Podcasts by World War II Chronicles

Episode 195: A Better World Emerges from 2020-08-26T16:00:19

General Douglas MacArthur aboard his military ship, the USS Missouri sits down the Japanese in Tokyo Bay as they sign the surrender. He later goes on to give a speech that is based on the idea that...

Episode 194: The End of WWII from 2020-08-19T16:00:07

President Truman put out an announcement that the United States had officially received the unconditional surrender of Japan. As many people throughout the world celebrated that WWII was over, the ...

Episode 193: The Final Doom of Japan from 2020-08-12T16:00:21

By the beginning of August The Big Three had settled on what would happen to Japan if they did not head President Trumans warning and surrender. After the Japanese did not stand down, two atomic bo...

Episode 192: General Douglas MacArthur from 2020-08-05T16:00:16

At this point in time, General Douglas MacArthur was still leading U.S. forces against the Japanese empire. He was successful in his advances and was able to establish territory several miles long ...

Episode 191: The Big Three Conference from 2020-07-29T16:00:20

On the week of July 24th, 1945 Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and President Truman meet along with several other affiliates to discuss political issues. Because all three of these men were see...

Episode 190: The Oil Campaign from 2020-07-22T16:00:11

In mid July, 1945 people in America weren't worried about the usage of fuel because it wasn't affecting them directly. The Deputy Solid Fuel Administrator for War, C.J. Potter wanted people to real...

Episode 189: 10th Army Invasion of Okinawa from 2020-07-15T16:00:03

By mid July, 1945 the U.S. 10th Army began to move quickly in an attempt to take down the last pocket of the Japanese resistance on the Southern part of the Island. The pace and diligence of the U....

Episode 188: The Unveiling of Nazi Germany from 2020-07-08T16:00:13

In Spring of 1945, the detailed horror of what the Nazi's did in Germany and inside the concentration camps was revealed to the public. Before this period many people didn't know the extent of situ...

Episode 187: The Signing of The UN Charter from 2020-07-01T16:00:13

By the end of June, 1945 delegates from all over the world had spent weeks drafting and debating over the finalized version of the United Nation Charter. On June 26th, 1945 the last session and sig...

Episode 186: Honoring Eisenhower from 2020-06-24T16:00:03

After finishing his service as a Supreme Commander in World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower was given many notable awards and was greeted by millions of people who wanted to show their gratitude for h...

Episode 185: The Victory Parade from 2020-06-17T16:00:18

During June of 1945, U.S. forces were still out fighting Japan but many people on the home front were celebrating the victory over Germany. Millions of people gathered in Southern California to wa...

Episode 184: Operation Pluto from 2020-06-10T16:00:17

Operation Pluto was an abbreviation for "Pipeline Under-water Transport of Oil. The pipe which laid under the English Channel was constructed by British engineers to be used as an asset during Worl...

Episode 183: Storming the Beach of Okinawa from 2020-06-03T16:00:09

By the end of May and the beginning of June, 1945 thousands of U.S. soldiers were dead and injured in the battle against Japan. In a final effort to take down the Japanese resistance the U.S. Army ...

Episode 182: The Bombing of the USS Franklin from 2020-05-27T16:00:17

By the 27th of May, 1945 the U.S. air craft carrier USS Franklin had been struggling for almost a week to stay afloat after being hit on the 19th by a Japanese dive bomber. The bomb left the ship i...

Episode 181: Kamikaze Warfare from 2020-05-20T16:00:09

While the war in Europe had ended in May of 1945, many American soldier were still out fighting the Japanese at the Battle of Okinawa. At this stage in the battle the Japanese Kamikaze warfare tact...

Episode 180: The San Francisco Conference from 2020-05-13T16:00:03

By the third week in May forty six delegates from around the world were gathered at the San Francisco Conference trying to draw up the United Nations Charter to preserve peace. The nations that wer...

Episode 179: Victory in Europe from 2020-05-06T16:00:03

By May of 1945 America and its allied forces had finally won the war in Europe. On may 7th it became official when the German delegation signed the unconditional surrender of all German forces. The...

Episode 178: Final Push to Berlin from 2020-04-29T16:00:11

On the last weeks of April, 1945 American forces had reached the Elbe River which lied only miles outside of Berlin. Alongside the river Americans ran into the Soviets Red Army who proceeded into t...

Episode 177: Harry S. Truman Becomes President from 2020-04-22T16:00:03

On April 12th, 1945 Harry S. Truman took the oath of office only hours after President Franklin D. Roosevelt's death. The week following President Truman gave a speech in which he stated that he p...

Episode 176: The Death of Franklin D. Roosevelt from 2020-04-15T16:00:12

On the second week of April 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt died from a hemorrhagic stroke. President Roosevelt was only several weeks into his fourth term when his physical health took a tur...

Episode 175: The Ruhr Pocket from 2020-04-08T16:00:18

By April 8th, 1945 U.S. and allied forces were still battling to take down Nazi Germany. On the Western front U.S. soldiers had 300,000 Nazi's trapped in a geographical pocket in Ruhr Germany. Afte...

Episode 174: The Battle of Okinawa from 2020-04-01T16:00:10

By April of 1945 the United States had thousands of troops prepared to fight in what would become the largest naval assault in the Pacific War. On the 1st of the month troops landed on the island o...

Episode 173: Allied Forces Breach the Heart of Germany from 2020-03-25T16:00:02

In the final stretch to get the entire German resistance to leave the edge of the Rhine river U.S. and British soldiers team up. Together with forces coming at the Germans by air attack and by wate...

Episode 172: The Grand Slam Weakens Germany from 2020-03-18T16:00:14

March of 1945 aircrafts bombings had become a staple weapon of the war. On the week of March 15th aircrafts carriers were given permission to drop the largest bomb ever created in the war to take o...

