Dan Snow's History Hit

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the mastermind of the “sneak attack” on Pearl Harbour that dragged the United States into the Second World War. His strategy stunned the Allies and allowed the Japanese military to make gains across the Pacific that took years of hard, bloody fighting to reverse. But Yamamoto was a commander who understood the folly of war with the United States and its allies, yet paradoxically did more than most to bring war about. The failure to finish the job at Pearl Harbour, his overconfident, flawed planning at Midway and his unwillingness to commit to a decisive battle at Guadalcanal ultimately meant the very tools he had perfected were turned back against Japan with ruinous consequences.

In the fourth episode of our Commanders series, we peel back the myth and propaganda to explore the enigmatic admiral at the very heart of the Pacific War. What can the real Yamamoto tell us about hubris, strategy, and the tragedy of inevitability? Joining us is the historian Mark Stille, who, after a nearly 40-year career in the intelligence community, is the author of numerous books on naval history in the Pacific theatre, including Pearl Harbour: Japan's Greatest Disasterand Midway: The Pacific War's Most Famous Battle.

Produced and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].

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In September 1999, just weeks after 46-year-old Vladimir Putin became Russia’s prime minister, a series of apartment bombings ripped through Russian cities, killing hundreds as they slept and plunging the country into fear. The government blamed Chechen militants—but questions soon emerged. Some journalists and investigators began to suspect Russia’s own security services, the FSB, successor to the KGB. Those who pursued the story, including former agent Alexander Litvinenko, paid a heavy price. To this day, the truth remains fiercely contested. What is clear is the impact: out of the chaos, Putin rose as a leader promising order and revenge—an ascent that would reshape Russia’s future.

Dan is joined by journalist Helena Merriman, who hosts a brand new podcast from BBC Studios called The History Bureau that delves into this story and asks the journalists who were there - what did we miss the first time around? You can listen to The History Bureau on the BBC Sounds app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Matthew Wilson.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Supreme Commander, Eisenhower spearheaded the successful Allied invasions of North Africa, Italy and Western Europe. He's consequently one of the most celebrated leaders of the Second World War - but how much of that success came down to strategic brilliance, and how much came from his skills in managing powerful personalities and coalition building?

For the third episode of our "Commanders" series, we revisit the key decisions, rivalries and controversies of Eisenhower's command, to see whether he deserves his towering reputation. To guide us through the story of Eisenhower, we're joined by John C. McManus, professor of military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, and host of the podcasts 'Someone Talked!' and 'World War 2 Live'.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In July 1863, the quiet town of Gettysburg became the site of one of the most decisive clashes of the American Civil War. Over three intense days, Union and Confederate forces fought across fields, hills and ridges in a battle that helped shape the future of the United States.

To tell us this story, we're joined by Jonathan Bratten, a historian and serving Major in the Maine National Guard.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Listen to Civil War Rivals: Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses Grant via Spotify.
Listen to Civil War Rivals: Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses Grant via Apple Podcasts.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the Iran war still unfolding, we ask the question: Can air power alone topple a government?

From the First World War onward, military strategists have argued that bombing from the air could break a nation’s will and force political change without costly ground invasions. Today, we test that claim through a century of conflict - from WWI to NATO's intervention in Kosovo in the 1990s.

Joining us is Mike Pavelec, a military historian at McGill University, to provide some insight into the efficacy of air power.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcast

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

You can also email the podcast directly at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.