Sat, 24 November 2007  Operation Downfall was the proposed invasion of mainland Japan by
Allied Forces near the end of WWII. It was canceled because the atomic
bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered, thereby removing the need for
a military conquest. It would have been the largest amphibious
invasion in history, and it would have been the first time that a
foreign power had set foot on mainland Japanese soil (in the country's
2500 year history). Operation Downfall had two parts: Operation Olympic (Nov 1945) and Operation Coronet (March 1946). Both were commanded by MacArthur and supported by Nimitz. Operation Olympic involved the I, V, IX, and XI Corps storming the beaches of Kyushu (the southern main island) and taking airbases to support Operation Coronet. Operation Coronet involved the First Army and the Eighth Army, as well as numerous British Commonwealth units, storming the beaches of Honshu near the capital city of Tokyo. On the opposing side was Operation Ketsu Go, the Japanese defense of its main islands. Most of Japan's forces (air and ground) were focused on the island of Kyushu. Also, tens of millions of Japanese civilians (all able-bodied civilians, men and women) were trained in basic martial arts in order to repel the invasion. In addition, the Japanese government created numerous suicide units to repel the invasion. All in all, it would have been one of the bloodiest battles in history. An estimated 1 million Americans and 10 million Japanese would have lost their lives. For more information, read: The Japanese Army Handbook by George Forty The Pacific War Companion by Daniel Marston Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[11] |
Fri, 9 November 2007
The Peloponnesian War was fought by Athens and Sparta in the late 5th
century BC. It was an epic war between two superpowers, and the
similarities to the Cold War are numerous. Since most people know
about the Cold War, since it was so recent, I will summarize this
episode via comparisons between it and the Peloponnesian War.This second episode covers the Amphipolis Campaign/Cuban Missile Crisis to the surrender of Athens. The Participants:
For more information, read: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Comments[10] |
Fri, 9 November 2007 The Peloponnesian War was fought by Athens and Sparta in the late 5th
century BC. It was an epic war between two superpowers, and the
similarities to the Cold War are numerous. Since most people know
about the Cold War, since it was so recent, I will summarize this
episode via comparisons between it and the Peloponnesian War.This first episode covers the beginning through the Amphipolis Campaign/Cuban Missile Crisis. The Participants:
For more information, read: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Comments[8] |
Sun, 4 November 2007 This episode is the 101st episode of Military History Podcast. It is a
compilation of 100 MHP clips, tidbits, and funfacts. It is split into
two parts: this is part two. Feel free to post any clips that I failed
to mention in the episode.Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Mon, 29 October 2007 This episode is the 100th episode of Military History Podcast. It is a
compilation of 100 MHP clips, tidbits, and funfacts. It is split into
two parts: this is part one.Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the US Navy Reserve Comments[8] |
Sat, 20 October 2007 The Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 1917) was a turning point in WWI. It
was the first great allied victory. It also continues to be the
greatest event in modern Canada's military history.The 100,000 Canadians of the Canadian Corps were commanded by Arthur Currie. Currie began numerous preparations including:
Four Victoria Crosses were awarded in the battle. 3000 Canadians were KIA, and another 7000 were wounded. 20,000 Germans were wounded and 4000 were captured. For more information, read: http://www.northpeel.com/news/article/20719 http://www.legionmagazine.com/features/special/07-03a.asp?id=print#5 http://wwii.ca/page9.html http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/vimy/ http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14742 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6373IRqSeU Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Wed, 10 October 2007 "The Most Dangerous Man in Europe" was how Eisenhower described Otto Skorzeny, Nazi Germany's most famous commando and special operations leader. Before he became the leader of Jagdverbande 502 (a special operations unit), Skorzeny fought on the Eastern Front and even won an Iron Cross for bravery. His most famous mission was Operation Oak, the search and rescue of Benito Mussolini, who had been captured and imprisoned by his rivals in the Italy. Skorzeny led a glider assault on Gran Sasso Mountain, where Mussolini was being held, and captured him without having to fire a single shot. Skorzeny brought Mussolini back to Hitler. Hitler was overjoyed. Skorzeny was tasked to lead many other commando missions including:
For more information, read: Armchair General Magazine (October 2007): The Devil’s Commando Skorzeny’s Special Missions by Otto Skorzeny http://greyfalcon.us/Otto%20Skorzeny.htm http://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=133 Battle Fleet.com http://www.2worldwar2.com/otto-skorzeny.htm http://homepages.ius.edu/RVEST/SkorzenyDr2.htm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[11] |
Sat, 29 September 2007 The Sword of Allah refers to Khalid ibn al-Walid, the prophet
Mohammad's top general. Khalid commanded over 100 battles and never
lost, making him the most undefeated general in history. He usually
fought in the front lines either as a cavalry commander or as a
champion dueler. This is the first of a two-part episode. This part
