of the new film about Winston Churchill in 1940, ‘Darkest Hour’.

2309 Samurai - Part 2 Nov 26, 2017

One of the key issues with the Japanese conscript army was that it had primarily been established to counter an invasion from the continent. As such it had been modelled along the same lines as the enemy forces that the Japanese had assumed they would have to confront. While this army may have initially been quite professional, its potential as a fighting force had dwindled over time. This was in part due to the fact that it saw little or no action, thus very few men amongst its ranks had any actual battlefield experience. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

2308 Samurai - Part 1 Nov 12, 2017

The term samurai is a word that is almost universally recognized around the world. This is somewhat unusual for a historically based word, particularly for one that traces its origins back to a culture as unique as 10th century Japan. The image conjured by the term samurai for most people is that of a fierce, sword wielding warrior, and while somewhat cliché, is not entirely incorrect. And yet for a historical word and group that is so widely known, very few people really know anything else about these famed warrior figures of Japan's feudal past. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

2307 The Battle of the Medak Pocket 1993 Oct 30, 2017

The battle of the Medak Pocket in the autumn of 1993 was, up to that point, the biggest military engagement participated in by Canadian soldiers since the Korean War. Though it was an almost day-long battle against Croatian forces bent on ethnic cleansing it was covered up by the Canadian government and still remains one of the least known episodes in Canadian military history. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2306 The Battle of Worringen - Part 2 Oct 15, 2017

The Limburg War of Succession began in 1283, and ended with the Battle of Worringen on June 5, 1288, fought fifteen kilometers north of Cologne. On this day, Duke Jean Ier of Brabant fought Count Henry VI of Luxembourg for the rights to the Duchy of Limburg. The specifics of the battle come to us from a single source—Jan van Heelu's epic verse, Rymkronyk. A member of the Teutonic Order, he witnessed the battle while serving in the duke of Brabant's court. His written account demonstrates not only his knowledge of knightly conduct, but also battlefield tactics, as well as the underlying political and social tensions of the time. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

2305 The Battle of Worringen - Part 1 Oct 01, 2017

The Limburg War of Succession began in 1283, and ended with the Battle of Worringen on June 5, 1288, fought fifteen kilometers north of Cologne. On this day, Duke Jean I of Brabant fought Count Henry VI of Luxembourg for the rights to the Duchy of Limburg. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

2304 Operation Frankton, The Cockleshell Heroes Sep 17, 2017

Operation Frankton, which took place from 7th to 12th December 1942, had the intention of sending a handful of Royal Marines paddling 70 miles up the River Gironde during the hours of darkness with the goal of laying limpet mines on enemy shipping to disrupt German operations out of the port of Bordeaux. Dur: 14mins File: .mp3

2303 WW1 Artillery Sep 03, 2017

It's easy to take for granted how artillery was used in the First World War. Artillery acquired a target, usually out of direct line of sight and fired. But if the target is out of sight how did they know it was there? How did they know if the shell had landed in the correct location? So much of the technology we are now familiar with telephones, airplanes and even consistent manufacturing quality at the turn of the twentieth century was still in its infancy. Indeed when it came to artillery even its use came into question, was it to destroy or neutralise the enemy? In this episode we'll explore British artillery in World War 1. Dur: 21 mins File: .mp3

2302 Achtung Panzer Aug 20, 2017

This week we re-run a classic episode from Season 2 (due to a scheduling error and not having a script quite ready!). We didn't want to put out anything rushed, so we hope you enjoy this re-run of one of episodes from the archives. Dur: 13mins File: .mp3

2301 The Battle of Bushy Run Aug 06, 2017

Fort Duquesne, a French outpost fort in present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was strategically placed where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers merge into the Ohio River. The Ohio then flows into the Mississippi River producing an important waterway linking Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

2210 Burma 44-45 Jun 04, 2017

On December 14, 1944 an unusual order rang across the Imphal plain: "Lieutenant Generals, by the left flank; march." So ended the investiture ceremony in which William Slim and his three corps commanders - Geoffrey Scoones, Philip Christison and Montague Stopford - had been knighted by the Viceroy of India Archibald Wavell. The laurels were well earned. In the 1943-44 campaign season Slim's 14th Army had crushed the Japanese invasion of India, inflicting massive casualties and seizing several bridgeheads on the Chindwin River. Their reward was mixed. The commanders were knighted, and ordered to drive the Japanese from Burma. Dur: 30mins File: .mp3

2209 The Bayonet May 21, 2017

When we consider the bayonet (off the rifle), its history is the history of all direct combat warfare. In modern times, if you are in personal combat where your last device is your bayonet, it means a lot of things have gone wrong for you to be in that situation. Do you have what it takes to survive? The next two minutes will tell. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

2208 Why should we learn about Medieval Warfare? May 07, 2017

Many of you will be aware we have other military history podcasts, Angus's WW2 Podcats and the Ancient Warfare Podcast. Well we have a new one for you: Medieval Warfare hosted the Peter Konieczny. For those who have not already had a listen here is the first episode where Peter discusses why we should study Medieval Warfare. Dur: 40mins File: .mp3

2207 Pamwe Chete! Part II - The Nyadzonya Raid Apr 23, 2017

In the early hours of the 9th of August, 1976, 84 Selous Scouts disguised as local soldiers crept across the Mozambique border into a terrorist training camp on the Nyadzonya River. In the few hours that followed, four Selous Scouts were lightly wounded, however, over 1,000 ZANLA recruits lay dead and twice as many were estimated as wounded. This raid was to go down in history as a textbook example of Special Forces employment in asymmetric warfare, showing how small teams of highly motivated and highly trained troops could inflict vastly disproportionate results. The Rhodesian military named the assignment Operation Eland, taking its name from the large African game antelope. It would however be remembered in history by another name; the Nyadzonya Raid. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

2206 Bloody Antietam Apr 09, 2017

The Battle of Antietam Creek as it was known to the Union, or the Battle of Sharpsburg as it was known to the Confederate States, was fought on the 17th of September 1862 and became the most costly one-day battle of the American Civil War. The battle claimed nearly 23,000 casualties including 6 generals, and in a protracted 4 year civil war would go on to cost over 600,000 lives. While the official death toll for the battle stands at nearly 4,000, in actual fact, the true death toll is closer to 9,000 as many men who were marked down as wounded on the field of battle would later die in hospitals, some even months after the battle. Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

2205 Resistance in the Netherlands Mar 26, 2017

Germany invaded Poland on September 1st 1939, and England, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on Germany on September 3rd. The Netherlands, which had remained neutral in World War One, continued its policy of neutrality, along with Denmark and Norway. Belgium also decided to remain neutral - unlike the others it had been invaded by Germany in World War One. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

2204 War Words Mar 13, 2017

There seems to be a whole plethora of reasons about how and why 'chat' has been associated in modern times with having a casual conversation with others. The term "Having a chat" is most commonly associated militarily with the first world war trenches and soldiers using lulls in the fighting to get together and de-louse each other while having casual conversations. Chat is often ascribed to the Hindi word for a parasite, 'chatt' (with 2 Ts), but is more possibly from an earlier medieval English word for idle gossip, "chateren". There are certainly references to it in 13th century english literature. But certainly Soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars referred to lice as 'chats'. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

2203 The Battle of Borodino Feb 26, 2017

The fighting on the 7th of September 1812 would be the bloodiest day of the Napoleonic war. The French victory would open the road to Moscow, but the failure to finally smash the Russian's in the field would ultimately prove fatal for Napoleon's Grand Armee. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2202 Clausewitz and Friction Feb 12, 2017

We’ve something different for you in this episode. I’m sure many of you are aware Angus does a number of podcasts other this one with Nick, one being Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy. Whilst putting the latest episode together he had a chat with military historian Murray Dahm about Friction. They chatted for 40 min on the topic but only needed 4min for the WSS podcast.

We thought you guys might like to hear the conversation it in full. So what you have here is the unabridged version of Murray and Angus talking Clausewitz and Friction… If you don't like this format for the podcast, don't worry normal service will resume in the next episode.

2201 The Battles of Imphal and Kohima Jan 29, 2017

The Second World War came to Burma in December, 1941. In quick succession, the American Pacific fleet was devastated at Pearl Harbor, the American Far Eastern air forces destroyed in the Philippines. Hong Kong was threatened and Siam (Thailand) concluded a peace treaty with Tokyo. Burma was exposed. By May, 1942, it would be occupied from China in the north to Rangoon in the south. With amazing speed and minimal forces, Tokyo had cut the Burma Road supplying the Nationalist Chinese, set forces on the threshold of a restive India and added the Burmese oil fields to Japan's Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

Ben-Hur Dec 11, 2016

We’ve always promised ourselves we would record some extra podcasts. As we’ve caught with the magazine release we thought it was time for such an episode… So we decided to look at the Chariot Race in Ben-Hur.

Angus, Josho, Murray, Marc and Mark were joined by David Reinke who ,with Graham Sumner, writes the film articles for Ancient Warfare Magazine… It proved to be a marathon recording, and we were terrible at staying on topic of the Chariot race… I hope you enjoy us wandering round the subject...

2111 Financing War Nov 27, 2016

Essentially there are 3 main ways in which finances can be raised with which to use for war: Taxation, raising debt, or simply printing and creating new money. The Romans (among others of course) took a taxation route. It was from around 100 BCE that Roman Legions divided into 10 cohorts of around 400-500 men each. That's 4,000 to 5,000 men in a Legion. Let's assume it was the upper 5,000 figure as there were also some legions with 5,500 men, so we'll average at 5000. In 167 BCE there were 8 of these legions, but by 50 BCE this had almost doubled to 15 - a total of around 75,000 men... Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

2110 The Battle of Hattin Nov 13, 2016

In 1187 Saladin at the head of a huge army crossed the river Jordan. Laying siege to the fortress at Tiberias, inside was the wife of Raymond of Tripoli. Until recently Raymond had been at odds with the new Crusader King Guy of Lusignan. The Crusader army numbered an impressive 20,000, though this was not as large as Saladin's. What it lacked in quantity it made up for however, in quality with heavily armoured knights, horsemen, foot soldiers and crossbow men. When word reached Guy that the siege was underway he decided to relieve the fortress with all haste, taking the shortest route possible straight across the hot arid plains with minimal baggage... The Crusaders had taken Saladin's bate. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

Wars at the edge of empires Nov 07, 2016

"Once people began to live in settled villages, they started to identify themselves not just based on their language and culture, but also on where they lived. Farmers became, to a lesser or larger extent, tied to the soil. As villages grew into cities and cities became the centres of larger city-states, kingdoms, and even empires, it became ever more important to define territories in a visible way, and to defend them whenever necessary."

