Korean War Podcast

The number of French troops sent to Algeria increase to a massive half a million but they even large a force can not defeat the FLN.  The FLN begins a campaign of terrorism in the City of Algiers killing and maiming Pied Noir civilians.  A biography of FLN leader in Algiers, Abane.  The French governor decides to sent in the Paratroops into Algiers 

French Army reinforcements are sent to Algeria but they can not defeat the FLN.  A biography of FLN military leader Krim.  In August 1955, in and around the town of Phillipeville the FLN carry out a massacre of Pied Noir civilians.  In return the French Army murder local Muslims civilians.  These events polarise the Pied Noir and Muslim populations.

Proposed reforms for Algeria, are frustrated by the French Colonial Officials.  Young Algerian Muslims begin to believe that can be no chance of equality with independence and that can only achieved by violence.  A biograph of the militant Ben Bella.  The Algerian War of Independence begin on All Saints Day 1954.

In,1830, France begin a conquest of Algeria.  European immigrants move to Algeria, they would be known as the Pied Noir, they were granted French citizenship, not so the Algerian Muslims.  The Setif revolt of May 1945.  A biography of moderate Algerian Muslim Fermat Abbas. 

The Iranian oil industry was controlled by the British.  Iranian Prime Minister Mosaddegh nationalise the Oil industry, the British try to boycott the sale of Iranian Oil.  A biography of Mosaddegh, he becomes increasingly illiberal losing some public support, this allows the CIA and MI5 to organise a plot against him in 1953.  The Shah take control of the Country and represents opposition.

The peace talks between Israel and the Arab states which ended the war.  The plight of refugees from Palestine.  The expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Jews. from the Arab states.  Why the good relations between the Soviet Union and Israel grew worse.  The overthrow of Egyptian King Fakour and his biography.

The Israeli Army wins control of the Western Negev.  The Israeli Army then invades the Sinai, the British Government threatens war if the Israelis did not withdrew from the Sinai, so David Ben Gurion agrees to do so..  In January 1949 the Israeli Army cuts off the Egyptian Army in Gaza.  The Egyptian Government is forced to begin peace talks.

The third ad final phase of the war begins in October 1948, with the Israeli Army concentrating its forces in the south against the Egyptian Army.  The Israeli Army encircle the Egyptian Fourth Brigade.  The Israeli Army relives Jewish settlements and conquers the Negev.  A biography of General Allon who led the Israeli Army in this offensive.  

The story of the second United Nations Cease Fire between July and October 1948, the life and murder of UN peace maker Count Bernadotte.  The end of the Arab enclave of the Little Triangle, south of Haifa.  The start of the third phase of the war and the campaign in Northern Israel. 

The first UN backed cease fire breaks down and it takes ten days to arrange a second cease fire.  In the ten days of fighting the Israeli Army captures Nazareth, Ramla and Southern Judea but attempts to take Latrun and the Old City Jewish quarter in Jerusalem are repulsed by the Arab Legion.  A biography of Egyptian Army commander in Palestine Major General Al - Mwawi.  

The Israeli Army suffered a series of defeats in the West Bank, an attempt to take the town of Jenin is beaten by the Iraqi Army.  Jordan's Arab Legion beat off Israeli attacks on Latrum and Radar Hill.  The Arab Legion captured the Jewish Old City.  Yet the Israelis build a new road to supply the Jewish areas of Jerusalem breaking the siege.  A biography of Mickey Marcus the first Israeli General and commander in the Jerusalem sector.

The Syrian Army invades North Eastern Israel but they are firmly repulsed.  The commander of the Israeli forces is Mosha Daylan a biography of him.  The Egyptian Army advances along the coast towards Tel Avia but they are halted.  The reason for the Soviet support for the creation of the state of Israel.  The importance of the Communist arms sales to Israel.

The state of Israel was created in May 1948, it was a state born in battle for it would be attacked by the Arab states.  However the Arab armies were a poor shape to conduct a modern war.  A review of the problems faced by the Egyptian and Syrian Armies.  The one Arab army that was well trained, well armed and well led was the Arab Legion of the Army of Jordan.  A biography of its British born commander Glubb Pasha.

In the led up to the end of the British mandate, the level of violence between the Jewish and Arab community grows in scale.  The both sides prepare for war.  Jewish forces captured Arab cities such as Haifa, Jaffa and Acre, Arab refugees flee.  Five thousand Arab fighters from the rest of the middle east arrive in Palestine to help the Arabs.  Fighting starts well before the end of the British mandate.  A profile of the King of Jordan.

The history of the British mandate in Palestine from 1917 to 1947.  Jewish immigration into Palestine.  The Arab revolt between 1936 and 1939.  After the Second World War growing violence in Palestine which a hundred thousand British soldiers in Palestine can not control.  British decides to withdraw from Palestine and leaves the United Nations to decide upon the future of Palestine. 

In the this first episode of season five dealing with the Cold War in Africa and the Middle East.  I talk of two colonial wars, the Madagascan uprising against the French and the Mau Mau revolt in Kenya against British rule.

In this last episode of season four, i discuss the Military Balance in Europe between 1945 and 1956.  After the Second World War ended the Soviets maintained a much larger military force than the Western powers.  Yet the Americans always a larger number of atomic weapons, which would have used if the Soviets had invaded Western Europe.  The creation of NATO, the Warsaw Pact and the West German armed forces. 

The history of the rest of Kadar dictatorship of Hungary until the fall of Communism.  Then a brief history of Hungary from 1988 to the present date.  A biography of the Catholic Archbishop of Hungary Josef Mindszenty, a former prisioner of the Communists who took refuge in the American embassy in Budapest for 15 years.

Following the crushing of the Hungarian Revolution by the Soviet Army., the Hungarian Communist Government of Kadar takes revenge, thousands are imprisoned and hundreds are hanged.  Many spend years in prison.  Two hundred thousand Hungarians flee the country.  Imre Nagy is arrested, put on trail and hanged alongside of Pal Maleter and Miklos Gimes.  A biography of Miklos Gimes, Hungarian freedom fighter and friend of Imre Nagy.

On Sunday 4th November 1956, the Soviet Army assaults  Budapest to crush the Hungarian revolution.  In a one sided battle against poorly armed and poorly trained Hungarian revolutions, the Soviet Army use fire from tanks artillery and warplanes against the Hungarians who despite their bravery are defeated.  A biography of General Bela Kiraly, commander of Hungarian forces in Budapest.  The Soviet impose Janos Kadar as their puppet ruler of Hungary.