will cover Khalid's conquest of Byzantine Syria:Some famous battles on the Syrian front include: Bosra, Ajnadayn, and Damascus. The Siege of Damascus saw the first use of Khalid's unit of elite cavalrymen, the Mobile Guard. However, the greatest battle in the theater was the Battle of Yarmouk. Khalid had removed from command by Umar (Abu Bakr's successor) but he still had operational command because the nominal commander respected him so much. The Battle of Yarmouk was fought between 100,000 Byzantines and 30,000 Arabs along a battle line 12 miles long. After a series of significant duels (including one where Khalid personally persuaded an enemy commander to convert to Islam), the main battle began. For the first few days, it was a stalemate. Eventually, though, Khalid managed to maneuver his cavalry all the way around the Byzantines and flank them. Soon after the battle, Umar, who believed that Khalid was gaining too much power, removed Khalid from command completely. For more information, read: Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/ohod.asp http://islambyquestions.net/moreAbout/Hunayn.htm http://islam.pakistanway.com/showtopic.aspx?topicid=266&typeid=25 http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/10_abu_bakr.htm http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9045249/Khalid-ibn-al-Walid http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/00_abu_bakr.htm http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=1206 http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/muslimwars/articles/yarmuk.aspx Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Sun, 23 September 2007 The Sword of Allah refers to Khalid ibn al-Walid, the prophet
Mohammad's top general. Khalid commanded over 100 battles and never
lost, making him the most undefeated general in history. He usually
fought in the front lines either as a cavalry commander or as a
champion dueler. This is the first of a two-part episode. This part
will cover Khalid's conquests of Arabia and Persia:Khalid ibn al-Walid originally fought with the Meccan Quraiysh tribe against Mohammad and the Muslims. However, he converted after the Battle of the Trench and joined the forces of Mohammad. His first campaign as a Muslim commander was into Ghassanid Territory to fight the Battle of Mutah, in which he led an expert retreat after the first three Muslim commanders were killed. His second campaign involved attacking south and east in order to conquer the Arabian Peninsula. He participated in the conquest of Mecca and in the Battle of Hunayn. After Mohammad's death, Abu Bakr took over and formed the Rashidun Caliphate (the first of three great Islamic Empires with the other two being the Umayyad and Abbasid Dynasties). Khalid led the campaign to reconquer all the tribes that left the Muslim confederation after Mohammad's death. Specifically, he commanded the Muslims at the Battle of Yamama, which was fought against the "liar prophet", Musailima. After the Arabian Peninsula was retaken, Khalid was put in charge of the Rashidun invasion of Iraq (which was held by the Sassanid Persians). Some of the famous battles of the invasion include the Battle of Chains, the Battle of Ullais, the Battle of Hira, and the Battle of Al-Anbar. However, the most famous is the Battle of Walaja, which is known as the eastern Battle of Cannae because of Khalid's successful double envelopment of the Persians. To this day, Khalid and Hannibal are the only ones to pull this off against a numerically superior force. The Battle of Firaz is also important because Khalid defeated a Persian army ten times his own (in numbers). The second part of this episode will cover Khalid's exploits in Syria. For more information, read: Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler http://www.ezsoftech.com/islamic/ohod.asp http://islambyquestions.net/moreAbout/Hunayn.htm http://islam.pakistanway.com/showtopic.aspx?topicid=266&typeid=25 http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/10_abu_bakr.htm http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9045249/Khalid-ibn-al-Walid http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/00_abu_bakr.htm http://www.islamicawakening.com/viewarticle.php?articleID=1206 http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/muslimwars/articles/yarmuk.aspx Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Fri, 14 September 2007 Warsaw is the capital of Poland. It's motto is "Contemnit Procellas",
which means "it defies the storms". It is a fitting motto because
Warsaw continues to be the site of many uprisings, rebellions, and
power shifts. Two of them were especially devastating:
For more information, read: http://www.polishresistance-ak.org/Main%20Page.htm http://www.historynet.com/magazines/world_war_2/3032951.html?page=6&c=y http://www.achtungpanzer.com/pol/kubus.htm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Direct download: Warsaw_Uprisings_-_Contemnit_Procellas.mp3 Category: podcasts -- posted at: 8:57 PM Comments[9] |
Mon, 3 September 2007 The Defense Department's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) was founded in 1958 in order to ensure that the science gap
remained in the US's favor. Many great empires, such as the Mongols,
Chinese, Ottomans, Mughals, and later, the Soviets, fell from grace
because they missed out on major military revolutions, such as the
Gunpowder Revolution, the Two Industrial Revolutions, and the
Information Revolution. America was determined to not let it happen to
them. Since its creation in 1958, DARPA has been at the forefront of technology and innovation. It's inventions since 1958 include:
For more information, read: http://www.darpa.mil/ War Made New by Max Boot Foreign Affairs (January 2007): The Real Meaning of Military Transformation Foreign Affairs (July 2006): The Military’s Manpower Crisis Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine My Odeo Channel (odeo/a5b9222a2c4c44e2) Comments[7] |
Sat, 25 August 2007 This episode is a summary of the USS Scorpion incident of 1968 and a review of the book, Scorpion Down,
by Ed Offley (Published by Perseus Books). The USS Scorpion, a
Skipjack-class nuclear submarine, was heading from the Mediterranean