Episode 171: The Battle of Remagen from 2020-03-11T16:00:15

By March 11th, 1945 the U.S. soldiers had discovered that the only bridge the Nazi's had failed to demolish was the Ludendorff Bridge leading to the town of Remagen. In a race to get to the Germans...

Episode 170: German Forces Retreat Across the Rhine from 2020-03-04T17:00:15

By March of 1945 the U.S., Canadian, and British forces had done serious damage to the Nazi army. With barely any line of defense left the Nazi's began to retreat across the Rhine. As they crossed ...

Episode 169: The Recapturing of Philippine Islands from 2020-02-26T17:00:06

By 1945 the U.S. had been fighting Japanese forces for almost three years over the Philippine Island of Luzon and Corregidor, located in Manila Bay. Both islands were the last allies the U.S. had i...

Episode 168: The Battle of Iwo Jima Begins from 2020-02-19T17:00:10

On February 19th, of 1945 U.S. Marines made an amphibious landing on the island of Iwo Jima to continue their fight against the Japanese. Although they were well prepared for battle the beach terra...

Episode 167: The Yalta Conference from 2020-02-12T17:00:08

The Yalta Conference was a meeting where government leaders from the allied nations of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union met up to discuss how Germany and Europe should be...

Episode 166: American POWs Rescued from 2020-02-05T17:00:19

This week American soldiers along with other allied men who were prisons of war in the Philippines are liberated by U.S. Rangers.

Episode 165: Russia Advances from 2020-01-29T17:00:07

Russias Red Army makes colossal gains on the Eastern front. Hitler and his Nazi Army face many defeats as they seem unprepared for the strength and fast pace progression of Stalins Red Army.

Episode 164: FDR Inaugurated for 4th Term from 2020-01-22T17:00:10

President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Thomas E. Dewey went neck and neck during the presidential campaign. President Roosevelt came out on top and was sworn into his fourth term as Commander and Chief.

Episode 163: The Battle of Luzon from 2020-01-17T21:04:10

The battle of Luzon was another fight in the Philippines led by General MacArthur. The battle was land based as the Japanese moved inland to use a defensive tactic. General MacArthur went on to win...

Episode 162: Attack on Formosa and Ryukyu Islands from 2020-01-17T20:56:19

U.S. forces attacked the islands of Formosa and Ryukyu in their ongoing efforts to take down the Japanese resistance. Two U.S. carrier planes targeted the two bases on the islands that guarded the ...

Episode 161: The End of The Battle of The Bulge from 2020-01-17T20:19:35

The Battle of The Bugle was Hitlers final offense on the Western front against the allies. After many days of fighting the allies won the battle and could make their way through too Berlin.

Episode 160: The Battle for Budapest from 2020-01-17T20:17:45

The Battle for Budapest was a fight by the Soviets Red Army and Romanian army against Hungarian and German forces for the Hungarian Capital of Budapest. The battle lasted more than a month.

Episode 159: German Offensive to Recapture Antwerp from 2020-01-17T20:13:16

In hopes of recapturing the port of Antwerp and splitting the British and U.S. forces, Germany compiled several divisions to move in on the port in the West.

Episode 158: US Forces Invade Island of Leyte from 2020-01-17T20:10:16

General Douglas MacArthur along with thousands of his soldiers landed on the Philippine island of Leyte to begin another invasion. The U.S. suffered many casualties with this battle becoming one of...

Episode 157: Allied Forces Gain Access To The Port of Antwerp from 2020-01-17T20:06:52

The Port of Antwerp was the third largest port in Europe. Once the allied forces gained access to the port the difficulties of getting supplies to the front line was greatly decreased.

Episode 156: Japan Attacked from 2020-01-17T19:40:25

After the long range B29 bomber was ready to be put to use in the field the U.S. began to use air strikes to attack the Japanese Capital.

Episode 155: Tirpitz Destroyed from 2020-01-17T19:39

The Nazi's last big ship was the Tirpitz and after is was destroyed Germany no longer had a Navy.

Episode 153: Wartime Election from 2020-01-17T19:36:39

While chaos was brewing throughout the world, back in the U.S. the presidential campaign went on. Thomas E. Dewey went head to head with President Franklin D. Roosevelt in one of the closet electio...

Episode 154: General MacArthur Returns from 2020-01-15T20:10:45

Nearly two years after leaving the Philippines General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his promise and returned to the island to continue fighting. When he returned he brought 200,000 soldiers who lan...

Episode 152: Peleliu Island from 2020-01-15T19:54:56

To keep the U.S. progression of the war on track General MacArthur had an American task force raid the Peleliu Islands. The fight went on for several days as the Japanese stood their ground with st...

Episode 151: The Nazi Death Camps from 2019-10-23T14:00:17

The world is finally hearing of the horrors from the Nazi Death Camps. Rabbis are marching on Capitol Hill pleading for Americans to help the Jews.


Learn more about the American V...

Episode 150: The Siegfried Line from 2019-10-16T14:00:05

Allied troops pushed out of German soil toward the Siegfried Line. This line is known as the West Wall around the city.

Episode 149: Leyte Island Battle from 2019-10-09T14:00:09

On the eastern coast of the Philippines, the Japanese sent four strike groups attacked U.S. Navy forces protecting MacArthur's troops.

Episode 148: Warsaw Destroyed from 2019-10-02T14:00:18

Soviet and Polish troops team up and destroy Warsaw.

Episode 147: Quebec Meeting from 2019-09-25T14:00:16

June of 1944 England has been assaulted by the B1 Buzz Bomb. But only did they know, the B2 was coming their way. This bomb was invulnerable to interception. Listen to find out what happened.

Epsiode 146: Arnheim, Holland: Operation Market Garden from 2019-09-18T14:00:20

Episode 145: The V2 Buzz Bomb from 2019-09-11T14:00:21

June of 1944 England has been assaulted by the V1 Buzz Bomb. But only did they know, the V2 was coming their way. This bomb was invulnerable to interception. Listen to find out what happened.

