The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War
The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast is created by Seth Paridon, a World War II historian with over 20 years of experience, and Bill Toti, a retired submarine commodore and military planner. Each week, they dive deep into topics pertaining to the Pacific War during World War II, dissecting battles, tactics, strategies, and personalities that drove the United States' victory. The podcast provides hard facts about the war that resonates deeply today, some 80 years after the war was fought. New episodes are released every Tuesday.
Episodes
Empire of Ashes-Truman, Hirohito and Total War with James Scott – Episode 613
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome there good buddy author and historian James Scott to the show to discuss James's new book, Empire of Ashes. In this week's episode the guys dig into the other American president of World War II, Harry S Truman and his decision to use the atomic bomb on Japan and all the intricacies therein. The conversation then shifts to that of the Soviet intervent
The End on Bataan: April 1942 - Episode 611
This week Seth Paridon and John Parshall take a look at the unfortunate, but inevitable, end of the defense of Bataan. After months of defending the peninsula valiantly, and short on everything but guts, the defenders finally capitulate under the guns and relentless assault of the Japanese army. Sick, exhausted, demoralized, and flat worn out, the Americans and Filipinos do the best they can again
The Battle of the Pockets and MacArthur’s Departure – Episode 610
This week Seth Paridon and John Parshall dig into the Battle of the Pockets on Bataan in February 1942. As the Japanese continue to try and push their advantage along the rear battle position, after having forced the Fil-American forces to retreat from their main line of resistance, the month before, The previously victorious Japanese run into a buzz saw of defensive lines. The Japanese continue t
Episode 612 – Guadalcanal’s Forgotten Fight: The US Army’s Crucial Role with Dave Holland
This week, Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back their good buddy author and historian Dave Holland to the show to talk about Dave's new book. In his second book, Dave takes on the underappreciated and largely misunderstood role of the United States Army on Guadalcanal. For years, the narrative history of Guadalcanal always states that the United States Marines were the only ones ashore, and
Shooting the Breeze Between Shows and Future Ideas
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall get together to shoot the breeze in between shows, talk about future ideas and just generally hang out. The guys get into some new books that are coming out or are already out, talk about Jon's new book that just got released, Seth's new book that is at the publisher currently. and a rather startling revelation about a personal injury and the story that goes
The Last Charge and The Battle of the Points: Jan-Feb 1942 on Bataan – Episode 609
This week Seth Paridon and John Parshall dig deep into the actions of I Corps on the western coast of Bataan in January 1942. The guys discuss the tactical and strategic situation facing Wainwright's men and discuss the heroic, if not romantic, death of the American horse cavalry with the 26th Cav’s last horse charge at Morong. Following the end of the cavalry, the guys get into what has become kn
The First Attacks on the Bataan Peninsula: January 1942 – Episode 608
This week, Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take up the topic of the first Japanese attacks on the Fil-American lines in January 1942. With Manila now in his hands, Japanese General Homma feels that an end to the campaign on Luzon is in sight and feels that an attack with the units he has on hand will bring the Fil-American line crashing down. The valiant defense put up by American General Parker’s I
Japanese Archival Footage from the Philippines 1942 – Episode 607
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at some fairly rare and very important archival footage from 1942. While scenes of the Fil-American disaster on Luzon are few and far between, there are some shots of the campaign, and as one would suspect, they are from the Japanese point of view. This week we look at footage from the final Japanese assault on Bataan in April 1942, as well as so
Holding the Door Open: The Battles Towards Bataan – Episode 606
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a deep dive into the withdrawal actions fought by General Jonathan Wainwright’s troops of the Northern Luzon Force from December 24, 1941 through January 1, 1942. The guys get into the actions of some of the men who, quite literally, held the door open so that General Parker’s Southern Luzon Force could escape into Bataan during the latter portion of 19
The Withdrawal to Bataan with John McManus – Episode 605
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back their buddy John McManus to discuss the situation facing Douglas MacArthur’s troops from Christmas Eve, 1941 through the New Year as Wainwright and his beleaguered men begin the phased withdrawal from their fighting positions to the Bataan Peninsula. Among the many topics the guys get into is the leadership of General Jonathan Wainwright and how
Japanese Landings on Luzon-December 1941 with John McManus - Episode 604
