Operation Varsity featuring James Fenelon

03/24/20 • 41 min

Today marks the 75th Anniversary of the Operation Varsity, which was the largest single day Airborne operation of World War II. The 17th Airborne Division and 6th British Airborne Division dropped behind the Rhine River in order to better secure crossings for British soldiers on the other side of the river. The operation was highly successful and ensured that the Allies could safely cross the river and helped bring a faster end to the war. I had the chance to interview James Fenelon who wrote the book, "Fours Hours of Fury" which documents the 17th Airborne's role during Operation Varsity. He is a former Army paratrooper and graduate of the University of Texas-Austin. A great episode about one of the most overlooked battles of World War II.

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Alexander the Great featuring Dr. Philip Freeman

Alexander the Great was one of worlds most successful military commanders never losing a battle and creating an empire that stretched from Greece to Modern day India. He also played an important role in spreading Greek Culture and values in areas that had never come into contact with the Greeks. He named over 20 cities after himself including the great city of Alexandria in Egypt which became an importance center for intellect, trade, and philosophy in the ancient world. I also had the opportunity to interview Dr. Philip Freeman who is a professor of History at Pepperdine University and is the author on several biographies of ancient figures including Alexander the Great, St. Patrick, and Julius Caesar. A great interview and episode about one of the most important leaders in the ancient world!

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The Ottoman-Hapsburg Wars featuring Roger Crowley

The Ottoman-Hapsburg wars was a series of conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and Hapsburg Dynasty which ruled a variety of states such as Spain, Austria, and Italian city states. The conflict raged from the plains of Hungary to Islands in the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, European states fought for supremacy over the vital trade routes and strategic positions throughout the world. Key battles were the sieges at Rhodes, Tunis, and Malta. The campaign culminated in the sea battle at Lepanto which was one of the largest naval clashes in Maritime history involving over 490 ships . It was the last of the great clashes between Islam and Christianity as Ottoman power peaked. I had the opportunity to interview Roger Crowley who is the New York Times Bestselling author of "Empires of the Sea". His other work includes, "1453", "City of Fortune: How Venice Ruled the Seas", "Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empire" and his most recent book is "The Accursed Tower: The Fall of Acre and the End of the Crusades". An interesting interview and great episode about one of the most overlooked periods in World History.