We're discussing Ancient Warfare Magazine volume X, issue Wars at the edge of empires.

If you've enjoyed the podcast over the years why not show your support and help us improve the podcast by becoming a Patron of the show via Patreon.

2109 12th Armoured Division - The 'Hellcats' at Herrlisheim Oct 30, 2016

The 12th Armoured Division set off from New York for the European theatre of war on September 20th 1944. They would spend November and December surging across northern France encountering the enemy in Alsace and at the Maginot Line, liberating parts of France as they went. They were one of only two US Armoured Divisions to have african american combat companies integrated into the division. They adopted the nickname "Hellcats" symbolising their toughness and readiness for combat. They would meet their toughest opposition against German Forces at Herrlisheim - part of Hitler’s Operation North wind. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

2108 WW2_Auxilliary_Cruiser_Kormoran Oct 16, 2016

On the 3rd of December 1940 the German Auxiliary Cruiser Kormoran slipped out of Gotenhafen. She was the largest of the new wave of Merchant Raiders, which had proved so successful in the first world war. Captained by Theodor Detmers, at just 38 he was the youngest of the Auxiliary cruiser captains. In his own opinion too young. Officially he didn't even hold high enough rank to captain such a ship. But over the next year they successfully sank 11 enemy merchantman and sparred with the Destroyer HMAS Sydney, a David and Goliath encounter... An encounter in which they triumphed. Dur: 24 mins File: .mp3

A Flocking Nightmare Oct 03, 2016

In the latest podcast we focus on terrain, or more specifically terrain boards and mats. Which is better? What do people prefer? With expert comment provided by Mel "the terrain tutor", Eric Lauterbach from the WWPD Network and from Cigar Box Battle Mats Cory Ring and Chris Ward.

As usual Guy, Jasper and Angus are joined by the berserkers from Brixham, Rossco and Paul.

Don't forget if you have any comments or suggestions you can email editor@wssmagazine.com, or go to Facebook or look us up and leave a message on Skype at WSS Podcast.

Show Notes

Frostgrave Escape from Colditz EBob Miniatures Mel "The Terrain Tutor" WWPD.net Cigar Box Battle Mats Terra Tiles, from Rainn Studios Project 217 Eagle Rampant, WSS 80

2107 The Hanseatic League Oct 02, 2016

Around the 12th Century, German regionalism was very strong with the northern lowlands having their own distinct languages of Saxon and Frisian. Efforts by Imperial central government to unify provincial and legal frameworks, while attempting to impose Middle High German as the official language, failed.

The importance of towns within this regionalism, they were the focus and strength of the local communities with the power to effect terms of trade, rights, position.

It was therefore a fertile period for the emergence of urban leagues, and in 1241 the first formal alliance between Lubeck and Hamburg was strengthened when they agreed to jointly protect trade routes on sea and land. This was the first formation of what would become the Hanseatic League. This league would expand, fight, defend, trade and negotiate across the next 400 years until Europe no longer needed it. But its legacy can still be seen and found today. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

2106 The Siege of Khartoum and the Death of Gordon Sep 18, 2016

Northern Sudan had always been under the control of the Ottoman administered Egypt, though from the early part of the 19th century the now almost autonomous Egypt extended her rule South. Muhammad Ali, the self declared Khedive of Egypt, garrisoned troops throughout the region at outposts such as Khartoum. Soon the busy garrison town was a thriving settlement, the focal point for trade (including slave trade). Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

Rome vs Poisonous Pontus Sep 05, 2016

In this episode we’re looking at Volume 10, issue 3: Rome vs Poisonous Pontus: The Mithridatic Wars, 88BC - 63 BC

Don’t forget if you missed the issue you can pick up your copy from ancient-warfare.com. Better still why not subscribe! That way you’ll be fully versed in the subject before you listen to the podcast! I’m joined by stalwarts of the podcast Josho Bouwers, Murray Dahm, Mark MaCaffery and Marc de Santis.

2105 Eugene of Savoy Sep 04, 2016

Eugene - Who's full french title was Francois-Eugene, prince de Savoie-Carignan was born in Paris in 1663. His Italian mother, Olympia Mancini, was niece to Cardinal Mazarin the Chief Minister of the French King (or in his case Kings as he served both Bourbon monarchs Louis XIII and Louis XIV). His father was the Italian-French nobleman Eugene Maurice, Count of Soissons. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3�

2104 The Battle of Franklin Aug 21, 2016

As night fell on July 4, 1863, the fate of the Confederate States of America had been sealed. General Robert E. Lee's second attempt to invade the Union had been turned back at Gettysburg with heavy and irreplaceable losses. In the west the city of Vicksburg surrendered to Ulysses Grant, severing the Eastern and Western portions of the Confederacy and denying the Confederates use of the Mississippi River. The Confederacy would fight the remainder of the war on the defensive, with steadily dwindling resources. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

Design to Table Aug 17, 2016

In our second podcast we decided to look at the little men we craft into soldiers and how they are produced.

Angus chats with Leon Pengilly from Pendraken who produce 10mm led miniatures and carry possibly one of the most extensive ranges to game almost every period, and Julian Blakeney-Edwards from Victrix who produce 28mm hard plastic figures.

Regular columnists Rossco and Paul discuss lead vs plastic, and Ancient Warfare Magazine regular Murray Dahm looks at double envelopment and how we can attempt it at the gaming table.

You can find the podcast on Facebook.com/WSSMagazine.

2103 The Cataphract Aug 07, 2016

Throughout history there have been many versions of armoured cavalrymen. In the west we might typically think back to the medieval Knight. Dig down a little deeper and we find that its precursor was the Frankish panzerotti from the 8th 9th and 10th century, however long before this with its Origins in Iran was the cataphract. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

2102 The Cushing Brothers - Part 2 Jul 24, 2016

Three brothers born in the 1830s in the Wisconsin Territory left a remarkable legacy of bravery, loyalty and determination through their service to the Union during the American Civil War. William, Alonzo and Howard Cushing each fought in separate theaters of that war and their combined service represents a remarkable mosaic of the Union soldier's experience. In the words of biographer Jamie Malinowski, "The Cushing brothers had an astonishing ability to show up at the Civil War's most important moments." Dur: 36mins File: .mp3

Wars in Hellenistic Egypt Jul 17, 2016

In this episode we look at Ancient Warfare Magazine Vol X, issue 2 "Wars in Hellenistic Egypt: Kingdom of the Ptolemies".

We have a big group of guests with usuals Josho, Murray, Mark and Lindsay, also joining us is Marc de Santis and Seán Hußmann.

2101 The Cushing Brothers - Part 1 Jul 10, 2016

Three brothers born in the 1830s in the Wisconsin Territory left a remarkable legacy of bravery, loyalty and determination through their service to the Union during the American Civil War. William, Alonzo and Howard Cushing each fought in separate theaters of that war and their combined service represents a remarkable mosaic of the Union soldier's experience. In the words of biographer Jamie Malinowski, "The Cushing brothers had an astonishing ability to show up at the Civil War's most important moments." Due: 27mins File: .mp3

The Archidamian War Jun 17, 2016

In this episode Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Murray Dahm, Mark McCaffery, Owen Rees and Roel Konijnendijk.

We’re looking at Ancient Warfare Magazine Volume X issue 1, Conflict between Sparta and Athens: The Archidamian War. Don’t forget if you want to send in any questions for the team you can find us on Facebook either The History Network or Ancient Warfare Magazine.

Why we game Jun 13, 2016

In this pilot episode of the podcast Guy Bowers (editor WSS Magazine), Jasper Oorthuys (managing director at Karwansaray Publishers) and Angus Wallace (some guy who makes podcasts) investigate why people play wargames and where does the hobby come from.

You can find the podcast on Facebook.com/WSSMagazine.

The Aftermath of Battle May 13, 2016

A long and lively discussion of Ancient Warfare Magazine IX.6 "The Aftermath of Battle".

"When we think about warfare in the ancient world, the first thing that probably pops into mind are images of men, clad in armour, fighting each other. Battle usually draws a lot of attention, and there have been many heated discussions about the nature and mechanics of combat. By comparison, there is often less interest in what happens after battle has been decided and the dust has settled. But the aftermath of conflict is no less interesting than the fight itself, as this issue of Ancient Warfare magazine will demonstrate."

Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Cezary Kucewicz.

2010 The Torpedo May 08, 2016

To many of us the the idea of a torpedo is that of a sweaty submarine, the commander peering through his periscope and announcing "fire", and the torpedo whizzes through the water leaving a discernible foamy trail. The single hit is devastating. Whilst this has many elements of truth the Torpedo has a much longer history than the World War Two films we grew up with... Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

2009 The Aleutian Islands Campaign Apr 25, 2016

The Aleutian Islands Campaign is often referred to as the Forgotten Battle due to history concentrating more on battles like that of Midway and Guadalcanal, yet this important campaign to take back U.S. soil, witnessed the first American amphibious assault in the North Pacific as well as one of the first Japanese banzai attacks of the war, and was fiercely fought by both sides. After the Japanese first took their Aleutian Island targets it would take over a year and a force some 20 times as strong before the US retook the land back from the Japanese. Dur: 20 mins File: .mp3

2008 The Battle of Naseby and the New Model Army Apr 11, 2016

At the Outbreak of English Civil War it was convention that the aristocracy would lead the troops, this was irrespective of ability or experience. As the war went on it became clear to the parliamentarians that a conflict of interest both for power, and the unwillingness to drive home a Royalist defeat, meant that another solution should be sought. The result was the New Model Army, at Naseby it would show its mettle. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

Warriors of the Hellenistic Age Mar 29, 2016

In this episode we’ll be looking at Ancient Warfare Magazine volume 9, issue 5 “At the point of a Sarissa: Warriors of the Hellenistic age”

To discuss the topic Angus is joined by Josho Browuers, Murray Dahm and Marc de Santis.