Episode 144: The Battle of Transportation from 2019-09-04T14:00:16

In 1944, The Battle of Transportation was on the western front. In order to get supplies to the troops, America created The Red Ball Express. 6,000 trucks on August 24th revved towards the combat. ...

Episode 143: Birth of the United Nations from 2019-08-28T15:00:15

With the successful invasion of France, it was apparent that the end of the war was in sight. Beginning on August 21, 1944, representatives from the US, USSR, Britain, and later China, met in Washi...

Episode 142: Liberation of Paris from 2019-08-21T15:00:15

By mid-August of 1944, the Allied Armies were thundering towards the Seine River and Paris. Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French, convinced General Eisenhower to allow French troops to libe...

Episode 141: Operation Dragoon from 2019-08-14T15:00:10

Ten weeks after D-Day on the beaches of Normandy, a mighty new force, poised for a landing in Southern France, assembled in the Mediterranean. Originally intended to take place simultaneously with ...

Episode 140: Hedgerow Battles from 2019-08-07T15:00:06

Since D-Day, the Allied forces had pounded the German Army, through brutal fighting in the Hedgerows of Normandy. But it was not until June 27 that U.S. troops captured the critical port city of Ch...

Episode 139: The Battle of Guam from 2019-07-31T15:00:16

Following the successful invasion of Saipan, U.S. forces readied themselves for an assault on two other islands in the Marianas in the same week. The site of the first attack was an American territ...

Episode 138: Attempted Assassination Fails from 2019-07-24T15:00:18

German officers had plotted numerous attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler by the summer of 1944. Each time, the bombs had failed to explode. Their final attempt came on July 20, 1944, during a conf...

Episode 137: Charles de Gaulle Visits Washington from 2019-07-17T15:00:20

The Roosevelt administration had been reluctant to recognize Charles de Gaulle's provisional government in France. On July 6, 1944, one month after he assumed authority in the liberated areas of Fr...

Episode 136: Buzz Bombs from 2019-07-10T15:00:11

On June 13, 1944, the German Air Force began launching one of the first guided missiles in history. In Britain, the bomb was commonly known as "the doodlebug" or the "buzz bomb," for the buzzing so...

Episode 135: The G.I. Bill of Rights from 2019-07-03T15:00:18

Congress passed the Serviceman's Readjustment Act in the Spring 1944 to aid veterans transitioning back home. Known as "The G.I. Bill of Rights," President Roosevelt signed it into law on June 22, ...

Episode 134: The Battle of the Philippine Sea from 2019-06-26T15:00:13

In preparation for invasion, the first bombing raids attacked the Marianas Islands on June 11, 1944. As soon as the bombing began, the Japanese fleet decided to attack the US carrier force, which w...

Episode 133: The Battle of the Marianas from 2019-06-19T15:00:03

In June 1944, the next targets for attack in the US Central Pacific campaign were the Marianas Islands. They were to be a staging area for a future invasion of Japan. Capturing the island of Saipan...

Episode 132: D-DAY from 2019-06-12T15:00:16

As dawn broke on June 6, 1944, the Allied invasion force emerged from the mist along the coast of Normandy. Troops emerged along the mine-filled beaches of Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. On Om...

Episode 131: Allies Retake Rome & Launch D-Day Invasion from 2019-06-05T15:00:13

Since their breakout from the Anzio beaches in Italy, General Mark Clark's forces had been driving east. Instead of continuing in that direction, General Clark chose to move west on June 4, 1944, a...

Episode 130: The B-29 Superfortress from 2019-05-29T15:00:23

In late April 1944, Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold was commanding aircraft to make America's Air Force the mightiest in the world. The B-29 Superfortress was designed to be a global bomber, and around it ...

Episode 129: Destination, Rome! from 2019-05-22T15:00:03

The war of attrition in Italy continued during early 1944. After failed frontal assaults, the Allied commanders accepted the wisdom of a flanking movement. North African troops of the French Corps ...

Episode 128: The National Service Act from 2019-05-15T15:00:15

By the Spring of 1944, the number of Americans in uniform had severely strained the labor force. Millions of housewives, older children, and the elderly took on work, dropping unemployment to 1.2%....

Episode 127: The Liberation of Odessa from 2019-05-08T15:00:19

The Soviet offensive on the Eastern Front gained moment during the early months of 1944. In March, a sweeping offensive began in the direction of the Odessa-Lviv Railroad. The assault moved so swif...

Episode 126: The Black Market from 2019-05-01T15:00:13

The Black Market was just as much a problem on the home front as it was in Europe during WWII. On the home front, it was the take of the Office of Price Administration (OPA) to stamp it out.

Episode 125: MacArthur's Vow to Return from 2019-04-24T15:00:14

During the Spring of 1944, the Japanese - occupying the Dutch East Indies - anticipated an American attack from the east. However, the Japanese had little air cover and little resistance -- but the...

Episode 124: America's Past Time During WWII from 2019-04-17T15:00:03

In early 1944, the sixteen major league baseball teams began spring training. By the time the season began in April, 60% of the starting players in 1941 were in the Armed Forces. With so many playe...

Episode 123: The Battle of Burma from 2019-04-10T15:00:18

The Japanese offensive on the Burma-India front had reached Kohima and Imphal on April 6, 1944. A quick assemblage of British and Indian troops held out against a Japanese force six times the size,...

Episode 122: The Test of Neutrality from 2019-04-03T15:00:09

To maintain neutrality during WWII was to court the wrath of belligerents on both sides. Only six nations in Europe remained neutral, and it was constantly tested. In April 1944, the Swiss were out...

