Italy
6/30/202638 min
In the summer of 1943, after a successful campaign in North Africa, Churchill convinces
Roosevelt that the best way forward is an invasion of the island of Sicily. But what is thought to be a quick and decisive attack instead becomes a months-long slog up the Italian peninsula, as Hitler has no intention of giving up this key part of his empire without a fight.
This episode features interviews with (in order of appearance):
- Dan Snow, historian and broadcaster
- Robert Citino, senior historian, National WWII Museum
- Sarada Peri, presidential speechwriter and political analyst
- Jon Meacham, presidential historian
- Simon Sebag Montefiore, historian and author
- Dan Carlin, podcaster, Hardcore History
- Saul David, military historian and author
- Colonel Douglas Douds, professor, US Army War College
- Martin Morgan, military historian and author
- Marco Aterrano, associate professor, University of Naples Federico II
- Alexandra Richie, professor, Collegium Civitas
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
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Speaker 20:02
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Speaker 10:06
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Speaker 20:08
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Speaker 10:10
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Speaker 20:11
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Speaker 10:15
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Speaker 20:17
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Speaker 10:20
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Speaker 20:22
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Saul David· Guest0:29
The History Channel Original Podcast.
Tom Hanks0:32
[suspenseful music] After their victory over Germany in North Africa, American generals want to attack the Third Reich directly through Northern Europe. But Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the British believe an operation of that size and scope is premature. Failure would be catastrophic. Churchill proposes they attack Germany from the south, through what he considers the soft underbelly of Europe, Italy.
Jeremy Reagan1:01
[suspenseful music] This is World War II with Tom Hanks. Episode 11: Italy.
Tom Hanks1:11
In May 1943, the Prime Minister of Great Britain and the President of the United States meet in Washington DC for the third time since American entry into the war. Rarely in history have political leaders