2007 The Lovat Scouts Mar 27, 2016

Despite being well-led, trained, and equipped at the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, the British army was unprepared for the guerilla-style tactics their enemy employed, suffering more than 3000 casualties and several defeats in the first two months of the conflict. On December 12th, as the leadership in London was attempting to formulate a plan to counter the Boer threat, 28-year old reservist Lieutenant Simon Joseph Fraser the 14th Lord Lovat & 22nd chief of the clan Fraser, approached the War Office with a proposal to raise two companies of Scottish Highlanders, one mounted and one infantry, for use as elite units with the express mission of neutralizing the Boer on their own terms. Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

2006 The Schlieffen Plan – A Pistol Cocked at England's Heart Mar 13, 2016

By the first decade of the last century, the two great opposing alliance systems in Europe had formed, or been starched into the fine conformity of Milton, "a staunch and solid piece of framework, as any January could freeze together" (if we overlook the pliable Italians). All had their war plans, but none as famous as Schlieffen's. And by 1914, all plans were for the offensive – any previous defensive ones were discarded in favour of the much more manly and becoming offensive action, or so the thinking went. Dur: 46mins File: .mp3

2005 Pamwe Chete! The Story of the Selous Scouts Feb 28, 2016

"If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles", so said the great Chinese general and strategist Sun Tzu. Though all military tacticians since the dawn of time have tried to predict and understand their enemy, few organisations have succeeded and truly become their enemy. To truly become one's enemy, takes more than putting on a uniform. Empathy with their foundation, a knowledge of their society, traditions and customs are the basics when trying to get inside your enemy's head. In modern military times, when discussing becoming one's enemy, the name of the Selous Scouts easily stands out above all others. Dur: 20 mins File: .mp3

2004 Vlad Dracula, Prince of Wallachia: part 2 Feb 14, 2016

In the last episode we heard of Dracula's rise to power in Wallachia and how in 1459 he refused to pay tribute to the Ottoman's. His failure to do so forced Sultan Mehmed II to raise a huge army to march on Wallachia. Dracula had prepared Wallachia for such a fight. Not only did he order the construction or repair of border castles, and hire mercenaries for the army, but he also prepared his people for war. He moved his official residence south to the strong citadel of Bucharest to be closer to the border. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

The First Punic War Feb 12, 2016

"The First Punic War (264 to 241 BC ) was the longest uninterrupted war in antiquity and the beginning of a series of military conflicts between Carthage and Rome. During the struggle, these ancient powers fought for the control of Sicily, a strategic point in the central Mediterranean. In the end, Rome was victorious and Carthage lost Sicily."

In this episode we look at Volume 9, issue 4 “The First Punic War”.

To discuss the topic Angus is joined by Josho Browuers, Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Marc De Santis.

2003 Vlad Dracula, Prince of Wallachia - Part 1 Jan 31, 2016

In December 1476, two monks from the monastery of Snagov, about forty kilometers north of Bucharest, stumbled upon a bloody, mangled, headless corpse. Recognizing the clothing, the monks secretly interred the body in the monastery's crypt. The head, meanwhile, made its way to Constantinople where it was put on display. The body belonged to the newly returned prince, Vlad, who was at the time known as 'the Impaler', but history knows him by a different name - Dracula. Dur: 39mins File: .mp3

2002 Commerce Raiders: WW1 Jan 17, 2016

The threat to Britain's supply lines during the second world war is a story of U-Boat Wolf Packs, preying on the merchant shipping as they brought vital goods to Britain across the Atlantic. But in other seas and oceans there was another threat, much akin to latter-day day pirates, at sea for months at a time in converted cargo ships. With their guns hidden, masquerading as other merchantmen they would sail remote sea lanes sinking or capturing lone shipping. Only nine German merchant raiders put to sea, yet they sank 130 Allied or neutral ships… The origins of these raiders goes back to the First World War... Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

2001 The Battle of Ilipa Jan 03, 2016

The Second Punic War was already in its twelfth year with neither side in a strong enough position to claim supremacy. The Roman general Scipio had been campaigning successfully in the contested province of Spain for over three years but now the Carthaginians had gathered a huge army and marched out to destroy him. Significantly outnumbered, yet eager to draw his enemies into a decisive battle, Scipio accepted the challenge and in the spring of 206 BC the two armies met near the small town of Ilipa in southern Spain. The outcome of the Battle of Ilipa would not only determine control of the wealthy and strategically vital Iberian peninsula, but ultimately decide which city would become master of the whole Mediterranean world; Rome or her arch rival – Carthage. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

The Hittites and their Successors Dec 20, 2015

Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Murray Dahm, Mark McCaffery, Steven Weingartner and Sean Manning.

They discuss Ancient Warfare Magazine volume IX, issue 3 "The Hittites and their Successors".

"Anatolia juts out from Asia and forms an important gateway to Europe. Essentially a large peninsula, it borders Syria in the south, Mesopotamia in the east, and the Aegean in the west. Over the course of time, it has been the home of a remarkable number of different peoples, speaking a great variety of different languages. In the second millennium BC , a powerful kingdom arose whose leaders rubbed shoulders with mighty rulers from other parts of the Near East: the kingdom of the Hittites." More

SPECIAL - The Lancaster Bomber Nov 15, 2015

During the hiatus between seasons we thought you might be running a bit short of military history? So we thought we'd put out this episode from Angus's new WW2 Podcast (sorry if you already subscribe and have heard it).

The WW2 podcast is a regular podcast looking at all aspects of the Second World War. You can subscribe on iTunes, for more information have a look at WW2Podcast.com.

In this episode, from August, Angus talked to Andrew Panton.

Andrew is the pilot of "Just Jane", a Lancaster based in Lincolnshire. You can find out more at lincsaviation.co.uk

The ascendancy of Thebes Nov 13, 2015

In this episode Angus is joined Josho Browers, Murray Dahm, Mark MacCaffery, Owen Rees and Roel Konijnendijk.

We look at Ancient Warfare Magazine IX.2 The ascendancy of Thebes.

"The women of Sparta screamed at the sight of the flames that raged just across from the bridge over the Eurotas. Their men were in a panic, rushing to prepare and defend the unwalled city. Fighting had broken out in the nearby village of Amyclae. Lacedaemonians were falling to the earth, dead. The soil of Sparta had been invaded for the first time in centuries. The mightiest warriors of Greece were at the mercy of a new order in the Hellenic world. Thebes had finally ascended to its place of power and control. All it needed to do was learn from the mistakes that Sparta had made."

1911 Pike and Shot Nov 01, 2015

During the 15th Century Swiss Pikemen dominated the battlefield. Fighting as mercenaries these well drilled, professional soldiers, would provide the backbone to many European armies. The Spanish introduction of the Arquebusiers into their armies would prove to be their achilles heel to pike units and ushered in the era of "Pike and Shot". Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

1910 War by Timetable: The Train Oct 18, 2015

By the outbreak of the first world war the railways had become key to any military deployment. Troops could be rapidly moved en masse with all their equipment. The early hotch-potch of railway lines had become politicised as governments saw their use for both offensive and defensive reasons. It's not unfair to say in certain situations the laying of a new lines was done more for military reasons than economic. The importance of the train and its crucial role in the build of troops for the first world war is emphasised in AJP Taylor's statement that the First World War was "war by timetable". Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

1909 The Colt Single Action Army Oct 04, 2015

As peace descended on Europe in 1945, The Colt Manufacturing company had no intention of reinvigorating production of a weapon, who's design it now considered to be obselete - after all it had first become the standard United States Army revolver over 70 years prior - However, the post World war two years saw the burgeoning of television, and with that came Western themed movies, which in turn created customer demand for the revolver, and so Colt resumed its manufacture in 1956 with the Second Generation of Peacemakers. Even then, this would not be the last generation of the famous firearm. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

The end of empire: the fall of Rome Oct 02, 2015

In this episode of the Ancient Warfare Magazine podcast Angus, Josho, Lindsay and Mark discuss volume 9, issue 1 "The end of empire: the fall of Rome"

"On 4 September AD 476, the Western Roman Empire came to an end. No great battle was fought, no great foreign invasion force marched upon the capital, nor was there an iconic enemy in the shape of a second Hannibal who annihilated Rome’s armies and broke down the emperor’s gates. Odoacer of the Germanic Sciri tribe and military commander in Rome’s employ, simply marched into the city of Ravenna after being proclaimed king by his troops, and dethroned the last Roman Emperor in the West."

1908 Phocion’s Sword: Prussian Militarism, and Navalism Sep 20, 2015

When Alexander the Great requested ships from an unwilling Athens, the Senate asked the incorruptible Phocion for his opinion. He responded that "you should either have the sharpest sword, or keep upon good terms with those who have". In the Pact of London, signed on 5th September 1914, Britain, France and Russia agreed that none would make a separate peace with the Central Powers, deliberately making each indentured to the others: Even if one country achieved its aims, it had to remain in the fight until the other two succeeded in theirs. This must be considered at least a little odd given that their aims were very disparate, sometimes even opposed. The following April Italy signed this secret pact, having been promised far more extensive territorial gains by the Entente than by her former allies. Dur: 36mins File: .mp3

1907 Helmet Sep 06, 2015

Armour was not just protection for the wearer it was a status symbol, however impractical and uncomfortable, it was a sign of power and authority. From the 18th century its popularity waned, as that of gunpowder weapons rose. What was left in use was more symbolic than practical protection. The last vestige was the helmet, often retained by the Heavy Cavalry in the 19th Century. That was until the outbreak of the first world war where it once more found use protecting Tommy Atkins, the American Doughboys, the French Poilu or the German infantryman. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

1906 Protecting Hitler Aug 23, 2015

By 1936, the SS under Himmler was in charge of all police forces in Germany and with that came the duty to protect Hitler at all times. Yet apart from his personal escort Hitler preferred not to have local police or military involved. He believed that remaining inconspicuous, apart from appearances at official ceremonies, was an integral part of his safety. For that reason Hitler's transport, be it automobile, aeroplane or train, were kept free of extensive insignia and other identifying factors. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

1905 Contant Peg Aug 09, 2015

Starting officially in 1977, the U.S. Air Force implemented one of its most secretive, ambitious, and successful intelligence programs in its history, an amazing story that is still relatively unknown to this day. Through the ten-year life of its program, USAF personnel were able to acquire close to thirty Soviet MiG fighter, fighter-bomber, and interceptor aircraft for use in both evaluation and training of American and NATO fighter pilots. Although closely associated with many other U.S. intelligence-gathering programs, Constant Peg stands alone for both the depth and breadth of understanding it was able to achieve, that is, Soviet aircraft technology and tactics during the Cold War. Dur: 39mins File: .mp3

The Roman Conquest of Greece Jul 31, 2015

In this episode Angus is joined by regulars Josho, Murray, Lindsay, Mark and with special guest Owen Rees. Its a lively discussion looking at Ancient Warfare Magazine volume, VIII issue 6 "The Roman conquest of Greece"

"From the northern rivers and plains of Macedon to the southern heart of the peninsula – amongst whose ragged mountains and plateaux nestled the venerable poleis of old Greece – countless kingdoms, city-states, leagues, and tribes struggled by turns for supremacy and survival in a flux of ever-changing alliances. Into this world, already ancient before their arrival, crashed the youthful republic of Rome that, although relatively unknown at the outset, eventually came to dominate a region once so fiercely independent."

