Living History with Mat McLachlan

While the world watched Iwo Jima and Okinawa, over 70,000 Australian soldiers were fighting and dying in what many would later call the 'unnecessary wars' - the final campaigns in Bougainville, New Guinea and Borneo. In this powerful episode, Mat McLachlan tells the forgotten story of Australia's last battles of World War Two. From November 1944 to August 1945, Australian forces fought through some of the war's most grueling conditions, losing over 2000 men in campaigns that history has largely overlooked. Through authentic accounts from the soldiers who were there - including seven Victoria Cross recipients - we experience the mud, monsoons and malaria of jungle warfare. We meet young men like 20-year-old Frank Partridge, who became the war's youngest Australian VC recipient, and veterans like George Palmer, who carried the memory of a Japanese soldier he killed for the rest of his life. Were these campaigns strategically necessary, or were they, as critics claimed, a waste of Australian lives for political purposes? Mat explores the controversy while never losing sight of the human story - of ordinary Australians who did extraordinary things when their mates needed them most. A moving tribute to the men who fought on after the world had stopped watching. "We weren't soldiers, we were heavily-armed civilians... for the most part, we were just ordinary people." - Les Cook, veteran Episode Length: 21 minutes Features: Original veteran testimonies, detailed battle accounts and expert historical analysis Presenter: Mat McLachlan Producer: Jess Stebnicki Ready to walk in the footsteps of heroes? Join Mat McLachlan on an exclusive river cruise that visits the battlefields of Waterloo, WWI and WW2 in 2027: https://battlefields.com.au/pre-register-for-2027-battlefield-river-cruises/ Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan For more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Was dropping the atomic bomb necessary? For nearly 80 years, historians have debated President Truman's decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan. But secret intelligence intercepts - classified for decades after the war - reveal what Japanese leaders were actually planning in the summer of 1945. Using newly available evidence from the "Magic" intercepts, Mat McLachlan examines the brutal alternatives Truman faced: invasion projections of over a million American casualties, Japanese preparations to turn their entire population into combatants, and intelligence proving Japan's refusal to surrender. Through the stories of Colonel Paul Tibbets, who piloted the Enola Gay, and Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto, who survived Hiroshima, this episode explores one of history's most controversial decisions - and why the evidence suggests it was the only choice that could end the war and save lives. The atomic bombs killed 200,000 people. But would the alternatives have killed millions more? Presenter: Mat McLachlan Producer: Jess Stebnicki Ready to walk in the footsteps of heroes? Join Mat McLachlan on an exclusive river cruise that visits the battlefields of Waterloo, WWI and WW2 in 2027: https://battlefields.com.au/pre-register-for-2027-battlefield-river-cruises/ Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan For more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Step into the hallowed halls of London's Guards Museum with Mat McLachlan as he uncovers extraordinary artifacts from one of history's most pivotal battles. In this captivating episode, Mat takes you behind the scenes to examine authentic Waterloo relics that have survived over two centuries - from battle-worn uniforms and weapons to personal effects that once belonged to the soldiers who fought on that fateful day in 1815. You'll discover how these precious artifacts made their way from the Belgian battlefield to their current home in London, and what they tell us about courage, sacrifice, and the brutal reality of Napoleonic warfare. Presenter: Mat McLachlan Guest: Lee Murrell Producer: Jess Stebnicki Watch the full video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/aWVEQ9_r7Hs?si=Zy_NqutT4gFgxX6k Ready to walk in Wellington's footsteps? Join Mat McLachlan on an exclusive private tour of the Waterloo battlefield, where you'll explore the very ground where history was made. Discover the stories behind the strategy, visit key locations, and gain insights that only come from experiencing this legendary battlefield firsthand. Book your unforgettable Waterloo adventure at: https://battlefields.com.au/waterloo-private-tour/ Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan For more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

In October 1942, as Field Marshal Rommel's Afrika Korps prepared for one final push towards Cairo, Australia's 9th Division and New Zealand's 2nd Division stood ready at El Alamein for what would become the decisive battle of the North African campaign. Author Tom Gilling joins Mat McLachlan to explore how Montgomery's meticulously planned offensive depended on the tenacity of these Anzac forces to break through Rommel's formidable defences. From the initial barrage that lit up the desert night to the grinding attritional warfare that followed, this is the story of how Australian and New Zealand forces helped deliver the victory that Churchill called "the end of the beginning" - a triumph that saved the Middle East and marked the true turning point of the Second World War. Tom Gilling's new book on the Battle of El Alamein, Start Digging You Bastards!, is available now. Presenter: Mat McLachlan Guest: Tom Gilling Producer: Jess Stebnicki Join one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information. Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan For more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

On July 1st, 1916, 800 young Newfoundlanders climbed out of a trench and walked into history at Beaumont-Hamel. In twenty minutes, an entire generation was lost. This is their story - from fishermen's sons volunteering in St. John's to seasoned soldiers facing the German lines on the Somme. Through the actual words of Lieutenant Owen Steele, Private Frank Lind, and others who were there, Mat McLachlan tells how a small island's fierce loyalty to the Empire led to unimaginable sacrifice. A tragedy that shaped Newfoundland's identity forever, commemorated by a bronze caribou that still stands guard over the fields where so many gave everything. Presenter: Mat McLachlan Producer: Jess Stebnicki Join one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information. Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan For more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.