Episode 121: Air Warfare Climax from 2019-03-27T15:00:07

During March of 1944, Allied Air Forces were engaged in massive dogfights over Axis territory. American pilots consciously attacked special targets to lure the Luftwaffe into battle.

Episode 120: Attacks on U.S. Air Fields from 2019-03-20T14:00:18

Since American forces landed on the island of Bougainville in November 1943, they protected their newly won air fields which would enable air strikes. By early 1944, advances towards Rabaul became ...

Episode 119: The U.S. Joins the Battle of Berlin from 2019-03-13T14:00:21

Until March 4, 1944, the lack of long-range fighter escort prohibited U.S. participation in bombing raids over Berlin. Over the next week, massive squadrons of bombers swarmed over the German capit...

Episode 118: Occupation of the Admiralty Islands from 2019-03-06T15:00:09

During February 1944, officers under General MacArthur's command were counseling him to launch a reconnaissance attack against the Admiralty Islands. Their occupation would complete the encirclemen...

Episode 117: The LST from 2019-02-27T15:00:19

The Landing Ship Tank, known as the 'LST' served as the backbone of Allied landings in the Pacific and Italy throughout early 1944. The first LST was completed in December of 1942, and these vessel...

Episode 116: The Battle of Monte Cassino from 2019-02-20T15:00:11

The hard fought Italian campaign of 1943 made the town of Cassino a key objective. To crack the German line, the hill of Monte Cassino was ordered to to be taken by Bernard Freyberg and the New Zea...

Episode 115: Truk Island Falls from 2019-02-13T15:00:11

Truk in the Caroline islands was known as the "Gibraltar of the Pacific," and was dubbed the perfect island fortress of nature. For years, Truk's air fields were beyond the reach of U.S. planes, bu...

Episode 114: Invasion of Kwajalein from 2019-02-06T15:00:14

U.S. strategists realized the need for greater air support for their upcoming offensive in the Marshall Islands. American carriers began raiding the communications center of the islands in Kwajalei...

Episode 113: Merrill's Marauders from 2019-01-30T15:00:07

Stalemate had prevailed in the China Burma India theater since the Spring of 1942. Both sides prepared to launch offensives in 1944. In Early 1944, a commando unit was formed to be led by the young...

Episode 112: Anzio Stalemate from 2019-01-23T15:00:21

In Italy during the Fall of 1943, Allied Forces under General Clark had slowly pushed back the German defenders. But by December the Allied advance had stalled. On January 22, 1944, Allied troops s...

Episode 111: Railroad Strikes from 2019-01-16T15:00:04

As the war restricted automobile use, many Americans were forced to take public transportation. By December of 1943, railroads were carrying nearly two million people per month, many of which inclu...

Episode 110: Types of Food Rations from 2019-01-09T15:00:19

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces dined on either garrison or field rations. Field rations were identified by letters including a, b, c, d, and k rations. The C & K rations were the most widely dist...

Episode 109: The Final Phase of Operation Cartwheel from 2019-01-02T15:00:14

By December 1943, General MacArthur was prepared to launch the final phase of Operation Cartwheel, the landings on the Island of New Britain. U.S. troops landing in mid-December 1943 were met with ...

Episode 108: Allied Convoys to the Soviet Union from 2018-12-26T15:00:16

As the Soviet offensive rolled onward, the Russians were aided by Anglo-American merchant convoys. Each convoy faced its own challenges -- including weather conditions and the possibility of German...

Episode 107: The P-51 Mustang from 2018-12-19T15:00:23

Soon after entering the war, the United States began flying bombing missions over Germany without fighter protection. U.S. policy called for providing air protection -- for each other. A long-range...

Episode 106: Who Will Command Operation Overlord? from 2018-12-12T15:00:20

Command of the cross-channel invasion known as 'Operation Overlord' was the most coveted command in the war. The decision of who to lead the force would be decided by President Roosevelt. On Decemb...

Episode 105: The "Big Three" Meeting from 2018-12-05T15:00:22

The historic first meeting for the "Big Three" -- Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin -- met in Tehran, Iran on November 28, 1943. The three pledged the destruction of the G...

Episode 104: The Gilbert Islands from 2018-11-28T16:00:20

In August 1943, Japan began to strategically use its fortress islands to protect the mainland from being attacked. The Gilbert Islands were vital in this defense, and they were the U.S. Marines' ne...

Episode 103: The Battle of Berlin from 2018-11-21T16:00:13

Since August 1940, Berlin had been the target of sporadic Allied bombing attacks. But in November 1943, RAF Chief Arthur Harris sought approval from Churchill to make the bombing of Berlin a priori...

Episode 102: UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration from 2018-11-14T16:00:03

The United Nations established the Relief and Rehabilitation Administration on November 10, 1943, to help refugees displaced from the war across Europe. Known as UNRA, the organization provided foo...

Episode 101: Surprise Landing at Bougainville from 2018-11-07T16:00:24

Following the successful conquest of New Britain in the Solomon Islands, U.S. Forces refocused its next mission on the island of Bougainville. The island was defended by more than 40,000 Japanese, ...

Episode 100: Red Army Advances from 2018-10-31T15:00:03

Since the Soviet counteroffensive launched in August 1943, the Red Army had advanced like a steamroller. The Army broke through German defenses, as a Black Sea naval base fell back into the hands o...

Episode 99: The Daddy Draft from 2018-10-24T15:00:12

Selective Service, or "The Draft" as it became known, registered men age 18-37. By September 1943, in order to meet the needs of the Armed Forces, the U.S. was in danger of having to draft men over...

Episode 98: War and the American Family from 2018-10-17T15:00:08

The war had radically altered the lifestyles of teenagers in America by the Fall of 1943. Parents were often out of the house, as fathers went off to war and mothers went to work. Some of American ...