This week Seth Paridon, Jon Parshall and their buddy, John McManus, talk about the initial Japanese landings on Luzon in December 1941. The guys get into the very real panic that was in Manila following the debacle at Clark Field and how the citizenry reacted to the news that the Japanese were indeed going to invade. The landings at Aparri, Legaspi and Vigan are discussed as are the main Japanese
Disaster at Clark Field: Air Raid Philippines 1941 - Episode 603
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a deep dive into the debacle that occurs at Clark Field in December 1941 as war comes to the Philippines and General Douglas MacArthur. The series of missteps from General Lewis Brereton, to Dick Sutherland all the way to MacArthur himself all lead down the road to disaster as the Japanese catch Mac's major defensive/offensive assets with their pants do
Intro to the Philippine Campaign of 1942 - Episode 602
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a deep dive into the realm of the pre-war Philippines. The guys dig into the ever-revolving question that flew through defense circles in the 1920’s and 30’s as to whether or not the US should defend the Philippines in any way. Then, with defense a definite, the guys get into War Plan Orange, WPO-3, and Douglas MacArthur’s own plan for defense and the p
VMF-221: The Fighting Falcons in the Pacific War with guest Pete Owen - Episode 601
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall open up Season 6 with friend, author and historian Pete Owen. Pete, a retired United States Marine, and Naval Academy graduate, brings us the story of VMF-221's Pacific War odyssey. 221 first saw combat at Midway in June 1942, then went on to Guadalcanal after a lengthy rebuild. After the Canal, and flying the F4U Corsair, the Falcons flew in the Solomons be
The Fleet That Came to Stay
This week, Seth is introducing another documentary from his massive film archive. This time its the USN and USCG produced, The Fleet That Came to Stay. The title is obvious and this film is filled with awesome archival footage. Check it out and get ready for Season Six that debuts next week! #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #w
Appointment in Tokyo
This week Seth introduces a really good documentary film produced right after the war by General MacArthur's command entitled Appointment in Tokyo. The film focuses on Mac's theater of the Pacific war from the Fall of the Philippines to the surrender aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay in 1945. Another couple weeks before the start of Season Six. Stand by! #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #meda
The Battle for Wake Island
This week we are combining both Wake Island episodes as Seth and Jon prep for Season 6. Enjoy. #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #essex #halse
Come Hang out Seth and Jon at The National Museum of the Pacific War on October 16-17, 2026.
Special Announcement here gang: Both Jon and myself, along with John McManus , will be at The National Museum of the Pacific War's annual conference in October. The museum's annual conference will conference will feature several speakers, including both of us. Jon and my session will be Friday October 16, 2026 at 5 pm. Jon will be speaking separately the following day. The entire conference is Fri
Attack on Pearl Harbor--The First Wave
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the attack on Pearl Harbor, the first wave in this super-long episode. We've combined the two parts of the first wave into this massive episode while we prepare for Season 6. Enjoy.
Touring the National Naval Aviation Museum
This week Seth Paridon, and his son, take you through the National Naval Aviation Museum located on NAS Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida. Yours truly and my son take an annual "History with Dad" trip, and my boy selected P'Cola as this year's destination. This is one of, if not the, finest museum in the entire country. The aircraft collection is amazing and the artifacts, including some from CV6, a
Season 5 Finale--Questions and Answers on the Pacific War
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall wrap up Season 5 with a Q&A episode with their good buddy and Q&A emcee-Shawn Bergstrom. The team wraps up the massive amount of questions sent in with some really thought provoking answers to some excellent questions. See if you made the cut. #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwii
Shipbuilding and Fleet Repair in the PTO with Sal Mercogliano – Episode 549
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back buddy Sal Mercogliano @wgowshipping to talk about US Navy shipbuilding and fleet repair in the Pacific theater of Operations. The guys get into several Admirals you’ve probably never heard of and dive into the Navy’s shipbuilding programs that began during the mid-1930’s and rolled through to the Two Ocean Navy Act. The sheer amount of vessels
Task Force 58 Under Attack 1943-45 Archival Footage – Episode 548
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at some utterly awesome archival footage. Remember when we said that the airspace over Task Force 58 was the most deadly anti-aircraft envelope on the planet in 44-45? Well, after watching this, you will understand why we are right. The sheer amount of lead flying through the air from the likes of USS Washington, USS Lexington, USS Hornet, USS Be
The Dangerous Shore with Sara Vladic – Episode 547
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome author and historian Sara Vladic to the show to discuss her new book, The Dangerous Shore: How a Motley Crew of Scientists, Mobsters, Double Agents, Retirees, Volunteer Pilots (and a Boy Scout) Stopped the Invasion of America. I bet you never thought you would ever hear the name Lucky Luciano or Meyer Lansky on this show. Well, just sit back and watc
