The Indian Ocean

 

 

Today we have a diversion from the narrative the podcast has been following lately.  When Japan conquered Southeast Asia in early 1942, it gained access to the Indian Ocean, and the Japanese ventured into that ocean afterwards.  This episode will look at what followed:  the invasion of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the bombing of Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), and a battle between the British, French and Japanese for Madagascar.  Although this area is not in Southeast Asia per se, I believe you will find the stories interesting, because they are really obscure to those people who don’t live around the Indian Ocean.  That includes the host; I did not hear any of this in school!  Now listen and enjoy.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/33248802/episode-43-the-indian-ocean/

The Retreat Through Burma

 

 

This year three holidays fall on April 1:  April Fool’s Day, Easter and Passover.  Now you have another reason to celebrate; Episode 42 is available!  This episode begins coverage of the Burma campaign, a nasty jungle war that would go on between Japan and the Allies for the rest of World War II in the Pacific.  Today we will see the Japanese conquest of Burma (modern Myanmar), from December 1941 to May 1942.  The conquest did not take five months because of Allied resistance, as was the case in the Philippines, but because of the rugged terrain and the size of the territory that was to be occupied.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/32857124/episode-42-the-retreat-through-burma/

The Battle for the Philippines, Part 2

 

 

Ten days ago, on March 6, 2018, the number of downloads of this podcast reached 100,000!  Yes, in the twenty months since the podcast was launched, people have listened to or downloaded episodes 100,000 times.  Thanks a million for your support!

The latest episode finishes what we started in Episode 38, the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II.  Although the Japanese win again, as they have in other recent episodes, it takes them five months to conquer the islands, because both the Americans and Filipinos were united in resisting them.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/32381944/episode-41-the-battle-for-the-philippines-part-2/

The History Fangirl Interview

 

 

This episode is a break from the narrative usually presented.  Recently I was interviewed by Stephanie Craig for another podcast, History Fangirl, to give the historical background behind Thailand and Bangkok.  On the page hosting this episode is a link to the interview on HistoryFangirl.com; check it out to learn about the other places Stephanie has visited.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/31825716/episode-40-the-history-fangirl-interview/

Japan Goes South

 

 

Normally I upload new episodes of my podcast on the 1st and 16th days of each month, but because February is the shortest month, I am giving you the second episode a day early.  For Episode 39 we will see how the Japanese conquered most of Indonesia, an area the Dutch had dominated for more than three centuries, in only three months.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/31432346/episode-39-japan-goes-south/

The Battle for the Philippines, Part 1

 

 

Yesterday Dan Carlin, the "Godfather of history podcasting," presented his latest contribution, and now my latest podcast episode is available!  The podcasters I hang out with do not speak evil of each other’s work, so go ahead and plan your day around listening to Dan’s episode (I certainly will), but I will be happy if you listen to mine, too.

Episode 38 continues on the topic the podcast has been covering since the year began — World War II in Southeast Asia.  This time we will see the Japanese invasion of the Philippines begin, but it won’t finish in this episode; resistance to the Japanese is far tougher here than it was in Malaya and Singapore.  And this episode will also give the biography of the American commander, Douglas MacArthur, up to 1941, because he will be a key figure in the war from this point on.

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/31051079/episode-38-the-battle-for-the-philippines-part-1/

Japan Strikes, The Fall of Malaya and Singapore

 

 

As promised, Episode 37 of the podcast is now available!  In the last episode you heard about Japan invading China, occupying French Indochina, and bombing Pearl Harbor.  Now this episode covers the 1941 Japanese invasion of Thailand, Malaya, and Singapore.  Are you ready?

https://www.blubrry.com/hoseasia/30612207/episode-37-japan-strikes-the-fall-of-malaya-and-singapore/