237: North Africa 1940 Pt. 1 - Italian Aspirations

237: North Africa 1940 Pt. 1 - Italian Aspirations

Author: Wesley Livesay October 29, 2025 Duration: 28:21
In the summer of 1940, with the fall of France, the war in North Africa began in earnest. On one side, the Italian army in Libya, massive in number but beset by industrial and logistical problems. On the other, a small British force in Egypt, tasked with defending the Suez Canal. This episode explores the Italian war effort in the opening months of the North African campaign, from the strategic decisions made in Rome to the realities of the desert war. Was the Italian army a paper tiger, or a force to be reckoned with? Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on History of the Second World War. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast Episodes
266: War at Sea '41 Pt. 4 - The End of Operation Berlin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:27
Operation Berlin reaches its conclusion as Scharnhorst and Gneisenau continue their Atlantic cruise, repeatedly finding merchant shipping but also repeatedly being checked by the presence of British battleships. This epi…
265: War at Sea '41 Pt. 3 - Operation Berlin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:32
In early 1941, the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau set out on Operation Berlin, an attempt to break into the Atlantic and strike at Britain's convoy lifeline. This episode follows Admiral Günther Lütjens as…
Listener Question Pt. 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:24
Start off this one with a few quick hitters, then a question that takes 15 minutes to answer. Allied invasion of France in 1942? That Churchill guy you may have heard of? How did occupied economies work? Learn more about…
264: War at Sea '41 Pt. 2 - Cruisers Attack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:02
This episode examines Germany's auxiliary cruisers and the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper as they carried the commerce war into distant shipping lanes during 1940 and early 1941. It follows the disguised merchant raiders t…
263: War At Sea '41 Pt. 1 - The Surface Raiders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:34
This episode begins a new look at the German surface raiding campaign of late 1940 and early 1941, when the Kriegsmarine tried to use cruisers and battleships to threaten Britain's Atlantic lifelines. We trace how the fa…
262: Crete Pt. 7 - Another Defeat; Another Victory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:30
The evacuation from Crete reaches its final stage as British, Commonwealth, and Greek forces try to escape through Sphakia while others are left behind at Rethymno and across the island. This episode follows the difficul…
261: Crete Pt. 6 - Stick It Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:40
The battle for Crete shifts toward evacuation as the Royal Navy absorbs severe losses while trying to prevent German reinforcements from reaching the island by sea. This episode follows the aftermath of the disastrous na…
260: Crete Pt. 5 - Failed Counterattacks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:38
The Royal Navy's success in turning back the German invasion convoys in the waters north of Crete on the night of May 21st removed the threat of a seaborne landing, but it could not undo the damage done by Commander Frey…
Listener Questions Pt. 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:11
War Aims and Strategic Bombing History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠megaphone.f⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠m Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me…
259: Crete Pt. 4 - Naval Victory, Naval Disaster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:02
As the first day of the German invasion of Crete drew to a close on May 20th, 1941, neither side held the clear advantage they had hoped for — the Germans had failed to secure their primary objectives, while the British…