In a two-part episode, we dive into the Battle of Stalingrad, one of the most pivotal battles of the 20th century. Will explains the origins of the conflict between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and Luke mostly listens politely. Sources: Bevor, Anthony, Stalingrad. Hellbeck, Jochen, Stalingrad. Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games…

In 1932, the Australian Army went to war against the emus. Needless to say, things didn’t go as planned. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games Mt Fox Shop-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommo…

In this famous clash between the Sui Chinese and Goguryeo Korean kingdoms, Luke explains why you literally cannot fight a river. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games Mt Fox Shop-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 licen…

WWII Showdown in the desert of North Africa! The UK shows Italy that actually having a mechanized army is much more effective than saying you have a mechanized army, even against 4:1 odds. Source: Latimer, Jon. Operation: Compass, Osprey Publishing, 2000. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battl…

Happy JOD Anniversary! That means it's fictional battle time and it's the grand daddy of all underdog victories: the Battle of Yavin! ...Death Star, its the attack on the Death Star. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games Mt Fox Shop-Boxcat Games Lic…

It's Korea vs. Japan in the Battle of Myeongnyang Strait. Will explains why you should always bring a cannon to a gun fight, especially when it's 10:1 odds. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games Mt Fox Shop-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commo…

Luke presents the Battle of Pliska, pitting the Byzantines-not as underdogs for once-against the Bulgar Khanate. Remember, dear listeners: the key to strong leadership is keeping a good head on your shoulders. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games M…

In our first Napoleonic battle, Will explains the finer points of infantry squares and why even world conquerors have to worry about high school bullies. Special thanks to Destin and Matt at "No Dumb Questions" for the new and improved audio! Sources: Napoleon in Egypt by Paul Strathern Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Mission-Boxcat Games Mt Fox Shop-…

In this week's episode Luke walks us through the Battle of Gate Pa, wherein the Maori show the British that preparation and cunning can (sometimes) beat excessive artillery bombardments My sources were as follows: http://www.battleofgatepa.com/quick-history/ https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/war-in-tauranga/gate-pa http://www.theartofbattle.com/battle-…

The one and only Hannibal Barca faces off against the largest Roman army yet so he can show future historians how amazing double-envelopments are. Will geeks out on tactical minutiae while Luke smiles and nods politely. Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3…

In Episode 25, Luke shares why you should always, always consider fire ships a sound tactical option and why the enemy of your enemy is probably not your friend. Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mission-Boxcat Games…

In this episode, we learn how by squinting really hard, even Britain can look like an underdog. We also learn how the best amphibious landings come from opioid-fueled fever dreams. Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mission-Boxcat Games…

It's the Russians vs. the Swedes in the Battle of Narva. Learn how winter finally failed the Russians and why teenagers are always right. Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mission-Boxcat Games

In this episode we go to the First Crusade for the Siege of Antioch. A coalition of European knights faces off against its greatest foe (getting along with one another) to overcome its second greatest foe: the Seljuk Empire. Asbridge, Thomas. The Crusades: The Authoritative History of the War for the Holy Land. New York: Harper Collins, 2010. Baz B…

In our second and final fictional battle, Will explains the correct tactical application of wizards and tree-people, while also explaining why Gimli is the most tragic character of all. Sources: Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_of_the_Hornburg http://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/First_Battle_of_the_…

We started this podcast 1 year ago, so we’re doing something special this month to celebrate. As we all know, 22 years ago the world survived a brutal attack from malevolent aliens seeking to destroy humanity and strip our world of its precious natural resources. In this very special episode of Jaws of Defeat, we examine the War of 1996 - in which …

In 371BCE, Thebes dealt Sparta, the reigning hegemon of Greece, a blow it would never recover from. An innovative mix of hoplite tactics allowed Theban General Epaminondas to win a landmark strategic victory that put Thebes on the map... for about 30 years before they screwed it all up. Sources: Hanson, Victor Davis, "The Leuktra Mirage" Ray Jr., F…

This week on Jaws of Defeat, we look at the Battle of Longewala from the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. This episode has it all: 20:1 odds, poor planning, and tanks trying to maneuver in sand. Sources: An Assessment of the Battle of Longewala by Thakur K. S. Ludra http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010113/windows/main4.htm The Greatest Underdog Story …

Will picks up where he left off... after a digression on aircraft carrier tactics and technology... and finally finishes the Battle of Midway Further Reading: Samuel Morison, The History of United States Naval Operations in WWII Mitsuo Fuchida and Masatake Okumiya, Midway: The Battle that Doomed Japan Gordon Prange, Donald Goldstein, and Katherine …

In our first two-parter, Will only manages to get midway through his recounting of the Battle of Midway. Sources: "Battle of Midway" by Craig Symonds "Shattered Sword" by Anthony Tully and Jonathan Parshall Battle (Normal)-Boxcat Games Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Mission-B…

This week, we learn how plucky little Finland managed to stop Russia cold during the Winter War. Here's a hint - it involves skis, machine guns, and a whole lot of grit. Sources: The Winter War: The Russo-Finnish War of 1939-1940" by William R. Trotter "Finnish Soldier versus Soviet Soldier: Winter War 1939-1940 (Combat)" by David Campbell BBC Docu…

In 1781, there seemed little hope for the American Revolution. The war in the north had stagnated, and the British were in the process of driving the Continental army out of the south. And then the Royal Navy lost a battle. To the French navy. After the Battle of the Chesapeake, the victory at Yorktown became possible, and all that followed. Learn …

In this week’s episode, Luke talks about the Battle of Tanga. Well, he mostly talks about pre-WWI colonial politics in Africa, but he gets to the battle eventually. The main source for this episode was The Battle of Tanga, German East Africa 1914 by Maj. Kenneth J. Harvey - which can be found here: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a416385.pd…

Will explains the Siege of Malta, which pits the Ottoman Turks vs. the Knights of St. John/Hospitaller/Malta in one of history's most epic sieges. Surprise naval attacks, incendiary weapons, and underground flame thrower fights, this one has it all. There's a map this time!: https://twitter.com/JoDPodcast/status/884618168530063360 Our main source w…

It is difficult to overstate how disorienting France’s collapse was in the spring of 1940. A great power with one of the most advanced militaries in the world that possessed a number of numerical advantages over the German Wehrmacht was not supposed to suffer a catastrophe that would end in six weeks with Nazi troops marching down the Champs-Élysée…