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Battleground

Battleground

By: Goalhanger
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About this listen

 A history podcast that explores the narratives, turning points and characters that shape conflicts, encompassing a blend of social and military history. Following on from the series on the Falklands War, best-selling military historians Patrick Bishop and Saul David turned their attention to the war in Ukraine, and now every Wednesday look back to the seismic events of 1945. Goalhanger PodcastsGoalhanger Podcasts World
Episodes
  • 308. Is Kyiv Risking Western Support?

    308. Is Kyiv Risking Western Support?
    Jul 24 2025
    A week after President Trump's stunning U-turn, Saul and Patrick discuss a surge of renewed Western support for Ukraine. With Europe announcing its 18th sanctions package, imposing a landmark oil price cap to cripple Russian revenues and targeting the shadow fleet used to evade them. However, as Western aid floods in, a tide of protest is rising on the streets of Kyiv. President Zelensky has signed a controversial law bringing independent anti-corruption agencies under his control, sparking the largest public dissent since the full-scale invasion and drawing serious warnings from the EU about Ukraine's membership path. Plus, we look at Putin's plan to create a "digital Gulag" with a new mandatory spy app, 'Max', designed to monitor all Russians. And we speak to friend of the podcast Julius Strauss, who has just returned from a trip to the Baltics. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    48 mins
  • 307. Burma's End and the Road to Operation Downfall

    307. Burma's End and the Road to Operation Downfall
    Jul 23 2025
    On this episode of Battleground 45, Saul welcomes historian Jack Bowsher to delve into the climactic final months of the Burma Campaign, and the rest of British involvement in the final phases of the war against Japan. Together they dissect the strategic importance and brutal fighting of the Battle of Meiktila, analyse the daring amphibious assaults of Operations Dracula and Zipper, and then shift focus to the highly secret and ambitious British involvement in the plans for the invasion of mainland Japan, exploring how the UK envisioned its role in the war's ultimate conclusion. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    42 mins
  • 306. Ukraine's Unexpected Boost

    306. Ukraine's Unexpected Boost
    Jul 18 2025
    Has the tide turned for Ukraine? In this episode Saul and Patrick unpack President Trump's bold new strategy, including substantial military supplies and a looming deadline for a peace settlement backed by unprecedented tariffs on Russia's trade partners. Is this the long-awaited turning point, or are there hidden complexities? We dissect the motivations behind this policy pivot and discuss the internal shifts within the US administration. Furthermore, we examine the remarkable diplomatic progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and how their newfound pursuit of peace is challenging Russia's long-standing influence in the region. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Producer: James Hodgson X (Twitter): @PodBattleground Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    47 mins
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