A close Fort Wagner account centered on the 54th Massachusetts and the flag William Harvey Carney carried.
The assault on Fort Wagner by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment is framed as a tight, physical account of courage under punishing fire.

The History Network
50 episodes listed below
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A fortnightly military history podcast looking at all aspect of war throughout the ages.
At Colenso, the guns aim uphill while the Boers wait below; your hindsight arrives too late.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A close Fort Wagner account centered on the 54th Massachusetts and the flag William Harvey Carney carried.
The assault on Fort Wagner by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment is framed as a tight, physical account of courage under punishing fire.
Johnston's Victoria Cross opens a story of valour, forfeiture, hardship, and an unresolved museum trail.
William Johnston's Victoria Cross anchors an episode about how military valour is recorded, challenged, and later turned into a museum puzzle.
Colenso follows Irishmen on both sides of a distant imperial war whose guerrilla lessons later reached Ireland.
Colenso frames Ireland's divided role in the Second Boer War through men who fought on both sides nearly 14,000 kilometers from home. The episode sets that distance against the larger imperial wager: a campaign expected to be over by Christmas instead took the British Empire…
Arnold's fall turns Revolutionary War history into a court martial and spy drama.
Benedict Arnold's rise and collapse carry this chapter. It moves through battlefield reputation, money troubles, and wounded pride as each one closes off another path. What starts as wartime ambition ends in hearings, charges, and a quiet turn toward secret loyalty.

Outnumbered units, remembered under fire.


Battle maps, war films, and patient context.

War news, tested against military reality.