Sea to Norfolk, Virginia, when it mysteriously sank, making it only the
second nuclear submarine that the US Navy has ever lost. The US Navy
and other authors claimed that the USS Scorpion and its 99 crew members
were lost because of a weapons accident or because of mechanical
failure. However, according to Ed Offley, the USS Scorpion was sunk by
the Soviets in retaliation for the US sinking the Soviet K-129
diesel-electric sub a few months before. The book is written by an experienced and well-qualified author. It is a must-read for anybody who was involved with the submarine or with the search, and it is a recommended read for any submarine enthusiasts or conspiracy theory enthusiasts. To purchase, visit www.scorpiondown.com. Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[6] |
Tue, 21 August 2007 Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the United States. He had the
fourth highest rank of all the presidents, below Washington,
Eisenhower, and Grant. He is also considered to be the nation's ninth
greatest president, after Lincoln, FDR, Washington, Jefferson, Teddy
Roosevelt, Wilson, and Truman. Therefore, he is the second greatest
warrior-president in US History, after only George Washington, himself.Andrew Jackson's military career began in the War of 1812. First, he defeated Chief Red Eagle of the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. Then, he defeated Sir Pakenham of the British at the Battle of New Orleans. Even though the war was over at this point, Jackson delivered Britain one of its greatest defeats in history, while only suffering 21 casualties. In the Seminole War that followed soon after, Andrew Jackson captured Spanish Florida and became its territorial governor, thereby founding the state of Florida, which is currently America's fourth most powerful state. Andrew Jackson's personal life was a tough one. "Old Hickory" got into 103 duels. He famously defeated Charles Dickinson, thought by many to be the nation's greatest dueler, despite being shot two inches from the heart. In the Senate Chamber, Jackson also sat next to Thomas Hart Benton, the man who had shot him repeatedly while he lay on the floor in a hotel in Nashville in a fight a few years earlier. While president, he beat his would-be assassin with his own cane until his aides apprehended him. Lastly, at his funeral, his pet parrot had to be removed because it was swearing too much (a skill taught to it by Andrew Jackson, himself). This episode only covers Andrew Jackson's life up to his presidency. For more information, read: The American Presidents by David Whitney Military Blunders by Geoffrey Regan Kaplan AP Princeton Review AP Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Sat, 4 August 2007 As Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area, Douglas MacArthur led an island-hopping campaign (Operation Cartwheel) known as "hit em where they aint". He avoided major Japanese garrisons and conquered from Australia, up through New Guinea, and to the Philippines. Upon wading ashore at Leyte during the Battle of Leyte, he proclaimed "I have returned". MacArthur was chosen to lead Operation Downfall (the invasion of Japan), but the war ended before the campaign began. After being present at the signing of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri, MacArthur became the military governor of Japan and led the reconstruction and occupation. One of his most famous acts as the governor was to exonerate Emperor Hirohito. In 1950, MacArthur became the commander of UN Forces in the Korean War. After North Korea had pushed the South Koreans all the way to Pusan, MacArthur led a giant amphibious left hook into Inchon. He cut off the North Korean supply lines and pushed them all the way back to the Yalu River. MacArthur suggested to Truman that nuclear weapons be used, and he was fired as a result. He gave a famous speech to Congress in which he said, "old soldiers never die, they just fade away". After that, he stayed away from the public (although he almost became a vice presidential candidate) until he died in 1964. For more information, read: Armchair General (November 2005): Douglas MacArthur The Guinness Book of Military Blunders by Geoffrey Regan The Oxford Book of Military Anecdotes by Max Hastings The Pacific War Companion by Daniel Marston Reader's Digest Illustrated History of WWII The Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler http://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=3&list=Ground http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmacarthurfarewelladdress.htm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[6] |
Sun, 29 July 2007 Douglas MacArthur was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1880. He was the grandson of a former governor of Wisconsin, and the son of a medal-of-honor-winning military governor of the Philippines. He attended West Point and graduated first in his class. After a brief stint as an aide to his father, he became the chief of staff of the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division in France during WWI. He led the division through the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and the Battle of St. Mihiel. During the war, he developed a bad relationship with General Pershing.After the war, he became the superintendent of West Point. Then, he was charged with breaking up the Bonus Army, which had gathered in Washington DC to protest Hoover's treatment of them. After that, he became the head of FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps. Then, he became US Army Forces Commander in the Far East and was stationed in the Philippines. When WWII rolled around for the United States, he led the failed defense of the Philippines. Although he did not do the best job, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. In March 1942, he was instructed to go to Australia to become Supreme Allied Commander of the Southwest Pacific Area. He famously yelled "I shall return" as he sailed away. MacArthur's actions during WWII and the Korean War will be in the next episode. For more information, read: Armchair General (November 2005): Douglas MacArthur The Guinness Book of Military Blunders by Geoffrey Regan The Oxford Book of Military Anecdotes by Max Hastings The Pacific War Companion by Daniel Marston Reader's Digest Illustrated History of WWII The Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler http://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=3&list=Ground http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/douglasmacarthurfarewelladdress.htm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Fri, 20 July 2007 The British Empire is the largest (14.1 million square miles) and most
