Compact Warfare

In September 1759 a silent night run on the St Lawrence put British regulars on the heights west of Quebec. At dawn their two-rank line held fire, then delivered a crushing close-range volley that broke Montcalm's advance and forced the city's fall days later. This episode traces the river gamble at Anse-au-Foulon, the short but decisive exchange on the plateau, and how Quebec's loss unpicked New France. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #PlainsOfAbraham #Quebec1759 #SevenYearsWar #JamesWolfe #Montcalm #MilitaryHistory #HistoryPodcast

In June 1314, Robert Bruce met Edward II near Stirling and turned tight ground, drilled schiltrons, and smart timing into a decisive Scottish win. This episode explains why the approaches mattered, how the spearmen advanced, where the archers were blunted, and how Bannockburn shifted the wider war and Scotland's future. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #Bannockburn #RobertTheBruce #ScottishHistory #MedievalWarfare #Stirling #MilitaryHistory #HistoryPodcast

In the year 9CE, a Roman army marching through the Teutoburg Forest met a storm of javelins, mud, and deception. Led by Arminius, Germanic warriors smashed three legions under Publius Quinctilius Varus at the narrow defiles near Kalkriese, turning Rome's advance into a retreat and forcing a strategic rethink on the Rhine. In this episode we unpack the ambush plan, the chaos along the choke points, the desperate night camps, and the aftermath that brought Germanicus's reprisals and a new frontier strategy. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #TeutoburgForest #Arminius #Varus #RomanHistory #MilitaryHistory #Germania #HistoryPodcast

From pocket quadcopters over alleyways to long-endurance aircraft striking deep targets, drones have reshaped reconnaissance, artillery, and air defence. This episode covers how sensors and data links make drones powerful, how jamming and counter-drone systems fight back, why logistics and training matter more than hype, and where autonomy and swarms may take the battlefield next. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #DroneWarfare #ModernWarfare #MilitaryTechnology #LoiteringMunitions #ElectronicWarfare #HistoryPodcast

In 1879 the British Empire collided with the Zulu kingdom on the Natal frontier. From the shock defeat at Isandlwana to the desperate stand at Rorke's Drift and the set-piece victory at Ulundi, this episode explains why the first invasion failed, how firepower and fortification reshaped the second, and how the settlement that followed broke Zulu sovereignty and sparked civil strife. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #ZuluWars #Isandlwana #RorkesDrift #Ulundi #MilitaryHistory #SouthAfrica #VictorianHistory #HistoryPodcast

In 490 BCE a citizen army met an empire on the Marathon plain. Athens and Plataea formed a thin centre and strong wings, charged to beat the arrow storm, and broke the Persian flanks before the enemy could bring cavalry to bear. This episode explains the plan, the ground, the crisis in the centre, and the shoreline rout that sent the fleet sailing for home. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #BattleOfMarathon #AncientGreece #PersianWars #MilitaryHistory #Hoplites #HistoryPodcast

On 26 August 1346, Edward III chose his ground at Crécy and turned a larger French army into chaos. Longbowmen, fieldworks, and disciplined infantry shattered repeated cavalry charges, while early cannon added shock and smoke to the fight. In this episode we track the march, the tactics, the storm-soaked opening, and the aftermath that led straight to Calais. Visit our website: Compact Warfare Find us on our social media sites: Facebook Instagram Pinterest Youtube #BattleOfCrecy #HundredYearsWar #MedievalWarfare #EnglishHistory #FrenchHistory #MilitaryHistory #HistoryPodcast

In June 1942, four Japanese carriers sailed to crush the U.S. Pacific Fleet near a tiny atoll. Codebreakers set the trap, dive bombers delivered the blows, and in five decisive minutes the balance of the Pacific war shifted. This episode breaks down the intelligence play, the torpedo squadrons' sacrifice, the dive-bomber strikes, and why Midway turned defense into initiative. #BattleOfMidway #WWII #PacificWar #MilitaryHistory #NavalAviation #HistoryPodcast

On the banks of the River Boyne in July 1690, William III forced a river crossing, turned the Jacobite flank at Slane, and drove James II from the field. In this episode we unpack the plans, the fight at Oldbridge, the upstream maneuver, and the rearguard to Duleek, then trace how Boyne shaped the Williamite War and the wider European struggle with Louis XIV. #BattleOfTheBoyne #IrishHistory #MilitaryHistory #WilliamIII #Jacobite #NineYearsWar #HistoryPodcast

