History Extra podcast

How tanks redefined warfare

From the mud-churned battlefields of the First World War to the high-stakes clashes of the Cold War, the tank has shaped the course of conflict like no other machine. In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by Mark Urban, as he reveals the dramatic evolution of armoured warfare through its iconic vehicles – and the engineers, commanders and crews who drove them into the history books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Robert McNamara: life of the week

Robert McNamara is best remembered as a key architect of the Vietnam War, a man who pushed for military escalation as thousands died on all sides of the conflict. In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, historians William and Philip Taubman speak with Elinor Evans about their landmark biography of one of the most powerful and controversial men in American history. Drawing on newly uncovered material, including Jackie Kennedy’s personal letters and a secret Pentagon aide’s diary, they reveal the inner world of a man who was often blamed for escalating the Vietnam War – while privately longing to end it. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Don't miss our podcast series on the Cuban Missile Crisis, in which Bill Taubman joined a panel of experts to tell Elinor Evans about a pivotal 13 days that saw diplomatic tensions escalate in a world on the brink of nuclear disaster. All four episodes are available now: https://bit.ly/45TLykN. ––––– (Ad) William and Philip Taubman are the authors of McNamara at War: A New History (WW Norton & Co, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2400&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fmcnamara-at-war%2Fwilliam-taubman%2Fphilip-taubman%2F9781324007166&clickref=historyextra-social-histboty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The road to the Holocaust

In his latest book, The Hitler Years: Holocaust 1933–1945, Frank McDonough offers a heart-rending year-by-year narrative of the Nazis' escalating persecution of the Jews – from Hitler's rise to power to the death camps. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Frank describes how a campaign of intimidation on the streets of Germany evolved into genocide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The final days of Pompeii

The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were wiped off the map within 24 hours of Vesuvius erupting, buried under volcanic debris that would entomb them for centuries. In this second episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun is joined by historian Dr Jess Venner to explore the cataclysm with the help of the experiences of two men: Roman statesman Pliny the Elder, who sailed into danger never to return, and his nephew Pliny the Younger, whose letters provide the only known eyewitness account of the disaster.   ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to know more about the story of Pompeii? HistoryExtra's Kev Lochun has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the story of the cataclysm, the Roman way of life and the nature of the Roman empire: https://bit.ly/4bjYKmE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Life in the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain

In the eyes of a German fighter pilot in the skies over English Channel in 1940, the Battle of Britain was as much a struggle of human endurance as it was of strategy and skill. Speaking to Emily Briffett, aviation historian Dr Victoria Taylor takes us inside the mind of the Luftwaffe, revealing the experiences of pilots, ground crews and support personnel as they faced the perils of aerial combat, the brutal pressure of Nazi ideology, and the relentless intensity demanded of them by those in command. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices