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270: War at Sea '41 Pt. 8 - The Operation Begins

270: War at Sea '41 Pt. 8 - The Operation Begins

Author: Wesley Livesay August 14, 2026 Duration: 27:03
History of the Second World War
HistoryCultureDocumentarySocietySociety & Culture
As Bismarck and Prinz Eugen departed for the Atlantic, British reconnaissance exposed their presence in Norway and set the Royal Navy’s response in motion. This episode follows the German ships through their final preparations and dash toward the Denmark Strait while examining the severe endurance constraints, aging warships, and untested crews that shaped Britain’s pursuit. Credit Logo Image: ⁠⁠https://www.flickr.com/photos/state_library_south_australia/3331881750/in/album-72157623232407924 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast Episodes
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…
258: Crete Pt. 3 - May 20th a Day of Failures [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:10
The first day of the German airborne invasion of Crete, May 20th, 1941, saw paratroopers drop not only around the critical airfield at Maleme but across three other sectors of the island. Near Chania, German forces landi…

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