Episode 97: Radio Power from 2018-10-10T15:00:03

The power of radio was at its zenith during World War II. By 1943, over 900 radio stations were broadcasting to 30 million homes. Networks began to develop into worldwide news organizations, and ra...

Episode 96: Submarine Success in the Pacific from 2018-10-03T15:00:03

In 1943, American submarines at last began to achieve major successes in the Pacific. In the Pacific Theater, U.S. submarines sank almost 1,300 ships, representing over five million tons of cargo -...

Episode 95: Buy More War Bonds! from 2018-09-26T15:00:06

In the Fall of 1943, the American home front was awash in money. On September 8th, the third war loan drive was launched to help absorb excess wages and pay the enormous costs of war.

Episode 94: Japanese American Soldiers of the 442nd from 2018-09-19T15:00:06

After the U.S. entered the war, more than 100,000 Japanese Americans were rounded up and detained in internment camps. In early 1943, some Japanese Americans were allowed to serve in the Armed Forc...

Episode 93: Attacking the Italian Mainland from 2018-09-12T15:00:05

The Allied command planned to invade the Italian mainland in two phases. The first step was an attack across the Straights of Messina on September 3, 1943. The hope was that this attack would diver...

Episode 92: Italy Surrenders to the Allies from 2018-09-05T15:00:06

The Italian government began to negotiate an armistice with the Allies in the middle of August 1943. On September 3, Italian General Castellano signed the Italian surrender in Sicily. The surrender...

Episode 91: American Farmers and the Wartime Economy from 2018-08-29T15:00:06

No one on the American home front benefited more from the wartime economy than the farmer. Total farm income increased 250 percent, despite the loss of some 800,000 workers. The Lend-Lease Act sent...

Episode 90: Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission from 2018-08-22T15:00:05

During an intensive series of operations in late July 1943, the Americans lost 88 bombers. Despite these losses, the Eighth Air Force undertook its most ambitious mission to date on August 17, 1943...

Episode 89: Blood Plasma Saving Lives from 2018-08-15T15:00:05

The discovery of preserving blood plasma was vital to the development of military medicine. Plasma could now be freeze-dried and sent to field hospitals and medics. Throughout the war, civilians we...

Episode 88: The Bombing of Ploie?ti, Romania from 2018-08-08T17:00:06

At dawn on August 1, 1943, 179 B-24 Liberators thundered away from bases in North Africa, headed for a sacred target across the Mediterranean. It was a daylight bombing of the oil refineries in Plo...

Episode 87: The Allied Bombing of Italy from 2018-08-01T15:00:05

Mussolini and Hitler met on July 19, 1943 - nine days after the Allies invaded Sicily. At their meeting in Northern Italy, Mussolini was unwilling to admit that Italy would not be in the war much l...

Episode 86: The Bombing of Hamburg from 2018-07-25T15:00:05

During the Summer of 1943, with U.S. planes raiding Germany during the day, the Royal Air Force continued their carpet bombing at night. On July 24, 791 RAF planes struck at Hamburg -- Germany's se...

Episode 85: Allies Land at Sicily from 2018-07-18T15:00:06

As a follow-up to victory in North Africa, the Allies began an attack on Hitler's "Fortress Europe." On July 10, 1943 the landings at Sicily with more than 150,000 Allied troops met little oppositi...

Episode 84: German Offensive in Kursk from 2018-07-11T15:00:06

By the Spring of 1943, Hitler failed to comprehend Germany's inability to match the Soviets' in replacing men and materials. Instead, he planned an offensive to destroy a Soviet bulge within the Ge...

Episode 83: Operation Cartwheel from 2018-07-04T15:00:05

In late Spring 1943, General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey prepared to resume their counteroffensive in the Pacific, with a two pronged drive aimed at Rabaul -- codenamed Operation Cartwheel. On the...

Episode 82: Wartime Race Riots from 2018-06-27T16:14:28

During the summer of 1943, racial clashes broke out in several cities throughout the United States, including Beaumont, TX, Mobile, AL and Los Angeles. The worst of the wartime race riots occurred ...

Episode 81: The Tuskegee Airmen from 2018-06-20T18:43:31

Despite the bravery of black troops in the First World War, the U.S. Armed Forces were reluctant to admit African-Americans at the start of World War II. Under increasing public pressure, the Army ...

Episode 80: Raid on Pantelleria from 2018-06-13T15:32:44

In the Mediterranean, Allied bombers were holding Italian islands and Italy itself under constant attack to ensure clear shipping lanes for the invasion of Sicily. Assaulting the island of Pantelle...

Episode 79: Boomtowns and Slums in Wartime America from 2018-06-06T20:17:14

In addition to the 16 million Americans who left home for military service during World War II, another 15 million changed their residence. Most people moved for new jobs in war plants. As a result...

Episode 78: The Battle of Attu Island from 2018-05-31T20:30

During the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the Japanese had captured Attu and Kiska in the Alaskan Aleutian islands. Due to the terrible combat conditions in Alaksa, an American assault on the outpo...

Episode 77: Turning the Tide in the Atlantic from 2018-05-25T19:00

In the Spring of 1943, the German U-boat service was coming close to winning the war on its own. The German submarine campaign proved a vital threat to the Allies. Suddenly, German submarine losses...

Episode 76: The Memphis Belle from 2018-05-16T20:00

On May 17, 1943, the crew of a B-17 named the "Memphis Belle" flew a mission over German-occupied Europe. With the raid on Wilhelmshaven, they become the first American crew to complete the require...

Episode 75: The Trident Conference from 2018-05-09T19:00

On the heels of the Allied victory in Tunisia, British Prime Minister arrived in Washington on May 12, 1943 for a meeting with President Roosevelt known as the Trident Conference. The Allies' posit...

Episode 74: Victory in North Africa from 2018-05-04T17:00

In Tunisia, the Allies had severely weaked the Axis in series of battles since February 26, 1943. By the last week in March, they were preparing for the final offensive. On April 7, U.S. forces in ...

