
Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast
The Lions Led By Donkeys podcast is a military history podcast for laughing at the worst military failures, inept commanders, and crazy stories from throughout the history of human conflict.
Our podcast will always be free, but if you think what we do is worth a buck you can throw us one here:
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
Latest episodes

Apr 2, 2025 • 11min
*PREVIEW* The Upper/Lower Canada Rebellions feat. Quinn
All good rebellions start at a bar. Note that we did not say 'successful' there. Quinn from the Failure to Launch podcast joins us as a guest host to discuss a time when francophone and anglophone Canadians joined forces to fight the British in hopes of declaring independence.
Get the whole episode on Patreon here! https://www.patreon.com/posts/125794323
COME SEE US LIVE IN LONDON! We're performing at Rich Mix in Shoreditch on Friday, 11th April. Tickets availbable here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266997737339?aff=oddtdtcreator

Mar 31, 2025 • 1h 16min
Episode 356 - The American Suicide Fleet of WWI
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https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266997737339?aff=oddtdtcreator
LIVE STREAM TICKETS:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266999251869?aff=oddtdtcreator
SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON:
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
When America entered WWI they found their Navy seriously lacking. To fill the gap, FDR bought a bunch of yachts from his rich friends and tried to turn them into subchasers. It did no go well.
Sources:
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2015/june/gilded-men-and-suicide-fleet
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2011/january/when-frank-jack-met-maggie
https://airmail.news/issues/2024-8-24/the-new-york-yacht-club-goes-to-war
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1973/june/eagle-boats-world-war-i
https://www.navsource.org/archives/12/170527.htm

Mar 24, 2025 • 1h 13min
Episode 355 - The Turtle, The World's First Combat Submarine
Liveshow tickets are now available for April 11th in London:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266997737339?aff=oddtdtcreator
Livestream tickets are also available for those who can't make it:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266999251869?aff=oddtdtcreator
SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON:
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
The Turtle was the world's first combat submarine, built during the American Revolution, and somehow, it didn't turn into an elaborate suicide device.
Sources:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/head-tilting-history/bushnells-turtle-revolutionary-submarine
https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2022/06/the-turtle-submarine-warfare-during-the-american-revolution/
https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1942/february/david-bushnell-and-first-american-submarine
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/submersible-history-revolutionary-war
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/david-bushnells-turtle-the-worlds-first-submarine/

Mar 19, 2025 • 12min
*PREVIEW* The Tarnak Farm Incident ft. Robert Evans
This is a preview. To listen to the entire episode, support the show on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/124694492?pr=true

Mar 17, 2025 • 1h 21min
Episode 354 - The 1813 Battle of Medina
Liveshow tickets are now available for April 11th in London:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266997737339?aff=oddtdtcreator
Livestream tickets are also available for those who can't make it:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266999251869?aff=oddtdtcreator
PRE ORDER YOUR EMU JIMA SHIRT HERE:
https://llbdmerch.com/products/llbd-emu-jima-shirt
SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON:
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
Joe, Tom, and Nate talk about one the stupidest but certainly bloodiest battle in Texan history.
Sources:
Ted Schwartz. Forgotten Battlefield of the First Texas Revolution: The Battle of Medina, August 18, 1813
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/medina-battle-of
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/gutierrez-magee-expedition
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/magee-augustus-william
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local_news/article/Texas-battle-now-has-three-site-markers-4568808.php

Mar 10, 2025 • 1h 19min
Episode 353 - The Death of Carthage
The hosts dive into the bizarre yet fascinating history of Carthage, including how its citizens wove hair into weapons against Rome—spoiler alert, it didn’t work. They explore the irony of Carthage's economic success amidst military submission, and their comedic take on Roman absurdities during the siege reveals both intensity and humor. From clever military strategies to chaotic urban combat, the narrative blends dark humor with poignant historical insights, showcasing the relentless spirit of the Carthaginians facing overwhelming odds.

Mar 5, 2025 • 11min
*PREVIEW* The Anglo-Zanzibar War ft. Riley Quinn
Get the whole episode on Patreon here! https://www.patreon.com/posts/123683504
Liveshow tickets are now available for April 11th in London:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266997737339?aff=oddtdtcreator
Livestream tickets are also available for those who can't make it:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/livestream-lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-london-11th-april-2025-tickets-1266999251869?aff=oddtdtcreator
PRE ORDER YOUR EMU JIMA SHIRT HERE:
https://llbdmerch.com/products/llbd-emu-jima-shirt
Joe and Nate are joined by Trashfuture and No Gods No Mayor's Riley Quinn to talk about one of the shortest wars in history.
Sources:
https://www.historyextra.com/period/victorian/shortest-war-history/
https://www.thecollector.com/anglo-zanzibar-war/
https://www.history.org.uk/publications/resource/7950/the-shortest-war-in-history-the-anglo-zanzibar-wa
https://altezzatravel.com/articles/the-anglo-zanzibar-war
https://explorethearchive.com/anglo-zanzibar-war

Mar 3, 2025 • 59min
Episode 352 - The Attack on Mers El Kebir
SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON:
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Joe and Nate explore the time the French surrendered during WWII, leaving the British worried if their fleet was going to change sides and fight for the Nazis. Rather than waiting to find out, they conducted the naval equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel.
Sources:
Philippe Lasterle. Could Admiral Gensoul Have Averted the Tragedy of Mers el-Kebir? The Journal of Military History. Society for Military History. Volume 67, Number 3, July 2003
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/operation-catapult-the-attack-on-mers-el-kebir/
https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2022/august/force-h-mers-el-kebir
https://bmmhs.org/mers-el-kebir-sinking-the-french-fleet/

Feb 24, 2025 • 1h 12min
Episode 351 - The 410AD Sack of Rome
Support the show on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
check out our merch store:
https://llbdmerch.com/
Joe is joined by the Zoo Crew to talk about the time Rome hosted the world's largest Goth convention.
Sources:
Zosimus. New History
Michael Kulikowski. Rome's Gothic Wars: From the Third Century to Alaric.
Ludwig Heinrich Dyck. The Goth Sack of Rome: Barbarians at the Gate in 410 AD. Military Heritage. Volume 7, no 2. 2005.
Herwig Wolfram. The Roman Empire and Its Germanic Peoples.
The Cambridge Ancient History Volume 13

Feb 19, 2025 • 10min
*PREVIEW* Akira ft. Hussein Kesvani
This is a preview. For the entire episode support the show on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/lions-led-by-ft-122609808