Shows / WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
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…
Episodes
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Burma 44: Imphal - Crisis (Part 5)
In this fifth episode, Al and James look at the progress of the Battle of Imphal and how the Japanese prompted several deep crises as Slim’s men desperately…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Burma 44: Imphal - The Battle Begins (Part 4)
In this fourth episode, Al and James turn their attention to the Assam front and the major battle being planned by the Japanese. General Mutaguchi Renya’s aims…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Burma 44: The Battle of The Admin Box (Part 3)
It was one of the defining battles of 1944, but what really happened at the Admin Box - and where was it? In this gripping series, they explore the…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Burma 44: Slim’s Plan (Part 2)
To overcome the devastating retreat in Burma, Major Bill Slim had to devise a cunning tactical plan to beat the Japanese. From airpower to armour - Al Murray…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Burma 44: The Challenge (Part 1)
Al Murray and James Holland introduce the extraordinary challenge of fighting in the Middle East. As Louis Mountbatten is appointed Supreme Allied Commander -…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA - The Struggle for Saint-Lô
James Holland and John McManus examine the fierce fighting around Saint-Lô, a vital crossroads in the Normandy campaign. As American forces struggle through…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Griffon Engines, Airfix Models and the Secrets of Z-Force
What is the greatest Airfix Model kit that has never been sold? How did tommies make their ration packs edible while out in the field? Al Murray and James…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Patton, Trump and Firing a Bren Gun
As the dust settles on #WHWF24, Al Murray and James Holland are joined by John McManus to reflect on a superb weekend of WW2 lectures and living history…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA - The American Beast: Capturing Guam
The US mission in July 1944 was simple, create a series of airbases across Tinnian, Saipan and Guam - making an of attack within Japan's ring of defence. But…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Maquis Madness, Polish 'Liberation' and MacArthur's Plan
How much do you know about the disastrous Maquis plan to protect the Vercors Massif during July 1944 - ending in the deaths of over 650 resistance fighters? Al…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Terrain of Terror: Battleground Normandy (Live)
Al, Jim and the brilliant John Buckley take a look at the nature of the fighting in Normandy, the challenges for both sides and the different approaches both…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Germany's Last Stand: The Battle of the Bulge (Live)
It’s one of the most iconic battles of the war and it’s a salivating prospect to have two master historians discussing a subject they have both written about…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkThe Plot To Kill Hitler: After The Bomb (Part 2)
Picking up seconds after the clam shell bomb detonates - Al Murray, James Holland and Roger Moorhouse detail the aftermath of the courageous July bomb plot. As…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkThe Plot To Kill Hilter: The Assassin (Part 1)
July 20th. 1944. Wolf's Lair. Claus von Stauffenberg sets in motion a plot to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the Nazi high command. What were the reasons…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: The War in Saipan
As war raged on land in Western Europe in June 1944, the island of Saipan witnessed a naval bombardment never seen before. John McManus leads James Holland in…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Normandy: The Final Chapter
As Al Murray and James Holland return on English shores, they look back at their Normandy podcast series - the way we think about war, and the foolish decision…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Hill 192: Capturing Kraut Corner
Al Murray and James Holland delve into the Battle of Hill 192 - a crucial fight between the 2nd Infantry Division and German 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division to…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The Battle of Hill 112: The Hill is Secured (Part 2)
Securing the high ground was key to victory in Normandy. Al Murray and James Holland continue their journey in the footsteps of Allied soldiers from 80 years…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The Battle of Hill 112: The Barrage Begins (Part 1)
The Battle for Normandy didn’t end with D-Day. James Holland is re-united with Al Murray to retrace the steps of the Allied Operation EPSOM - 80 years to the…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
D-Day: A Warning From History?
Will we lose a tangible connection to WW2 once the final veteran dies? Is Europe sleepwalking into another monumental war? Continuing our on-the-ground…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The Sherwood Rangers in Normandy: The Noireau (Episode 2)
Stan Perry is given an almost impossible task; in the dead of night - find a suitable crossing of the Noireau. His success is legendary, but the days that…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The Sherwood Rangers in Normandy: BLUECOAT (Episode 1)
Through the tiny villages and fortress-like roads of Normandy, James Holland retraces the steps of Stanley Christopherson’s tank crew as they edge towards…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The Greatest War Fiction
We spend a lot of time speaking about non-fiction, but what are the greatest works of historical fiction? Al Murray interviews James Holland about his new…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The REAL Band Of Brothers
We're on the ground in Normandy as part of the D-Day 80 celebrations and our first stop is a parachute drop by the Band Of Brothers cast. James Holland…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: Victory In Normandy? (Episode 10)
After over a month on the ground fighting through fields and villages, the Allies have forced a retreat by Nazi High Command. The fightback has begun in…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: COBRA and GOODWOOD (Episode 9)
Allied Air superiority has left German forces in a mire, and the death of Rommel only makes the situation worse. After four long years of fighting, the tides…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: Bocage Busting (Episode 8)
In an expertly researched episode, Al Murray and James Holland investigate the myths surrounding Operation OVERLORD penned by historians in the last 80 years…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: The Normandy Bridgehead (Episode 7)
The beaches have been successfully invaded, but the race is on. In the hours and days after D-Day, the Allies faced some of the toughest fighting groups…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
BONUS: Spitfire vs Messerschmitt
**THE D-DAY SERIES WILL RETURN ON TUESDAY** Al Murray and James Holland are back again with warbird legend Richard Grace at his Northampton hangar full to the…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: Bloody Omaha? (Episode 6)
Do the facts of the 6th June really live up to the myth of ‘Bloody Omaha’? Al Murray and James Holland are joined by US historian John McManus to discuss the…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: The Beaches (Episode 5)