Episode 73: Warsaw Fights Again from 2018-04-25T16:00

Following the invasion of Poland in 1939, Jews living in Warsaw were forced into a walled ghetto. By July 1942, thousands were being deported to the Treblinka death camp. When the tragic news reach...

Episode 72: Operation Vengeance from 2018-04-18T17:30

After the retreat from Guadalcanal, Japanese commander Admiral Yamamoto -- the chief architect of the attack on Pearl Harbor -- sought to shore up his defenses. He staged a massive series of air st...

Episode 71: The Katyn Massacre from 2018-04-11T16:30

During the Spring of 1943, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies were easening. However, recent news about the disappearance of Polish soldiers in the USSR did not work to smooth...

Episode 70: Labor Strikes from 2018-04-05T17:30

The relationship between labor and business was key to the American war effort. Yet despite patriotic efforts to maintain work, strikes continued. By 1943, workers resorted to the picket line again...

Episode 69: The Yugoslavian Resistance from 2018-03-28T17:00

Yugoslavia had ostensbily surrendered to Germany in April 1941. However, two years later, a Yugoslavian resistance was being led by a partisan who went by the name of "Tito." He soon received help ...

Episode 68: The Battle of the Atlantic Continues from 2018-03-22T15:30

The ever-increasing number of German U-boats in the Atlantic were taking their toll on Allied forces. Since the U.S. had entered the war, Allied shipping losses in the Atlantic continued to grow. B...

Episode 67: The Lend-Lease Act from 2018-03-14T18:00

Since March 1941, President Roosevelt had the power to sell, transport, exchange, lease, or lend military equipment, known as the Lend-Lease Act. By February of 1943, the United States had committe...

Episode 66: The Battle of the Ruhr from 2018-03-07T20:30

In the Spring of 1943, Germany was subject to around the clock bombing raids from American planes by day, and RAF squadrons by night. On March 5 and 6, Allied bombers launched their first air offen...

Episode 65: The Battle of the Bismarck Sea from 2018-03-07T20:00

Following the defeats at Guadalcanal and Papua, the Japanese realized they were on the defensive, and needed reinforcements to reestablish their momentum. On February 28, 1948, a Japanese troop con...

Episode 64: Fighting in North Africa from 2018-03-07T20:00

Americans had seen little fighting on the battlefield after the North African invasion. That all changed on Valentine's Day of 1943, when the first skirmish between American and German forces in Wo...

Episode 63: Guadalcanal & Henderson Air Field from 2018-03-07T19:30

For more than four months, the Marines had battled the Japanese on the island of Guadalcanal. But in December, the Marines began to receive relief from US Army forces. On January 10, 1943, the US l...

Episode 62: The Red Army Retakes Stalingrad from 2018-02-09T21:00

Encircled in a ring of Soviet troops, 284,000 soldiers of the German Sixth Army were ill and exhausted, under constant attack from the Russians. After a request to surrender was denied, the Sixth A...

Episode 61: The Casablanca Meeting from 2018-01-31T19:00

On January 14, 1943, President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill met at Casablanca in Morocco in the first of a series of wartime summits. It marked the first time a sitting President left the...

Episode 60: The Fight for New Guinea from 2018-01-30T23:00

On the Island of New Guinea in the South Pacific, the Allies counterattacked Japanese forces. The battle along the island's north coast proved challenging. Reinforced with tanks and artillery, the ...

Episode 59: The Siege of Leningrad is Broken from 2018-01-30T22:30

Since September 1941, Leningrad had been under siege. However, by the following year, the Soviets were turning the tide of the war, and launched a counter-offensive to retake Leningrad. On January ...

Episode 58: The 77th Indian Infantry Brigade from 2018-01-30T22:30

At the end of 1942, the British offensive in Burma was routed by a Japanese counterattack over seeming impassable mountains. It became clear that the Allies would need to adopt guerilla tactics, wh...

Episode 57: The Battle of Barents Sea from 2018-01-10T19:52:35

On December 31, an Allied convoy bound for Russia was intercepted by a fleet of large Nazi warships. Over a three hour period, the British destroyer escort fought with the Germans. The conflict cam...

Episode 56: Buy War Bonds! from 2018-01-10T19:44:13

To help finance the enormous cost of the Second World War, the federal government began to sell loans to private citizens and corporations known as "war bonds." In December 1942, the Department of ...

Episode 55: Rationing Becomes a Necessity from 2017-12-20T16:30:58

With each passing month of war, rationing became more of a necessity. After rubber and gasoline were rationed, the next item was shoes. Coffee and butter were also in short supply during the winter...

Episode 54: Malaria in the Pacific from 2017-12-13T16:13:56

The majority of fighting against Japan was conducted on tropical islands, such as Guadalcanal or the Solomon islands. On some of these islands, Malaria was the most common cause of death or illness...

Episode 53: The Race for the Atomic Bomb from 2017-12-07T20:53:03

The year of 1942 saw the race for the atomic bomb between the Allied and Axis powers. Throughout the year, as scientists gathered throughout the country, the possibility of the bomb moved closer to...

Episode 52: The Battle of Stalingrad from 2017-11-29T20:05:57

On November 19, a Soviet counteroffensive was being launched to the north of the city of Stalingrad. The following day, the Red army attacked to the south of Stalingrad. Within a week, the German S...

Episode 51: The Sullivan Brothers from 2017-11-29T19:49:23

On November 15, 1942, in a naval battle off the coast of the Solomon Islands, the USS Juneau was one of two cruisers attacked. On board Juneau were the Sullivan brothers, five brothers who joined t...

Episode 50: The Battle of Guadalcanal from 2017-11-16T16:49:10

In the fall of 1942, the Japanese managed to bring only a trickle of supplies and men to the island of Guadalcanal. To achieve a decisive victory in the battle, the Japanese sent enough reinforceme...

