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  • The pine-branch cavalry charge that turned Custer back in time

    The pine-branch cavalry charge that turned Custer back in time
    2026/10/29
    A hastily assembled phantom cavalry made of pine branches and artillerymen rides out to stop Custer’s raid - did they make it in time?

    The pine-branch cavalry charge that turned Custer back in time

    In this episode, we tell how a warning at half past noon set a two-and-a-half-hour clock that would decide a Union raid’s fate. The episode traces the decisions, improvisations, and timing that turned artillerymen into a convincing mounted threat - but did it work when Custer arrived?

    Person: Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer
    Date: February 28, 1864
    Location: Rio Hill, west of Charlottesville, Virginia
    Event: Kilpatrick-Dahlgren diversionary raid
    Forces: ~1,500 Federal cavalry vs ~200 Confederate artillerymen and 16 cannons

    - A First Virginia Cavalry lieutenant spotted Federal horsemen two miles south of Stanardsville and sent a warning that reached Captain Marcellus Moorman.
    - Moorman had about two and a half hours to prepare after the warning arrived at half past noon.
    - Stuart’s horse artillery battalion at Rio Hill consisted of four batteries, sixteen cannons, and roughly two hundred men in winter quarters.
    - With no cavalry, Moorman and his men improvised: they mounted battery horses, grabbed pine branches, and rode in formation to simulate cavalry.
    - Custer’s column crossed the South Fork Rivanna bridge around three in the afternoon aiming for a railroad bridge and supply depot near Charlottesville.

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    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    22 分
  • The Two Confederate Rifles Outran Eight Howitzers-Could Blunt Escape?

    The Two Confederate Rifles Outran Eight Howitzers-Could Blunt Escape?
    2026/10/28
    A Union commander in Lexington, Missouri faces Confederate rifles that outrange his howitzers - could Blunt slip away before the town is cut off?

    The Two Confederate Rifles Outran Eight Howitzers-Could Blunt Escape?

    In this episode, we lay out the moments that led Major General James G. Blunt to occupy Lexington with two thousand men, eight mountain howitzers, and no clear exit. We trace the decisions, missing brigades, and the advancing Confederate columns to ask whether Blunt could buy enough time to escape.

    Person: Major General James G. Blunt
    Date: October 19, 1864
    Location: Lexington, Missouri
    Forces: ~2,000 Union soldiers; Confederate force estimated 6,000-8,000 engaged
    Artillery: Eight Union mountain howitzers outranged by two Confederate rifles

    - Blunt advanced into Missouri with two of three brigades; Colonel Charles W. Blair’s brigade had been detached to Kansas City.
    - Price’s Army of Missouri moved west after bypassing Jefferson City, keeping momentum and supply by raiding Glasgow on October 15.
    - Curtis had paper strength of 16,000-18,000 but could not compel Kansas militia to cross into Missouri, limiting reinforcements.
    - On October 17-18 Blunt pushed toward Lexington to delay Price and buy time for a cavalry trap to close from the east.
    - At 2:00 p.m. on October 19, Collins’s two Confederate rifles opened fire from beyond the range of Blunt’s eight twelve-pound mountain howitzers.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分
  • The Two Cannons That Opened a Westward Door - Did They Make It in Time?

    The Two Cannons That Opened a Westward Door - Did They Make It in Time?
    2026/10/27
    Two captured Union cannon pointed into an "impassable" woods - can 28,000 Confederates turn Hooker's right flank before reinforcements arrive?

    The Two Cannons That Opened a Westward Door - Did They Make It in Time?

    In this episode, we set the scene at Chancellorsville in early May 1863, laying out Hooker's plan, his rebuilt Army of the Potomac, and the dense Wilderness terrain that undercut Union advantages. We cover the paused Union advance, Lee and Jackson’s night council, and the decision to exploit an exposed right flank - but did the Confederates arrive in time?

    Person: Joseph Hooker
    Person: Robert E. Lee
    Person: Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson
    Date: May 1-2, 1863
    Location: Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Rappahannock/Rapidan area

    - Hooker rebuilt the Army of the Potomac into a 133,000-man, 413-gun force with improved logistics and a new intelligence bureau.
    - Hooker’s spring plan used Stoneman’s cavalry to cut rail lines and a flanking maneuver to place 70,000 men west of Lee’s army.
    - Dense secondary growth in the Wilderness reduced visibility and neutralized Union artillery and numerical superiority.
    - Hooker ordered an eastward advance then, at 11:20 a.m., abruptly pulled his army back into the Wilderness, surrendering momentum.
    - That night Lee and Jackson decided to march 28,000 men on a twelve-mile flanking movement against an unanchored Union right defended by just two cannons.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分
  • The Avenger's bomb released on landing - did they make it?

    The Avenger's bomb released on landing - did they make it?
    2026/10/26
    A bomb falls from a TBF Avenger after the plane lands on USS Hancock, detonating on deck-did they make it in time to stop the catastrophe?

    The Avenger's bomb released on landing - did they make it?

    In this episode, we follow the ten-day carrier raid into the South China Sea in January 1945 and the chain of decisions that set the fleet on a collision course with danger. What happens when an operation built on faulty intelligence still produces major strategic effects, and who pays the price?

    Date: January 21, 1945
    Person: Admiral William Halsey
    Event: Carrier raid into the South China Sea
    Location: USS Hancock, flight deck / South China Sea
    Outcome detail: Bomb released from landed TBF Avenger, explosion killed and wounded sailors

    - Halsey pushed for a South China Sea operation after watching Japanese shipping lanes since autumn 1944 and requested permission on November 21, 1944.
    - Nimitz initially refused, then granted conditional approval on December 28, 1944, requiring confirmation of major Japanese fleet units in the target area.
    - On January 10, 1945, nine hundred aircraft and a carrier force entered the South China Sea after transiting the Bashi Channel undetected.
    - Search aircraft on January 12 found only escort vessels at Cam Ranh Bay, failing to confirm the Ise-class battleships intelligence had placed there.
    - Despite the missing battleships, the force struck convoys, tankers, harbors, and warships across Indochina and nearby coasts over ten days.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    23 分
  • The single six-inch gun ran out of time to stop the fleet

    The single six-inch gun ran out of time to stop the fleet
    2026/10/25
    A white flag rises over Christmas Island with one six-inch gun and thirty-two men - did they make it in time to stop the approaching Japanese fleet?

    The single six-inch gun ran out of time to stop the fleet

    In this episode, we follow the twenty days between a surrender raised on March 11, 1942 and the arrival of Japanese troops on March 31, 1942. The episode tracks how an understrength garrison, limited supplies, and a single aging six-inch gun shaped decisions on an isolated phosphate island - and asks whether that gun ever had a real chance.

    Date: March 11-31, 1942
    Location: Christmas Island
    Person: Captain L.W.T. Williams; Subadar Muzaffar Khan
    Force size: 32 men (including 27 Punjabi gunners)
    Armament: one six-inch gun (manufactured 1900), one QF one-pounder pom-pom, 100 rounds

    - The War Office had specified two six-inch guns, two officers, and 60 men; what arrived was one six-inch, one pom-pom, and 32 men.
    - Supplies were listed as enough for a 60-day siege, but the garrison assumed relief that never arrived.
    - Radio silence, rumors, and news of Singapore’s fall shifted morale long before any ships appeared.
    - Some Punjabi gunners began reassessing their duty under influence of Japanese propaganda and the collapse of nearby defenses.
    - By March 11 the garrison had surrendered to itself: five British officers were dead and a white flag flew while the gun remained aimed at an empty horizon.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    20 分
  • A Tiger's shot jammed the road - did help arrive in time?

    A Tiger's shot jammed the road - did help arrive in time?
    2026/10/24
    An ambulance stops yards from a Tiger tank in Bure as British paratroopers try to reach the wounded - did help arrive in time?

    A Tiger's shot jammed the road - did help arrive in time?