1904 The Gay Apocalypse: The July Crisis, and Remoter Causes of the First World War Jul 26, 2015

The 'July Crisis' refers to that month in 1914 when the various capitals in Europe played a continental game of brinkmanship, following the assassination on 28th June of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in Sarajevo. Franz Ferdinand was a nephew of the Emperor Franz Josef, and heir to the Habsburg throne. He was originally fourth in line, but those ahead of him all died or were killed between 1867 and 1896. Culpability for this assassination rests with the Serbian armed and trained Ujedinjenje ili smrt! [Union or death!], more familiar to us as The Black Hand. Dur: 54mins File: .mp3

1903 The Battle of Le Hamel Jul 12, 2015

By July 1918 the Australian Imperial Force or "AIF" was hardened by four bloody years of war – from the beaches and ravines of Gallipoli, to Fromelles, the Somme, Bullecourt, Messines, Passchendaele and Villers–Bretonneux - of the more than 295,000 Australians who served on the Western Front in the AIF - 46,000 would lose their lives and a further 132,000 would be wounded. Dur: 38mins File: .mp3

1902 Englandspiel Jun 28, 2015

The Abwehr, the German intelligence service during the second world war was not known for its resounding successes. But in Nazi occupied Netherlands its Operation North Pole, or "the England Game" was a resounding success. Captured resistance agents tried to warn their British handlers, but to no avail. Agents were repeatedly inserted, captured and executed. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

1901 The War in the Air on the Western Front - 1914-1918 Jun 13, 2015

In August 1914 the airplane was seen as an interesting toy by the High commands of all the powers. The British Royal Flying Corps took five squadrons to France, consisting of some 60 planes of different varieties. The pilots being generally rich sportsmen, who had learned to fly in their own aircraft before the war. The planes were fragile, slow and very expensive an airplane cost over £1,000, at a time when the average weekly wage was £2 for a labourer – so close to 10 years’ pay! Dur: 35mins File: .mp3

The Jewish-Roman wars Jun 12, 2015

In this episode Angus is joined by Josh Brouwers, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Joseph Hall. We look at Ancient Warfare Magazine volume VIII, issue 5 "Rebellion against the Empire: The Jewish-Roman wars"

"It is well known that in the opening statement of his Jewish War, Flavius Josephus imitates the fifth-century BC Athenian Thucydides when he says that “the war of the Jews against the Romans is not only the greatest of the wars of our own time, but so far as accounts have reached us, nearly of all whichever broke out between cities or nations”."

The Seleucid Empire at War May 08, 2015

In this episode Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Mark McCaffery and Marc DeSantis.

We look at Ancient Warfare Magazine volume 8, issue 4 "The ancient world's fragile giant: the Seleucid Empire at war".

"Seleucus, who eventually acquired the epithet ‘Nicator’ was not a prime candidate to succeed to the largest share of Alexander the Great’s empire when the king died in Babylon in 323 BC. He certainly held some rank in Alexander’s chain of command, but he was not a member of the inner circle, and a host of men had greater claim to rule. As things turned out, this was a good thing for Seleucus, as an early start in the age of the successors usually meant an early end."

1810 The Dardanelles Apr 19, 2015

From the time of Homer a small strait of water from the aegean to the black sea has proved both a strategic crossing point and a symbolic one, being the divide between Europe and Asia. It has provided a line from which invasions have started, and a channel when blocked that prevents access to the wider world from the Black sea. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

1809 Flower Wars and Hungry Gods - Warfare of the Aztecs Apr 05, 2015

"The battlefield is the place: where one toasts the divine liquor in war, Where are stained red the divine eagles, Where the tigers howl, Where all kinds of precious stones rain from ornaments, Where wave headdresses rich with fine plumes, Where princes are smashed to bits." The poet of these verses, the Aztec emperor Nezahualcoyotl, captures the spirit and pageantry of Aztec warfare. The empire known to us as the Aztecs was an alliance of city-states in the Valley of Mexico. From 1428 to 1521, the Aztecs ruled and terrorized Mesoamerica. The Mexica, once a scorned, nomadic people, ultimately became the dominant power in this alliance. “Aztec” – a name these people did not use – derives from Atzlan, the semi-legendary homeland of the Mexica. Dur: 36mins File: .mp3

1808 Parcels From Home Mar 22, 2015

After World War Two, former New Zealand prisoner of war Gunner Jim Henderson wrote "We used to say after the war the Red Cross should take over the world and run it. They'd shown what they could do in a world mad with war." Most people know about the Red Cross: during the War of Italian Unification between imperial Austria and the Franco-Sardinian alliance, Swiss businessman Henri Dunant visited the northern Italian battlefield of Solferino in 1859. Deeply affected by the 40,000 mostly unattended casualties on the battlefield, Dunant wrote A Memory of Solferino, founded the relief society that became the Red Cross and was the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901. Dur: 36mins File: .mp3

Swift as the wind across the plains: Horsemen of the Steppes Mar 20, 2015

In this episode we look at Ancient Warfare Magazine VIII.3 "Swift as the wind across the plains". Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Owen Rees.

"Cimmerians. Sarmatians. Scythians. Horsemen of the steppes. They emerged from the fog of prehistory around the eighth century BC. Semi-nomadic, they dominated the Pontic Steppes for a millennium. Over centuries, pressure from one steppe people against another kicked off great migratory patterns. The mobile, agile and ferocious horsemen became a scourge upon their more civilized neighbours to the south. Other migrations took them west into Central and Western Europe and east as far as Mongolia."

1807 Gas Warfare in WW1 Mar 08, 2015

Gas was one of the most feared weapons of world war one. Proportionally though, there were few casualties from gas throughout the war. The British kept accurate figures from 1916, of those casualties only 3% were fatal and 70% would be back on the front line in weeks. Gas was the "bogeyman", it was not a bullet to be dodged or something you could hide from. Initially protection was rudimentary from a cotton pad covered in urine to a chemically infused bag to place over your head with plastic eye slits. Dur: 25mins File:.mp3

1806 The Siege of Yorktown Feb 22, 2015

On October 17, 1781, four years to the day when British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army to American forces at Saratoga, New York, Lord Charles Cornwallis requested terms of surrender from General George Washington. Two days later, the British marched between lines of French and American soldiers to the tune of "The World Turn'd Upside Down." Upon hearing the news, British Prime Minister Lord North, "reeled, threw out his arms, exclaiming wildly, as he paced up and down…'Oh, God! It's all over!'" Dur: 44mins File: .mp3

War, trade and adventure: struggles of the Ionian Greeks Feb 13, 2015

In this episode we look at Ancient Warfare Magazine VIII.2 "War, trade and adventure: struggles of the Ionian Greeks". Angus is joined by Josho Brouwers, Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Cezary Kucewicz.

"The ancient Greeks originally divided themselves into four major tribes, namely the Dorians, Aeolians, Achaeans, and Ionians. Each of these tribes also spoke a distinct dialect (Doric, Aeolic, Ionic), apart from the Achaeans, who used a form of Doric. The Athenians believed themselves to be the original Ionians and spoke a variant dialect called Attic. The focus of this issue is on the Ionian Greeks. Outside of Attica, Ionians lived on the island of Euboea, on the Cyclades, and in colonies settled in the central part of the west coast of Asia Minor, as well as on the islands off its coast, such as Chios and Samos."

1805 Marcus Agrippa Feb 08, 2015

In elegant bronze capitals, the name 'M. AGRIPPA' graces one of the most famous and iconic buildings to survive from antiquity, the domed Pantheon in Rome. He was one of Ancient Rome's most remarkable sons, and the best friend and general of Caesar Augustus. Yet the extraordinary story of his rise from obscurity to be the second most important man in the Roman World is known to remarkably few. Dur: 37mins File: .mp3

1804 Operation Foxley: The Assassination of Hitler Jan 25, 2015

On the 23rd July 1998, the Public Records Office published a number of files, that had previously been held in secret, in respect of activities planned and undertaken by the Special Operations Executive, or SOE, in Western Europe during the Second World War. Dur: 24mins File: .mp3

Deserters, defectors, traitors Jan 23, 2015

Angus Wallace (from the History Network) is joined by Josho Brouwers, Lindsay Powell, Mark McCaffery and Murray Dahm to look at Ancient Warfare Magazine Volume 8, Issue 1. Deserters, defectors, traitors: Betrayal in the ancient world.

"The ancient world had its fair share of brave and courageous men, who stayed the course despite profound adversity or who seemed to laugh in the face of death. However, our sources also include accounts of people who – out of fear, for personal gain, or some combination of these and other factors – decided to betray their friends, their country, or their principles."

1803 Napoleonic Cavalry Jan 11, 2015

The musket might have revolutionised the battlefield, allowing relatively unskilled levees to become truly dominant. But up until the machine guns of the first world war stopped the cavalry in their tracks, the mounted horseman had a vital role to play in any conflict. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

1802 The Battle of Ramilles Dec 28, 2014

Marlborough, following his victory at Blenheim in August of 1704, attempted to exploit the situation even further by campaigning in the Moselle Valley. Due to the lack of political will of his Dutch Allies together with a shortage of supplies and the autumn rains fast approaching, Marlborough ordered his forces into winter quarters. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

1801 Caen, 1944 Dec 14, 2014

The bombing of and the battle for Caen was just part of the overall bombing of and battle for normandy. The bombing of Normandy devastated and flattened many Normandy towns and cities and resulted in thousands of ‘friendly civilian cadualties’. U.S. General Omar Bradley remarked after the war that "We went into France almost totally untrained in air-ground cooperation." Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

1710 Hobart's Funnies - Funnies Nov 07, 2014

In March of 1943 the 79th Armoured Division was due to be disbanded. A manpower shortage called for the bulk of the force to be redeployed, to make up shortfalls in other units. But the disastrous raid on Dieppe the previous year had proved that any invasion of mainland Europe would need to be supported by Armour, and this would need to be modified for an amphibious assault. So it was that Alan Brooke (Chief of the Imperial General Staff), had his "happy brainwave" and asked Major General Percy Hobart if he would oversee the conversion of the unit to a Specialised armoured unit, concentrating on developing vehicles that could overcome the German Defences. The strange vehicles that were developed and operated became known as "Hobart’s Funnies". Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

The Reluctant Warlord; The wars of Marcus Aurelius Oct 31, 2014

Angus Wallace (from the History Network) is joined by Josho, Lindsay and Mark McCaffery to look at Ancient Warfare Magazine Volume 7, Issue 6. The Reluctant Warlord: The Wars of Marcus Aurelius.

