On the morning of June 6th, 1944, war photographer Robert Capa waded ashore on Omaha Beach during the Allied landings in Normandy. What happened next became the stuff of legend: under withering fire, Capa supposedly captured over a hundred photographs of the chaos and courage of D-Day, only for all but eleven to be lost in a darkroom accident. These surviving images, the so-called “Magnificent Eleven,” helped define the visual memory of D-Day and cemented Capa’s reputation as the greatest war photographer of the 20th century. But what if the story we've long accepted isn't entirely true? In his book Back into Focus: The Real Story of Robert Capa's D-Day, Charles Herrick takes a forensic look at the events of that day, unraveling inconsistencies in Capa's own account and challenging the myths that have grown around his legacy. Drawing on official military records, eyewitness testimony, and detailed photo analysis, Herrick offers a new—and at times controversial—perspective on one of the most iconic moments in photojournalism history. I’m delighted to welcome Charles to the podcast today to talk about what really happened on D-Day, how the legend of Robert Capa was built, and what his findings mean for how we understand both history and heroism. patreon.com/ww2podcast
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265 - British Tanks of the Red Army
Today, we are exploring a topic that doesn’t get talked about much — the British tanks that ended up serving with the Red Army during the Second World War. We often think about the Soviet Union producing huge numbers of its own tanks like the T-34, but in the early years of the war—and even before it—the Soviets were looking abroad for armoured vehicles to strengthen their forces. Britain, with its long history of tank development stretching back to the First World War, was one of the countries they turned to. Joining me is Peter Samsonov, who’s spent a lot of time researching Soviet armoured warfare and is the author of 'British Tanks of the Red Army'. patreon.com/ww2podcast
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264 - SAS Great Escapes, Archie Gibson
In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Damien Lewis to talk about one of the remarkable men featured in his new book SAS Great Escapes Four — Archie Gibson. Archie served with the Long Range Desert Group and worked closely with the SAS during some of their earliest and most daring operations. His wartime journey took him from the harsh deserts of North Africa to the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia, where he operated alongside local resistance fighters behind enemy lines. We also delve into the ongoing campaign to award SAS legend Paddy Mayne a posthumous Victoria Cross, recognition he was controversially denied during the war. patreon.com/ww2podcast
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47:03
263 - The Halbe Pocket, 1945
In the final weeks of the Second World War, as Soviet forces closed in on Berlin, tens of thousands of German soldiers and civilians found themselves encircled in what became known as the Halbe Pocket. In a desperate attempt to break out west and surrender to the Americans rather than the Soviets, brutal fighting erupted in the forests south of Berlin. The result was one of the bloodiest and most chaotic battles of the war’s final days. Joining me is David Sumner. David is a British-German World War II historian and podcaster based in Berlin. He’s the producer and host of Europe At War, a weekly podcast that explores lesser-known battles and stories of the Second World War, with a particular focus on the Eastern Front. You can find David at davidsumnerhistory.com. patreon.com/ww2podcast
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44:41
262 - The 7th Infantry Regiment
The 7th Infantry Regiment, known as the "Cottonbalers," is one of the oldest units in the U.S. Army, originally formed in 1812. It has fought in nearly every major American conflict, including the Civil War, both World Wars, Korea, and Iraq. Renowned for its bravery and deep traditions, the regiment remains an active combat unit to this day. I'm joined by Professor John McManus, whose 2009 book American Courage, American Carnage chronicles the unit's remarkable history. During World War II, the 7th landed in North Africa as part of Operation Torch, fought through Sicily and Italy, stormed the beaches of Southern France in Operation Dragoon, and ended the war as the first American unit to reach Hitler’s mountain retreat at Berchtesgaden. The regiment also takes centre stage in the upcoming computer game Burden of Command, where John serves as the historical advisor. If you’d like to hear more about the game, head over to patreon.com/ww2podcast. patreon.com/ww2podcast
A military history podcast that looks at all aspects of WWII.
With WW2 slipping from living memory I aim to look at different historical aspects of the Second World War.
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