WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

The World War II podcast with comedian Al Murray and historian James Holland.

We Have Ways of Making You Talk dives deep into WWII history, exploring key battles, forgotten front lines, and incredible untold stories. Whether you're fascinated by the Battle of Britain, the D-Day landings, or the Eastern Front, this show offers a rich, detailed look at the war that shaped the modern world.

Al and James bring a unique blend of expert knowledge and humour, discussing everything from the Third Reich, Churchill's leadership, and the Fall of Berlin, to World War 2 tanks, fighter planes, and naval battles. Expect historical insights, lively tangents, and discussions on iconic second world war events like Operation Barbarossa, the Pacific Theatre, and the North African campaign.

Join our membership club for extra content, livestreams and ad-free listening: patreon.com/wehaveways

For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com

History
Society & Culture
Education
476
12 Days of Christmas - Sword of Honour
<p>Al Murray&nbsp;reads a chapter from&nbsp;Sword of Honour&nbsp;written by&nbsp;Evelyn Waugh.</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by&nbsp;Vasco Andrade</p><br><p>Exec Producer: Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><br><p>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</a></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
35 min
477
12 Days of Christmas - The World at Night
<p>James Holland reads a chapter from Alan Furst's The World at Night. The novel follows the upper-class life of film producer Jean Casson during the German occupation of Paris.</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by&nbsp;Vasco Andrade</p><br><p>Exec Producer: Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><br><p>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</a></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
21 min
478
12 Days of Christmas - The Cruel Sea
<p>Al Murray&nbsp;read a chapter from&nbsp;The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat. This book tells the story of the lives of a group of Royal Navy sailors fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic.</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by Joey McCarthy</p><br><p>Exec Producer: Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website:<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><br><p>Email:<a href="mailto:wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</a></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
43 min
479
12 Days of Christmas - The Burning Blue
<p>James Holland reads a chapter from one of his own books, The Burning Blue. This book tells the story of&nbsp;a small group of RAF fighter pilots who first fight in the Battle of Britain and then&nbsp;amid the sand and heat of North Africa's deserts.</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by&nbsp;Vasco Andrade</p><br><p>Exec Producer: Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><br><p>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</a></p><p><br></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
29 min
480
12 Days of Christmas - Bomber
<p>Al Murray&nbsp;reads a chapter from&nbsp;Bomber&nbsp;written by&nbsp;Len Deighton. Bomber is a fictionalised account of "the events relating to the last flight of an RAF Bomber over Germany on the night of June 31st, 1943"</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by&nbsp;Vasco Andrade</p><br><p>Exec Producer: Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><br><p>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</a></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
26 min
481
Brothers In Arms - Live from the National Army ...
<p><em>James Holland gives a guided tour of his new exhibition at the National Army Museum.</em></p><br><p><em>This episode was recorded live at the museum as a part of our Independent Company livestream. If you enjoyed this episode, join the IC on Patreon for more exclusive live content every Monday</em></p><br><p><a href="http://www.patreon.com/wehaveways" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>www.patreon.com/wehaveways</em></a></p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
31 min
482
Grace Taylor
<p>Historian and television presenter Tessa Dunlop introduces Grace Taylor, a former royal artillery member of the anti-aircraft gun team and&nbsp;so-called 'Gunner Girl'. Grace volunteered far before conscription for women was decreed, out of both a love of her country and her boyfriend at the time.</p><br><p>If you enjoyed this conversation, you can buy Tessa Dunlop's book 'Army Girls' here;</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Army-Girls-secrets-stories-military/dp/1472282086" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.co.uk/Army-Girls-secrets-stories-military/dp/1472282086</a></p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><p>Produced by Vasco Andrade</p><p>Exec Producer Tony Pastor</p><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays</p><p>@WeHaveWaysPod</p><p>Website:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wehavewayspod.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.wehavewayspod.com</a></p><p>Email:&nbsp;wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
