

Lions Led By Donkeys Podcast
Lions Led By Donkeys
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
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
Episodes
Mentioned books

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:
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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

9 snips
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:
https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys
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

Feb 17, 2025 • 1h 24min
Episode 350 - The Modoc War
Support the show on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/c/lionsledbydonkeys
Once upon a time, the US went to war against a small tribe in the pacific northwest, and, despite winning due to the massive power imbalance, they managed to get their asses kicked the entire time.
Sources:
Arthur Quinn. Hell With the Fire Out: A History of the Modoc War
Terry Johnston. Devil's Backbone: The Modoc War, 1872–3
Robert McNally. The Modoc War: A Little Indian War Goes Big https://www.historynet.com/the-modoc-war-a-little-indian-war-goes-big/
Kurt Nelson. The Modoc War of 1872.
https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/the-modoc-war-of-1872/
https://www.militarymuseum.org/Modoc1.html
https://www.csuchico.edu/alva/projects/2012/the-beginning-of-the-end.shtml
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/labe/intro.htm

Feb 10, 2025 • 1h 9min
Episode 349 - The Battle of the Kalka River ft. Milo Edwards
Support the show on Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/c/lionsledbydonkeys
Joe and Tom are joined by Trashfuture's Milo Edwards to talk about the time a bunch of guys named Mstislav got destroyed by the Mongols.
Sources:
Leo De Hertog. Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World.
Richard Gabriel. Subotai The Valiant: Genghis Khan's Greatest General.
The Chronicle of Novgorod. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://faculty.washington.edu/dwaugh/rus/texts/MF1914.pdf
Victor Kamenir. Russian Disaster at the Kalkha River. Military Heritage. Vol 20, no. 6
Robert Rossabi. All the Khan's Horses.

Feb 5, 2025 • 10min
*PREVIEW* The Mutiny of the Batavia: Part 1
This is a preview. For the whole episode go to our patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/121558125?pr=true

Feb 3, 2025 • 1h 27min
Episode 348 - The Battle of Cape Gloucester
Support the show on Patreon!
https://www.patreon.com/c/lionsledbydonkeys
check out our merch store!
https://llbdmerch.com/
Marines storm ashore a rainforest-bound, diseased-filled, swampy death trap of an island
to take an airfield with no strategic value.
Sources:
Bernard Nalty. The Green Inferno.
Frank Hough. The Campaign on New Britain
John Miller. History of U.S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II. Volume II: Isolation of Rabaul
Al Hemingway. The Incessant Rains of the Green Inferno. WWII History Volume 9, No. 7
Sidney Phillips. The Fighting Conditions on Cape Gloucester. (video interview) https://marinesidphillips.com/sid-phillips-on-capegloucester.htm