The WW2 Podcast

In this episode, historian Taylor Downing joins me to explore the remarkable work of reconnaissance pilots and photo interpreters during the Second World War. These daring aviators flew perilous missions over Occupied Europe, risking life and limb to capture the detailed aerial photographs crucial to the Allied war effort.

But capturing the images was only half the story. On the ground, a team of brilliant and inventive photo interpreters worked tirelessly, pioneering a completely new science to decode these pictures. From developing 3D photography techniques to uncovering enemy positions and movements, their work provided invaluable intelligence that shaped the course of the war.

Taylor is the author of 'Spies In The Sky: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence during World War II', and if you cast your mind back, he joined me in episode 226 to discuss allied deception plans for D-Day.

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During the Second World War, the Home Intelligence Unit—a branch of the Ministry of Information—was tasked with monitoring public attitudes on the home front. They compiled confidential reports on the state of popular morale, which were circulated among decision-makers in Whitehall.

These reports offer a fascinating insight into how ordinary people coped with the stresses of wartime life, their hopes for victory, and their fears about what the post-war world might bring.

Joining me today is Jeremy Crang, Professor of Modern British History at the University of Edinburgh. Together with his late colleague, Paul Addison, Jeremy has edited three volumes of these reports (Our People's War, The Spirit of the Blitzand Listening to Britain), bringing to light the voices and concerns of wartime Britain.

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In this episode, I’m joined by acclaimed historian and bestselling author Alex Kershaw to explore one of the most pivotal moments of the Second World War: the Battle of the Bulge.

This December marks the 80th anniversary of the battle, a critical turning point where General George S. Patton’s bold leadership and daring actions—most famously the dramatic relief of Bastogne—helped shift the tide in favour of the Allies.

Alex joins me to share fascinating insights from his latest book, Patton’s Prayer, a powerful exploration of the faith, determination, and sheer grit that defined one of America’s most legendary generals.

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Today, I’m joined by Peter Zablocki, a professor at Caldwell University, host of the History Shorts podcast, and author of The Death of General Sikorski.

I was introduced to Peter after I recorded the episode looking at the death of Sikorski with Chris Wroblewski. Chatting I discovered Peter had researched and written about an entirely different but fascinating subject: Private Snafu (you can read it here).

For those unfamiliar, Private Snafu was the star of a series of black-and-white animated shorts produced between 1943 and 1945. These instructional films, aimed at U.S. servicemen, combined irony and humour with serious messages. Amazingly, they were produced by Frank Capra (It’s a Wonderful Life), written by Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), and voiced by Mel Blanc, the legendary voice behind Bugs Bunny. Despite their playful tone, the films served a crucial role in military training and morale during the war.

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In today’s episode we’re looking at the De Havilland Mosquito. It was fast, extremely versatile and made from wood, affectionately referred to as the “Mossie”. Over 7,000 were built, yet only two remain flying today.

I’m joined by John Lilly, Ross Sharp and Nick Horrox. They are from the People’s Mosquito, a project aiming to get another "Mossie" flying.

John is the Chairman and Managing Director, Ross is Director of Engineering and Nick is communications.