← American History Tellers
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- [00:00]
Lindsey Graham
Picture this. You're transported back in time, witnessing history unfold right before your eyes without any modern day interruptions. That's the magic of Wondery. Immerse yourself in the stories that shaped our nation with ad free episodes, early access to new seasons and exclusive bonus content. Join Wonder plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts and experience American history like never before. It's June 11, 1940. In the Chateau de Mouguet, a mansion 100 miles south of Paris, one month after German troops invaded France in the beginning of World War II. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sits the head of a conference table. He takes a sip from a cup of tea and silently stares down the British and French officers seated around him. But the moment of quiet is interrupted by the sound of fighter planes flying overhead. Churchill puts down his cup of tea and addresses the war council before him. He doesn't mince words, saying that if the French army does not muster a defense of their country, France will fall into the clutches of the Nazis. Churchill clamps a cigar between his teeth and lights up as he blows smoke across the table. He demands to know how the French generals plan to launch a successful counterattack. For a few awkward moments, the generals squirm, looking uncomfortable, until General Maxime Weygan clears his throat. Weagon says there's no way France can stop the Nazis and they should ask for a ceasefire. Many generals in the room nod, make known their approval of surrender, but Churchill is livid. He slams his hands down on the table, shocking the room into silence. Again he bellows that France must not surrender, and in response, another French general at the table insists that they have no choice. Hearing this, Churchill rises from his seat and raises his voice even further, loudly announcing that Britain will never surrender. In response, General Wegan rises as well. He looks Churchill in the eyes and with a sneer says that his plan to fight on is a fantasy. Germany will conquer France, and when they do, the Brits will be next. In three weeks, he says, Britain will have her neck wrung like a chicken. Winston Churchill left this council of war and flew back to London with a heavy heart. He knew that the French were on the verge of capitulating to their German invaders. But Churchill was determined to prove General Wegen wrong by ensuring that Britain did not fall to the Nazis as well. Over the next 18 months, Churchill will lead Britain through a dark period when a German invasion was a very real possibility. Initially, the German air force will take to the skies, trying to destroy the Royal Air Force in what's known as the Battle of Britain. Later, the Nazis will bomb civilians in an unrelenting campaign called the Blitz. In the end, Britain will survive these threats, and Churchill will deliver a famous rebuttal to General Weigen during a rousing speech to the Canadian Parliament on December 30, 1941. Hey prime members, have you heard? You can listen to your favorite podcasts ad free. That's good news. With Amazon Music, you have access to the largest catalog of ad free top podcasts included with your prime membership. To start listening, download the Amazon Music app for free or go to Amazon.com ADFreePodcasts that's Amazon.com ADFreeP Podcasts to catch up on the latest episodes without the ads, American Historytellers is sponsored by Audible, whose best of 2024 picks are here. Discover the year's top audiobooks and originals in all your favorite genres, from memoirs and sci fi to mysteries and thrillers. Audible's curated list in every category is the best way to hear 2024's best in audio entertainment, like a stunning new full cast production of George Orwell's 1984 heartfelt memoirs like Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's lovely one, the year's best fiction, like the Women by Kristin Hannah and Percival Everett's brilliantly subversive title James or a personal pick of mine, Malcolm Gladwell's latest audiobook, Revenge of the Tipping Point. Find a new favorite and get listening with Audible because there's more to imagine when you listen. Go to audible.com tellers and discover all the year's best waiting for you from Noiser and Airship. I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History. D History is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is December 30, 1941 Winston Churchill's Some Chicken Speech. It's nearing the end of September 1940, two months after the Battle of Britain began. In the skies over southern England, 20 year old pilot officer Bob Foster nudges his control stick and glances at the two aircraft flying alongside his plane. He wants to make sure he does not drift out of this three plane formation of British Hurricane fighters. Then he turns and looks out the cockpit window, scanning the skies for the enemy aircraft his squadron has been sent to intercept. Foster is nervous but excited. He's been flying combat missions for less than a month, and