Episode 49: Operation Torch Commences from 2017-11-08T20:15:27

On November 8, 1942, the greatest amphibious operation to date, Operation Torch, commenced. 60,000 troops advanced in an effort to liberate Nazi and Vichy French controlled North Africa.

Episode 48: The Battle for Egypt from 2017-11-07T17:06:07

By mid-October, General Bernard Montgomery had amassed an enormous superiority in North Africa. The British 8th Army prepared for the next round in the Battle for Egypt.

Episode 47: Eddie Richenbacher Crashes in South Pacific from 2017-11-07T16:45:41

World War I Flying Ace Eddie Richenbacher was asked to examine aircraft in 1942, when on an inspection trip in the South Pacific, his plane lost navigational capabilities. Running out of fuel, the ...

Episode 46: Wendle Wilke's World Tour from 2017-11-07T16:20:56

During World War II, few Americans were allowed to travel outside of the States if they were not engaged in government business. However on August 20, 1942, Wendle Wilke was announced to be Preside...

Episode 45: The Battle for Bloody Ridge from 2017-10-11T18:12:29

Five weeks after the Battle for Bloody Ridge on Guadalcanal in the South Pacific, the Marines defeated an all-out offensive launched by the Japanese. By November, the war had become one of attrition.

Episode 44: Mileage Rationing from 2017-10-04T17:37:39

During 1942, in an effort to conserve rubber, the Office of Price Administration had instituted gas rationing, or mileage rationing as it was officially called. This was part of the greater effort ...

Episode 43: The Patriotic Duty of Rationing from 2017-09-27T18:18:18

All Americans participated in total war as a wartime economy took over the United States home front. Supplies of oil, tin, and rubber were cut off, while the rationing of other good such as aluminu...

Episode 42: The Battle of Stalingrad from 2017-09-25T18:00:48

On September 15, 1942, German ground forces began what was meant to be their final assault on the Soviet city of Stalingrad. But Soviet troops held tenaciously. On September 22, German troops reach...

Episode 41: A Labor Day of Labor, 1942 from 2017-09-13T15:28:56

Labor Day in 1942 was no day of rest, as most war plants were churning out production 24 hours a day. The War Production Board was considering an extended work week to meet wartime production demands.

Episode 40: Heavy Fighting in New Guinea from 2017-09-06T18:37:46

Since their defeat at the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Japanese regrouped in their efforts to invade Australia. Heavy fighting progressed in New Guinea as the Japanese sent in reinforcements toward...

Episode 39: Sea & Air Battles in the Solomon Islands from 2017-08-31T18:31:01

On August 23 1942, a massive Japanese invasion fleet was dispatched to the island of Guadalcanal in response to American landings earlier than month. The Battle of the Eastern Solomon Islands began...

Episode 38: Assault on Dieppe from 2017-08-24T14:39:30

On August 19, 1942, assault troops from Canada, Britain, and America made the first amphibious landing of the war in Europe. Their mission, a raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe. However, Ger...

Episode 37: All-American Bombing Raid from 2017-08-16T14:13:05

General Carl Spatz was an early advocate of the use of bombers. He was appointed to command US air forces in Europe in July of 1942. On August 17, 1942, the first All-American bombing raid over Eur...

Episode 36: Landing on the Solomon Islands from 2017-08-09T15:13:35

After the Battle of Midway, the United States Navy felt prepared to launch their first offensive attack in the Pacific. On August 7th, 1942, US Marines hit the beaches of three of the Solomon Islan...

Episode 35: Axis Terrorism from 2017-08-02T14:36:23

The United States was fearful of Axis terrorism, which the government and citizens alike feared could "disrupt our industries, destroy our morale, and damage the impact of our fighting armies." The...

Episode 34: Meat Rationing from 2017-07-26T14:31:27

Perhaps the most difficult commodity that become subject to rationing was meat. Beef became quite scarce in American homes, and alternatives such as horse, rabbit, and muskrat meat were used. Ameri...

Episode 33: Air Bridge to China from 2017-07-19T14:11:21

By 1942, Japan had conquered nearly all of Burma, through which China had been receiving supplies from the United States. To keep China in the war, the US used air transport to supply China. At fir...

Episode 32: Servicemen in Hollywood from 2017-07-12T18:16:35

One third of the Hollywood—about 7,000 individuals—joined the US military to aid in the war effort. Some of the biggest names to enlist included Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable. Most of this workforc...

Episode 31: The Battle of Kursk from 2017-07-05T15:57:39

When the Nazis attacked the Soviet city of Kursk, they intended to cut off the Soviet Union's economic supply lines rather than its army. However, the Soviets lost less men than the Nazis anticipat...

Episode 30: The Desert Fox Races Across Africa from 2017-06-28T15:45:26

As early as May 1942, Erwin Rommel's Africa Corps rolled onto the offensive, defeating the British in the Battle of the Cauldron. Rommel's troops went on to take Tobruk in Libya, an act so impress...

Episode 29: Churchill Goes to Washington from 2017-06-21T16:21:30

On June 18, 1942, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt met in Washington, DC, to discuss the possibility of opening a second front for the war in Europe, alth...

Episode 28: The Office of War Information from 2017-06-14T16:14:26

On June 16th, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Office of War Information to fight the propaganda war on the home front and the war front. The OWI produced advertisements, surveys, ...

Episode 27: The Battle of Midway from 2017-06-07T18:14:39

After the bombing of Tokyo, Japan was eager to attack the US Navy base in the Midway Islands. Instead, because US codebreakers broke the Japanese naval code JN-25b, three US aircraft carriers were ...

Episode 26: Operation Millennium from 2017-05-31T18:04:37

For the first time in the war, more than 1,000 bombers took part on a single raid. On the night of May 30th 1942, "Operation Millennium" commenced, and the Royal Air Force dropped almost 1,500 tons...