populous (532 million people) empire in history. It is the reason why
English is one of the world's most important languages, why 1/3 of the
world drives on the left, and why much of the world uses the
parliamentary system. Another testament to its power is the fact that
one of its former colonies, the United States of America, is the
current hyperpower.In addition to colonizing the British Isles and North America (discussed in part one), Britain colonized islands in the South Atlantic, the South Pacific, and the Mediterranean (for the purpose of Royal Navy bases). Britain also colonized Australia as a penal colony. A joint-stock company, the British East India Company, also controlled India from 1600 to 1857, when power was transferred to the British crown as a result of the Sepoy rebellion. Significant territorial gains were also made in Africa after the Berlin Conference of 1884 during the Scramble for Africa time period. However, all of these possessions became independent one-by-one after WWII, with the exception of a few overseas territories. Most of the former colonies still have ties to Britain through the Commonwealth of Nations. For more information, read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2003_34_thu_01.shtml http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/uk/armada/back/backd.html http://www.britishempire.co.uk The Penguin Book of Historic Speeches by Brian MacArthur The Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler The Guinness Book of Military Blunders by Geoffrey Regan The Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Sat, 14 July 2007 The British Empire is the largest (14.1 million square miles) and most
populous (532 million people) empire in history. It is the reason why
English is one of the world's most important languages, why 1/3 of the
world drives on the left, and why much of the world uses the
parliamentary system. Another testament to its power is the fact that
one of its former colonies, the United States of America, is the
current hyperpower.The British Empire began in 1066 with the Battle of Hastings, where William of Normandy defeated King Harold II of the Saxons. Since then, England has consolidated power by annexing Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the crown dependencies, and numerous other territories and colonies around the world. For example, thanks to Francis Drake's defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, the United Kingdom has been able to expand throughout the New World. In North America, Britain founded 13 colonies along the eastern seaboard of the modern-day United States. North of these colonies, Britain founded the Dominion of Canada after it defeated the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. The next episode focuses on British expansion into Central America, South America, Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. For more information, read: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/2003_34_thu_01.shtml http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/uk/armada/back/backd.html http://www.britishempire.co.uk The Penguin Book of Historic Speeches by Brian MacArthur The Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler The Guinness Book of Military Blunders by Geoffrey Regan The Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Sun, 8 July 2007 Blitzkrieg (lightning war) was the military doctrine of Germany during the first half of WWII. It consisted of an all-mechanized army blowing through the enemy lines (via air support and artillery support) so fast that the enemy would be overwhelmed and defeated. Blitzkrieg relied on a highly mobile and highly professional army. It was developed after WWII by Heinz Guderian, author of Achtung: Panzer. Blitzkrieg warfare was applied in five major places: Spanish Civil War, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, North Africa Campaign, Operation Barbarossa. Each time, Germany's enemy was too surprised to effectively defend itself. However, as the German war machine ran out of resources and technical superiority, blitzkrieg methodology began to disappear (at least in the German form). However, German blitzkrieg was neither the first nor the last use of maneuver tactics in a combined arms fashion. Other examples include: German Schlieffen Plan in WWI, Russian Deep Operations in WWII, Operation Shock and Awe in Iraq War. For more information, read: Infantry Attacks by Erwin Rommel http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/blitzkrieg.htm http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,762668-1,00.html Illustrated History of WWII by Reader’s Digest Dictionary of Battles by David Chandler Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Thu, 28 June 2007 The Falklands War is one of the few modern wars between two modern
adversaries (in this case, Argentina and Britain). The war was over
the Falkland Islands, off of the southeastern coast of Argentina which
Britain held and Argentina claimed.General Leopold Galtieri, leader of Argentina, decided to act because he needed something to justify his military government. He launched Operation Azul to successfully capture the islands. Margaret Thatcher, leader of Britain, decided to respond militarily.