although he's been involved in a few dogfights, he has yet to shoot down an enemy plane. Today, he might just get his chance after the French surrender to Germany three months ago, Adolf Hitler and his generals quickly turned their attention to Britain, the last major power in Europe to remain in the war. The German air force known as the Luftwaffe, began an onslaught from above, hoping to destroy the Royal Air Force, or raf. Once they were neutralized, Hitler planned to send German troops across the English Channel to invade Britain. But British fighter pilots did not give up without a fight. They flew several missions a day, aiming to intercept German bombers and their fighter escorts before they could destroy British airfields and radar stations. Now, pilot officer Foster hopes to break up another enemy raiding party. But there's a problem. He can't find them. As Foster scans the horizon for signs of the enemy planes, a voice over the radio barks in order to break, break, break. Foster doesn't hesitate. He immediately turns his stick and pulls away from the other two planes. It doesn't take Foster long to see why he was ordered to break formation. Right behind them are three enemy fighters. Foster recognizes their shape as Messerschmitt 109s. These German fighter planes are faster and can climb quicker than Foster's Hurricane. And they are attacking from behind, where fighters are most vulnerable. Foster turns tightly, trying to shake the enemy aircraft off his tail. But his stomach sinks as he hears a muffled explosion and sees the plane of one of his compatriots on fire and dropping out of the sky like a flaming stone. Foster keeps an eye on the blazing wreck as it falls, and he doesn't see a parachute before it drops into the sea. Foster completes his tight turn and then levels out. When he checks the skies around him, he realizes he's alone. His mid air evasive maneuvers helped him escape from the German 109s, which he assumed scarpered off as quickly as they appeared. But he has also lost the third plane of his formation. Foster searches the skies again and this time spots a dot in the distance. It's a plane flying steady and level. Foster thinks it must be the other Hurricane, so he grips his control stick, picks up speed and tries to catch up. He hopes the two fighters can land together to report the sad loss of their comrade. But as he gets closer to the other aircraft, Foster realizes something isn't right. He squints and tries to focus on the shape of its tail. And when he sees it, he realizes it's not a Hurricane, but an enemy 109, one of the planes that had attacked him. But Foster notices something else too. As he closes in, the 109 does not make any attempt to alter its course, which means the German pilot has no idea he's being followed. Foster peers through his gunsight, putting the enemy plane in the center. His thumb rests on the firing button that controls the eight machine guns ranged along his wings. He closes in just a little bit tighter, then presses his thumb down, and the gun's let loose. Foster's heart leaps as smoke pours out of the 109's engine. The enemy plane's nose drops, then sinks into a vertical dive. Foster feels little contrition as he sees the wings shear off the plane, sending it spiraling to the ground. Then he turns for his home airfield, pleased that he's finally achieved his first kill in the Battle of Britain. The Nazis attempt to take Britain might have succeeded were it not for the bravery of British and Allied airmen like Pilot Officer Foster. Eventually, the Nazis give up trying to overcome the stubborn resistance of the raf. Winston Churchill will pay tribute to the pilots who fended them off, saying, never was so much owed by so many to so few. But victory in the Battle of Britain comes at a price. More than 1,500 British and allied pilots are killed, but their sacrifice will force the German High Command to pivot. Unable to secure dominance in the skies, the Nazis will shelve their plans for an invasion. Instead, the Nazis will try to bomb Britain's civilian population into submission in a terror campaign known as the Blitz. American Historytellers is sponsored by Anytime Fitness. Like many things in life, fitness is not a destination. It's a journey. You don't get fit and quit. Instead, you stay trim to win or maintain, to gain or keep lean to bean sheen. Look, it doesn't have to rhyme to be a good message. You're not just working out, you're investing in yourself. And for that, Anytime Fitness has everything you need. The right equipment, easy anytime access to more than 5,000 global locations, and expert coaching to help optimize your personalized training, nutrition and recovery plans both in person and in the Anytime Fitness app. So at Anytime Fitness, you get more than machines. You get a personalized plan in gym and in app coaching support and a welcoming community. Anytime Fitness is holistic fitness. Get started at anytime fitness.com @t customers switching to T Mobile has never been easier. We'll pay off your existing phone and give you a new one free all on America's largest 5G network. Visit