Blitzkrieg: How Britain Invented, Then Ignored It

Blitzkrieg: How Britain Invented, Then Ignored It

Author: History Hit October 28, 2022 Duration: 38:48

Here’s a special episode of Cautionary Tales, a podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries.


On Cautionary Tales, bestselling author Tim Harford shares stories of human error, natural disasters, and tragic catastrophes from history that contain important lessons for today. In 1917, a brilliant British officer developed a way to use an emerging military technology: the tank. The British army promptly squandered the idea – but the Germans did not. Blitzkrieg, the devastating advance of German tanks across Europe in 1940, was invented by the British.


This is a common story: Sony invented the forerunner of the iPod, Xerox the personal computer, and Kodak the digital camera. In each case they failed to capitalize on the idea. Why? Find out on Cautionary Tales. You can hear more episodes at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/warfare.


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


Hosted by war historian James Rogers, Warfare digs into the conflicts that have fundamentally constructed the world we live in now. This isn't just a chronological march through dates and places; it's about understanding the forces at play. Rogers, from History Hit, brings together a compelling roster of fellow historians, veterans, and specialists for conversations that go beyond the textbook. They examine everything from the tactical realities of the Normandy landings to the geopolitical tremors of the Cold War, connecting threads between Napoleonic battlefields and the shock of 9/11. What you'll hear in this podcast are the human and technological stories that decided outcomes: moments of improbable leadership, the sudden arrival of a game-changing weapon, and the single battles that irrevocably shifted eras. Released twice weekly, each episode is built to offer a fresh angle, pulling you into the complexities of strategy, sacrifice, and consequence. Tune in for a deeply researched, narrative-driven look at how the engine of conflict has driven, for better and worse, the trajectory of modern history.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Warfare
Podcast Episodes
Nuclear Near Misses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:47
What happens when a nuclear bomb is accidentally dropped onto foreign soil? Or when a nuke just goes missing? Rather worryingly, it happens more often that you would think.There’s a special term for these nuclear near mi…
The History of Britain's Black Airmen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:33
When you think of some of the remarkable feats of airpower throughout history, you might think of the Dambusters, or the Battle of Britain. But what about some of the untold stories of Britain's remarkable black airmen?…
Stalingrad [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:42
The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest battle of the Second World War, seeing 1.2 million killed, and thousands more wounded. One of the most brutal clashes in history, the battle raged between the forces of Nazi Ger…
Eisenhower's Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:03
Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in 1890, before the Wright Brothers had completed man's first flight, and died just weeks short of man's first steps on the moon. With involvement in multiple wars, from soldier to president…
Bay of Pigs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:57
The Bahía de Cochinos, also known as the Bay of Pigs, is a place that lives in infamy for the CIA. On April 17 1961, 1,500 US-trained Cuban exiles launched an unprecedented military landing operation on their homeland th…
The Bermuda Triangle: The Secret History of Flight 19 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:40
Located off the coast of Florida, Puerto Rico, and its namesake Bermuda - the mysterious Bermuda Triangle is an urban myth that's risen in popularity over the decades. But how come so many planes and boats disappear in t…
WW2 US Marines: Devil Dogs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:11
Founded in 1775, the United States Marines Corps (colloquially known as the US Marines) have a long standing history, and a reputation that precedes them. An elite group made up of personnel from across the United States…
Spitfires of the Sea [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:23
After the fall of France during the Second World War, Britain became an isolated nation - dependent on the strength of it's coastal forces to keep the Axis powers at bay. The task to protect the small island nation fell…
J. Edgar Hoover & The FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:01
Known today as one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the world - the Federal Bureau of Investigation, more colloquially known as the FBI, didn't always have such a great reputation. Once riddled with scand…
The Cult of Abraham Lincoln [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:30
Abraham Lincoln is a name that's been immortalised throughout history - the 16th President who led the country through the infamous American Civil War, and ultimately abolished slavery. But who is the man behind the myth…