246. Monty & Patton vs. the Nazis

Do commanders matter? Were the British generals effective or "foppish"? How did the Allies rebound from huge losses such as the Battle of Dunkirk to victories like Alamein and D-Day? Tom and Dominic are joined by Al Murray to discuss all this and more, following the release of Al’s new book Command: How the Allies Learned to Win the Second World War. 
If you want to buy Al's book, it is available at all good book stores or online.
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[@KeepingTheIronThroneWarm]

If anyone may wonder why Patton picked Louisiana of all places for his monologue ("shoveling shit in Louisiana") it's because of where he gave that particular speech. He was addressing new enlistees at a bootcamp in Louisiana, specifically Fort Polk, which is notoriously hot, humid, and swampy. I grew up about a hundred miles north of there. Anyway, I suppose if he'd been giving the speech in Texas, he might have said "shoveling shit in Texas." Just a neat little factoid.

[@Martijn_Steinpatz]

For one moment I thought we'd get a 50 minute sketch about Mr Hilter, but this is actually even funnier!

[@hatjodelka]

Yes, until I put my glasses on, I too thought it was an episode about Monty Python versus the Nazis!

[@johnbenson4672]

When I saw the thumbnail I thought the title was Monty Python vs. the Nazis.

[@charlesfrith]

Now there's a musical box-office smash

[@frankknudsen842]

That's what I thought 🤣

[@frankknudsen842]

That's what I thought 🤣

[@frankknudsen842]

That's what I thought 🤣

[@glencopper8591]

Yep, me too

[@tommonk7651]

Patton is one of my favorite movies of all time. George C. Scott was magnificent! And Patton was an excellent tank commander. Omar Bradley was also an excellent general. He ended up as a 5 star general, the highest in the US Army (there were only a handful ever). You guys should study up on those US generals in Europe and the US admirals in the Pacific.

[@waxer32123]

As an American it’s wild to me that they’re acting like Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, and MacArthur aren’t extraordinary famous historical figures from ww2

[@dragons123ism]

As an American I can say it is hard to find another American who knows when WWII takes place - more have heard of Patton than know anything about WWII

[@alexanderryan8263]

Get Al Murray on again!

[@cthornton523]

Yes please! Your dynamic together is smashing.

[@paulmanthe2638]

My grandfather shovelled shit in Oregon during the World War Two. I imagine that it probably beat the hell out of being shot at...

[@matthewnewberry7275]

Monty as inspiration for Milligan and Sellers the original Goon. Monty Python vs. the Nazis.

[@fraserct533]

Did you really say Nelson was a Titanic figure?

[@charlesfrith]

The boys did a three-part series on BBC Sounds. I knew nothing at the beginning and learned he was unique.... completely different than any beginner to the subject would expect. Well worth the education and I'm no fan of bloody wars.

[@fraserct533]

@@charlesfrith No doubt Nelson was a hero ... just wondered if this was some kind of nautical pun ... ie. Nelson heroic sinker of enemy ships ... Titanic a huge ship that sank.

[@charlesfrith]

@@fraserct533 No punning. if it is, I do that by accident, if at all. As for Titanic. Surely you mean the Olympic insurance switcheroo, just like 9/11... almost a trope

[@briangarrow448]

I believe war memorials should honor the troops, not the generals. The blood was spilled by those young people, not by old men. BTW-my father and 5 of his brothers served in the American and Canadian armies during the war. My attitude reflects their stories told to me as a youth.

[@charlesfrith]

I love ideas that make sense. Count me in

[@vincentvancoch7603]

😊

[@dustyfairview9062]

Yea i read that as monty python as well. Didnt bother with it for a bit

[@CL-we8tn]

😳🤯🥺🧐🥴🤯😭😱 How can you just jump from Trafalgar to ww2. Waterloo!!! My ancestors!!

[@alexanderryan8263]

Please get on Stephen Kotkin

[@Kurbin64]

Assuming that’s the one who believes he’s hilarious. All he provides is distractions from what I came for-history 😵‍💫

[@mackenshaw8169]

Much of the discussion of the Indian Army was just historically inaccurate.

[@ianbanks2844]

Slim is regarded as the greatest British General of the last century, so I would love to know how he ( Slim ) and Patton would of got on together . I think that Patton would of appreciated Skim .

[@mattweems7842]

No no no no. The Romans were not always destined to conquer Gaul. Take a quick look at the map of the Roman Empire and you will see it stretches around the Mediterranean. It almost never extends deep inland, besides Gaul only Dacia and Mesopotamia, both temporary adventures. Caesar's campaign in Gaul was exceptional, and something that would have not happened without Caesar the man, both wildly ambitious and wildly capable.

[@glenncondell1376]

The pontificating about Russia and Ukraine toward the end has not aged well, to say the least. In fact the blindness to the reality of the conflict generally on TRIH is not a good look for historians, embarrassing really. Perhaps stick to history rather than commentary on current events, or at the very least interview someone like Jeffrey Sachs or John Mearsheimer to get a more balanced view.