http://www.naval-history.net/NAVAL1982FALKLANDS.htm Military History Magazine (April 2002): Blood and Mud at Goose Green http://www.falklandswar.org.uk/index.htm http://www.falklands.info/history/82timeline.html http://www.raf.mod.uk/falklands/sg1.html Telegraph.co.uk Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Sat, 23 June 2007 The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988), also known as Saddam's Qadisiyyah, the
Holy Defense, and the Iraqi-Imposed War, had a devastating effect on
both participants. The war features many attacks and counterattacks,
though in the end, nothing changed. Some causes of the war include:
Both sides had been supported by foreign powers, including the United States and the Soviet Union. For more information, read: How to Make War by James Dunnigan The Presidency of George Bush by John Robert Greene http://www.jonhs.net/freemovies/iran_iraq.htm http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/iraniraq.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/iran-iraq.htm http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/ops/war/docs/3203/ http://www.iranchamber.com/history/articles/arming_iraq.php http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iran/airforce.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/iraq/airforce.htm http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20950607-1702,00.html Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Sun, 17 June 2007 Nader Shah was the founder of the Afsharid Dynasty of Persia, lasting
from 1736 to 1747. During this time, this "second Alexander" returned
Persia to its Sassanid-era borders. After pushing the anti-Safavid
Afghan invaders out of Persia, Nader invaded Afghanistan and took the
cities of Kabul, Kandahar, and Lahore. In the western theater, Nader
Shah gained many cities from Ottoman Mesopotamia, including Najaf,
Karbala, and Basra. However, he was stopped at the walls of Baghdad.
In the Eastern Theater, Nader Shah defeated the Mughals decisively at
the Battle of Karnal. From here, he continued on into Delhi, where he
indirectly killed 30,000 civilians and took many crown jewels,
including the Peacock Throne (valued at $1 billion dollars now) and two
180+ carat diamonds. Nader Shah also conquered Oman and Bahrain. He founded the modern Persian Navy. He even tried to reconcile Shiite Islam and Sunni Islam but failed. Upon his assassination in 1747, the Persian Empire descended, once again, into chaos. For more information, read: http://www.britannica.com/ebi/article-225443 http://www.iranchamber.com/history/afsharids/afsharids.php http://irane-man.tripod.com/NaderShah.html Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[5] |
Sun, 10 June 2007 Niccolo Machiavelli was a political and military philosopher around
1500AD in Florence, Italy during the Italian Renaissance. His name is
associated with shrewd, cunning rule. His most famous work, The
Prince, features many tips for princes to conquer territory (whether it
is decentralized, or centralized):
For more information, read: The Prince by Machiavelli The Art of War by Machiavelli http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/500403.html Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[8] |
Thu, 24 May 2007 Shamil Basayev became involved in the nearby Dagestan War after he lost
his bid for president. This prompted Vladimir Putin to launch the
Second Chechen War, which successfully reclaimed Grozny for the
Russians. Since then, Chechnya has been officially under Russian
control, but there is still a strong insurgency.In 2003, Shamil's subordinate launched an attack on a theater in Moscow. 850 hostages were taken and demands were made (the Chechens wanted an immediate Russian withdrawal from Chechnya). After a few days of negotiation, Putin allowed the Russian Spetsnaz to enter. The Spetsnaz pumped a sleeping agent into the theater and knocked many of the terrorists and hostages asleep. The Spetsnaz then entered and killed all of the terrorists. Afterwards, many of the hostages got sick from the gas. In 2004, Shamil's men launched an attack on a school in Beslan. 1200 teachers, parents, and children were taken hostage and held in atrocious conditions for several days. Eventually, the Russians raided the school. Many civilian casualties resulted from the fire that resulted and approximately 1/4 of the hostages were killed. In 2006, Shamil was killed (probably by Russian security forces). For more information: Theage.com http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/shamil/shamil.htm http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/1104/cover/story.html http://www.caucasus.dk/publication1.htm http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/documents/wolvesden.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/chechnya2.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3624136.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3627406.stm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[8] |
Thu, 17 May 2007 Shamil Basayev is a politician and self-proclaimed terrorist fighting
for Chechnya's independence from Russia. Chechnya is a small Muslim
republic in southern Russia. Basayev has ties to Al Qaeda, the
Mujahideen, and many other terrorist networks.He was active in the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, where his Abkhaz Battalion helped to fight off the Georgian Army. This Abkhaz Battalion was then brought back to defend Chechnya's capitol city of Grozny. Shamil held off Russia's invading force (which went in under Yeltsin) for awhile but he eventually had to flee. In June 1995, when things weren't looking good for the Chechen separatists, Shamil led an attack on a hospital in Budyonnovsk and took 1800 people hostage. The hostage-taking eventually resulted in a Russian withdrawal from Chechnya, and Shamil became a national hero. A few months later, Shamil would lead an assault of Grozny and he succeeded in taking the capital back from the Russians. Due mostly to Shamil, the Russians lost the First Chechen War. For more information: Theage.com http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/documents/shamil/shamil.htm http://www.time.com/time/europe/magazine/2002/1104/cover/story.html http://www.caucasus.dk/publication1.htm http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/documents/wolvesden.htm http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/chechnya2.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3624136.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3627406.stm Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[14] |
Thu, 3 May 2007 This episode was written by Brian Liddicoat, a real estate attorney in Northern California. The words � Dark Eagles by Curtis Peebles Lockheed Secret Projects: Inside the Skunk Works by Dennis Jenkins Dreamland by Phil Patton www.dreamlandresort.com Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Fri, 27 April 2007 This episode will only cover the period between March 2003 and May 1 2003. Reasons for Invading Iraq:
The actual invasion of Baghdad took place early in April, when Colonel Perkins invented the concept of Thunder Runs--rapid mechanized thrusts into the city to inspire shock and awe. Two thunder runs were sent into Baghdad and eventually the city (minus Saddam Hussein) was taken. On May 1st, 2003, President Bush declared Mission Accomplished (excerpt in episode). Sources: http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/daily/graphics/iraqMap_040103_2.gif http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,011805_Thunder_Run,00.html Foreign Affairs (May/June 2006): Saddam’s Delusions http://geocities.com/saberoca/ http://icasualties.org/oif/ http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/iraq/casualties.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh4U-Tbqbx4 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/invasion/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soohikNdbWs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdlEcFfYZ2k http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/Iraq.htm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFijzDyJnVE Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[8] |
Thu, 19 April 2007 The French Foreign Legion was founded in 1831 as France's non-citizen
military. Over the years, it consisted of many refugees, colonial
citizens, and people trying to start a new life. The training is hard
and only one in seven applicants makes it. After they complete their
tour of duty, a Legionnaire may receive a 10-year residential permit
and French citizenship.The Legion's most famous military action was in the Battle of Camaron in the Maximilian Affair in Mexico in 1863. 62 Legionnaires were defending a convoy when they were attacked by 2,000 Mexican troops. The Legion fended off wave after wave until they eventually ran out of ammo. At this point, they charged with their bayonets. Their heroic actions saved the convoy. Since then, the French Foreign Legion has served with honor and distinction in many major world conflicts including the Franco-Prussian War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam War, and Desert Storm. For more information, read: http://french-foreign-legion.com/ http://www.channel4.com/life/microsites/E/escape_to_the_legion/legion.html Galenet: French Foreign Legion Military History Magazine (September 2005): Intrigue Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[8] |
Sat, 14 April 2007 The Pacific Northwest has many military facilities. Washington State, specifically, has:
www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility https://www.nbk.navy.mil/index.asp http://www.lewis.army.mil/ http://public.mcchord.amc.af.mil/ http://public.fairchild.amc.af.mil/ http://www.hanford.gov/ Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[7] |
Sun, 1 April 2007 The Iranian Revolution of 1979 was fought between Shah Pahlevi
(supported by America and hated for his pro-American beliefs) and
Ayatollah Khomeini (and anti-American Islamist). Khomeini succeeded in
taking power from the Shah and created the Islamic Republic of Iran.
During the turbulent years that followed, 300 militants seized 63
hostages from the American embassy in Iran and held them for 444 days.Months of negotiations ensued and eventually, 11 of the hostages were released prematurely. The others were almost rescued by President Carter in Operation Eagle Claw, but due to a sandstorm, the operation was a disastrous failure. It was such a great failure that the US reformed its military and created a new unified combatant command, SOCOM, and a new special forces regiment, the 160th SOAR. The Iranians remained steadfast in their imprisonment of the hostages until September 1980, when Iraq invaded Iran and launched the Iran-Iraq War. As a result, Iran wanted a quick resolution to the hostage issue and thus, the Algiers Accords were signed by the United States and Iran. The hostages were returned on Reagan's inauguration day. However, tensions between these two countries still exist today (see Iranian capture of 15 British sailors). For more information, read: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3978523.stm The American Presidents by David Whitney http://www.historyguy.com/iran-us_hostage_crisis.html Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine Comments[8] |
Fri, 23 March 2007 The battle of Thermopylae was fought between 7000 Greeks under Leonidas
(including 300 Spartans) and 500,000-2.5 million Persian troops under
Xerxes. Xerxes had marched across the Hellespont towards Greece because
he wanted Greece to become a satrapy of his and submit to his divine
will by giving him earth and water. The two armies met at a
50-foot-wide pass in Northern Greece and here, a small phalanx of Greek
hoplites held off wave after wave of Persian infantrymen, cavalrymen,
and Immortals. The Spartans demonstrated their bravery again and again,
and their lifelong devotion to military training proved to pay off.Eventually, Ephialtes (a Greek traitor) led the Persians around the pass to the rear of the Greek defenders. Surrounded, the Spartans and Thespians were killed by a volley of arrows. Leonidas, himself, looked forward to dying because the oracle at Delphi prophesized that his death would save Sparta. For more information: 300 (Movie) http://www.iranchamber.com/history/articles/persian_wars5.php Histories by Herodotus http://www.greektexts.com/library/Herodotus/Polymnia/eng/242.html Extreme War by Terrence Poulos Military Anecdotes by Max Hastings Military History Magazine (January 2006): Spartan Stand at Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[14] |
Sat, 17 March 2007 The Hashshashins (where we get our word "assassins") were active during
the Abbasid Era of the Arab Period of Hegemony within the Islamic
