Episode 171

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Published on:

1st Aug 2025

#171 - Martin Dugard - Taking Midway, Epic History, and the Courage That Changed the World πŸš’βš“

Built Not Born Podcast: Martin Dugard on Taking Midway, Epic History, and the Courage That Changed the World πŸš’βš“

Episode Description πŸ“–

New York Times bestselling author Martin Dugard joins Built Not Born to discuss his latest book "Taking Midway" and how he makes history as exciting as a spy thriller πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ. From co-authoring 12+ books in The Killing Series with Bill O'Reilly to his solo Taking Series, Martin reveals his creative process for bringing pivotal moments in history to life ✨.

In this episode, Martin shares the incredible story of the Battle of Midway - the most decisive naval engagement of WWII that shifted global power from the British Empire to the American Empire 🌍. Discover the intelligence breakthrough that changed everything, the courage of pilots who knew they wouldn't survive, and why this battle saved democracy itself πŸ¦….

Key Topics Covered: 🎯

  • βš”οΈ The Battle of Midway: Why it was the turning point of WWII
  • πŸ” Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort's code-breaking breakthrough
  • πŸ‘₯ Admiral Nimitz vs. Admiral Yamamoto: Contrasting leadership styles
  • 🌍 The "Europe First" strategy and its impact on the Pacific War
  • πŸŽ‰ How Churchill celebrated Pearl Harbor (and why)
  • ✍️ The creative process behind The Killing Series
  • πŸ“š Making history accessible to casual readers
  • πŸ” Research techniques for bringing historical moments to life

Guest Bio πŸ‘¨β€πŸ’Ό

Martin Dugard is a New York Times bestselling author 12-13 times over πŸ† and co-author of The Killing Series, which has sold over 19 million books worldwide πŸ“ˆ. His solo work includes the Taking Series: Taking Paris, Taking Berlin, Taking London, and Taking Midway πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ. Martin describes himself as "a gateway drug for history's casual readers" and has mastered the art of making historical events as thrilling as modern spy novels 🎬.

Key Quotes πŸ’¬

"I don't have a research assistant, but I've got a really curious mind and it's like I just don't let go of a fact." 🧠 - Martin Dugard

"If we had lost [at Midway] and the Japanese had taken Midway, they would've been in a perfect position to launch a completely destructive second raid on Pearl Harbor... We would've been completely out of the war in the Pacific." ⚑ - Martin Dugard

"Those sailors, when they came home from the war, if they had seen what we have going on in our country right now, I think they would've been very disoriented. It is just weird to see history repeat itself." πŸ”„ - Martin Dugard

Episode Highlights ⏰

[00:00] 🎬 Introduction and Martin's incredible publishing track record

[05:30] πŸ’‘ How Martin developed his "gateway drug to history" philosophy

[12:15] 🀝 The creative process behind The Killing Series collaboration with Bill O'Reilly

[18:45] πŸŽ‰ Why Churchill was excited about Pearl Harbor

[25:20] βš”οΈ The Battle of Midway: Most decisive naval engagement of WWII

[32:10] πŸ” Lieutenant Commander Joseph Rochefort's code-breaking breakthrough

[38:45] πŸ˜„ The "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps" sign

[42:30] πŸ“° Censorship, propaganda, and the "ghost" USS Yorktown

[48:15] πŸ‘₯ Admiral Nimitz vs. Admiral Yamamoto: Leadership styles compared

[52:40] 🌍 How Midway marked the end of the British Empire, birth of American Empire

[58:25] πŸ€” Why some battles capture popular imagination (Pearl Harbor vs. Wake Island)

[65:10] πŸ“š Lessons from Midway relevant to today

[70:45] πŸ¦… The courage of torpedo bomber and dive bomber pilots

[75:20] ✍️ Martin's writing routine and research process

[80:15] πŸ“– Favorite books and Bruce Springsteen influence

Resources Mentioned πŸ“š

Connect with Martin Dugard 🌐

About Built Not Born πŸŽ™οΈ

Built Not Born explores how high achievers in business, sports, and life overcome obstacles to reach peak performance πŸš€.

Hosted by Joe Ciccarone, each episode delivers actionable insights and inspiring stories from leaders who've built something extraordinary ✨.

Subscribe to Built Not Born: πŸ“±

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Tags 🏷️

#MartinDugard #TakingMidway #BattleOfMidway #WWII #WorldWarTwo #KillingSeries #BillOReilly #History #HistoryBooks #PacificWar #AdmiralNimitz #NavalHistory #Codebreakers #Intelligence #Leadership #Courage #BuiltNotBorn #JoeCiccarone #Podcast #NewYorkTimesBestseller #HistoricalNonfiction #AmericanHistory #PearlHarbor #NavySeals #MilitaryHistory

SEO Keywords πŸ”

Martin Dugard, Taking Midway, Battle of Midway, WWII history, Killing Series, Bill O'Reilly, Pacific War, Admiral Nimitz, code breakers, naval battles, World War 2, historical nonfiction, New York Times bestseller, Built Not Born podcast, Joe Ciccarone, history books, military history, Pearl Harbor, American empire, British empire, torpedo bombers, dive bombers, courage in battle, historical research, making history accessible

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Built Not Born
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Joe Ciccarone

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