"With Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Empire was for the first time ruled by two emperors, both adoptive sons of the late Emperor Antoninus Pius (r. AD 138–161). Marcus had selected his nine-year-younger adoptive brother Lucius Verus to be his co-emperor. The two individuals could not have been more different in character. While the ascetic Marcus, whose main interest was philosophy, had been taught to “avoid the ways of the rich” (Meditations 1.3.), critics declaimed against Lucius’ luxurious lifestyle and his habits."

1709 Hobart's Funnies - Hobart Oct 24, 2014

D-Day the invasion of Europe was to take place at low tide, this minimised the risk of landing craft hitting mines and other submerged obstacles. But this created problems for the troops being landed. It was going to be a long dash over a sandy beach which may have been mined, supporting vehicles could quickly become bogged down in the soft sand then once over the beach the man-made defences had to be breached. To achieve this the 79th Armoured Division was formed, commanded by the maverick, Major General Percy Hobart, he oversaw the development of a number of unusually modified tanks to overcome problems the invaders would face, these would become known as “Hobart’s Funnies”. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

1708 Napoleonic Infantry Tactics Oct 11, 2014

Column, Line or Square is a very simplistic way to view Napoleonic era tactics. Troops were either deployed in Column to march, Line to fight or in the case of the infantry Square to defend against Cavalry. Sounds simple. But these were tactics drawn up and codified to allow for a new era, where large numbers of troops were deployed. Sometimes they were conscripts, sometimes poorly trained and in the case of the infantry using muskets with limited range and poor accuracy. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

1707 The Battle of Arras, 1917 Sep 27, 2014

The Battle of Arras was in fact a series of Battles in April/May 1917, including Vimy Ridge, which has gone down in history as being an allied victory, but which in reality saw little gain in terms of allied advance and huge casualty figures on both sides after its 39 day duration. In fact such was the attrition rate that for the allies it surpassed The Somme in terms of daily casualty toll. Include the German casualties and an average of some seven and a half thousand casualties a day occurred throughout. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

1706 The Taiping Rebellion Sep 12, 2014

The clang of gongs hung in the heavy air of an August day, 1860. Waving their yellow flags, the rebels in their red turbans and colourful garb marched closer and closer to Shanghai – until artillery erupted from the city walls and sent them scurrying for cover. Yet the rebels would not fire back. At last they withdrew, scratching their heads that the British and French troops were killing them, not greeting them as Christian brothers. For these rebels had been baptized and had no quarrel with the foreigners of Shanghai. And their enemy was the same Chinese government that Anglo-French forces on that same day battled in the north. Dur: 33mins File: .mp3

1705 Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban Aug 31, 2014

In looking back through history, it is kings, queens, politicians and generals who steal the limelight. Those people who actually "do" the bidding are often much less well known. How many people are familiar with Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, Marshal of France? The foremost military engineer of his day, he was renowned not only for building fortifications but for developing the art of siege craft. Dur: 15mins File: .mp3

1704 The Battle of Blenheim Aug 17, 2014

It had been largely accepted that "Charles the Sufferer", the feeble and sickly King of Spain, would die without an heir. The nearest claimants to the Spanish Crown were the king's cousins; the Bourbon King of France, Louis XIV, and the Austrian Habsburg Leopold I, the Holy Roman Emperor. Married to Charles's Sisters, both had a strong claim. With the succession storm brewing Europe's monarchs entered into agreements in order to place themselves in favorable positions at the moment of Charles's death. Some aligning themselves with the house of Bourbon, others with that of Habsburg. Dur: 23 mins File: .mp3

1703 The Origins of the First World War Aug 01, 2014

There is no single factor to blame for the outbreak of the First World War. At best we can say that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, was the catalyst setting in motion a string of events that resulted in war. For decades tensions had been mounting between the European powers. It was these tensions that lead to a complex web of alliances, which would eventually drag the great powers into war. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

March of the Ten Thousand Jul 25, 2014

Josho, Murray and Lindsay are joined by Roel Konijnendijk to discuss Ancient Warfare issue VII.5

"The march of the Ten Thousand is one of the best documented campaigns in Greek military history, thanks to the detailed narrative of Xenophon. He was a young Athenian expatriate who eventually rose to a senior position of command among the Hellenic survivors of Cyrus’ mercenary army."

For more information Ancient Warfare Magazine visit ancient-warfare.com

1702 The Battles of Saratoga Jul 20, 2014

On October 17, 1777, British General John Burgoyne surrendered his army to American forces under the command of General Horatio Gates, marking the end of an ambitious campaign to isolate the rebellious New England colonies from the rest with a three pincer movement all leading to Albany, New York. There were two battles at Saratoga. The first, the Battle of Freeman's Farm, took place on September 19 and the second, the Battle of Bemis Heights, took place on October 7. One patriot, Henry Sewall, wrote "Perhaps an unprecedented Instance that near 6,000 British & foreign Troops, under the command of an accomplish’d General, should surrender themselves Prisoners of War in the field to an Army of raw Continental Troops & Militia!" Dur: 43mins File: .mp3

1701 The Abwehr: German Military Intelligence Jul 06, 2014

The Versailles treaty, imposed after the First World War denied Germany a Military Intelligence gathering organisation. But in 1921 the German Government reactivated the intelligence service. As a sop to Versailles the new counter intelligence service would be called the Abwehr, or "Defence". Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

Logistics And The Army Train Jun 13, 2014

Josho once more hosts this episode joined by Murray, Michael and Lindsay.

"Looking at ancient warfare through the lens of a logistician and discussing the army train provides a unique way of understanding combat operations. It is often said that amateurs discuss tactics and professionals discuss logistics. No combat operation would happen without the support of supplies, equipment, men, animals, and materiel to sustain those operations"

For more on this issue of the magazine visit ancient-warfare.com

Conquerors of Italy - the Early roman republic May 16, 2014

With Jasper away Josho is joined by regulars Lindsay Powell, Murray Dahm and guest Mark McCaffery.

"The rise of Early Republican Rome, from leading city in Latium to imperial power dominating peninsular Italy, seems inexorable. The Romans' aggression, competitive nature and habit of annual campaigning -- for land, slaves, booty and glory -- are often cited as the stimuli for conquest."

1610 Operation Compass Apr 26, 2014

The Dessert War or Western Desert Campaign was one of the two major stages of the North Africa Campaign of WW2. The Western Desert was crucial to the allied forces being able to continue their fight against the Germans following allied defeats and losses in Greece and Crete. It was imperative that the Western Desert remained in the control of allied forces. The first Major Allied Operation of the Western Desert Campaign was codenamed Operation Compass. Dur: 14mins File: .mp3

1609 Lettow-Vorbeck Apr 13, 2014

To commemorate our 6 millionth download this week, we've gone back in the archives and edited a two-parter from season 10 together on Lettow-Vorbeck. Enjoy!... The lasting image of the First World War is that of trench warfare. However, far away from the trenches of the Western Front an extraordinary struggle was fought in a remote corner of Africa. When Germany went to war in August 1914 it possessed but few colonial possessions mainly situated in Africa. Dur: 52mins File: .mp3

1608 The Battle of Adowa Apr 02, 2014

The Battle of Adowa stands out during the scramble for Africa of the 19th century. It was was that rare event of a native African army defeating a well equipped, modern European force. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

1607 Antiochus The Great Mar 16, 2014

Few ancient states could match the scope and power of the Seleucid Empire. Founded in the late 4th century BC by Seleucus Nikator, a former officer of Alexander the Great, the Seleucid Empire at its peak included the modern states of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. The expanse of Seleucid rule bridged worlds, encompassing Buddhists and Jews, Greeks and Persians, walled cities and nomadic tribes. The Seleucid king might deal with an embassy from an Indian dynasty one day and a delegation of Roman senators the next. Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

1606 Ranald Mackenzie Part 2 Mar 05, 2014

Following the Civil War, Mackenzie reverted to the rank of Captain and rejoined the Corps of Engineers in New Hampshire, improving fortifications along the Atlantic coast. However, after spending the last two years in a combat command, engineering no longer held his interest. He wished to return to the field and advance his career. In early 1867, Mackenzie headed to Washington to petition General Grant to send him west. Dur: 42mins File: .mp3

1605 Russian Life Line: The Arctic Convoys Feb 16, 2014

For a year Britain and her Commonwealth stood alone against Germany, in June 1941 Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, invading Russia. Churchill was desperate for allies, and Stalin had been openly hostile to Capitalist Britain but now as the Wehrmacht romped across Russia that summer Stalin's attitude changed. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3

1604 K-278 Komsomolets Feb 02, 2014

May 8, 1945 marked the end of the War in Europe while August 15 marked the same in the Pacific theatre. With the defeated nations being occupied and made into new allies, an entirely different conflict for the world was now beginning. The Cold War had begun. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

Struggle for Control: Wars In Ancient Sicily Jan 31, 2014

Jasper, Josho, Murray and Lindsay discuss Ancient Warfare Magazine VII.2 Struggle for Control: Wars in Ancient Sicily

"Created by the gods and land of the giants, Sicily was a wealthy but deadly prize that dangled in front of many ancient powers. The unfortunate island would be subjected to a seemingly endless series of wars fought by people from all over the ancient Mediterranean. For centuries, the Greeks and Carthaginians would bludgeon each other to the point of exhaustion over a desire to dominate the island. Heeding the siren’s call, the power of Athens would be dashed against Sicily’s rocks. Like a lover forced to choose between two suitors, Sicily would choose Rome over Carthage and thus accelerate the demise of the latter." More

