Military History Podcast

In 1944, Allied airmen interned at Stalag Luft III (the supposedly escape-proof POW camp run by the Luftwaffe) performed the greatest prison escape in history. Masterminded by Roger Bushell of the RAF, the prisoners used everything at their disposal to mask their escape operations. In the end, they created a tunnel 30 feet deep, 336 feet long, and 87 prisoners managed to escape. Eventually, all but 3 escapees were recaptured or murdered by the Gestapo at Hitler's orders. A few dozen prisoners and history books are all that remains of this great escape from Stalag Luft III.

www.militaryhistorypodcast.blogspot.com

Hannibal Barca, commander-in-chief of Carthage during the Second Punic War, is famous for crossing the Alps with his entire army (which included War Elephants) in an attempt to invade Rome from the north. He also displayed military genius countless times by outsmarting and slaughtering the greatest soldiers in the world, the Roman legions, at the Battles of Cannae, Trebbia, and Ticino. Later in the Second Punic War, Hannibal was recalled back to Carthage where he fought the Battle of Zama against Scipio of the Romans. Although he lost the battle and ended his life in shame, Hannibal was still respected in the Roman World (hence the phrase "Hannibal is at the Gates", which was used by mothers as a threat against misbehaving children).

Today, awards like the Medal of Honor are presented to warriors who display valor on the battlefield. However, thousands of years ago in the Ancient World, there were no official medals. In no way does this mean that there was a shortage of valor. Far from it. * Leonidas I of Sparta, for example, led 300 Spartans against 10,000 Persians and managed to hold them off for days. * Mucius Scaevola saved the city of Rome via burning off his own hand * Horatius Cocles held the entire Etruscan army at Sublican bridge

The M16 rifle and its 3 variants (the M16A1, M16A2, and M4 carbine) have been the standard rifle for the US Armed Forces since 1957, almost 50 years! Although it was off to a shaky start, it has earned its "dynasty" status. Now, as we approach 2006, the US is about to replace the M16 family with the new XM family of weapons. This family includes the XM-8 (which will replace the current M16A2) and the XM-29 (which will replace the current M4 carbine as the special-ops weapon).

Throughout History, canines have been a vital element of warfare. In the early days of the Roman Empire, almost 2000 years ago, dogs were outfitted with armor and trained to attack the enemy. Great leaders like Fredrick the Great and Napoleon have also used wardogs in their military operations. And more recently, in the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War, individual dogs have become so courageous that they have been reccomended for the Silver Star and countless Purple Hearts. However, the wardog has become obsolete in the past few decades with the invention of superior weaponry and tactics. But still, organizations like "The National War Dogs Memorial Project" are trying to preserve K-9 history.