41 min
483
Family Stories Series 2: Episode 5
<p>This week’s stories take us from cricket in Australia to the skies over Nazi Germany, from life as an evacuee to setting fire to your own tank in front of Winston Churchill. Plus the story of two women facing very different forms of occupation.</p><br><p>A Goalhanger Films production</p><br><p>Produced by Harry Lineker</p><br><p>Exec Producer Tony Pastor</p><br><p>Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPod</p><br><p>Website: www.wehavewayspod.com</p><br><p>Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com</p><br /><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>
18 min
484
408. The Boys from Reading
In this special episode of We Have Ways, (recently afflicted) journalist Autumn Hendrickson brings to Al and James a year's worth of research into the war contributions of both the men and women of Reading, Massachusetts.
41 min
485
407. MI19
Al and James discuss bugging and Intelligence during the war, Al also mentions a new We Have Ways Project.
42 min
486
406. Family Stories: Series 2, Episode 4
This week’s family stories include witnessing a cavalry charge in East Africa, fighting in the Fjords, doodlebugs over London and tragedy in the Atlantic.A Goalhanger Films productionProduced by Joey McCarthyExec Producer Tony PastorTwitter: #WeH...
17 min
487
405. The Wannsee Conference
“December 1941 is the time the decision was made for the physical extermination of all the Jews in Europe”Al and James are joined by Waitman Beorn to discuss the Wannsee Conference and how the Nazis began the Holocaust.
66 min
488
404. The Japanese Empire
Why did the Japanese get involved in the Second World War? Could they have stayed out of it altogether? Robert Lyman speaks to Al Murray and James Holland.&nbsp;A Goalhanger Films productionProduced by Joey McCarthyExec Producer Tony PastorTw...
47 min
489
403. War Room 1941
“December 1941, you literally couldn’t pack more events into it if you tried”. Historian Mike Neiberg joins James Holland to explore the intricate complexities of American geopolitics following one of history's most audacious attacks, Pearl Harbour.
47 min
490
402. Operation Crusader
Al and James discuss the Western Desert Campaign of 1941, especially looking into the Siege of Tobruk.
48 min
491
401. Pearl Harbor
On the 80th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Al and James are joined by the 'Pacific War Trilogy' author Ian Toll to discuss the monumental event.
44 min
492
400. The Battle of Moscow
Did Hitler and Stalin have a misapprehension of each other? And was scale the main reason Germany couldn’t invade Moscow?
45 min
493
399. Family Stories: Series 2, Episode 3
This week’s family stories include an act of outstanding bravery on the high seas, a trans-Atlantic friendship, a plate of dodgy sandwiches and a so-called ‘ordinary’ soldier’s war.
20 min
494
398. The Atlantic War
The Battle of the Atlantic was the most important theatre of the war, so why don’t we ever talk about it? Military and Naval historian, Marc Milner, joins Al and James to navigate their way through the often snubbed battle.
51 min
495
397. The Maginot Line
Al and James debate whether the British produced the best tanks during the war. They also discuss the key characters involved in the development of the Maginot Line and read extracts from the Alanbrooke Diaries.
55 min
496
396. Family Stories - Series 2, Episode 2
In today’s Family Stories we hear about a young Englishwoman who found herself in Germany in 1936 and went to hear Hitler speak. Plus stories from South Africa, Australia and the Scottish Isles.
20 min
497
395. Battle of The Ebro
James Holland and James Petrie walk the hills and caves around the River Ebro, site of the final battle of the Spanish Civil War.A Goalhanger Films productionProduced by Joey McCarthyExec Producer Tony PastorTwitter: #WeHaveWays@WeHaveWaysPodWe...
36 min
498
394. Wacht Am Rhein
Al Murray and James Holland discuss Dwight Eisenhower's decision not to cross the Rhine at the end of 1944. Al also questions James on his love for Battle Dress.
49 min
499
393. Family Stories - Series 2, Episode 1
A new series of Family Stories, the podcast written by you, our listeners. Each week Al Murray and James Holland read out the stories you send us describing the war experiences of your relatives.
25 min
500
392. The Eastern Front
What common mistakes do people make about the Nazis and the Red Army? Alex Richie, Katja Hoyer and Waitman Wade Beorn talk about the atrocities that happened on the Eastern Front during the Second World WarA Goalhanger Films productionProduced by V...
58 min