t mobile.com carrierfreedom to switch today. Pay off up to 650 via virtual prepaid MasterCard in 15 days. Free phone up to 830 via 24 monthly bill credits plus tax qualifying port in trade and service and go 5G next and credit required. Contact us before canceling entire account to continue bill credit to credit stop and balance and required finance agreement is due. It's midnight on December 29, 1940, three months after the Battle of Britain ends. 27 year old volunteer firefighter Leonard Rosiman hops out of a fire truck that's just parked on Shoe Lane, a street in the center of London. Although the sky is pitch black, Leonard has no trouble seeing his way because a fire blazes in a tall building along the street. Leonard unrolls a hose and grips it tightly before shouting to a colleague to turn the water on. For Leonard, this is his routine. Nearly every day for the last month and a half, Leonard has been battling fires started by bombs dropped by German aircraft. After the Luftwaffe failed to destroy the RAF in the Battle of Britain, Adolf Hitler ordered his airmen to change their strategy. Rather than knocking out Britain's air force in advance of an invasion, he decided to bomb the British people until they gave up and demanded a ceasefire. Six weeks ago, Luftwaffe began nighttime bombing raids on towns and cities all across Britain. The Blitz, as it's known, aims to demolish factories, leave civilians homeless and destroy critical infrastructure. But firefighters like Leonard are determined to minimize the damage and keep Britain in the war. Facing the blaze, Leonard steadies his feet and tightens his grip on the hose. He feels it tense and buck as water shoots out. The end. A second firefighter runs to assist Leonard and together they aim the water through the shattered windows of the blazing building. Here in the center of the city, most civilians spend the night sheltering in the underground train stations deep beneath the streets. But even though the building is likely empty, Leonard knows that the fire might quickly spread if he doesn't put it out. Leonard's arms and shoulders begin to ache under the weight of the water gushing forth from the hose. But he and his colleague fight through the pain and continue spraying the building until they're able to stop the flames from spreading. But they can't seem to extinguish the fire. After a few minutes, a senior firefighter signals to Leonard to let another man take his place on the hose, and Leonard is grateful for the break. His arms and back ache, but after only a few moments rest, Leonard is eager to get back to dousing the blaze. He's instructed to set up a second hose in a different location, hoping to fight the flames on two fronts. Leonard nods and walks toward the fire engine to make preparations. But an ominous cracking sound makes him stop. Leonard turns to see the top half of the blazing building begin to topple forward as its front wall collapses. For a split second, the wall seems to hang in midair and it crashes down to the street, right on top of the two firefighters where Leonard was just standing moments ago. Leonard rushes over to dig his comrades out of the hot rubble, but he already knows their fate. There's no way they could have survived the wall's collapse. Eight hours later, Leonard walks down Shoe Lane as dawn begins to break. The sun's light streaking through smoke still billowing from the now extinguished fire. But Leonard has a heavy heart. In a few hours time, the Luftwaffe bombing raids will begin again and Leonard will have to resume his firefighting duties. But this time without two of his colleagues whose bodies are still buried beneath the rubble. Leonard looks around at the bustling street. Now that the air raid is over, a new day is beginning and everyday life resumes in London. Men in smart suits walk to their offices, stepping around debris on the sidewalk. A milkman wanders along with his crate, whistling a tune. Leonard even sees a young mother pushing a stroller down the middle of the street, its wheels bouncing over fallen bricks. As she passes Leonard, he hears her talking to her baby, pointing at the pristine white dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, saying, look at that. They can bomb London all they want, but they'll never burn St. Paul's Leonard can't help but smile. Smile. The deaths of two firefighters is a tragedy, but Leonard knows that his work is making a difference. Londoners are carrying on and living as normal a life as possible. Hitler's plan to bomb Britain into submission is failing and the devastation of the Blitz does not lead to calls from British civilians to end the war. If anything, it makes them more determined. Britain's will hold out over months of nightly attacks until the German High Command is forced to change strategy once again, focusing instead on attacking naval convoys in what is known as the Battle of the Atlantic. And with the immediate threat of defeat over, Winston Churchill will travel to North America to celebrate his nation's perseverance in a speech to Canadian parliament that will survive the ages.
