Italy proved a nightmare place to fight, no matter what side you were on: the endless mountains, the innumerable rivers, the narrowness of roads, the blazing heat, and then torrential rain and freezing cold.
Jonathan Fennell, John McManus and James Holland ask, just how big was the crisis in morale for both sides and how did commanders deal with the weight o ... Show More
Oct 12
What We Get Wrong About WW2
Is the film Pressure accurate? Was Matthew Ridgeway a good general? And, how did WW2 shape the early leadership of NATO? In this special episode, recorded live at We Have Ways Festival 2026, Jim and Al are joined by John McManus to discuss tanks, films, Monty, and more! Start you ... Show More
39m 53s
May 2018
Episode 26: The Promised Land
We meet some of the leaders of the Army of Italy. The First Italian Campaign begins in dramatic fashion, with two weeks of lightning battles at Montenotte, Millesimo, Dego, Ceva, and Mondovì. Napoleon negotiates with Piedmont, and worries about looting, and about his wife. Learn ... Show More
1 h
Jul 2018
Episode 30: Risk and Reward
The Army of Italy faces off against Field Marshal Wurmser, and finds itself in its toughest fight of the campaign so far. Bonaparte takes some calculated risks to even the odds. One of Napoleon's inner circle suffers a tragic, life-altering wound. Mantua stands as strong, but war ... Show More
50m 9s
Jul 2018
Episode 31: The Walls of Mantua
The Army of Italy pushes north to support a French offensive in Germany, but finds Wurmser already back on the march, leading to a major battle at Bassano and a frantic race down from the Alps. Conditions within Mantua worsen. We meet a young, capable Austrian commander: Archduke ... Show More
45m 32s