As a someone in the audio field who graduated with a B.A. in History, it seemed natural to merge these interests. The result is a short podcast called, “What the WW2?”. Each episode focuses on a different unusual or strange tidbit of history relating to the Second World War. Click the titles below to hear each episode and make sure to subscribe on iTunes and Google Play. The source material for each is provided below. Make sure to contact me on social media and let me know what you think of the podcast!
Episode 1 – The Hitler in the US Navy
- “Hitler’s Nephew, Stalin’s Daughter and Other Famous Defectors” from mental_floss http://mentalfloss.com/article/28685/hitlers-nephew-stalins-daughter-and-other-famous-defectors
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“Getting to know the Hitlers” from the Telegraph
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Author talks about ‘The Last of the Hitlers’ from CNNhttp://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/books/02/05/last.hitlers.cnna/
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“The black sheep of the family? The rise and fall of Hitler’s scouse nephew” from the Independent
Episode 2 – Aunt Jemima at War
- “OSS in Asia” from the Central intelligence Agency https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/intelligence-history/oss/art09.htm
- “Back to the Drawing Board – Aunt Jemima” from Military History Monthly https://www.military-history.org/articles/back-to-the-drawing-board-aunt-jemima.htm
- “Sample text for Operatives, spies, and saboteurs : the unknown story of the men and women of World War II’s OSS” by Patrick K. O’Donnell http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0641/2003064191-s.html
- “Explosive in the Sewers” from The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/11/us/explosive-in-the-sewers.html
- “Secret Weapons, Forgotten Sacrifices Scientific R & D in World War II” [Excerpt] by Adam Kline with Robyn Dexter https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2016/spring/osrd.pdf
- “Food items that played a pivotal role in historical events” from The Economic Times https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/slideshows/nation-world/food-items-that-played-a-pivotal-role-in-historical-events/slideshow/20826554.cms
- “Resistance Isn’t Futile: Explosive Edible Flour, Cigarette Guns and Other WWII OSS Tricks” from GIZMODO https://gizmodo.com/392406/resistance-isnt-futile-explosive-edible-flour-cigarette-guns-and-other-wwii-oss-tricks
- “OSS Detachment 101” from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSS_Detachment_101
- “George Kistiakowsky” entry from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Kistiakowsky
Episode 3 – Japanese Balloon Bombs
- “Japan’s Secret WWII Weapon: Balloon Bombs” from National Geographic https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/05/130527-map-video-balloon-bomb-wwii-japanese-air-current-jet-stream/
- “May 5, 1945: Japanese Balloon Bomb Kills 6 in Oregon” from Wired https://www.wired.com/2010/05/0505japanese-balloon-kills-oregon/
- “Attack of Japan’s Killer WWII Balloons, 70 Years Ago” from History Cannel http://www.history.com/news/attack-of-japans-killer-wwii-balloons-70-years-ago
- “Balloon Bombs — How Japan Killed Americans At Home In WWII” from Task & Purpose http://taskandpurpose.com/balloon-bombs-japan-killed-americans-home-wwii/
- “Military unit blows WWII-era Japanese balloon bomb to ’smithereens’” from The Globe and Mail https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/object-found-in-forest-may-be-second-world-war-era-japanese-balloon-bomb/article21065545/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&
- “Fire Balloon” entry from Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_balloon
Episode 4 – Germans Land on Long Island
- “The Inside Story of How a Nazi Plot to Sabotage the U.S. War Effort Was Foiled” from SmithsonianMag.com https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/inside-story-how-nazi-plot-sabotage-us-war-effort-was-foiled-180959594/
- “Hitler sent German U-boat carrying secret agents to terrorise New York during World War Two (but it got wedged off Long Island)” from the Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1372973/Revealed-The-secret-Nazi-operation-Pastorius-land-German-soldiers-U-S-soil-sabotage-war-effort-world-war-two.html
- “Hitler’s Unfulfilled Dream of a New York in Flames” from Der Spiegel http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/operation-pastorius-hitler-s-unfulfilled-dream-of-a-new-york-in-flames-a-716753.html
- “Saboteurs and Spies: German Spies & U-boats in the Americas” from the National WWII Museum http://www.nww2m.com/2012/06/saboteurs-and-spies-german-spies-u-boats-in-the-americas/
- “John Cullen, Coast Guardsman Who Detected Spies, Dies at 90” from The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/nyregion/john-cullen-coast-guardsman-who-detected-spies-dies-at-90.html
- “Operation Pastorius” entry on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Pastorius
Episode 5 – Safecracker Turned Double Agent
- “Eddie Chapman, 83, Safecracker and Spy” from The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/20/world/eddie-chapman-83-safecracker-and-spy.html
- “Double Agent: The Eddie Chapman Story” from the BBC (Love TV Blog) http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tv/entries/dd82fe0c-edf4-3921-a3ba-a1bf757ffaa7
- “The spy who loved only himself” from The Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/3662822/The-spy-who-loved-only-himself.html
- “Eddie Chapman” from The Economist http://www.economist.com/node/456812
- “6 Daring Double Agents” from History.com http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/6-daring-double-agents
Episode 6 – The Imagined Major Martin
- “Operation Mincemeat: How a dead tramp fooled Hitler” from BBC News http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-11887115
- “What was Operation Mincemeat?” from History.com http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/what-was-operation-mincemeat
- “More information about:Operation Mincemeat” from The BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/topics/operation_mincemeat#p00cdhyc
- “Operation Mincemeat” entry on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat#cite_ref-12
- “‘Operation Mincemeat’ mastermind who used a dead drunk’s corpse to fool the Germans in WW2 most amazing spy story is remembered as his medals go up for sale” from The Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3676838/Espionage-chief-used-dead-drunk-fake-documents-submarine-fool-Germans-World-War-Two-s-amazing-spy-story-remembered-medals-sale.html
- “William Martin” entry on FindAGrave.com https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11237449