Pacific War Historians Chat with John McManus - Episode 546
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome their good friend John McManus to the show to talk research. Jon and I get stacks of emails every week asking where to look, how to look, what to look for, etc when it comes to researching a subject, person, photo, what have you. As we begin the wrap-up of Season 5, we thought it would be a good idea to have our buddy on to discuss that very topic. H
Fast Oilers and Logistics in the Pacific War with Sal Mercogliano – Episode 545
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall are delighted to welcome Sal Mercogliano from What’s Going on With Shipping to the show to discuss US Navy fast oilers and the logistic issues in the Pacific during 1942. Seth and Jon give Sal the wheel and he drives us through an absolutely fascinating presentation on the US Navy’s oiler situation in late 1941 and through 1942.You guys will be absolutely a
Campaign in Burma 1942: The Fall of Rangoon to The End in 42 - Episode 543
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall wrap up the campaign in Burma with the fall of Rangoon, and the subsequent Japanese advance north into central Burma. British General Harold Alexander takes over for the fired Thomas Hutton and we also see the introduction of two of the more famous allied characters of the war, British General William Slim and American General Joseph “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell.
The Burma Campaign: Japanese Invasion to Sittang Bridge - Episode 542
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall bring the Burma campaign, or the beginning of it anyway, to the table. The guys get into the strategic setup for the campaign, and talk about the British defensive forces, or lack thereof. Jon dishes on Iida Shojiro, Japanese CO of the 15th Army, and the guys get into the series of defenisive battles fought by the Commonwealth forces that occur in the beginn
Japanese Archival Footage from 1942 - Episode 541
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a fascinating look at some Japanese archival footage from 1942 (and a bit from 43). The guys look at footage, that for the most part, they have never seen before. There are some really amazing shots of Japanese aircraft including, Jakes and Mavis', as well as some glorious shots of Japanese heavy cruisers like Tone, Haguro, and the Mogami class, as well
Questions and Answers on the PTO Round 5 – Episode 540
This week Seth Paridon, Jon Parshall and Shawn Bergstrom get into more of your listener questions as we take one more dive into the email inbox. Topics range all over the map and are frankly too numerous to list, the conversation is lively, fun and engaging. Hope you made the cut as we round out the q&a’s for this season.Thanks to all of the Nerderati who sent in the amazing questions. We hope
Questions and Answers on the Pacific War Round 4 - Episode 539
This week Seth Paridon, Jon Parshall and Shawn Bergstrom tackle more of your listener questions as we wade through round four of the Q&A episodes. Questions dealing with POWs, brutality in the PTO, who was replaceable, hidden conversations, and even the dreaded counter-factuals are tackled in this deep dive. Check it out, maybe your question made the cut.
The Battles of Hong Kong and Changsha – Episode 538
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a step to the east and look at the Battle of Hong Kong and the subsequent third Battle of Changsha. In the late 1930’s, Great Britain felt that defending the city of Hong Kong and it’s environs was not worth the waste of manpower and materiel.Yet, by 1941, they had changed their tune, albeit half-heartedly. Hong Kong’s survival, not to the British, bu
Battle of Eastern Solomons and Battle of Santa Cruz Archival Footage – Episode 537
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall dig into some incredible archival footage from the final two carrier battles of 1942. The Battle of Eastern Solomons, fought on August 24, 1942, was the first carrier battle since Midway and saw USS Enterprise and USS Saratoga engage Japanese carrier forces in a short, sharp clash. Enterprise is heavily damaged during the battle, and the guys dissect the foo
Q&A Session Round 3 with Special Guest John McManus – Episode 536
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome their mutual pal, historian and author John McManus back to the show for another Q&A round with emcee US Army retired Major Shawn Bergstrom. This session gets DEEP in the weeds on several topics such as the American Homefront, PTSD, war dogs, Tarawa, New Guinea, bypassed Japanese bastions and much, much more. This episode is a lot of fun, and the q
Guadalcanal's Longest Fight with guest Dave Holland - Episode 535
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall talk with their good buddy, Guadalcanal historian, Dave Holland. The guys get Dave to dig into his new book, Guadalcanal's Longest Fight: The Pivotal Battles on the Matinikau Front. Dave goes into just what made the Matinikau river the single most fought over section of territory on Guadalcanal and why Tenaru, Edson's Ridge, and the Battle of Henderson Field
The Fall of Singapore – Episode 534
