Audiobooks by Paul Macnally

MONTGOMERY: God’s Lonely Man Goes to War

"Adored by the ordinary soldiers who served under him and the hero Britain needed in the “Darkest Hour” of its long history, Montgomery was also often hated by his peers, his superiors and his allies. Our brilliant documentary will explain why this was so by providing the most revealing insights ever into this complex, brilliant and infuriating man. Newly declassified revelations, testimony from the world's greatest military historians and thinkers, the frequently witty words of the Field Marshal himself and those of his admirers and enemies will accompany awesome images of Montgomery at work and at war to deliver History’s Verdict on Monty. Rarely explored aspects of his life will be uncovered: his childhood as the son of a Bishop and a mother who didn’t love him. His near death experiences in the battlefields of the Great War. His campaign against the IRA in the 1920s, which gained him the respect of the Republicans he fought. His textbook fighting retreat to Dunkirk in 1940 in the midst of the chaos of the Fall of France. His victories in the deserts of Africa, Sicily, France, and the humiliation of Arnhem. We witness how Montgomery’s talent for planning, training and strategy was matched by his talent for self-publicity and alienating his colleagues. We look at his family life, his career after the war and his retirement. His religious beliefs and his enigmatic sexuality. All of these shaped the “Master of the Battlefield” – the man who accepted the surrender of the Third Reich’s greatest generals on Luneburg Heath in 1945."

Paul Macnally (Author), Jonathan David Mellor (Narrator)

Audiobook

HITLER: The Man Who Fought the World

"A magnificent script, newly declassified revelations, testimony from the world's greatest historians and thinkers, and the chilling words of the Fuhrer himself and those of his closest henchmen to deliver History’s Verdict on Hitler. Opening with an astonishing series of insights into the formative years of the future dictator, we trace how the unremarkable son of a provincial bully experienced failure in love and art to then find happiness in the midst of a bloodbath. How Germany's defeat in the Great War catalysed his anti-Semitism and sense of destiny. How his propaganda gurus helped him win vast support in a failed state and pervert it into his Reich. Then how his reeling foreign opponents are struck by his lightning war. We witness Hitler's raw talent for strategy. His pitiless drive for war - and for war crimes. His complex relations with the men of his inner circle. His tortured relations with the women around him. Hitler is measured against other Nazi leaders, his generals and his enemies. We chart how initial dazzling successes on the battlefields amplify both Hitler's hubris and the horror of his plans. We see how his fanaticism and his sentimentalism make him a disastrous ally. And how an awesome coalition forms against him. Stalin’s own contributions to the decisive battles of the eastern Front – Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk – are analysed, as well as the role of Zhukov, the weather and Siberian troops in saving the U.S.S.R. Yet we also see how he is resisted; how he is defeated; how he is destroyed."

Paul Macnally (Author), Jonathan David Mellor (Narrator)

Audiobook

STALIN: The Man of Steel

"Via stunning contemporary footage, freshly declassified discoveries, a brilliant script, insights from the greatest historians of the past seventy years and the unforgettable words of the dictator himself and the people who knew him best, we deliver History’s Verdict on Stalin. Opening with the colossal Nazi invasion of the U.S.S.R., we show how Stalin himself almost helped Hitler to conquer the Soviet Union in the first few weeks of Barbarossa. How his paranoia regarding his own commanders and potential allies blinded him to Hitler’s plans. How his attempts to appease Hitler failed. And his lack of leadership in the disastrous opening stages of the campaign. We then witness his resolution to resist the invaders and how he inspired his people to virtually superhuman acts of bravery. However, we also see his utter ruthlessness in terrorising his subjects into facing Nazi atrocities, too. Stalin’s own contributions to the decisive battles of the eastern Front – Moscow, Stalingrad and Kursk – are analysed, as well as the role of Zhukov, the weather and Siberian troops in saving the U.S.S.R. We show how Stalin was frequently able to dominate his partners in “The Big Three” – Churchill and Roosevelt – and we look at his merciless treatment of enemies – the Germans – but also so-called allies – the Poles. We reveal how the complex psychology of the man – with vast talents existing alongside monstrous flaws - was crucial to victory. And we examine his ambivalent legacy and how it haunts the former Soviet Union to this day."

Paul Macnally (Author), Jonathan David Mellor (Narrator)

Audiobook

History's Verdict: Wise verdicts on World War 2’s most powerful figures.

"Since the early hours September first 1939, when the guns of the German battleship Schleswig-Holstein opened fire on the Polish military base of Westerplatte in the former free city of Danzig (Gdansk) and triggered the Second World War, over seventy years have gone by. The outcome of the conflict - which claimed the lives of over 55 million people and involved most of the nations of the Earth – left the world divided into two armed camps: one, dominated by the USSR and its Communist bloc; the other, led by an America determined to halt the spread of Communism. We know this stand-off better as The Cold War. For an objective historical judgement on the greatest conflict the human race has ever experienced, it is vital to know the men who led it. Today, thanks to decades of work by countless historians and the innumerable files declassified by governments worldwide, we now have the opportunity to judge those leaders effectively and impartially. Some of these leaders were unsure whether they were fighting one war or several wars. Others were convinced the conflict was global. What is certain is that the Second World War was a Total War, which saw frequent political errors in the most political war of all time. Pacific Media have assembled a group of expert historians, researchers and analysts from King’s College, one of mainland Europe’s most prestigious educational institutions, to create the documentary series History’s Verdict. From an up-to-the-minute viewpoint, and packed with fresh historical discoveries, their scripts deliver fair and wise verdicts on World War 2’s most powerful figures. The series consists of 13 self-contained episodes each lasting 60 minutes: Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt, Hirohito, Himmler, Montgomery, Patton, De Gaulle, MacArthur, Rommel, Eisenhower."

Bob Howard, Christopher Monaghan, Graham Birrell, Michael O'connor, Paul Macnally (Author), Jonathan David Mellor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Hirohito

"Heaven's Emperor; Man of Science; Survivor Extraordinary images, brilliant writing, the latest declassified information, witnesses from among the greatest historians, and the hitherto unknown words of the Emperor himself deliver History’s Verdict on Hirohito, the Second World War's most enigmatic leader Opening with the fateful attack on Pearl Harbor and his role in it, we trace how this great admirer of the Western world had overseen his country's march to war with both the United States of America and the British Empire. We learn of his childhood cloistered away from the world. Yet how he visits Europe and learns what freedom is. We see how his legendary grandfather overshadowed his mentally ill father. We bear witness to the many attempts on his life. We watch his country modernize rapidly, yet face many threats, both internal and external. And we see how Hirohito reacts to all of this. Japan's atrocities in China are revealed and we investigate whether the Emperor was in any way responsible. We examine the truth behind the myth of his so-called divine nature. Hirohito's contributions to the Second World War receive the most detailed examination yet. And we watch how he helps save a country already blasted by atomic attack from the almost certain annihilation of national suicide and colossal invasion and how he saves himself from Western retribution and guides his nation to decades of prosperity and peace. Available in e-book, audiobook, and Prime Video."

Paul Macnally (Author), Jonathan David Mellor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks by Paul Macnally

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