1603 Omdurman Jan 18, 2014

"Ye Sons of Great Britain! come join with me And sing in praise of the gallant British Armie, That behaved right manfully in the Soudan, At the great battle of Omdurman". So go the opening lines of The Battle of Omdurman by William McGonagall. It was indeed a great battle where the British and Egyptian forces were heavily outnumbered by the Dervishes of the Mahdist leader Abdullah al-Taashi. It involved a gallant British cavalry charge in which Winston Churchill took part, and it was a battle with which the discipline of a modern army won over a vastly larger force with older weapons. As the French historian and writer Hilaire Belloc put it: "Whatever happens, we have got... The Maxim gun, and they have not". Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

1602 Ranald Slidell Mackenzie - Part 1 The Civil War Jan 05, 2014

On January 20, 1889, the following death notice appeared in the New York Times: "MACKENZIE—At New Brighton, Staten Island, on the 19th of January, Brig. Gen. Ranald Slidell Mackenzie, United States Army, in the 48th year of his age." Such a death notice, lacking much detail into his life and career, could be expected if the officer was a minor figure of the late 19th century army, having played little or no role in the Civil War or the more recent Indian Wars. However, this notice is not fitting for an officer who graduated at the top of his class at West Point in 1862 and in three short years, rose to the rank of brevet major general. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

1601 Violence and "Red Rubber" in the Belgian Congo Dec 22, 2013

In 1909, famed mystery writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published The Crime of the Congo, an exhaustive book cataloguing the evils of Congo Free State. On the first page, Doyle included unsettling photographs of African women with severed hands, cut off in the course of forced labor or punitive acts. Doyle's ruthless critique of King Leopold II was published in the context of mounting international criticism against Belgian colonialism, which resulted in the annexation of the territory in 1908. Dur: 29mins File: .mp3

Warriors of the Nile: Conflict in ancient Egypt Dec 13, 2013

Jasper, Josho, Murray and Lindsay are joined by Egyptologist Arianna Sacco to discuss Ancient Warfare Magazine VII.1 Warriors of the Nile, Conflict in ancient Egypt.

"One of the earliest civilizations in the world, the culture of ancient Egypt blossomed along the banks of the River Nile. Around 3000 BC, the country was already a unified kingdom ruled by a single king. Its powerful rulers built impressive monuments in the form of the famous pyramids during the so-called Old and Middle Kingdoms, many of which still endure to this day. Egyptian civilization would reach even greater heights during the New Kingdom (1549–1069 BC), when its warrior-kings ventured more boldly beyond the safety of their own borders to forge an actual empire." more

Dur: 38min

Attack of the Celts: Confronting the Classical World Nov 08, 2013

Jasper, Josho, Michael and Lindsay discuss the meaty topic of the Celts in the classical world (issue VI 6).

"In 106 BC, a Roman army captured the Gallic stronghold of Tolosa and appropriated a vast treasure hoard. It was soon claimed that they had recaptured the spoils that a band of marauding Gauls had originally looted from the Greek sanctuary at Delphi in 279 BC. The claim, while dubious at best, nonetheless illustrates the ancient tendency to lump Celtic peoples together, treating separate raids by distinct peoples as part of a single menace. In the ancient retelling, both Rome and Greece were sacked by a chieftain named Brennus (albeit in different centuries), a neat onomastic coincidence that is likely too good to be true." More

1510 Horses in the Wehrmacht Oct 31, 2013

The legend of the triumphal German Panzer Divisions sweeping all before them during the Blitzkrieg across Europe in 1939-40 gives the impression of a modern mechanized force, but what we rarely hear about is that behind this spearhead was the bulk of the infantry who relied upon its use of horses. So dependant upon the lowly horse were they that at its height the Wehrmacht used over 1.1 million of them! Dur: 20mins File: .mp3

1509 Germanicus Caesar: Rome's Most Popular General Oct 12, 2013

Germanicus Caesar is a famous name in the annals of Roman military history yet his life story is known to remarkably few. It is a Boy's Own tale of adventure, courage and derring-do, but it is also the chronicle of the man who was intended to be the third emperor of Rome, but never was. Dur: 41mins File: .mp3

1508 German Auxiliary Officers and Their Critiques of The American Revolution Sep 28, 2013

We have all seen it - on coins, stamps, postcards, t-shirts, billboards, and classroom walls. In 1851 Emanuel Gottlieb Luetze painted "Washington Crossing the Delaware", an iconic image of the General's attack on Trenton during a bitter December night in 1776. Lost in all of the painting's fame, however, is the irony that the German-born artist was glamorizing the defeat of German auxiliary forces as the turning point in the American Revolution. Dur: 46mins File: .mp3

1507 Kamikaze: The Mongol Invasion of Japan Sep 09, 2013

Kublai Khan, the Grandson of Genghis Khan, became emperor of Mongolia in 1260. Northern China was already under his control and Korea gave him access to the sea, with Japan just 100 miles away. Five times, between 1266 and 1274, Kublai Khan sent emissaries to the Emperor of Japan, addressing him as "the ruler of a small country", demanding he pay tribute and become a vassal state. Five times the emissaries returned empty-handed. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

1506 The Battle of Gettysburg Aug 25, 2013

Turning points are sometimes controversial but it is generally accepted that the Battle of Gettysburg was the major turning point of the American Civil War. It marked the high point of Confederate arms in that it was their last venture into the north and the furthest they reached. After Gettysburg the South was essentially permanently on the defensive and never regained the capability of significant offensive action against the North. Dur: 27mins File: .mp3

1505 Kalashnikov Aug 12, 2013

With only 8 moving parts, the AK-47 assault rifle is simple to maintain and its simplicity of use and durability are legendary. It can fire 600 rounds a minute and every single bullet is potentially still lethal at distances of more than a kilometre or two-thirds of a mile. 70+ Million have been produced (over 100 million if you count its variants). Its initial design was submitted as a competition entry after the Soviet Army asked for designs for a reliable weapon capable of withstanding all that the then Russian front could throw at a weapon. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

Bringing Order to Chaos: The Armies of Diocletian Aug 02, 2013

Jasper, Josho and Michael are joined by Jason Klazmer to look at the the armies of Diocletian (Ancient Warfare Magazine VI-5)

"When Emperor Alexander Severus was assassinated in AD 235, the Roman Empire fell into an abyss that it would only crawl out of after almost fifty years. Roman armies clashed in struggles for the throne, with generals proclaimed emperor by their troops and then meeting violent ends a few months later – often at the hands of those same troops. Besides this internal power struggle, the Empire was also plagued by attacks from without."

Dur: 40min 49sec

1504 The Battle of Isandhlwana Jul 28, 2013

The origins of the Zulu War of 1879 can be traced to the first decade of the 19th century. It was then, that a rather minor clan of the Bantu people begun to grow into a formidable military force united under a single warrior chief. Zulu were always united in their ways by kinship. Dur: 28mins File: .mp3

1503 The Higgins Boat Jul 12, 2013

Contrary to the 2010 film version of Robin Hood there was no medieval landing craft version of the "Saving Private Ryan" ilk. Before the Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (the LCVP), boats needed to be beached and their occupants jump over the side into water. Vital time was lost. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

1502 The Battle of Plassey Jun 22, 2013

From early in 1754 the Seven Year war started to bubble into full scale global conflict. In North America French and British colonists clashed over trade and disputed territory. In May 1756 the first naval action took place at Minorca in the Mediterranean where the British were forced to withdraw, opening up hostilities in Europe. In India the French and British East India Companies vied for influence over the region in a series for proxy conflicts as each would support local rulers against one another. At Plassey Robert Clive won a victory that would help secure the close relationship between Britain and India for the next 200 years. Dur: 16mins File: .mp3

1501 Stuxnet Jun 09, 2013

The history of Cyber-warfare can be traced back to the advent of the telegraph communications in the first half of the 19th century. During the First World War the importance of codes and wired communications came of age with such famed episodes as the intercepting by the British Intelligence of the Zimmerman Telegram dispatched by the Foreign Secretary of the German Empire, Arthur Zimmermann, to the German ambassador in Mexico, Heinrich von Eckardt. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

The Campaigns of Pyrrhus of Epirus May 24, 2013

In this our first video / audio recording Jasper, Michael, Lindsay and Josho look at Pyrrhus.

Pyrrhus was the second cousin to Alexander the Great, and at only two years he began his career as a penniless exile after his father was dethroned. Pyrrhus would rise to become King of Epirus, King of Macedon and King of Sicily...

1410 The Battle of Mirbat Apr 29, 2013

In the early morning of 18th July 1972 nine British SAS soldiers stationed at a fort outside the coastal town of Mirbat in Southern Oman saw approaching in the distance what they believed to be the local troops returning from night watch. That was until they opened fire - they were in fact up to 300 Adoo Communist rebels...For six hours the SAS and a handful of local soldiers held out. Dur: 17mins File: .mp3

1409 British Commandos - Operation Biting 1942 Apr 15, 2013

In David Thomas's The importance of Commando Operations in Modern Warfare 1939-82 he states: "Commando operations in the sense of self-contained acts of war mounted by forces operating within enemy territory are as old as warfare itself. However, before the second world war, the types of missions that later would become known as 'commando operations', were regarded in western military thought as belonging to the separate phenomenon of irregular warfare, that is, to partisan and guerrilla activity. Therefore, the several [British Commando] forces which came into existence between 1940 and 1942 owed their formation not to British army strategy and doctrine, nor to any far-reaching conception of commando warfare, but to the fertile imagination of Prime Minister Churchill and a number of gifted officers." Dur: 32mins File: .mp3

1408 Harry Smith: India Mar 30, 2013

By 1840 Harry Smith was a veteran soldier of the British Empire, he had joined the Army in 1805 and had seen active service in South America, the Peninsular Campaign where under the Duke of Wellington, he witnessed the burning of the Capitol in Washington, was a Brigade Major at Waterloo and in South Africa had commanded a division in the Xhosa wars before being appointed Governor of the Province of Queen Adelaide. Dur: 37mins File: .mp3

1407 Lend Lease Mar 16, 2013

By mid 1940 of the European powers and Britain and her Empire stood alone against Germany. The situation looked dire. Though the miracle of Dunkirk had managed to save thousands of British troops much of their equipment had been lost, Britain needed to replace this and her own industry was not up to providing in numbers the goods required. Though the United States was officially neutral it would supply goods on a "cash and carry" basis, and millions of pounds was flowing out of Britain to the US, in the form of gold, to pay for vital war materiel. But this could not go on, Britain had only so many assets it could liquidate. Dur: 18mins File: .mp3

1406 Khalkhin Gol Mar 02, 2013

When Neville Chamberlain delivered his speech on September 3rd 1939 to declare that Britain was at War with Germany, western focus was fixed on that and the hearts and minds of Britain's population braced themselves for another World War as did the hearts and minds of much of Europe. Many events would shape the outcome of World War II, but one set of battles even before it began - some three months earlier, The Battle of Khalkhin Gol between Russia and the Japanese on the Mongolian Border - might have played their own big part in the eventual outcome of the second world war. Dur: 23mins File: .mp3

1405 The Cannonade of Valmy Feb 16, 2013

Of the Battle of Valmy, military historian J.F.C Fuller, wrote, "The Cannonade of Valmy was more than a military event; it drew a line between the form war had taken since 1648 and the form it was to assume after 1792." The events leading up to the Battle of Valmy are a good representation of such changes in political and military situations in both Revolutionary France, and the rest of Europe at that time. Dur: 26mins File: .mp3

Cavalry in the Ancient World Feb 08, 2013

True cavalry with men mounted on horse back started to appear from the 9th century BC, as chariots were slowly replaced. Imposing they were used in shock charges, their rapid movement made them ideal for reconnoissance, screening an army and for chasing down the enemy. Though despite there usefulness they only remained a small part of a Mediterranean army, comprising of perhaps only some 10% of the total numbers. In the late Roman empire period cavalry drawn from Northern Europe became more prevalent.