It was the single most day in the entire Allied campaign during WW2, the storming of the beaches of Normandy on the 6th June 1944. Al Murray and James Holland…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: Minelaying & The Airborne Drop (Episode 4)
Al Murray and James Holland continue to narrate the story of D-Day in stunning detail. In today’s episode they spend time focusing on an often untold stories…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: 24 Hours To Go (Episode 3)
With only a few hours to go before Landing Craft are due to hit the beaches of Normandy, the Allies plan for Operation OVERLORD hangs finely in the balance. It…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: The Master Plan (Episode 2)
The Allied plan for OVERLORD is a masterclass in logistics. Al Murray and James Holland detail the roles of US and British forces in planning the largest…
WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You TalkD-Day: The German Side (Episode 1)
May 1944, it is clear to Erwin Rommel that the Allied counter attack is just a few weeks away. The answer is simple - defend the Atlantic Wall. But Nazi…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: War Is Hell - A Soldier’s Story
In a follow up to our superb episode in which John McManus opened up the archives to a glut of post-war surveys of US soldiers, the boys really dig into the…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: The Forgotten Island - Operation RECKLESS
June 1944 was a month of allied invasion, both in Europe and the Pacific. James Holland and John McManus discuss Operation RECKLESS, the invasion of Hollandia…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The World's Greatest Spitfire Pilot
Is the Spitfire the perfect plane? Al Murray and James Holland speak to Matt Jones - possibly the most experienced Spitfire pilot in the world. Matt explains…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - Rome Falls (Part 8)
In the final episode of our epic Italy series, Al Murray and James Holland follow OPERATION DIADEM to completion. The Germans have been pushed back past the…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino ‘44 - OPERATION DIADEM (Part 7)
Cassino is cleared, and the Allies are planning one final push to take Rome and end the war in Italy, once and for all. Ira Akers presents OPERATION…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - Cassino Town (Part 6)
The capturing of Monte Cassino and Cassino town was crucial to the Allied victory in Italy, so why did it take so long to break through the stubborn German…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - OPERATION FISCHFANG (Part 5)
The Nazis have assembled over 90,000 troops to counterattack under General von Mackensen’s troops, they’re beginning to amass at the Anzio beach head. The…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino ’44 - Capturing Cassino (Part 4)
As the battle heats up in Italy, Al Murray and James Holland detail of the most iconic moments in WW2 history - the Battle of Monte Cassino in February 1944…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - OPERATION SHINGLE (Part 3)
In the early hours of the 22nd January 1944, US Fifth Army swarmed the beaches of Anzio largely unopposed. The Nazis’ response was swift, sending the 14th Army…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - The Gustav Line (Part 2)
As the launch of OPERATION SHINGLE nears, Al Murray and James Holland dig deeper into the mountains, mud and mayhem that categorised the fighting in Italy in…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Cassino '44 - The Plan Is Set (Part 1)
January 1944. The Allies have failed to reach Rome by Christmas, the ‘soft underbelly’ of Europe is reaching crisis point. To break through the Nazi’s strangle…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Horror in Hungary and Merril's Marauders
The Nazi occupation of Hungary led to the mass transportation and murder of over 400,000 Jews in 1944 and 1945. Why had Hungary's leadership sided with the…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: We Have Ways - Tuskegee Airmen
Al Murray, James Holland and John McManus delve into the remarkable and often overlooked history of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: We Have Ways - Fear and Loathing on the Frontline
One of the most gruelling and horrifying roles in all military history was being a grunt during the Second World War. It was so terrifying, that at least 1/5…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Charlie Lawson - Coronation Street Legend's Incredible WW2 Connection
Charlie Lawson, famous for playing Jim McDonald in Coronation Street shares with Al Murray and James Holland his family's history in the Second World War…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
WHW USA - America First, Culture Clashes and Hispanic Troops
Throughout the 20th and 21st century, America's foreign policy has swung violently from isolationist to interventionist - how did the Second World War impact…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Paddy Mayne's VC Snub, Axis on Malta and the Best Operation Names
Why did Paddy Mayne earn four Distinguished Service Orders during World War 2 but no VC? Al Murray and James Holland answer your questions, including who had…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
USA: We Have Ways - Mark Clark vs Fred Walker: Crossing The Rapido
Al Murray, James Holland and John McManus discuss the controversial Rapido river crossing by the 36th Texan Division in January 1944. Why did General Fred…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Nazi Scientists, B17 vs Mosquito and Arnhem Air Support
If the Mosquito could hold the same bomb load and had a smaller crew, why did the Americans use the bulky B17 to bomb Germany? Al Murray and James Holland talk…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Enemy Aliens
As the Nazis waged war on Europe, Britain had to take extreme measures to protect its shores. German and Italian nationals were imprisoned across the UK…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Prisoners Of War
Over 150,000 British and Commonwealth troops were imprisoned by the Germans or Japanese during the Second World War. What were their lives like, what diseases…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
MIGHTY 8TH - D-DAY TO VICTORY (Part 7)
“In the end it is only people that count, all the people in the whole world. Any land is beautiful to someone. Any land is worth fighting for to someone. So it…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
MIGHTY 8TH - OVERLORD (Part 6)
“We couldn’t tell 109s from P-51s or Focke-Wulfs. We couldn’t tell which side was winning or what kind went down. They looked like they were playing around…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
MIGHTY 8TH - BIG WEEK (Part 5)
“I wonder if you’ve got the guts to lead a big air force. If you haven’t I’ll get someone who has.” Al Murray and James Holland have reached one of the most…
- WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
MIGHTY 8TH - ALL CHANGE (Part 4)
“I believe we did a good job today on this target. The flak was scattered and only accurate at one point. Sweated it out a little but we came out unscathed.”…