George Patton & the Third Army | “You Wonderful Guys” (Republish)
15-Minute History15 Sep

George Patton & the Third Army | “You Wonderful Guys” (Republish)

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on June 12, 2023.

___

The dull hum of aircraft filled the morning air. German soldiers looked up from the French town of St. Lô, expecting to see a few enemy fighters bearing down on them. Their hearts froze in their chests as nearly a thousand bombers emerged from the clouds. They had heard of the devastation wrought by their enemy on the Fatherland’s cities, but St. Lô was only a tiny provincial settlement far from the Paris metropolis. In minutes, their world was aflame as Allied bombs exploded around them and tore flesh and metal apart in equal measure. The panzer division holding St. Lô was nearly annihilated in the first of three waves, and little was left as the sun reached its noon height. Then, the survivors heard engines approaching from the north and east in the direction of the Normandy beaches. Tanks and half-tracks bearing white stars swarmed through the town, finishing off the defenders and ripping open the Nazi left flank that had held the Allies back for over a month.

The Third United States Army is one of the best-known units of the Second World War. From the opening move on St. Lô in August 1944 to the war’s end nine months later, it liberated an area of Nazi-occupied Europe roughly the size of Afghanistan. Its soldiers were the best-trained men in the US Army, its officers and NCOs among the most professional in American military history, and its record of battle remains unsurpassed in enemy casualties inflicted and land covered. Most of the credit is due, of course, to the soldiers in tanks and trucks, but even the proudest of these would point to their commander as the man who made the Third Army such a terrifying weapon of war: General George S. Patton, Jr.

Join us for this special, double-length episode of 15-Minute History as we teach you about General George Patton, his life, leadership, heroism, and his effect on the world we know today.

Episoder(412)

Espionage | Kim Philby and The Cambridge Five

Espionage | Kim Philby and The Cambridge Five

Kim Philby, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, Anthony Blunt, and John Cairncross—passed almost 17,000 classified documents to the Soviet Union for 30+ years. The information was so extensive and the volume so large, that Soviet intelligence initially suspected some of it might be disinformation, due to the high-ranking positions these spies held and the access they had. However, much of this intelligence was invaluable, influencing Soviet strategies during pivotal moments of World War II and the Cold War. Join us as we teach you about one of the most notorious spy rings in modern history, The Cambridge Five, and the most prominent member, Kim Philby.

18 Nov 202417min

Pop Quiz | The Printing Press and the Internet

Pop Quiz | The Printing Press and the Internet

It's time for a Pop Quiz! Join us as Joe and I discuss the marvels of the printed word and the "skills gap" that seemed to happen during the Internet revolution.

14 Nov 20247min

The Diadochi Successors | A Discussion

The Diadochi Successors | A Discussion

Join us as we discuss the ideas of unity and disunity among the Diadochi successors and the relative merits and detriments of cultural blending.

11 Nov 202445min

Pop Quiz | The 2024 Election

Pop Quiz | The 2024 Election

It's time for a Pop Quiz! Joe and I take some time to discuss the results of the 2024 presidential election in the United States and some long-term implications for the two parties.

7 Nov 202421min

Unity and Disunity | The Diadochi Successors

Unity and Disunity | The Diadochi Successors

Hubris, an excessive pride in oneself, is a common trait among history's greatest figures. In the decades that followed the death of Alexander the Great, the Diadochi "successors" fought each other for control of the vast empire their leader had built. In the end, the unity created by the mighty king fell to ruin and led to the rise of an even greater power in the Mediterranean world. Join us as we discuss the Diadochi successors, learn the lessons of history and the dangers of hubris, and walk with us through history in fifteen minutes.

4 Nov 202417min

Pop Quiz | A Second Look at Historical Figures

Pop Quiz | A Second Look at Historical Figures

It's time for a pop quiz! Every Thursday, one of the hosts will ask the other a question about history they must answer. Have an idea for a topic? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org.

31 Okt 20245min

The Roman Empire | A Discussion

The Roman Empire | A Discussion

Join us as we discuss six Roman emperors, highlighting how they either helped the empire grow through innovation and scalability, or through corruption and greed, contributed to its downfall.

28 Okt 202435min

Pop Quiz | Technology Transforming History

Pop Quiz | Technology Transforming History

It's time for a pop quiz! Every Thursday, one of the hosts will ask the other a question about history they must answer. Have an idea for a topic? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org.

24 Okt 20244min

Populært innen Historie

med-egne-oyne
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
aftenposten-historie
henrettelsespodden
historier-som-endret-verden
rss-benadet
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
sektledere
rss-gamle-greier
historiepodden-ww2
taakeprat
historiepodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
stryknin-og-kaffe
uloste-mysterier
vare-historier
virkelig-grusomt
diktatorpodden
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon