Radio War Nerd EP #444 — Battle of Kursk, Pt. 3: Myths & Memory, feat. Annibale

love Brendan’s music on this episode

I agree that we seem to be living in an era when there was a sort of negative overreaction after 1991 to everything related to the USSR and the Soviet form of government. Regardless of how you feel about Marxism-Leninism, the "really existing socialism" of the USSR, or anything else. They won. Full stop. Stalin lead the USSR to victory, and it feels like even stating that bare, undisputable, basic fact is somehow controversial today. Yes, countless mistakes were made and yes Stalin's shocking indifference to human suffering and loss of life are some of the most extreme in human history, but he won. So did the USSR. This poses a lot of tough questions, particularly in the West as to what the war meant or what victory even means. People in the US are still often loathe to admit this. They peddle a bunch of nonsense about how the war was won on the Western front with support from the USSR but this is so patently untrue it's embarrassing. My grandfather was in D-Day and I genuinely grew up thinking that was one of the largest battles in the war. Stalingrad was roughly 100 times the size. The real war in Europe was in the East and the USSR did the vast majority of beating the Axis. Any historian with a shred of integrity should be able to admit this.

Another incredible Annibale series. Also major props to Brendon for the always immaculate composing—I hope these interludes are compiling in a directory somewhere.

It’s “Pro-BAB-lé” and “Politicizéd” moving forward

These were really great, I like when people put a new perspective on things. My understanding of kursk is that soviet foreknowledge of the attack, while probably still a result of intelligence work, was also just a logical conclusion of analysis. By which I mean, maybe they needed intelligence on the finer details of any impending assault towards kursk, but also, the battle was an inevitability because the Soviets had such a large salient that it was impossible for the germans to ignore it.

Now I'm looking for an episode on the battle of midway. Can't believe y'all don't have one, please help 🤞

Re: Mark’s comments on Midway—US intelligence was very much not the final word on that battle. This is a worthwhile series on the battle and discusses just how many key events during the battle were due to pure chance: https://youtu.be/Bd8_vO5zrjo?si=HzuDWvLGStfyD5Rf

Singin “Annibale” to the tune of The Lion Sleeps Tonight every time one of his eps drops

Thanks for the series. Annibale's final point is something we should all strive to keep in mind as we study and learn history. We are all guilty to one extent or another of using history as a political or narrative tool but reminding ourselves that what we know is not almost never definitive is so important!

Isn’t every army impaired by the bureaucratic system that governs it?

this may be a dumb question, but do y’all have brendan play the music during the zoom call when you guys take a break or does he just edit it in?

Maybe we can get a bonus episode all about Soviet Commanders in WWII, aka "BIG THICK DUDES"

Thank you for the amazing episode! As always its awesome to hear Annibale come on the show. I recently started reading Guicciardini’s History of Italy, and I’m dying to hear the next episode of the Italian Wars series!

Bulge Talk III

For God's sakes, WHO is Annibale?

WW2 Eastern Front hagiography analysis AND Annibale? You continue to spoil us war nerds.

LFG

Awesome! More Annibale WW2 please!