Period of Hegemony. The Hashshashins were Nizari Ismaili Shiite
Muslims. They were led by Hassan-i-Sabah who, through the use of
hashish, gave his recruits the impression that he was God and he wanted
them to do his will. Until the coming of the Mongols under Hulagu Khan,
the Hashshashins were very good at their job and they assassinated many
high-profile people.Though they are one of the most famous assassin groups, they are by no means the only ones. Others include Al Qaeda, the Mafia, the Black Hand, the IRA. The CIA, for example, is reported to have made 638 attempts to remove Castro from power. For more information, read: Military History Magazine (October 2002): Perspectives Islamicity.com Al Qaeda Training Manual Quran 638 Ways to Kill Castro Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[8] |
Sat, 3 March 2007 The Knights Templar was a Christian military order founded during the
Crusades in order to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to the Holy
Land. These "Monks of War" were highly disciplined and they
participated at many major battles during all nine Crusades, including
the pivotal Battle of Hattin. They also founded the first modern
checking/credit system, which made the organization wealthy enough to
buy the island of Cyprus. The Templars were exempt from all laws (except those given by the Pope) and as a result, they were feared by the kings of Europe. One king, Philip the Fair, decided to deal with the problem and on Friday the 13th, he simultaneously betrayed and backstabbed all of the Templars. The Templars then disappeared from history, though many groups (such as the Freemasons), have claimed that they are extensions of this famous organization. For more information, read: http://www.sacred-texts.com/sro/hkt/index.htm http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14493a.htm http://www.templarhistory.com/index.html http://www.slate.com/id/2140307/?nav=tap3 Worlds Together, Worlds Apart Military History Podcast is sponsored by the International Research and Publishing Corporation and Armchair General Magazine Comments[12] |
Sun, 25 February 2007 Animals have been used throughout war and it is impossible to name them
all. Excluding pack animals, there are several main ones (both ancient
and modern). All are discussed in the episode:
Popular Science (March 2007): Bugging Out on Homeland Security http://community-2.webtv.net/Hahn-50thAP-K9/K9History/ http://www.afa.org/magazine/1990/1090bat.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/middle_east/670551.stm http://www.hindu.com/yw/2004/01/24/stories/2004012400060200.htm Military History Podcast: Dogs of War Military History Podcast is sponsored by the International Research and Publishing Corporation and Armchair General Magazine Comments[9] |
Sat, 17 February 2007 eriHistorians referenced in the episode: Gibbons, Vegetius, Bark, Toynbee, Ward-Perkins, Heather, McNeill, BuryComparisons between the fall of Rome and America now:
For more information, read: Decline and Fall of the http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/romefallarticles/a/fallofrome.htm 2007 World Almanac Vanity Fair (October 2006): Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[12] |
Sun, 4 February 2007 Carl Von Clausewitz was a military philosopher during the time of
Napoleon. His most famous contribution is the book, On War, which
outlines nine principles of war that are used in officer schools for
many Western armies including the United States Army. They are:
Armchair General: How to Make War by James Dunnigan On War Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[10] |
Sat, 27 January 2007 1957 was defined by the Cold War and defined by the Eisenhower Presidency. 1957 was when Eisenhower was inaugurated for a second term in office, and during this term, the Eisenhower Doctrine (US defense against all Soviet aggression), NASA, the European Economic Community, and the United States were all created. Around this time, Eisenhower was also responsible for the ending of the Little Rock Nine Crisis, the end of Joseph McCarthy's Red Scare, the closing of the Science Gap between the US and the USSR (who was already a space power via Sputnik), the nomination of Earl Warren (14th Chief Justice), and so on. 1957 was also the birth of my mom. Happy Birthday, Mom. For more information, read: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/dwightdeisenhowerfarewell.html The Timetables of History The World Almanac 2007 The Cold War by Mike Sewell Military History Podcast is sponsored by International Research and Publishing Corporation and Armchair General Magazine Comments[5] |
Sat, 20 January 2007 Despite the fact there is a more than 2,400-year-old military tradition within Western civilization of close-combat proficiency, few subjects have received as unfortunate neglect by historians and academics than the martial arts of Western Europe. But a growing amount of modern research has centered on the historical methods of using various types of Medieval and Renaissance swords and weaponry in historically accurate and martially sound manners. This emerging study of historical European martial arts involves a fascinating combination of military history, fencing history, literature, art, language, and archaeology. The history of European arms and armor is itself one of established continuity marked by sudden developments of necessitated innovation. As new tools were devised, so too were new methods for using them. These methods in turn influenced still newer designs. By studying the historical systems for employing such arms and armor, we come to the best possible understanding for how and why they were designed as they were. This further leads to a greater appreciation for the little known martial arts of the age. See the rest of the episode's full text here: www.thearma.org/HEMA.htm Today's episode was written by John Clements of ARMA Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[6] |
Sat, 13 January 2007 China's People's Liberation Army is threatening to the United States
Armed Forces because it is fighting a "People's War" (7 million Chinese
troops vs. 2.5 million US troops) under "modern conditions" (China's
GDP will exceed America's by 2011). China also has significant
international backing from the UN, ASEAN, SCO, etc. Therefore, these
two superpowers are destined to clash in some way.