The expense of the horse and equipment often made it the province of aristocrats, creating at times divisions in social and political status between that of the infantry and cavalry.

In this episode Jasper, Josho, Murray, Lindsay and Michael consider questions of the tactical roll of the cavalry, the logistics of providing for the cavalry and their weapons and equipment, and the social status of the cavalry and use of "Barbarians".

Dur: 50min

1404 Mata Hari Feb 03, 2013

Mata Hari is one of the "best known" spies of World War One. While she may not have been a "saint" by any stretch of the imagination - it is said that she "drew every man's lustful admiration and every woman's envy" - there's plenty of speculation as to whether she was really guilty of the espionage for which she was accused and for which she paid the ultimate price...execution by firing squad on 15th October 1917. Dur: 22mins File: .mp3

1403 Scorched Earth Jan 19, 2013

The military performance of an army is not just dependant on numbers:- the men need to be fed, equipped, quartered, transported (the list goes on). If you can deprive your opponent of these elements you can degrade his fighting ability. The policy of Scorched Earth denies your opponent of anything useful in the area they are passing through (either in attack or retreat), this can include burning of crops, ripping up rail lines or destroying buildings anything of any use is destroyed. Dur: 22 mins File: .mp3

The Dacian Wars of Domitian and Trajan Jan 18, 2013

The Dacians lived in modern day Romania, they had long been a threat along the borders of the Roman Empire. In 101AD Trajan launched the first of two campaigns against Dacia, eventually it would become a Roman province. Though poorly documented the conflict is celebrated on Trajans column in the centre of Rome, providing a spiralling view of the campaign, and at Adamclisi (in modern day Romania) which depicts brutal fighting between Roman Legionaries and Dacian warriors.

Jasper, Josho, Michael and Lindsay discuss how these actions fit in with other actions along Romans frontiers, a look at arms and armour, the lack of sources when looking at the campaign and we take a look at Trajan himself.

Dur: 37min

1402 The Battle of Carrhae Jan 06, 2013

In 53 B.C. a Roman army confronted a force one quarter its strength yet suffered Rome's bloodiest defeat in more than a hundred years. The Battle of Carrhae pitted 40,000 Roman soldiers against an army of a mere 10,000 of the Parthian Empire on the sands of Mesopotamia. The humiliating loss rippled through Rome and crumbled the fragile foundation of the Republic; from this rubble rose the Roman Empire. And the disaster of Carrhae, and the folly leading to it, would write a bloody epitaph of the Roman commander, Marcus Licinius Crassus. Dur: 32mins File: .mp3

1401 The Battle of Poltava Dec 23, 2012

The origins of the Great Northern War can be traced back to the Swedish involvement in the Thirty Years War and later in the the First Northern War of 1655-60 between Sweden and Poland. Outcomes of these conflicts made the Baltic Sweden's "internal sea". This antagonised Sweden's neighbours. Russian interests were greatly affected as the access to the Baltic Sea and its trade routes were now under threat from the Swedish Navy. Dur: 19mins File: .mp3

SPECIAL Tony Iveson DFC Nov 16, 2012

Tony Iveson learnt to fly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Flying the famous Spitfire throughout the Battle of Britain he survived a ditching in the sea after he ran out of fuel chasing a Junkers JU88.

After a spell as an instructor at the training school in Rhodesia he converted to bombers, flying that other great plane of the war the Avro Lancaster.

Joining 617 Squadron "the Dam Busters, as a flight Lieutenant, he took part in some 27 missions, including the sinking of the German pocket battleship the Tirpitz, and in the process winning the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After the war Tony became the Chairman of the Bomber Command Association and at the age of 89, the oldest man to fly a Lancaster Bomber.

This presentation was recorded at Northallerton Wartime Weekend where Tony Iveson gave two talks covering the Bomber Offensive and the Tirpitz Raid.

To find details about the two talks please visit our website www.thehistorynetwork.org

Greek warfare in the Archaic age Oct 19, 2012

Jasper and the team are joined by Josho Brouwers to discus warfare in archaic Greece. After Michael's summary of the period we go on to look at the phalanx, how it might function, the equipment the men carried, the suitability of the geography for this type of fighting and what that meant for the numbers of men deployed in the field.

Also touched upon is why the cities fought one another, was it just drunken Greeks tooled up and spoiling for a fight to assert their manliness?

Dur:48min

The Roman Conquest of Spain Jul 13, 2012

Jasper and the team discuss Ancient Warfare I.4, The Roman Conquest of Spain. It took over 200 years for Rome to pacify Spain, why did it take them so long? Did local fragmentation politically make it difficult for an all out victory that was so often achieved in the East? We look at issues of leadership in the Roman army, and recruitment. Was Spain Rome's Vietnam? Dur: 41min

Elite Units of the Hellenistic Era Apr 27, 2012

Jasper, Murray and Lindsay are joined by Michael Park to look at Elite units of the Hellenistic Era, the discussion revolves round what is elite and how do you define elite, which proved more troublesome that one may expect. Dont forget if you want more information on the magazine you can find their website at www.ancient-warfare.com Dur: 51min File: MP3

Securing Seas and Shores: Fleets of the Roman empire Apr 13, 2012

In the usual wide ranging discussion Jasper, Michael, Lindsay and special guest Jesse Obert look at the Roman Navy. Questioning the received view of the fleets being used in anti piracy duties, and were the fleets even standing forces or more of an adhoc thing brought together when needs must?

And the fleets what kind of shipping did they comprise of, and how did they make war?

The Assyrian Army At War Mar 09, 2012

In this episode we look at the Assyrians, 930BC to 630BC, their empire stretched from Egypt to Babylon, it was the first great iron age empire with resources to fund a standing army equipped with iron weapons. They excelled at siege warfare, something very difficult to successfully achieve in the ancient world. We delve into all these aspects plus look at the putting down of internal descent, propaganda, chariots and the use of specialised infantry.

Jasper, Lindsay and Michael are joined by Mark Schwartz.

Dur: 43min

Rome's wars with the Sassanids Feb 10, 2012

The Sassanid Empire would prove to be the last of the Persian middle-eastern empires, and would also be the last great ‘civilised’ rival of Rome. The Great Achaemenid Persian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great, had displaced the Babylonians in the Middle-East. Ultimately, it sprawled from the Mediterranean to northern India. This empire, the largest in the world, had been overthrown by the meteoric career of a western ‘barbarian’ named Alexander of Macedon, but he did not survive to consolidate his conquest and it quickly split up with various parts being ruled by Alexander’s successors, who warred among one another with none succeeding in re-uniting the former Achaemenid Empire.

With Ian Hughes joining the regulars, they discuss the problem of gaps in the historical evidence that have to be negotiated when looking at the period, and the long lasting conflict with Rome.

Dur: 48min

Protect thyself. Shields, helmets and armor. Nov 04, 2011

Jasper, Murray, Mike and Lindsay take a trip down memory lane and revisit Ancient Warfare magazine I.III "Protect thyself. Shields, helmets and armor."

Starting with why we need armour we take a trip through the ancient world covering arms and armour from the Greeks to the late Roman Empire.

Dur: 51min

Swords around the throne: bodyguards of kings and emperors Sep 30, 2011

Jasper, Lindsay, Murray and Mike discuss the use of bodyguards from Alexanders men having to prevent him from getting into harm through to being a symbol of power in Rome, and of course a long look at the Pretorian guard.

Daily Life In The Camp And On Campaign Jul 22, 2011

The team discuss the daily routine of troops in the ancient world when garrisoned. Through examples found at Vindolanda we investigate sickness rates of soldiers, the freedom they had whilst not on duty and what would happen to them if they could no longer serve.

Dur: 40min File: .mp3

SPECIAL - The Great Escape: A Personal Account - Escape Jul 03, 2011

In 1940 18 year old trainee navigator, Frank Stone, was shot down on his second bombing mission.He eventually ended up in Sagan StalagLuft III - the camp made renowned in the classic war movie "The Great Escape". One of the infamous three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, was dug from the hut in which Frank was billeted.For the past thirty years Frank has been sharing his experiences of the camp, explaining how they planned and achieved everything and telling of his own part in the greatest escape story of the Second World War.

This is the forth of four excerpts from a full 87 minute DVD which is available direct from Frank.

For more information on the full DVD please see our website. All proceeds to the Bomber Command Memorial Fund.

SPECIAL - The Great Escape: A Personal Account - Tunnelling Jun 17, 2011

In 1940 18 year old trainee navigator, Frank Stone, was shot down on his second bombing mission.He eventually ended up in Sagan StalagLuft III - the camp made renowned in the classic war movie "The Great Escape". One of the infamous three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, was dug from the hut in which Frank was billeted.For the past thirty years Frank has been sharing his experiences of the camp, explaining how they planned and achieved everything and telling of his own part in the greatest escape story of the Second World War.

This is the third of four excerpts from a full 87 minute DVD which is available direct from Frank.