Episode 25: The Women's Auxiliary Corps from 2017-05-24T15:12:54

General George C. Marshall encouraged the creation of a Women's Auxiliary Corps—known as WAC for short—to help the war effort, and on April 14th, 1942, Congress authorized its creation. Women from ...

Episode 24: The Loss of Corregidor from 2017-05-15T17:46:26

Commanding General Jonathan Wainwright surrendered to the Japanese on the Filipino island of Corregidor. After over five months, the Japanese had conquered the Philippines - a task they believed wo...

Episode 23: The Battle of the Coral Sea from 2017-05-15T17:40:43

The Japanese High Command chose to extend its defensive perimeter and prepared an assault on Australia. As a result, on May 4th a series of skirmishes broke out which became known as the Battle of ...

Episode 22: Crisis on the Home Front from 2017-05-03T14:17:53

By the spring 1942, both German and the U.S. were facing a crisis on the home front. The Germans' morale was sinking, and Roosevelt faced rising inflation.

Episode 21: The Flying Tigers from 2017-04-26T19:10:13

After the US began to provide military aid to China, a squadron of fighter planes was allocated for air defense over the China-Burma-India Theater. Known as the "Flying Tigers," the American Volunt...

Episode 20: The Doolittle Raid from 2017-04-14T14:29:38

With morale among the military and among Americans staggeringly low in early 1942, a dangerous mission was planned to strike Japan. On April 18, 1942, 16 B-25 bombers took off from the USS Hornet, ...

Episode 19: Bataan Falls from 2017-04-14T14:26:14

The final assault on the Philippines was in full force. On April 9, American Resistance on Bataan collapsed in the largest surrender in American history - marking the beginning of the Bataan Death ...

Episode 18: Waging the Battle of the Atlantic from 2017-04-05T18:14:54

Winning the Battle of the Atlantic was vital to the success of the Allies in World War II - something that the Germans knew. The threat of u-boat attacks made delivering supplies a great risk.

Episode 17: British Succeed in St. Nazaire Raid from 2017-03-29T18:58:36

By the last week in March 1942, the German battleship Tirpitz was in need of repair. The British commandos had achieved their objective in the raid on the St. Nazaire dry dock.

Episode 16: The US Begins Issuing Ration Stamps from 2017-03-24T14:08:42

In the Spring of 1942, the United States faced a shortage of materials necessary for wartime production, and began issuing ration stamps to help the war effort.

Episode 15: MacArthur Vows to Return to the Philippines from 2017-03-15T19:40:57

In early 1942, MacArthur was ordered by President Roosevelt to go to Australia and leave the Philippine islands after heavy fighting. Given the Allies' precarious position, on March 11, the General...

Episode 14: Allies Suffer Defeat at the Battle of Java Sea from 2017-03-09T22:31:21

As the United States entered its fourth month in the war, Japanese successes continued throughout the Pacific. The Allies suffered a defeat at the Battle of Java Sea, and realized the challenges th...

Episode 13: Axis Victories, Allied Hardships from 2017-03-01T16:41:54

Multiple Axis victories in the winter of 1942 signified a long a difficult fight for the Allies. Many serious defeats would serve as roadblocks before the tide eventually turned in the Allies favor...

Episode 12: Japanese Americans are Relocated from 2017-02-23T20:51:54

The Roosevelt Administration's civil liberties record was barred, as thousands of Japanese Americans were relocated to internment camps this week in 1942.

Episode 11: Singapore Falls to Japan from 2017-02-16T21:00:02

On February 15, 1942, the Japanese captured Britain's critical base at Singapore. This event raise the stakes of the war in the Pacific, and eroded the prestige of the British Empire in Asia.

Episode 10: Women Join the War Effort from 2017-02-08T17:01:23

The media and government propaganda encouraged the participation of women, both on the homefront in production lines, and directly through the transportation of military supplies.

Episode 9: The First US Troops Arrive in Europe from 2017-02-01T19:49

On January 26, 1942, the first US troops arrived in Europe, in Northern Ireland. This marked the beginning of the Allied effort to defeat Nazi tyranny.

Episode 8: Nazi Germany Outlines "Final Solution" from 2017-01-25T18:26:52

Few could imagine the extent of Nazi Germany's antisemitic policies. The Wannsee Conference, held in January of 1942, outlined the horrific "Final Solution" to exterminate the European Jewish popul...

Episode 7: The American Homefront Mobilizes from 2017-01-18T15:58:42

American industry braced for the war effort on the homefront like never before in its history. President Roosevelt created the War Production Board to prepare war efforts accordingly.

Episode 6: Japan Advances in Southeast Asia from 2017-01-10T20:07:25

In the opening weeks of 1942, the empire of Japan advanced throughout Southeast Asia; Singapore and the Dutch East Indies were under fierce attack.

Episode 5: The Japanese Resume Attack on the Philippines from 2017-01-05T15:05:57

General Douglas MacArthur faced pressure after the Japanese resumed their attack on the Philippines, with intense bombing of Manila and surrounding islands.

Episode 4: Roosevelt & Churchill Meet Over Christmas from 2017-01-04T20:03:43

Over Christmas week of 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to reaffirm their "Germany first" policy in the war.

Episode 3: The Japanese Empire Expands from 2016-12-20T18:17:25

Following Pearl Harbor, the Japanese expanded their empire into the Philippines, Indochina, and the Java Sea. Americans in the Philippines faced serious pressure from the enemy.

Episode 2: The US Enters Total War from 2016-12-13T19:55:35

In the immediate aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the United States prepared to enter total war.

Episode 1: Pearl Harbor from 2016-12-07T18:37

December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States was plunged into World War II. By Christmas, 1941, half the world's population wou...