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the fall of Singapore in February 1942. After having swept the battlefields from Singora to Muar of British, Australian, Indian, and Malaysian troops in his masterful campaign down the 500-mile-long Malayan island, Japanese General Yamashita stands poised just across the Strait of Johore from Singapore Island and his final conquest. In the sin
Q&A on the Pacific War Round 2 with special guest Bill Toti - Episode 533
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back their buddy Captain Bill Toti to the show for another round of Pacific War Q&A with emcee Shawn Bergstrom. The guys get into the weeds on a variety of topics sent in by you guys. Hope we did well. Thank you, as always, for sending in the questions this go-round. You guys really know your stuff. More Q&A's in the future as we wade through the sta
Pacific War Q&A Round 1 with special guest Bill Toti - Episode 532
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back the OG, Captain Bill Toti to the show for our first of several Q&A episodes. As always, our emcee, retired US Army Major Shawn Bergstrom is with us as well. The guys tackle some of the more than 500 questions sent in (!) and cover all klinds of topics from the Philippines, to torpedoes, dinner guests and just about anything else you can think of
The Invasion of Malaya - Episode 531
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall dig into the morass that is the British “problem” in Malaya following the Japanese invasion. Just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese launched the Invasion of Malaya, landing on several beaches and quickly moving inland. British colonial troop’s reaction to the Japanese advance was both slow and improper, leading to cataclysmic defeats at Jitra
The Destruction of Force Z - Episode 530
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall dig into the destruction of Force Z at the hands of the Imperial Japanese Navy's air arm. Sent as a deterrent to Japanese aggression in the area in December 1941 by Winston Churchill, Force Z was supposed to be the "big stick" of Royal Navy power in the Pacific. Comprised of HMS Prince of Wals and battlecruiser HMS Repulse, as well as four destroyers, the pa
Preparations for the Invasion of Malaya - Episode 529
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the preparation for the Japanese invasion of Malaya in December 1941. The guys dig into the Japanese outlook on the region, the reasons for invasion, as well as the invasion plans. Digging into the personalities involved, Jon dishes out the goods on Brooke-Popham, Percival, Yamashita and others. A fascinating discussion on the Japanese plan of
Invasion of Tarawa and Alexander Bonnyman Medal of Honor Footage - Episode 528
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall dig into the archival footage shot by Norm Hatch and his crew for the invasion of Tarawa in November 1943. Thge guys dig into some of the personalities seen on screen like Herb Amey, Jim Crowe, Norm Hatch and Alexander Bonnyman. Towards the end of the episode Seth and Jon go through Alexander Bonnyman's Medal of Honor action as filmed by Norm Hatch on Day Th
The US Army at Pearl Harbor with John McManus - Episode 527
This week, Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome their mutual buddy, John McManus to the show to discuss the role of the US Army at Pearl Harbor. Everyone knows what the Navy and Marine Corps did and went through during the Japanese attack on Oahu, but do you know the role of the US Army? Tune in to this episode and you will find out. The guys get into such topics as the Coast Artillery, Army AAA
The Battle for Wake Island Part 2 - December 12-23, 1941 Episode 526
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the second part of the Battle for Wake Island, the Japanese invasion and American defense. The guys also dig into the details, focusing on the American relief effort planned by Admiral Husband Kimmel, the Japanese plans for a re-do, the Japanese landings and subsequent beat-down that the Marines put on Kajioka's assault troops. All this leads
The Battle for Wake Island-Part 1- December 8-11 Episode 525
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall tackle the topic of the American defense of Wake Island. In this much-anticipated series of episodes, Seth and Jon take a look at why Wake was occupied in the first place, what it took to build Wake into a useful base, as well as the commanding officers, both American and Japanese. Finally, the guys get into the story of the Marine defense of Wake on Decembe
Battle of Midway Archival Footage - Episode 524
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the archival footage shot just before and during the Battle of Midway from June 3-7, 1942. Some of the footage we go through here was shot in late May 1942 aboard USS Enterprise and shows such future Midway heroes such as Wade McClusky, Dusty Kleiss, Cleo Dobson and others. The guys then go through the John Ford material that was shot on the M
Raising the Fleet: Pearl Harbor Salvage Operations - Episode 523
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a deep dive (ha) into the world of post Pearl Harbor salvage operations. The effort to get the Navy's battleships off the harbor bottom and back into the war was truly monumental. A gargantuan effort that began on December 7, 1941 and didn't end until months later. The guys go into the stories of rescue and survival aboard USS Oklahoma and then get into
Immediate Post Pearl Harbor America with Rich Frank Part 2 - Episode 522