For more information on the full DVD please see our website. All proceeds to the Bomber Command Memorial Fund.

SPECIAL - The Great Escape: A Personal Account - POW Jun 03, 2011

In 1940 18 year old trainee navigator, Frank Stone, was shot down on his second bombing mission.He eventually ended up in Sagan StalagLuft III - the camp made renowned in the classic war movie "The Great Escape". One of the infamous three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, was dug from the hut in which Frank was billeted.For the past thirty years Frank has been sharing his experiences of the camp, explaining how they planned and achieved everything and telling of his own part in the greatest escape story of the Second World War.

This is the second of four excerpts from a full 87 minute DVD which is available direct from Frank.

For more information on the full DVD please see our website. All proceeds to the Bomber Command Memorial Fund.

SPECIAL – The Great Escape: A Personal Account – Capture May 20, 2011

In 1940 18 year old trainee navigator, Frank Stone, was shot down on his second bombing mission.He eventually ended up in Sagan StalagLuft III - the camp made renowned in the classic war movie "The Great Escape". One of the infamous three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, was dug from the hut in which Frank was billeted.For the past thirty years Frank has been sharing his experiences of the camp, explaining how they planned and achieved everything and telling of his own part in the greatest escape story of the Second World War.

This is the first of four excerpts from a full 87 minute DVD which is available direct from Frank.

For more information on the full DVD please see our website. All proceeds to the Bomber Command Memorial Fund.

Gaius Marius at War May 13, 2011

Gaius Marius is credited with introducing wide ranging reforms which would transform the Roman Army into the professional machine of the Empire. Elected consul and unprecedented seven times, he authorised landless citizens to do military service (something that may have lead to the eventually down fall of the Roman Empire as troops became bound to their Generals to ensure their care), he gave them fixed duration of service and as such established a standing army.

But were all of Marius's reforms his own? What was there impact? And was he the great a leader as we are allowed to believe? In a lively discussion Jasper, Lindsay, Murray and Michael discuss Ancient Warfare magazine V-1, The 'new man' who saved Rome. Gaius Marius at War.

The Campaigns of Gnaeus Julius Agricola Mar 14, 2011

Jasper and team go back to the first Ancient Warfare magazine and discuss the career of Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the issues of the sources such a Tacitus and his use of axillery troops among over things. Gnaeus Julius Agricola was govenor of Britain from 77AD, he was responsible for much of the expansion of Roman terrioty in Britain and sent his army North into Caledonia, modern day scotland. After an unusually length period as governor he returned to Rome in 85AD. Dur: 42min

Royal stalemate - Hellenistic kingdoms at war Feb 27, 2011

Jasper, Murray, Michael and Lindsay discuss a the post Alexander Hellenistic world looking at uniforms (or lack of) and the colours they might be, Ross Cowans article sticks and stones and the use of low tech improvised weapons. Michael elaborates on his piece covering the Amphipolis regulation, disciplinary measures of the Macedonian army. And other issues such as Gigantism that the last issue of the magazine touched upon.

Podtrail 01 - Soho, London (MP3 Version) Jan 24, 2011

Welcome to the Soho Podtrail, brought to you by TheHistoryNetwork.org This is a guided tour of London’s Soho area, it is by no means all there is to see so if you feel the urge to take a diversion just pause your mp3 player and do so. You may also find it fun to print out the pdf of the trail and follow the map as you wander along, the map is available from www.podtrail.com, where you will find other podtrails. If you are listening to this on an ipod you will find that the file has been given chapters, you can move backward or forward through the chapters at will. If say, you only had time for half the trail you could easily find where you left off. In addition if your ipod supports colour pictures, you’ll find some relevant pictures poping up throughout the trail. Dur: 28min File: AAC Website: www.thehistorynetwork.org or www.podtrail.com

Warfare and Religion Dec 24, 2010

Warfare and Religion

Jasper, Lindsay, Murray and Mike tip toe through warfare and religion, a fitting topic for this time of the year!

Merry Christmas!

Darkness descends - The end of the Bronze Age empires Dec 09, 2010

Jasper and the gang with special guest Mark Schwartz discuss the end of the bronze age and the coming of the Sea people raiding in the Mediterranean.

Belisarius & The Byzantine Empires Nov 16, 2010

Belisarius & The Byzantine Empires

Jasper and the team are joined by Ian Huges, author of “Belisarius: The Last Roman General”, to discuss Ancient Warfare issue IV-3, and further explore subjects brought up in the magazine.

Belisarius was one of the greatest Generals of the Eastern Roman Empire, under the Emperor Justinian. He was key to a revival of Roman fortunes.

Dur: 38min

Core of the Legions: The Roman Imperial Centuria Oct 15, 2010

Jasper and the team discuss issues brought up in the Ancient Warfare special for 2010, The Core of the Legions: The Roman Imperial Centuria. Dur: 1hr 04min

Siege Warfare Sep 16, 2010

Jasper and the team discuss issues brought up in Ancient Warfare magazine issue IV-2 around the topic of sieges in the ancient world.

Before Rome Ruled Italy Apr 13, 2010

Before Rome Ruled Italy

A look at the Italian peninsular and the existing peoples before Rome took control. Jasper discusses with Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell and Michael Taylor issues that the magazine brought up. Dur: 45min File: MP3

Battlefield Communications Mar 02, 2010

Before Radios existed, co ordinating the tactical movements of thousands of men on the battlefield would have required a well organised system of transmitting commands. In the ancient world these commands would be transmitted by trumpets and horns and accompanied by visual standards.

Jasper discusses with Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell and Michael Taylor issues that the magazine brought up. Dur:40min

Imperial Nemesis: Rome vs. Parthia Dec 23, 2009

Jasper discusses Rome vs and Parthia with Phillip Lindsay Powell, Murray Dahm and Michael Taylor. Dur:40min File: .mp3

Special - The Falaise Gap Dec 18, 2009

As the allies broke out from the D Day beachhead the Americans moved South into Brittany, while the British and Canadians were held by the Germans at Caen. As the US First Army moved up from the South toward Caen, Field Marshal Günther von Kluge was ordered by Hitler not to withdraw. In early August of 1944 the noose began to tighten, creating a pocket round the town of Falaise encircling the German Seventh and Fifth Panzer Armies. This report is brought to you by Richard C.Hottelet for CBS, broadcast from London in August of 1944. Filmed at Pickering, North Yorkshire, with the Northern WWII Association. Dur:3min 37sec File: .m4v

The Barcids At War Nov 13, 2009

Jasper discusses with Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell and Michael Taylor issues that the magazine brought up. For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com

Classical heroes: The warrior in history and legend Oct 14, 2009

Classical heroes: The warrior in history and legend Jasper discusses with Murray Dahm, Lindsay Powell and Sidney Dean issues that the magazine brought up. For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com Dur:47min

Varus & The Teutoburg Forest Aug 11, 2009

To commemorate the 2000th anniversary of the loss of legions XVII, XVIII (aka XIIX) and XIX somewhere in northern Germany, Ancient Warfare magazine published a special issue. In this episode of the podcast Jasper discusses with Murray Dahm and Lindsay Powell issues that the magazine brought up. File: .mp3 Dur: 1hr

Alexander & The Wars of the Successors Jul 26, 2009

Alexander & The Wars of the Successors Jasper is joined by Michael Taylor, Michael Park, Murray Dahm and Philip Lindsay Powell to discuss Alexander and the wars of his successors. Dur: 42min File: .mp3 For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com

Special - Season 7 Promo Jul 03, 2009

We recently watched the Northern WWII Association in action at Scarborough Castle. We were wondering what to do with the footage so we made up this promo for Season 7 which is due to start 26 July 2009. Dur: 1min File: .m4v

Special - Eisenhowers D Day Address Jun 07, 2009

On the eve of the D Day invasion, in 1944, Dwight D. Eisenhower the Supreme Commander of the allied forces made this address to his troops. I hope you enjoy this short film we out together, hopefully one of many. Dur: 2min File: m4v (its a video!!!)

War as a livelihood - Mercenaries in the Ancient world Mar 04, 2009

War as a livelihood - Mercenaries in the Ancient world Jasper is joined by Michael Taylor, Paul Bardunias and Albert Perez Rubio to discuss Mercenaries in the acient world. Dur: 37min File: .mp3 For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com

Rome In Crisis Jan 22, 2009

Jasper is joined by Christian Koepfer, Glenn Barnett and regular Murray Dahm to discuss the Rome In Crisis, the third age AD. Dur: 30min File: .mp3 For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com

Warfare In The Ancient Near East Dec 25, 2008

Jasper is joined by Mark Schwartz and regular Murray Dahm to discuss the Campaigns of Caesar. Dur: 35min File: .mp3

The Campaigns of Caesar Sep 23, 2008

Jasper is joined by Vicky Kalambakal and regular Murray Dahm to discuss the Campaigns of Caesar. Dur: 36min File: .mp3

The Age of the Trireme Jun 25, 2008

Jasper is joined by Murray Dahm and Paul McDonnell-Staff to discuss the Age of the Trireme. Dur: 40min File: mp3

Victory and Defeat Apr 19, 2008

Jasper is joined by Murray Dahm, Joe Pietrykowski and Paul McDonnell-Staff to dicuss victory and defeat in the ancient world. For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com and comments, questions or suggestions email them to editor@ancient-warfare.com Dur:35min File: .mp3

Pilot - Light Infantry and Auxiliaries Feb 19, 2008

Jasper Oorthuys and the contributers of this issue of Ancient Warfare Magazine discuss the theme of this issue of the Magazine, light infantry and auxiliaries. For more information on the magazine go to www.ancient-warfare.com Dur: 19min File: .mp3

Podtrail 01 - Soho, London Dec 27, 2007

Welcome to the Soho Podtrail, brought to you by TheHistoryNetwork.org This is a guided tour of London’s Soho area, it is by no means all there is to see so if you feel the urge to take a diversion just pause your mp3 player and do so. You may also find it fun to print out the pdf of the trail and follow the map as you wander along, the map is available from www.podtrail.com, where you will find other podtrails. If you are listening to this on an ipod you will find that the file has been given chapters, you can move backward or forward through the chapters at will. If say, you only had time for half the trail you could easily find where you left off. In addition if your ipod supports colour pictures, you’ll find some relevant pictures poping up throughout the trail. Dur: 28min File: AAC Website: www.thehistorynetwork.org or www.podtrail.com

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected