WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
byGoalhanger
EducationHistorySocietyCulture
The World War II podcast with comedian Al Murray and historian James Holland.We Have Ways of Making You Talk dives deep into WWII history, exploring key battles, forgotten front lines, and incredible untold stories. Whether you're fascinated by the Battle of Britain, the D-Day landings, or the Eastern Front, this show offers a rich, detailed look at the war that shaped the modern world.Al and James bring a unique blend of expert knowledge and humour, discussing everything from the Third Reich, Churchill's leadership, and the Fall of Berlin, to World War 2 tanks, fighter planes, and naval battles. Expect...
Episodes(40 episodes)
Introducing: The Rest Is Science
Forget what you think you know about reality. The Rest Is Science is a mind-bending new show from Goalhanger that tears down familiar ideas… time, randomness, beauty, it will reveal just how bizarre the world truly is.
Join Professor Hannah Fry and science creator Michael Stevens (aka Vsauce) twice a week to explore big, small and surprising questions as they deep dive into theories, concepts, objects and thoughts and take us on a journey into the unexpected.
If you love digging into details that usually get skipped over, this is the show that proves reality is...
Published: Dec 1, 2025Duration: 11:52
S1E933 - Atlantic War: Papering Over The Cracks (Part 4)
What was so important about Cyril Thompson and the British Shipbuilding Commission in the USA? When was the first Liberty ship made? How did Hitler and the Luftwaffe prevent the U-Boats from becoming more effective in The Atlantic Ocean?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 4 of this deep dive on the war in the Atlantic, the most vital theatre of war in WW2 and the long-running campaign between the British Royal Navy and the Nazi German Kriegsmarine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock excl...
Published: Nov 27, 2025Duration: 47:04
S1E932 - Atlantic War: The Happy Time (Part 3)
Why was this period known as 'The Happy Time' for Germany's U-Boats? How much merchant tonnage did the Allies lose to Nazi U-Boat aces? Has the impact of U-Boats on the Allied war effort been overstated in history since 1945?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 3 of this deep dive on the war in the Atlantic, the most vital theatre of war in WW2 and the long-running campaign between the British Royal Navy and the Nazi German Kriegsmarine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock excl...
Published: Nov 25, 2025Duration: 40:43
War Under The Waves
How did submariners survive for weeks at a time at sea on patrol? Were there any perks to joining the submarine service? Why did so many submariners in WW2 have bad breath?
Listen to this exclusive extract from James M Scott and Roger Moorhouse's talk from this year's We Have Ways Festival on life in the submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Nazi German Kriegsmarine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and to listen to the rest of this talk, and more get more subscriber perk...
Published: Nov 21, 2025Duration: 14:54
S1E931 - Atlantic War: Norwegian Interlude (Part 2)
Why was Norway attacked in WW2? Why might the Norwegian Campaign be considered a success at sea for the Allies? What was the result of The Fall Of Norway and France for Britain and its naval strategy?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 2 of this deep dive on the war in the Atlantic, the most vital theatre of war in WW2 and the long-running campaign between the British Royal Navy and the Nazi German Kriegsmarine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and...
Published: Nov 20, 2025Duration: 51:49
S1E930 - Atlantic War: No Phoney War At Sea (Part 1)
Why is the battle of the Atlantic so crucial to the Allied war effort in WW2? How did Prien manage to sink Royal Oak in Scapa Flow? When did the civilian passenger liner Athenia get attacked by U-Boats?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 1 of this deep dive on the war in the Atlantic, the most vital theatre of war in WW2 and the long-running campaign between the British Royal Navy and the Nazi German Kriegsmarine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive cont...
Published: Nov 18, 2025Duration: 57:47
S1E929 - The Siege Of Malta: Operation Pedestal (Part 6)
Why is Operation Pedestal such an important event in WW2? How many ships in the convoy were sunk by Axis forces? What happened to the tanker, the Ohio?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 6 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonus episodes, and a we...
Published: Nov 13, 2025Duration: 52:28
S1E928 - The Siege Of Malta: Starving (Part 5)
When did Lord Gort and Sir Keith Park arrive on Fortress Malta? How many calories did people on Malta have each day for survival? What made George Screwball Beurling such a talented fighter ace?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 5 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast epis...
Published: Nov 11, 2025Duration: 48:30
S1E927 - The Siege Of Malta: The Most Bombed Place On Earth (Part 4)
Why did King George VI award Malta the George Cross? How did the 'Target Date' of starvation and surrender affect morale on the island? Were the Anti-Aircraft defences enough to blunt Kesselring's blitz on the island?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 4 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to p...
Published: Nov 6, 2025Duration: 47:44
S1E926 - The Siege Of Malta: Spitfire (Part 3)
Why was the arrival of RAF Spitfires so important to Malta's defence? How did the Fall Of Singapore impact the situation in Malta? Was the British leadership on Malta incompetent?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 3 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonus epis...