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back their mutual good friend, Rich Frank to talk about the after-effects of the Pearl Harbor attack here in the United States.The guys get into the fountains of rumors that sprang up from coast to coast telling of Japanese aircraft carriers in the Panama Cana Zone to Japanese paratroopers landing on Oahu and everything in between, including the so-c
Immediate Post Pearl Harbor America with Rich Frank Part 1 - Episode 521
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome back their good buddy historian Rich Frank to the show to talk about immediate post Pearl Harbor America. In the days and weeks after Japan's successful attack on Pearl Harbor and Oahu, the United States found itself in a strange new world. The news hit both FDR and the populace like a thunderbolt causing mayhem and mass confusion from coast to coast
Marshall Islands Raid, Butch O'Hare Medal of Honor, and Coral Sea Archival Footage-Episode 520
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a dive into the archival footage world of the US National Archives and look at imagery from the Marshall Islands Raid of February 1, 1942. After looking through selected shots, the guys dig into previously unrecognized archival footage of Edward "Butch" O'Hare's Medal of Honor action. The footage was shot aboard USS Lexington (CV-2) on February 20, 1942
Attack on Pearl Harbor: The Second Wave - Episode 519
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall wrap up the Japanese attack on Oahu with the second wave. As the first wave of Japanese attackers winged off and away from Oahu, the second wave followed them into the area just a short 15 minutes later. Seth and Jon get into the weeds of the second wave discussing the vast differences between the two assaults and how the next wave of Japanese attackers met
Attack on Pearl Harbor: The First Wave Part 2 - Episode 518
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall wrap up the First Wave of the attack on Pearl Harbor by covering what happens to USS California, USS Arizona, and other ships in the anchorage before they move inland. The guys get into the attacks on Hickam Field and tell the story of the inbound flight of B-17s coming in from the mainland. Flying into a war unarmed, low on fuel, and with a skeleton crew--y
Attack on Pearl Harbor: The First Wave Part 1 - Episode 517
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall finally get to the meat of the Pearl Harbor series with Part 1 of our discussion of the First Wave. We get into the nuts and bolts of 1st Air Fleet's run towards Pearl Harbor, the launch sequence, the attack plan and the flight into Oahu in great detail, giving way to conversations about William Outerbridge and USS Ward, Opana Point and the various early war
Prepping for Pearl Harbor: American Defenses - Episode 516
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the American preparations, or lack thereof, for an attack on Pearl Harbor. The guys take a dig into Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short by looking at their personalities, history, leadership and, above all, steps for an eventual war with Japan and how to deal with it. Diving into the US intelligence we see just exactly what was kno
Japanese Planning for Pearl Harbor - Episode 515
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall dig into the Japanese planning for the Pearl Harbor attack on December 7, 1941. The guys get into the brain behind the idea, that being Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku, and his first ideas for the plan in April 1940. The guys discuss the growth of the plan from idea to reality through 1940, into 1941, including dives into the personalities involved including: Kuros
The Air War Over China 1937-40 with Justin Pyke - Episode 514
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome a new guest to talk about the air war over China. Justin Pyke joins us and delivers a masterful performance talking about an oft-forgotten aspect of the war in China. We always talk about nerding out--well here you go guys. We get into everything from the first deployment of the G3M, to the P-36 Hawk over China, Japanese strategic bombing, IJN ground
Countdown to Pearl Harbor-Diplomatic Warfare Part 2 with Rich Frank - Episode 513
This week Seth Paridon and co-host Jon Parshall welcome their good buddy Rich Frank back to the show to continue last week's conversation on the diplomatic road to Pearl Harbor. The guys pick up where they left off and begin with Rich's key steps to the oil embargo of July 1941. The discussion is fascinating as the trio waxes poetic on the world view situation as looked at by the Roosevelt adminis
The Diplomatic Road to Pearl Harbor Part 1 with Rich Frank - Episode 512
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome their good friend, the "Grand Poo-Bah" of Pacific war historians, Rich Frank to the show to discuss the actions of Japan and the United States between the years 1938 and early 1941. Incidents such as the sinking of the USS Panay, FDR moving the fleet to Pearl Harbor, the Japanese move into Indochina, as well as, the Japanese siding with Hitler and Ge
Doolittle Raid Archival Footage Dissection - Episode 511
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at the archival footage from the famous Doolittle Raid of April 18, 1942. There are several iconic moments in Pacific War history, or WWII for that matter, and the Doolittle Raid ranks right up there in the top five for sure. The guys take a peek at some footage that hasn't been seen very much, as well as some of the more famous images, dissectin
