The History of the Twentieth Century

Mark Painter

A chronicle of the history of the twentieth century, including art, music, popular culture, science, religion, and, of course, politics and war.

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457 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes457

Newest first

Jan 5, 2025 · 45 min
393 Everything Is Going to Be Fine
The Japanese claimed to be liberating their fellow Asians from Western oppression, but Japanese rule proved to be brutal and murderous.
Dec 29, 2024 · 40 min
392 Warsaw and Katyn
In early 1943, the remaining residents of the Warsaw Ghetto rose up against the SS. Farther east, the German Army uncovers the mass grave where the Soviet NKVD buried thousands of murdered Polish Army officers.
Dec 25, 2024 · 49 min
391 The Manhattan Project
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the American atom bomb project kicked into high gear. Fearful that the Germans were already working on a bomb and had a head start, the US government built a huge program meant to approach the problem of building an atom bomb from several different angles all at once.
Dec 22, 2024 · 55 min
390 Benito è finito
The Allies invade Sicily, which leads to the fall of Benito Mussolini.
Dec 15, 2024 · 44 min
389 On the Defensive
Hitler himself said that he had "never been a man of the defensive," but in the aftermath of Stalingrad, he had no choice.
Dec 1, 2024 · 45 min
388 Woman of the Year
RKO Radio Pictures had a reputation for producing second-rate films. Even so, this was the studio that signed Fred Astaire and Katharine Hepburn; it was the studio that released King Kong and Citizen Kane.
Nov 24, 2024 · 49 min
387 Hooray for Hollywood
The first in a series looking at the American film industry in the 1930s and 1940s, the heyday of the "studio system."
Nov 17, 2024 · 44 min
386 Do Or Die
The fall of Burma to the Japanese put India on the front lines of the war, posing hard questions for the Indian nationalist movement.
Nov 10, 2024 · 49 min
385 The Thingamabob That's Going to Win the War
The BBC struggles to determine its role in wartime Britain.
Oct 27, 2024 · 47 min
384 Do You Want Total War?
Stalingrad falls and Joseph Goebbels tries to spark a program to ramp up the German war effort.
Oct 20, 2024 · 40 min
383 Casablanca
Roosevelt and Churchill met again in early 1943 to discuss the next stage of the war against the Axis, and they chose a provocative venue: Casablanca, a city their armies had only recently taken.
Oct 6, 2024 · 54 min
382 Turning Point
In October and November 1942, the Japanese began their final push to drive the Americans off Guadalcanal.
Sep 29, 2024 · 50 min
381 Der Manstein kommt!
The Germans began an operation to relieve the siege of Stalingrad, but the Red Army was already prepared with a counter attack.
Sep 15, 2024 · 40 min
380 Operation Uranus
The battle for Stalingrad raged on for two months, then the situation was suddenly upended by a surprise Soviet offensive that surrounded the city.
Sep 8, 2024 · 44 min
379 How Green Is My Ally
The Anglo-American amphibious landings in French North Africa were not only a complex military operation. There was also complex negotiation going on behind the scenes. The Allies did not want to defeat French forces in North Africa; they wanted the French to join them.
Sep 1, 2024 · 40 min
378 The End of the Beginning
In October 1942, Bernard Montgomery began his long-awaited offensive against the Italians and Germans in Egypt. Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the Mediterranean, the Allies were preparing to open a new front in Africa.
Aug 25, 2024 · 46 min
377 Verdun on the Volga
The Battle of Stalingrad was a throwback to the kinds of battles fought in the last war. Like Verdun, the Germans were paying a heavy price. Would the gain be worth it?
Aug 11, 2024 · 41 min
376 Two Hammers, One Anvil
As Bernard Montgomery plotted an offensive against Axis forces in North Africa from the east, Dwight Eisenhower was plotting one from the west.
Aug 4, 2024 · 39 min
375 Time Is Blood
When German soldiers began their assault on the city of Stalingrad, they expected a quick victory, but the Soviet defense was far tougher than they had imagined.
Jul 21, 2024 · 42 min
374 A Steppe Too Far
German forces advance on Stalingrad in August 1942, while Adolf Hitler becomes increasingly hostile and mistrustful of his military commanders.

The History of the Twentieth Century

393 Everything Is Going to Be Fine

392 Warsaw and Katyn

391 The Manhattan Project

390 Benito è finito

389 On the Defensive

388 Woman of the Year

387 Hooray for Hollywood

386 Do Or Die

385 The Thingamabob That's Going to Win the War

384 Do You Want Total War?

383 Casablanca

382 Turning Point

381 Der Manstein kommt!

380 Operation Uranus

379 How Green Is My Ally

378 The End of the Beginning

377 Verdun on the Volga

376 Two Hammers, One Anvil

375 Time Is Blood

374 A Steppe Too Far