Part 5: Japan Surrenders

World War II was fought on battlefields all over the globe. But it was also fought in the shadows—in covert operations that didn't make the headlines, both at home and overseas. The National WWII Museum presents Secret WWII: Spies & Special Ops Season 2, a podcast exploring wartime tales of espionage and intrigue. Hosted by Museum Senior Historian Bradley W. Hart, PhD, tune in to hear from expert historians and listen to the stories of the people who were there to uncover the secret World War II.

World War II was fought on battlefields all over the globe. But it was also fought in the shadows—in covert operations that didn't make the headlines, both at home and overseas. The National WWII Museum presents Secret WWII: Spies & Special Ops, a new podcast series exploring wartime tales of espionage and intrigue.  Hosted by Museum Senior Historian Bradley W. Hart, PhD, tune in to hear from expert historians and listen to the stories of the people who were there to uncover the secret World War II. Series premieres September 18. Click here to follow: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/secret-wwii-spies-special-ops/id1838475675  

September to December 1945: This final episode explores aftermath and consequences of World War II, as the trials at Nuremberg and Tokyo seek to restore justice in a world destroyed. Hosts Kirk Saduski and Donald Miller speak with historians Richard Frank, Stephanie Hinnershitz, and Rebecca Erbelding.  Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise reads an excerpt from Judgment at Tokyo by Gary Bass. 

August 1945: The surrender of Japan is announced days after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. WWII veterans begin the long road home.  Guests include historian Richard Frank, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and historian John McManus.  Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson reads an excerpt from Hiroshima by John Hersey. 

May to July 1945: Germany surrenders. The war in Europe is over, but the fighting in the Pacific rages on. America prepares to test the most fearsome weapon ever created.  Guests include Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and historian Richard Frank.  Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise reads an excerpt from E.B. Sledge. 

April to June 1945: Focus shifts to the Pacific theater, where the Battle of Okinawa is underway. As America considers an invasion of Japan, efforts to build the atomic bomb are reaching climatic stages.  Hosts Kirk Saduski and Donald Miller speak with historian Richard Frank, author of Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire.  Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise reads an excerpt from American war correspondent Ernie Pyle. 

April 1945: Western Allies and Soviets are closing-in on Nazi Germany from both sides. The deaths of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler occur within weeks of each other. Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States, as American generals and journalists witness the horrors of the concentration camps.  Guests include historian John McManus, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and historian Rebecca Erbelding.   Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson reads an excerpt from Paris After the Liberation: 1944-1949.

January to March 1945: In a period marked by intense military campaigns and high-stakes diplomatic efforts, significant questions emerge over how World War II will end.  Hosts Kirk Saduski and Donald Miller speak with historian Richard Frank, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and historian Rebecca Erbelding. Academy Award nominee Gary Sinise reads an excerpt from With the Old Breed at Peleliu and Okinawa by E.B. Sledge. 

The National WWII Museum presents 1945, a six-part podcast series hosted by New York Times best-selling author Donald Miller and Playtone producer Kirk Saduski. 1945 tells the story of the most consequential year in modern history, and explores significant questions over how the war will end.  Guests include Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Richard Frank, John McManus, Rebecca Erbelding, and Stephanie Hinnershitz. The podcast also features Academy Award nominees Patricia Clarkson and Gary Sinise. Episodes available weekly starting April 17.