Civil war, rival crowns, and battles fought in snow and mud. In this episode of Compact Warfare, we track the Wars of the Roses from St Albans to Towton, the Kingmaker's rise and fall, and the final clashes at Barnet, Tewkesbury, Bosworth, and Stoke Field. See how York and Lancaster tore England apart and how Henry VII forged a new dynasty from the ruins. #WarsOfTheRoses #MedievalHistory #EnglishHistory #Yorkists #Lancastrians #HistoryPodcast

From Heian frontier horse archers to Tokugawa-era officials, this episode traces how Japan's warrior class rose to power, reinvented warfare, and reshaped government. We follow the Minamoto–Taira rivalry, the first shogunate at Kamakura, the shock of the Mongol invasions, Sengoku-era castle wars, the arrival of firearms, and unification under Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu. Hear how bushido evolved from practical loyalty and reputation into a wider moral code that guided samurai life in war and peace. #Samurai #JapaneseHistory #MilitaryHistory #FeudalJapan #Bushido

In one of the most brutal turning points of World War II, Soviet and German forces fought street by street for control of Stalingrad. From factory-floor firefights to a massive encirclement that trapped the German Sixth Army, this episode of Compact Warfare explains how a shattered city on the Volga reshaped the entire Eastern Front. #BattleOfStalingrad, #CompactWarfare, #WWII, #EasternFront, #MilitaryHistory, #HistoryPodcast, #UrbanWarfare, #OperationUranus, #RedArmy, #SixthArmy, #Volgograd, #HistoryEducation

The Seven Years' War was one of the most wide-reaching and consequential conflicts in history. Fought from 1756 to 1763, it spanned five continents and involved the world's greatest powers of the time. From the muddy battlefields of Europe to the dense forests of North America, and from the trade routes of West Africa to the ports of India and the Caribbean, this truly global war reshaped empires and laid the groundwork for revolutions to come. In this episode of Compact Warfare, we trace the origins, campaigns, and legacies of the first true world war. Please consider supporting the show by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you would like to support us more directly by buying us a coffee, head on over to https://compacthistories.com/warfarecoffee to see how.    An article supporting this episode can be found on the website at https://compacthistories.com/warfare/the-seven-years-war/.  Check out the other shows in the Compact Histories family - Compact Biographies, Compact Disasters, Compact History, Compact Murder, and Compact Mysteries at: compactbiographies.com compactdisasters.com compacthistory.com compactmurder.com compactmysteries.com

For over 700 years, Christian and Muslim forces battled for control of the Iberian Peninsula in a relentless campaign known as the Reconquista. In this episode of Compact Warfare, we explore the shifting front lines, epic sieges, and enduring legacies of a conflict that reshaped the map of Europe. From the fall of Visigothic Spain to the rise of unified kingdoms and the capture of Granada, it's a story of faith, politics, and centuries-long warfare. Please consider supporting the show by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you would like to support us more directly by buying us a coffee, head on over to https://compacthistories.com/warfarecoffee to see how.    An article supporting this episode can be found on the website at https://compacthistories.com/warfare/the-reconquista/.  Check out the other shows in the Compact Histories family - Compact Biographies, Compact Disasters, Compact History, Compact Murder, and Compact Mysteries at: compactbiographies.com compactdisasters.com compacthistory.com compactmurder.com compactmysteries.com

Elite, disciplined, and feared, the Spartans built a society devoted entirely to war. In this episode of Compact Warfare, we take a deep dive into the training, tactics, and battles of ancient Sparta. From the brutal agoge to the unbreakable phalanx, explore how Spartan warriors earned their legendary reputation and why their legacy endures today. Please consider supporting the show by subscribing and leaving a review wherever you get your podcasts. Or, if you would like to support us more directly by buying us a coffee, head on over to https://compacthistories.com/warfarecoffee to see how.    An article supporting this episode can be found on the website at https://compacthistories.com/warfare/spartan-warfare/.  Check out the other shows in the Compact Histories family - Compact Biographies, Compact Disasters, Compact History, Compact Murder, and Compact Mysteries at: compactbiographies.com compactdisasters.com compacthistory.com compactmurder.com compactmysteries.com