Antique European history, read aloud.
This episode explores Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, focusing on the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) and their courageous actions, including recipients of the Victoria Cross.
This episode explores the remarkable story of Martin Leake, the only person to receive two Victoria Crosses in separate wars for his heroic medical service under fire during the Boer War and World War I.
This episode continues the detailed historical analysis of the disastrous Battle of Adrianople in AD 378, focusing on the Roman army's approach to the Gothic wagon lager and the initial Gothic response.
This episode explores the pivotal Battle of the Milvian Bridge in AD 312, where Constantine defeated Maxentius to dominate the Western Roman Empire, featuring insights from historian Murray Darm.
This episode explores the historical tale of conquistador Pedro de Alvarado's legendary leap during the Spanish conquest of Mexico, examining its credibility through scholarly research.
This episode explores the Battle of Abritus in AD 251, where Roman emperors Trajan Decius and his son Herennius died fighting a Gothic invasion.
This episode explores the remarkable heroics and Victoria Cross awards during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880), including unique recipients like a civilian and clergyman.
This episode examines the Italo-Turkish War, focusing on Italy's motivations to expand into North Africa and the political dynamics leading to the conflict in the early 20th century.
This episode explores Eddie Rickenbacker's journey from a teenage mechanic and race car driver to becoming a famous American figure by the time of World War I entry in 1917.
This episode examines eight Victoria Cross recipients who forfeited their awards due to later actions, with particular focus on modern Australian recipient Ben Roberts-Smith accused of war crimes in Afghanistan, while exploring the historical context of valour recognition in the British armed forces.
This episode explores the First Battle of Ypres in 1914, detailing its context within the strategic race to the sea during World War I and the offensives launched by both sides before winter.
This episode explores the unique story of Surgeon General William Manly, the only person ever awarded both the Victoria Cross and the Iron Cross for his bravery in the New Zealand Wars and Franco-Prussian War.
This episode examines Alexander the Great's 334 BC invasion of the Persian Empire, focusing on the strategic context and military forces involved in the Battle of Granicus.
This episode introduces the story of William Johnston, a stoker on HMS Arrogant who performed a brave act during the 1854 Baltic campaign of the Crimean War, leading to him receiving the Victoria Cross.
This episode explores the discovery of an ancient mass burial site under a Vienna sports field, likely linked to the Battle of Carnuntum in AD 170, presented by military historian Murray Dahl.
This episode continues the story of the 27th Inniskillings regiment at the Battle of Waterloo, focusing on their intense combat experiences as the French infantry advances toward Picton's 5th Brigade at Le Haysin.
This episode details the 1456 Siege of Belgrade, where Ottoman forces under Sultan Mehmed II aimed to capture the strategic fortress to invade Hungary, countered by John Hunyadi's resistance.
This episode explores the role of the 27th Regiment of Irish soldiers from County Fermanagh, known as the Inniskillings, during the pivotal Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
This episode examines the often-overlooked Italian invasion of British Somaliland in 1940, highlighting its significance as the first major British colonial loss in World War II and the subsequent Axis defeat in East Africa.
This episode continues the detailed historical analysis of the Second Battle of Mantinea, focusing on preparations by Theban and Arcadian forces as described by Xenophon.
This episode introduces the 6th-century Welsh poet Taliesin and his surviving works in the Book of Taliesin, exploring his significance in Welsh literature and military history.
This episode explores the 1804 Battle of Vinegar Hill in Australia, where 233 Irish convict rebels revolted against British colonial forces in New South Wales.
This episode explores the historical context leading up to the Second Battle of Mantinea, focusing on Thebes' resurgence under Epaminondas and Pelopidas after their shocking victory over Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC.
This episode explores the Gothic War of Decius and a significant recent historical discovery involving palimpsests that sheds new light on the Battle of Abritus in AD 251.
This episode explores the historical significance of the Battle of Megiddo, tracing its connections from ancient Egyptian times under Thutmose III to its namesake battle in World War I, highlighting its strategic and symbolic importance.
This episode continues the detailed historical analysis of the 1464 battles of Hedgeley Moor and Hexham, focusing on John Neville's strategic movements and the Lancastrian camp.
This episode recounts the daring 1945 Royal Navy operation to disable the Japanese cruiser Takao using magnetic mines while it was anchored in Singapore harbour during World War II.
This episode examines the historically significant but often confused 1464 battles of Hedgeley Moor and Hexham in Northumberland, which ended Lancastrian resistance to Yorkist King Edward IV during the Wars of the Roses.
This episode explores the New Zealand Division's heroic capture of La Basseville during the Passchendaele campaign in July 1917, detailing their strategic role in World War I.
This episode explores the historical conflict in Borneo following the Malayan emergency, focusing on Indonesia's opposition to British plans and the outbreak of confrontation in 1962.
This episode examines the pivotal Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC, where Macedonian forces led by Philip II and Alexander decisively defeated an Athenian-Theban alliance, determining Greek submission to Macedonian rule.
This episode explores Australia's escalating military involvement and acts of bravery during the Vietnam War, focusing on key events and contributions from 1962 to 1973.
This episode explores the events leading up to the disastrous Battle of Adrianople in AD 378, focusing on the Gothic migration into the Eastern Roman Empire and Emperor Valens' decision to allow their settlement.
This episode details the story of George Ravenhill, a Victoria Cross recipient who later forfeited his award due to criminal conviction and died in poverty.
This episode explores the story of James Bond Stockdale, a US Navy Air Wing Commander who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.
This episode continues the story of Thomas Lane, an Irish soldier who served in the Crimean War and later in the Second Opium War in China, detailing the conflict's causes and outcomes including territorial changes.
This episode explores the eyewitness account of Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus during the Sasanian Persian invasion of the Roman East in AD 359, focusing on the Siege of Amida.
This episode explores the story of Colonel Li Guang during the Han-Xiongnu War, focusing on a specific 144 BC encounter where his officer faced Xiongnu horsemen while on patrol.
This episode explores the historical account of the Siege of Amida in AD 359 through the eyewitness perspective of Ammianus Marcellinus, focusing on the legions involved and their role in the conflict.
This episode explores the mysterious legend of a supposed German invasion attempt at Shingle Street on the Suffolk coast during World War II in 1940.
The History Network episode “Colenso: Ireland’s Forgotten Sacrifice in the Boer War” examines Irish soldiers who fought for Britain and the Boers nearly 14,000 kilometres from Ireland.
This episode explores the Battle of the Wabash, the worst defeat of an American army in the Indian Wars, which occurred in the 1790s during George Washington's presidency in the Northwest Territory.
This episode details Benedict Arnold's deepening betrayal during the American Revolution, covering his court-martial, humiliation by George Washington, secret negotiations with British spy John Andre, and the plot to surrender West Point, culminating in his escape after the scheme unravels.
This episode continues exploring the battles of Taliesin, a figure in Welsh history, through the expertise of military historian Murray Darm.
The History Network episode covers Australia's participation in the Second Boer War after October 11, 1899, including five waves of troops from the six Australian colonies before federation on January 1, 1901.
This episode details Benedict Arnold's life after his treason, including his attempts to justify his actions, military campaigns for the British, and eventual downfall.
This episode examines the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment's assault on Fort Wagner during the US Civil War, set against the backdrop of the Emancipation Proclamation and the role of African-American soldiers.
This episode continues the story of William Johnstone, focusing on his Victoria Cross award as detailed in historical records like the London Gazette, with insights from historian Murray Darm.
Thutmose III ignored his army’s warning about the narrow Aruna Road and marched through it toward Megido.
This episode introduces a three-part series on Benedict Arnold, exploring his rise from humble beginnings to a competent Continental Army general and his infamous betrayal during the American War of Independence, written by historian Michael Gaby Gross.