Month: September 2026

459: Autumn Mist

Mark Podcast
A German Panther tank advances through the ruins of the town of Goldap, briefly held (and destroyed) by the Red Army in autumn 1944.

On the Western Front, the Germans rebuilt their defenses along the Siegfried Line and prepared for Hitler’s Ardennes offensive.

On the Eastern Front, the Red Army briefly took territory in East Prussia, entering pre-war Germany for the first time, before the Wehrmacht pushed them out again.

  • Listen now:

Transcript.

Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

Symphony No. 3 in E♭ Major (“Eroica”)
Composed in 1804 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Public domain.
Performed by the Czech National Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

458: The Battle of Leyte Gulf

Mark Podcast
Explosion on the deck of escort carrier USS St. Lo following a kamikaze attack.

The Japanese Navy sent the best ships it had left in an effort to cut off American ground forces on Leyte, in the Philippines.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle of the Second World War, and the greatest Japanese defeat, measured by numbers of ships lost.

  • Listen now:

Transcript.

Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“Anchors Aweigh”
Composed in 1906 by Charles Zimmerman. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Navy Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

457: I Have Returned

Mark Podcast
In the photo-op of a lifetime, Douglas MacArthur wades ashore on the island of Leyte.

After Japanese air defenses in the Philippines proved to be weaker than anticipated, the Americans moved up the target date for the invasion of the archipelago by two months.

On October 20, 1944, Douglas MacArthur made good on his promise as four US Army and Marine divisions assaulted the island of Leyte.

  • Listen now:

Transcript.

Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening War Theme

“Lupang Hinirang” (The Philippine National Anthem.)
Composed in 1898 by Julián Felipe. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source.

Closing War Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.