WWII E101 The Defense of Midway: Cannons, Searchlights, and Gooney Birds
Pearl Harbor wasn't Japan’s only target. In this episode, we cover the first Marine fights of World War II at Midway and Wake. From radar pings at night to shellfire by flashlight, the Marines at Midway were ready when the Japanese came. At Wake, outnumbered and outgunned, Marines and civilian contractors built defenses by hand and refused to give up ground.
WWII E100 Pearl Harbor: Marines in the Firestorm
In this episode, we cover the lead-up to one of the most infamous mornings in American history.
We follow the secret build-up to Pearl Harbor, the pilots preparing for the attack, and the Marine detachments stationed across Oahu as everything changed in an instant.
WWII E99 Europe Falls: The War Goes Global
This is the second episode covering the global unraveling that led to America’s full entry into World War II. After Germany invaded Poland, Europe spiraled into chaos. Hitler pushed for control of Norway to secure critical resources and the lightning-fast German invasion of France exposed the flaws in Allied assumptions and defenses.
With France collapsed and Britain barely holding on, Hitler turned east, launching the largest land invasion in history against the Soviet Union. At the same time, Italy entered the war, expanding the conflict to North Africa and the Mediterranean.
While Europe burned, Japan eyed Southeast Asia’s oil-rich territories. Roosevelt’s oil embargo pushed Japan closer to war, and the U.S. began preparing its Pacific defenses. By the end of 1941, Axis forces held most of Europe and were advancing across Asia. This episode lays out how the global conflict widened and set the stage for Pearl Harbor, the fall of the Philippines, and the brutal Pacific campaign that followed.
WWII E98 The Road to World War II: Depression, Dictators, and Delusion
This episode marks the beginning of our World War II series. This episode breaks down how the Great Depression wrecked economies, empowered dictators, and turned public desperation into political firepower. In Germany, that meant Hitler. In Japan, it meant military rule. In Italy, Mussolini. From Manchuria to the Sudetenland to Poland, we cover the flashpoints that pulled the world into war and why America couldn’t stay on the sidelines for long.
Marine Aviation E97 From Wildcats to F-35s: The Marine Airpower Revolution
This episode is the final chapter in the story of Marine aviation and how it matured into one of the most advanced and reliable combat arms of the U.S. military. We’ll follow the journey from the skies over Guadalcanal to carrier ops, the Korean mountains, and the jungles of Vietnam. From humble beginnings, Marine aviation became a force that could strike anywhere, anytime, with precision, speed, and overwhelming firepower.
Marine Aviation E96 Wings of the Corps: The Rise of Marine Aviation
In this episode, we follow how the Marine Corps went from doubting pilots to building one of the world’s deadliest air-ground teams. Aviation started as a sideshow and something most Marines didn’t take seriously. But by the 1930s, Marine pilots had revolutionized air tactics. Dive-bombing, close air support, and even aerial resupply all came from this period.
Interwar Period E95 From Riflemen to Warfighters: Training for a New Kind of War
This is our third episode covering how the interwar years quietly reshaped the Marine Corps into a force built for the future. We break down how the Corps invested in more innovative training, structured leadership development, and built up aviation, artillery, and reserves from the ground up. This is where the Fleet Marine Force was born.
Interwar Period E94 The Marines Rebuild: Readiness in the Quiet Years
In this episode, we follow the Marine Corps through one of its most important transitions. After WWI, Marines provided security in far-off places like China and the Caribbean while reinventing what it meant to be a Marine at home.
We cover how combat lessons became doctrine, how Marines went from peacekeepers to a modern expeditionary force, and how leaders like Lejeune, Butler, Neville, Fuller, and Holcomb fought for the soul and future of the Corps.
Interwar Period E93 Forged Between Wars: The Corps Transformed
When Marines returned home after World War I, they stepped into a country ready to celebrate them as heroes. Parades filled city streets, families welcomed them with open arms, and it seemed like America couldn't thank them enough. But this enthusiasm was short-lived. Within months, a sense of disillusionment set in, replacing cheers and excitement with a stark reality check on what the war had truly cost. Soon, that collective sense of pride turned into doubt, questioning whether the glory earned in combat was worth the terrible price Marines paid. This shift deeply impacted the Corps, leaving it struggling to fill its ranks and maintain morale as America moved toward isolation.
In this episode, we’ll explore how the Marine Corps fought to adapt in the face of a shrinking force, outdated promotion policies, and fading public support. From Hollywood's depiction of war's bitter realities to the Corps' desperate pivot toward sports and education, you'll see how the Marines grappled with a nation eager to leave war, and warriors, in the past.
WWI E92 A Corps Reborn: The New Mission After WWI
This episode closes the book on World War I with the moment Marines had been waiting for: the end. After years of brutal fighting, the armistice was real, and Marines on the Meuse were among the last to get the memo. Even as German officers crossed no-man’s-land with word of peace, Americans were still taking casualties.
We walk through the confusion, the celebration, and the quiet bitterness that followed. Then came the long march into Germany, the occupation, and finally, the return home. But not everyone made it back the same. This is the story of how the war ended and what came after.