{"podcast":{"title":"HistoryExtra podcast","slug":"historyextra-podcast-746104","podcast_index_feed_id":746104,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT5697813216","website_url":"http://www.historyextra.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/190b5144-ab83-11ed-82db-5fcd2fc76b79/image/b0b3b47eb14297ab7b0906abab7b8b52.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"HistoryExtra","episode_count":2624,"summary":"The HistoryExtra podcast brings you gripping stories from the past and fascinating historical conversations with the world's leading historical experts. HistoryExtra is a free history podcast, with episodes released six times a week. Subscribe now for the real stories behind your favourite films, TV shows and period dramas, as well as compelling insights into lesser-known aspects of the past. We delve into global history stories spanning the ancient world right up to the modern day. You’ll hear deep dives into the lives of famous historical figures like Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn and Winston Churchill, and explorations of intriguing events from the past, such as the Salem witch trials, the battle of Waterloo and D-Day. Expect fresh takes on history, helping you get to grips with the latest research, as we explore everything from ancient Roman archaeology and Viking mythology to Renaissance royals and Tudor kings and queens. Our episodes touch on a wide range of historical eras – from the Normans and Saxons to the Stuarts, Victorians and the Regency period. We cover the most popular historical subjects, from the medieval world to the Second World War, but you’ll also hear conversations…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-19T22:18:48.611786+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104"},"episode":{"title":"Churchill's toughest decision","slug":"churchill-s-toughest-decision","published_at":"2026-06-09T23:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104/churchill-s-toughest-decision","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104","url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1032271898.mp3","audio_url":"https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/pdst.fm/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR1032271898.mp3","summary":"In the summer of 1940, the Royal Navy attacked a French fleet moored off the coast of north Africa, killing almost 1,300 sailors. Winston Churchill described his decision to greenlight the operation as the toughest he ever had to take. But was it the right decision? Edward Abel Smith talks to Spencer Mizen about an incident that would shake Britain's wartime relations with France. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST To hear more from Edward Abel Smith, don't miss our podcast episode on the remarkable life of Nicholas Winton, the British Schindler, who helped hundreds of Jewish children escape Czechoslovakia on the eve of the Second World War: https://bit.ly/4e80MrF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices","meta_description":"In the summer of 1940, the Royal Navy attacked a French fleet moored off the coast of north Africa, killing almost 1,300 sailors. Winston Churchill descri…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2146,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/historyextra-podcast-746104/episodes/churchill-s-toughest-decision/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/historyextra-podcast-746104/churchill-s-toughest-decision.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}