Annapolis Goes to War: The Naval; Academy Class of 1940 with Craig Symonds - Episode 510
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall welcome noted author and historian Craig Symonds to the show to discuss Craig's new book. Annapolis Goes to War: The Naval Academy Class of 1940 is an excellent read and this episode gives you a brief look at some of the grads who made an imprint on the Pacific side of the war. Craig is an amazing historian and it was an honor to have him with us as he goes
FDR and the Preparation for War 1933-1940 - Episode 509
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a really deep dive into the preparation for the war that no one in the US wanted to fight. We have always said that it isn't like flipping on a light switch--the build-up had to start somewhere. Where did the US Naval and US Army build-up begin? In the heart of the Great Depression of all places. Seth and Jon get into an absolutely fascinating conversat
January through March 1942 in Pearl Harbor Archival footage Dissection-Episode 508
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take a look at some really, really cool National Archives archival footage. The guys dig into the records of Hollywood director John Ford's Field Photographic Unit that operated on Oahu, mainly at Kaneohe and Pearl Harbor from February-May 1942. In a startling, but super cool, discovery, the guys find footage of VB6's SBD B-15 in flight, one of two SBDs stil
The Battle of Nomonhan/Khalkhin Gol - Episode 507
This week Seth Paridon and co-host Jon Parshall dig into a little-known event that had massive implications on the future progression of the Pacific War. In 1939, the renegade Japanese Kwangtung Army decided, on their own, to launch an offensive against Soviet and Mongolian forces near the small village of Nomonhan. Initial Japanese successes were later destroyed when the Soviets launched a massiv
The War in China 1937-1940 - Episode 506
This week Seth Paridon and co-host Jon Parshall take a look at the war in China from 1937-1940. Major clashes occurred in 1937, most notably at Nanking, where the guys get into both the battle and the Rape of Nanking, both catastrophes that grabbed the world's attention with both hands. Following that, we get into the negotiations, such as they were, between Chiang Kai Shek's China and Imperial Ja
Exploring the Wreck of USS Yorktown - Episode 505
This week Seth Paridon and Jon Parshall take you guys on an exclusive look at the remarkable footage taken by NOAA during their recent dive on the wreck of the USS Yorktown (CV-5). Seth and Jon tour the wreck and focus in on some of the highlights of the footage, explaining what some of the material is, why it looks like it does, the state of the wreck, and obviously, the history of the ship and h
Pearl Harbor Attack Archival Footage Dissection-Episode 504
As promised, this week Seth and Jon Parshall take a dive into the world of WWII archival footage from the US National Archives. The team focuses their attention on a few reels of footage from the early part of the Pacific War, namely, captured Japanese footage from Hong Kong, and the Pearl Harbor attack. The guys go through the shots step by step and Jon pours his knowledge of Kido Butai into the
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident and the Battle of Shanghai - Episode 503
This week Seth and co-host Jon Parshall take a look at...yes you read that correctly. More on that later. Seth and Jon take a look at what some historians say is the beginning of World War II, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. The team dives into the lead-up to the shots being fired and then what happens next. Both Japan and China, especially Chiang Kai Shek, push for war against one another and by
The Mukden Incident: Planting the Seeds of War-Episode 502
This week Seth and Bill take a deep look at where it all began...the Mukden Incident and the following Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Contrary to popular belief, World War II did not begin on September 1, 1939 when the Germans invaded Poland--it all started right here. In an absolutely fascinating episode, the guys break down the contrived incident that sparked conflict and take a deep
Deadly Effective: US Subs vs the Imperial Japanese Army-with Rich Frank - Episode 501
This week Seth and Bill welcome Season 5 into the world with very special guest, the "Grand Poo-bah" of Asia-Pacific War historians and very dear friend, Rich Frank. Rich delivers and absolutely fascinating presentation on the effectiveness of US Navy submarines against---the Imperial Japanese ARMY! Yes, you read that correctly. In a way that only Rich can, he lays out the numbers and analysis of
The Fighting Lady
This week we are feeding you guys another wartime documentary. This one is called The Fighting Lady. A so-called "news drama" of the day, the Fighting Lady focuses on the exploits of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) from her commissioning through many of the Navy battles and campaigns of the Pacific war from 1943-late 1944 including the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Narrated by Hollywoo
To The Shores of Iwo Jima
As Bill and I prepare and record episodes for Season 5, we wanted to make sure you guys had something to check out, so here you go. This is a US Govt produced film of the campaign for Iwo Jima. Produced using footage shot from US Navy and US Marine Corps photographers, including Bill Genaust, this film was made to show the American citizenry what their boys lived through in the hell of Iwo Jima.
