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Who knew there were Soviet women combat pilots in WWII? The BBC’s Lucy Ash tells us how she came to know some of these women and produce a radio documentary and slide show about their lives and exploits. Also, we revisit the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979. Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since the 444-day ordeal began. And we try to understand the complicated motivations of Pakistan’s military leaders by looking back at how Pakistan was formed and what its early years were like. Lots to chew on this week, much of it riveting.
And a few more useful links from this week’s podcast (HWGH#32):
Slavica Publishers, publisher of Anna Yegorova’s memoir Red Sky, Black Death.
Jeb Sharp’s 2004 radio series on the history of US-Iranian Relations.
Just a few weeks ago, I heard of the “Night Witches” for the first time. They were mentioned in Dan Carlin’s excellent four-part podcast, titled “Ghosts of the Ostfront I-IV,” in his “Hardcore History” series.
Mr. Carlin dealt, at some length, with the heroism of Soviet women in combat.
http://www.dancarlin.com/dchh.xml
As an American, I had little knowledge of the Eastern Front,in WWII, nor of the unbelievable brutality and numbers of those killed.