Published: Nov 4, 2025Duration: 54:36
S1E925 - The Siege Of Malta: Britain's Submarine Ace (Part 2)
Why was Malta such a threat to Nazi plans? What made HMS Upholder the most successful British submarine of WW2? How did British submarines disrupt Axis shipping routes and invasion plans?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 2 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonu...
Published: Oct 30, 2025Duration: 58:47
S1E924 - The Siege Of Malta: Fortress Malta (Part 1)
Why was Malta attacked in WW2? Where in the world is Malta? How did the British fail to build up Malta's defences before Italy entered the war on Nazi Germany's side?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 1 of this thrilling series on the siege of Malta, and how the very course of WW2 depended on the defence of this small island in the Mediterranean.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonu...
Published: Oct 28, 2025Duration: 54:13
S1E923 - WW2 British Tank Myths
What made British tank steel so superior? Why do people think British tanks were so bad in WW2? How was the Centurion the peak of British tank engineering?
Join James Holland and Al Murray as they dispel the many pervasive myths that surround the history of British tank design and procurement in WW2, showing conclusively it was often ahead of Nazi German production.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonus episodes, and a we...
Published: Oct 22, 2025Duration: 35:21
S1E922 - Death In The Mountains: Warning From History
What happened after the war to the communities around Monte Sole? Why did SS troops execute civilians, including women and children? How did survivors try to move on with their lives?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 3 as they explore the story of the largest mass killing of civilians in Western Europe outside of the camps, and try to understand why the tragedy is so poorly known.
*This episode contains content that may upset some listeners.*
Start your free trial at patreon.co...
Published: Oct 20, 2025Duration: 39:24
S1E921 - Death In The Mountains: Massacre At Monte Sole
How did the SS units fight back against the Italian partisan brigades? When was the Marzabotto massacre? What happened to the leaders of the Stella Rossa, and their families?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 2 as they explore the story of the largest mass killing of civilians in Western Europe outside of the camps, and try to understand why the tragedy is so poorly known.
*This episode contains content that may upset some listeners.*
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and...
Published: Oct 15, 2025Duration: 56:09
S1E920 - Death In The Mountains: Italy's Robin Hood
Where is Monte Sole in Italy? Why was the Stella Rossa such a successful partisan group? What resistance did Italians engage in to fight Nazi Germany?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 1 as they explore the story of the largest mass killing of civilians in Western Europe outside of the camps, and try to understand why the tragedy is so poorly known.
*This episode contains content that may upset some listeners.*
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive cont...
Published: Oct 13, 2025Duration: 59:49
S1E919 - Spy Family
As a part of our continuing effort to commemorate the incredible global story of WW2, we present our ongoing ‘Family Stories’ series.
This series tells YOUR relatives’ stories of derring do - both on the front line and home front.
In this episode we hear your tales of bucking broncos, Hogan's heroes, and adventures with The Chindits.
With thanks to Norman Bell, Peter Finch, Will Hogan, Malcolm Allen, Jo Pool, and Chris Bryan.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/weha...
Published: Oct 8, 2025Duration: 21:03
S1E918 - Bader, Berets, & Apache Helicopters
Did Daphne du Maurier design the paratroopers' maroon beret? Why was the defence of Malta so poor? What do the Army Air Corps do?
Join James Holland and Al Murray as they discuss a broad range of topics in this show, including the hagiography of RAF ace, Sir Douglas Bader, and some top WW2 book recommendations.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonus episodes, and a weekly newsletter packed with book deals and...
Published: Oct 6, 2025Duration: 37:35
S1E917 - The Battle Of Britain: The Defeat Of The Luftwaffe
Why did Hitler give up on Operation Sealion and look East for conquest? What longterm consequences did British victory have for the wider war? When did the intensity of air attacks over Britain lessen?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 6 of this new series on The Battle Of Britain as they explore the decisive aerial battles over Britain in summer 1940, and the dogged defence that stopped the Nazi warmachine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content such as episode 7 of this series. Enjo...
Published: Oct 1, 2025Duration: 45:53
S1E916 - The Battle Of Britain: Black Saturday
When was the worst day for RAF casualties in The Battle Of Britain? Why did bombing London mean relief for RAF Fighter Command? What happened on September 7th 1940?
Join James Holland and Al Murray for part 5 of this new series on The Battle Of Britain as they explore the decisive aerial battles over Britain in summer 1940, and the dogged defence that stopped the Nazi warmachine.
Start your free trial at patreon.com/wehaveways and unlock exclusive content and more. Enjoy livestreams, early access to podcast episodes, ad-free listening, bonus epis...
Published: Sep 29, 2025Duration: 52:15