The Invasion of Iwo Jima (Both Episodes Combined) with Jon Parshall
As wed prep for Season 5, we thought that maybe you guys would like both of our Iwo Jima episodes we did with Jon Parshall combined into one massive episode. We wanted to make sure you guys had something to look at/listen to this week as we record for next season. Hope you enjoy the re-run.
#wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6
Season 4 Finale Audience Q&A with Jon Parshall - Episode 442
This is the last episode for Season 4, and as such, we wanted to do a Q&A to wrap up another great run of episodes. Seth and Bill are joined by good buddies Jon Parshall and Shawn Bergstrom as the foursome goes through some of your questions to wrap up the season. Radar directed naval gunfire, Admiral Ernest King, oral histories, racism in the Pacific war, the American Home Front and much more a
Surrender aboard USS Missouri: The End of World War II with Jon Parshall - Episode 441
This week Seth, Bill, and third amigo Jon Parshall wrap up the Pacific war with the surrender ceremony aboard the battleship USS Missouri. The conversation doesn't start there, however. The guys get into the details of the early occupation, how American troops got to Japan, how many, how often, and all the stipulations in between. Before we get to the surrender ceremony we take a fascinating loo
Japan's Decision to Surrender with Jon Parshall - Episode 440
This week Seth, Bill and amigo Jon Parshall take a deep dive into Japan's decision to surrender and all the intrigue that goes with it. You probably think that after the atomic bomb on Nagasaki Japan just threw in the towel and it was over right? Wrong. It was NOT that easy--no way. You will not want to miss this absolutely fascinating episode as the guys go over the ins and outs of the intern
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki with Jon Parshall-Episode 439
This week Seth, Bill and good buddy Jon Parshall, take an in-depth look at the two atomic bombing missions that helped end World War II. The guys go into the deep details of the mission to Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and the complete mess of a mission to Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 by taking you through each mission in high detail.
#wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterp
What Were the Alternatives to Dropping the Bomb? with Jon Parshall Episode 438
This week Seth, Bill and good buddy Jon Parshall take a look at the moral decision to drop the atomic bombs. Was there a viable alternative? Why did we drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Did the dropping the bombs help end the war? Did the bombs save lives? All these questions and more are answered on this very important episode.
Indy-Maru: the Final Mission of USS Indianapolis-Episode 437
This week Bill and Seth take a deep look at the final mission of one of the most storied warships in naval history, USS Indianapolis. Bill goes through each and every step of Indy's final mission, destroying myths and highlighting the many survivors he came to know as friends. You don't want to miss this one as our Captain dishes on his favorite ship and her heroic story.
#wwii #wwiihistory #w
US Submarine Special Operations off WWII-Episode 436
This week Seth and Bill take a look at United States Navy submarine special operations in the Pacific during World War II. Beginning during the fall of the Philippines in 1942, American subs carried in ammunition and supplies while simultaneously ferrying out military and civilian personnel. Until October 1944, submarine special ops in the Philippine area kept the local Filipino guerillas in sup
Halsey's Carrier Raids on Kure Naval Harbor with Jon Parshall-Episode 435
This week Seth and guest co-host Jon Parshall (Bill had tech issues) dig into the final major US Naval action of World War II. In July 1945, Admiral William F. Halsey brings his 3rd Fleet to the very shores of Japan to destroy infrastructure, shipping, airfields, ad the remnants of the once mighty Imperial Japanese Navy. Over a period of two days, July 24 and July 28, 3rd Fleet aviators pummel wh
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