For more information, read: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/index.html. http://www.comw.org/cmp/. Annual Report to Congress (2005): The Military Power of the People's Republic of China The Asian Conventional Military Balance (2006) Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[5] |
Mon, 8 January 2007 Axis attacks and proposed attacks on the North American portion of the
United States during WWII are often forgotten. This episode explains
all of these little-known attacks:
Military History Magazine (June 2000): Aerial Attack on http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,77031,00.html http://www.army.mil/cmh/books/wwii/guard-us/index.htm#contents Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[9] |
Fri, 29 December 2006 The
Iraq Study Group Report's Recommendations Sections gives a total of 79
recommendations for how the US should proceed in Iraq. Diplomatically,
the US should do more by launching the New Diplomatic Offensive
accompanied by the creation of a Support Group (full of regional and
world powers) in order to discuss and compromise on a variety of
issues. This support group should include Iran and Syria because, even
though the White House has problems with their respective governments,
both countries would benefit from negotiating since both countries put
a lot of effort into Iraq. Also, the US should threaten withdrawal whenever the Iraqi Government does not reach its benchmarks on time (these include the ratification of the Petroleum Law, the Militia Law, etc.). Even if it does reach these benchmarks, though, the US should begin a gradual rollback of forces. First, active combat forces should be moved into Iraqi Army Brigade protection roles, Iraqi Army training roles, and Iraqi Army support roles (Special Operations, Air Support, etc.). Then, these training forces should also be slowly pulled out of Iraq as the Iraqi security forces gain more power. By early 2008, the US should be 100% training and 0% occupation. The Iraq Study Group is a bipartisan commission led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton. This episode summarizes the recommendations section of the Iraq Study Group Report. The previous episode featured the Iraq Study Group's assessment of the current situation. For more information, read: Iraq Study Group Report Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[7] |
Sat, 23 December 2006 The Iraq Study Group Report's Assessment section is an excellent
summary of post-war Iraq. Some topics addressed include the division
of the country into Kurd, Shiite, and Sunni regions, the lack of unity
in Parliament, the powerful hold that Muqtada Al-Sadr has on Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the fierce fight over oil revenues, the lack
of Iraq's own security force, and so on. The Iraq Study Group is a bipartisan commission led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton. This episode summarizes the assessment section of the Iraq Study Group Report. The next episode will feature the Iraq Study Group's recommendations for how we should proceed. For more information, read: Iraq Study Group Report Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[6] |
Sun, 17 December 2006 The United States Secret Service was originally founded (in 1865) as an
anti-counterfeiting unit in the Treasury Department. However, once
President McKinley was assassinated, the Secret Service assumed
presidential protection duties. As of 2002, the Secret Service
(Special Agents and the Uniformed Division) is part of the Department
of Homeland Security. They are also part of Marine One, Air Force One,
and Cadillac One (all of which are described in this episode). Throughout their history, the Secret Service has witnessed and/or foiled many assassination attempts including ones on: Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, Truman, Kennedy, Ford, Reagan, Clinton, and Bush Jr. For more information, read: http://www.secretservice.gov/ http://people.howstuffworks.com/air-force-one2.htm http://www.aboutfamouspeople.com/article1135.html http://www.trumanlibrary.org/trivia/assassin.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4535911.stm http://www.guardian.co.uk/georgia/story/0,,1487041,00.html The American Presidents by David Whitney Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[5] |
Sun, 10 December 2006 Viktor Anatolyevich Bout is the world's most notorious arms dealer
since the end of the Cold War. His success lies in the fact that
Russia had many arms depots and planes lying around after the end of
the arms race. Bout was able to take advantage of this and build an
air empire which could carry arms to all sides at a moments notice in a
reliable fashion. Bout's clients include: the United States, the
United Nations, Angola, Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Taliban,
Northern Alliance, Somalia, and so on. Despite the INTERPOL warrant
for his arrest, Viktor Bout is still conducting both legal and illegal
operations because world leaders rely on him to do their dirty work for
them. For more information, read: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2006/11/09#segment68592 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=22995421&site=ehost-live Movie: Lord of War starring Nicolas Cage Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and International Research and Publishing Corporation Comments[6] |
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