Ep 50: Hitler v Churchill

Did Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill have a grudging respect for each other? Al Murray and James Holland discuss the two war leaders, contrasting their styles and comparing their similarities.

Ep 49: Remembrance Day

Al Murray and James Holland mark Remembrance Day by reading an extract of Keith Douglas’s military memoir Alamein to Zem Zem and his poem Vergissmeinnicht (Forget-me-not).

Ep 48: Omaha Beach

Leading military historian John McManus describes the situation facing American soldiers on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He also talks to James Holland about the the current appetite in the States for studying World War Two. And Jim Gavin makes his customary appearance.

Ep 47: The Battle for Poland

Al Murray and James Holland take a deep dive into the events of 1939 as first the Germans and then the Russians invade Poland.

Ep 46: The Battle of Midway

At the start of June, 1942, the Japanese navy ruled the Pacific. A week later US forces had won a decisive battle that would change the course of the war.

Leading US historian Craig Symonds tells James Holland why the Battle of Midway was so decisive and describes the key characters and action.

Ep 45: Burma and Operation Varsity

Burma and Operation Varsity

James Holland describes the role of General Slim in turning round the fortunes of the British forces in Burma. Al Murray explains how the airborne success of Operation Varsity was principally built on the lessons learnt in Arnhem.

Featured Books: The Buried Spitfires of Burma

Ep 44: Memories Of War – Part 2

Major-General Stuart Watson describes his experiences on Sword Beach on D-Day to James Holland. He also recounts the sights and smells of the Falaise Pocket. Finally he tells James about his journey with XXX Corps to the bridge at Nijmegen.

Ep 43: Spike Milligan and the Italian Campaign

Al Murray reads an extract from Spike Milligan’s war time memoir Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall. Al and James then discuss the effects of the war on Milligan’s mental health and James provides historical context to the author’s time in Italy.

Ep 42: Memories of War – Part 1

Major-General Stuart Watson landed on Sword Beach on D-Day. In this bonus episode of We Have Ways of Making You Talk Major-General Watson tells James Holland about his training with amphibious tanks in anticipation of the invasion.

Ep 41: The Life and Death of the Desert Fox

No German military leader of World War Two has a greater reputation than Erwin Rommel. Such was his perceived threat to Hitler and the Nazi hierarchy that on October 14th, 1944, he was pushed to commit suicide rather than face a trial for alleged involvement in the plot to assassinate the Führer.

Seventy five years on from his death James Holland and Al Murray assess Rommel’s war time record and debate the truth of his reputation as an apolitical and decent man.