In this episode of the Explaining History podcast, we delve deep into the heart of the twentieth century’s most defining conflict: World War II. Often remembered as “The Good War,” this episode, inspired by Geoffrey Wheatcroft’s insightful essay and Richard Overy’s comprehensive study, invites listeners to re-examine the conventional narratives that have shaped our understanding of the war.Through a meticulous analysis of “World War Two: The Myth of the Good War” and “Blood and Ruins,” we uncove
Reading time:
1–2 minutes
Get the weekly analysis
One piece every week connecting current events to their historical roots — free, every Tuesday.
Subscribe free →Paid tier also available — deeper dives, full archive, essay guides.
Explaining History Podcast
For more than a decade, the Explaining History Podcast has helped listeners around the world make sense of modern history. What began in 2012 as a simple experiment—short, accessible episodes explaining major historical events—has grown into a long-running library of carefully researched, thoughtful explorations of the 20th and 21st centuries.
If this was useful, there’s more where it came from.
Every week I publish one piece connecting a current event to its historical roots — free, every Tuesday. Paid subscribers get two additional deeper dives and full archive access.
Subscribe to Explaining History →