    In this episode, we follow the thirteen (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion’s ordered assault on the village of Bure in early January 1945 and the sequence of decisions, movements and obstacles that turned hours into three days. What choices did commanders and soldiers make under fire, and could help reach the wounded before it was too late?

    Date: 4 January 1945
    Location: Bure, Belgium
    Unit: thirteenth (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion
    Enemy equipment: Tiger tank, Sherman tanks
    Casualties mentioned: sixty-eight British paratroopers dead

    - An ambulance halted yards from a German Tiger with its gun levelled at the driver's window, and a German officer negotiated one collection of wounded.
    - The battalion received orders at 1300 on 3 January 1945 to attack Bure, expecting the village to fall that day.
    - 'B' Company seized high ground to open an approach while 'A' Company pushed into stone streets where every house and window was a firing position.
    - German defenders used prepared positions and heavy armour, including Tigers that Shermans could not reliably penetrate from the front.
    - The assault stalled: what should have been hours of fighting stretched into three days amid wrecked Shermans and men holding ground in rubble.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分
  • The flare that hung in the sky - did anyone see it in time?

    The flare that hung in the sky - did anyone see it in time?
    2026/10/23
    A destroyer watched flares arc over Ironbottom Sound while radar, reports, and command failed to turn sighting into warning - did anyone act in time?

    The flare that hung in the sky - did anyone see it in time?

    In this episode, we trace the hours before dawn on August 9, 1942, as Allied ships around Guadalcanal see Japanese planes and flares yet fail to convert sightings into coordinated warning. What broke down across reports, command and radar during Operation Watchtower?

    Date: August 9, 1942
    Event: Naval engagement north of Guadalcanal
    Location: Ironbottom Sound (near Savo Island, Solomon Islands)
    Person: Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa
    Person: Rear Admiral Victor Crutchley

    - Two Royal Australian Air Force Hudsons sighted Mikawa’s column at 10:20 and 11:10 on August 8 and filed reports that did not reach the fleet until evening.
    - At 20:40 Crutchley left HMAS Australia to meet Turner without informing the northern screening group or naming a replacement.
    - Multiple ships observed Japanese floatplanes drop flares over the sound around 23:45; none of those sightings were reported up the chain of command.
    - USS Blue and USS Ralph Talbot stood as radar pickets on the western approaches; Blue was spotted by Japanese lookouts at 00:44 as Mikawa closed the slot at ~26 knots.
    - Communications delays included a Patterson broadcast at 01:43 and the sinking of cruisers beginning at 02:38, but the critical failure began with unreported flares and missed relays.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    19 分
  • The single telephone line that called fire and bought ten days

    The single telephone line that called fire and bought ten days
    2026/10/22
    A lone telephone line kept an artillery liaison connected to offshore guns at Munda - did they make it in time?

    The single telephone line that called fire and bought ten days

    In this episode, we follow a single night on New Georgia when Japanese raiders systematically destroyed communications in the American rear and one unnamed liaison kept a line alive to call artillery. The episode traces the movements, decisions, and stakes that made a single telephone matter - could that connection hold long enough to buy the ten days the Americans needed?

    Person: Major General John Hester
    Person: Major General Oscar Griswold
    Person: Major General Minoru Sasaki
    Location: Munda Point, New Georgia
    Date: July 14-17, 1943

    - Japanese raiders moved through the rear area with orders to destroy every switchboard and cut every telephone line before a coordinated assault.
    - Sasaki planned an envelopment: Tomonari’s thirteenth Infantry to circle through mangrove and ridgeline while Hirata’s 229th hit frontally.
    - By July 17 the American rear was fragmented into isolated pockets after systematic switchboard sabotage, leaving most units unable to call artillery.
    - An unnamed artillery liaison found one surviving telephone line, picked up the receiver, and began calling in shore-battery barrages within 150 yards of the divisional command post.
    - Griswold had requested roughly ten days to reorganize and push on Munda; the raiders’ timing aimed to erase that window and force decisive action.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
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    21 分