The Red Army Surrounds Berlin

The Red Army Surrounds Berlin

By April 1945, Soviet forces stood at the gates of Berlin. From the summer of 1944, Hitler's armies had suffered a series of cataclysmic defeats that had left them shattered and desperately trying to hold on in front of the capital of the Third Reich. But how the Soviets' been able to bring the once mighty German Army to the brink of total defeat, and did the Wehrmacht have one last throw of the dice to save the Nazi regime?


In this episode, Dan is joined by Professor Evan Mawdsley, author of Thunder in the East: The Nazi-Soviet War 1941-1945 and former Professor of International History at the University of Glasgow. Evan helps Dan explore the stark differences in the narrative of World War II's final months across Western and Eastern Europe. They also discuss the key events from Operation Bagration in June 1944 to the Soviets' advance on Berlin in 1945 and how these tie in with the advance of the Western Allies. Also, could Stalin's strategic decisions have brought the war to an end sooner, and what did Hitler's last offensive in Hungary reveal about the dictator's priorities?


Produced and edited by Dougal Patmore.


Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.


We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.


You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

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

Avsnitt(1496)

Royal Siblings, Scandals and Crises

Royal Siblings, Scandals and Crises

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew (who denies any wrongdoing and is innocent until proven guilty), has encouraged news outlets to look at the precedent of royals falling...

20 Feb 28min

The Peasants' Revolt

The Peasants' Revolt

In 1381, after plague, famine and war had pushed England to the brink, a final blow sparked an extraordinary uprising. This episode explores the Peasants’ Revolt, not as a chaotic riot, but as a coord...

19 Feb 43min

The First Vikings in Iceland

The First Vikings in Iceland

From icy seas to fire-lit longhouses, Dan heads to Iceland to trace the birth of one of the world’s most unique medieval cultures — at the very edge of the known world. He joins experts across the cou...

16 Feb 39min

The Scandalous Private Life of Charles II

The Scandalous Private Life of Charles II

He had at least 14 known mistresses and a hoard of illegitimate children; Charles II's private life was as politically charged as it was scandalous. He presided over the Restoration court, a world of ...

12 Feb 30min

The Great Famine

The Great Famine

In the late 19th century, Ireland suffered a potato blight that became a mass catastrophe. Today, we explore the conditions that left millions vulnerable, and assess the role of the British government...

9 Feb 39min

How Did Three Samurai Warlords Unite Japan?

How Did Three Samurai Warlords Unite Japan?

Today, we dive into the chaotic final act of Japan’s Warring States period, and hear about the three warlords who brought it to an end. Oda Nobunaga, the ruthless innovator who shattered the status qu...

5 Feb 54min

Whaling

Whaling

The history of whaling is complicated. At its height in the 18th and 19th centuries, whaling was a global enterprise built on perilous voyages, long seasons at sea, and a fierce chase for oil and bale...

2 Feb 52min

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

Teenage peasant, visionary commander, convicted heretic, national saint - Joan of Arc's life reads like a legend. Today, Dan digs past that legend to understand who Joan really was, and why her story ...

29 Jan 1h 1min

Populärt inom Historia

massmordarpodden
kod-katastrof
motiv
p3-historia
historiska-brott
olosta-mord
rss-historien-om
historiepodden-se
rss-seriemordarpodden
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-brottsligt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-historiska-brottslingar
krigshistoriepodden
militarhistoriepodden
rss-arkiv-stieg
palmemordet
nu-blir-det-historia
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
oppet-fall