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Nick Kroll
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- [18:18]
Lindsey Graham
Brought to you by Columbia Sportswear. From Snowy trails to city streets, Columbia has you covered their Omni Heat Infinity jackets are the gold standard in warmth, pushing the boundaries of innovation. Feel the difference as thermal reflective technology wraps you in warmth, whether you're hiking mountains or conquering your daily grind. Visit Columbia.com to learn more. It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon on December 30, 1941, more than a year after the Blitz began. Winston Churchill rises from his seat to the sound of raucous cheering from more than 2,000 politicians, military officers and government officials were crammed into the House of Commons and the Canadian Parliament. But they are not the only people who will soon hear Churchill speak. Banks of microphones are arranged on the table, transmitting the British prime minister's words through a loudspeaker to crowds gathered outside on Ottawa's Parliament Hill and through the radio to millions More listening at home. Churchill is here in Canada today to celebrate Britain's survival of the Blitz and galvanize support for the ongoing war. War against Germany and the axis powers. 23 days ago, a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl harbor dragged the United States into the Second World War. Churchill immediately recognized the importance of his new ally and her abundance of wealth and manpower. Within a week, he boarded a warship and took a perilous journey across the Atlantic to confer with President Roosevelt. But while in North America, Churchill took a side trip to Canada to thank the Canadian people for their support during the dark days when Britain was at risk of invasion. And Churchill would take this moment as an opportunity to settle an old score against the French generals who predicted Britain's demise. Churchill begins by telling the Canadians that he is grateful for all they have done to help Britain in her war with Germany. And he recalls what General Maxime Weygan told him during a council of war shortly before the French surrender. In three weeks, England will have her neck wrung like a chicken. But as Churchill explains, Britain did not quit. She kept fighting. Pilots took to the skies during the Battle of Britain, and civilians stood firm under the onslaught of the Blitz. Given these facts, Churchill offers a cutting response to General Weigand. Some chicken come, Nick. Churchill goes on to say that Britain, with the support of her allies from North America, will now go on the offensive and take the fight to Germany. It will be another long and hard fought two and a half years before Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy during D Day in June of 1944. By then, it will be clear that the tide of the war had turned and Germany's dreams of conquest will be dashed. A result that many thought inconceivable at the beginning of the conflict, but celebrated as inevitable in Churchill's famous speech to the Canadian Parliament on December 30, 1941. Next on History Daily, December 31, 1935. A salesman patents a new board game game he calls Monopoly without mentioning he stole the idea from someone else. If you like American historytellers, you can binge all episodes early and ad free right now by joining Wondery in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com survey from Noiser and Airship. This is History Daily hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham. Audio editing by Molly Bach Sound design by Derek Behrens Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written and researched by Scott Reeves. Executive producers are Steven Walters for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser from Wondry and Dr. Seuss from high atop Mount Crumpet. Tis the Grinch holiday Podcast. Tonight's special guest, he's the big mouth behind Big Mouth. And you can see him in the Christmas blockbuster Red one. In theaters and available to stream on Prime Video now. Funny man, Nick Kroll. Hey, Nikki, how you doing? Good. How are you, Grinch? Oh, I'm pretty good. I'm doing pretty good today, buddy. Are you fine and everything okay in here? Yeah, it's been awesome. Thanks so much. This is gonna be fun.
- [23:11]
Nick Kroll
Yeah, I think we're gonna have fun.
- [23:12]
Lindsey Graham
I'm really excited.
- [23:12]
Nick Kroll
I was a little nervous cause you're.
- [23:14]
Lindsey Graham
Quite an intimidating character, but I feel.
- [23:16]
Nick Kroll
Like we've had some good chemistry here in this pre interview and I think it'll be fun.
- [23:19]
Lindsey Graham
Whoa. All right, let's save it for the interview.
- [23:22]
Nick Kroll
Follow Tis the Grinch Holiday Podcast on.
- [23:24]
Lindsey Graham
The Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Unlock weekly Christmas mystery bonus content and listen to every episode ad free by.
- [23:31]
Nick Kroll
Joining Wondery in the Wondery app, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.