Battleground

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

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

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

In this episode of Battleground '45 Saul David and Roger Moorhouse take a deep dive into a host of fascinating listeners questions on the Second World War. These include a look at the Japanese in China, why Tito emerged victorious in Yugoslavia, and the weird and wonderful spy gadgets used and developed in World War 2. 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

This week Patrick and Saul analyse Donald Trump's sudden policy reversal on Ukraine, pledging defensive weapons after a concerning pause. They question if it's a true change of heart or a tactical move amidst escalating Russian attacks. They also discuss a "new axis of evil" – Iran, China, and North Korea's collaboration in supplying Russia's deadly Shahed drones. Plus, a bizarre UK arson attack linked to the Wagner Group exposes the varied nature of Russian influence. 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

This week on Battleground, Saul and Patrick are stepping away from the tactics and into the narrative, discussing their picks for the best fiction books born out of the Second World War. They delve into the literary legacy of WWII, debating and dissecting the novels that most effectively capture the human experience of the conflict. 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

This week on Battleground, Saul David and Patrick Bishop delve into the disappointing turn in US support. Whilst meetings last week at the NATO summit offered a glimmer of hope, the White House's abrupt decision to halt key weapons supplies, including Patriot missiles, has left Ukraine's defences vulnerable. Additionally, we hear directly from Eddy Scott, a 28-year-old British volunteer who tragically lost an arm and a leg in a Russian drone attack while evacuating civilians from the front-line town of Pokrovsk. Eddy shares his harrowing experience and the circumstances that led him to volunteer in Ukraine. To find out more about superhumans see here: https://rebuildukraine-health.in.ua/en/unp/superhumans To find out more about The R. T. Weatherman Foundation see here: https://www.weathermanfoundation.org/ We want YOUR input on what we should cover next! Please follow the link below to fill out our poll. https://forms.gle/DK4RMN3y1ugCXxxN8 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

In this episode of Battleground, Saul and Patrick descend into the brutal depths of the Battle of Okinawa. Together they examine the strategic brilliance and tragic missteps on both sides, including the immense casualties that led to the deaths of both commanding generals: Lieutenant General Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. for the Americans and Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima for the Japanese. They also take a look at the unprecedented surge in kamikaze attacks, a desperate and devastating tactic employed by the Japanese to repel the Allied invasion fleet. We want YOUR input on what we should cover next! Please follow the link below to fill out our poll. https://forms.gle/DK4RMN3y1ugCXxxN8 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

Join Patrick Bishop and Saul David on Battleground as they dissect the astonishing new dynamics in global power politics. Donald Trump's recent decisive actions in the Iran-Israel crisis – including a spectacular strike on Iran's nuclear program and an imposed ceasefire – has observers questioning his evolving foreign policy. To help them answer the big question: will Trump apply this new assertive stance to Putin and the war in Ukraine? They turn to friend of the podcast Askold Krushelnycky who tells us the mood in Ukraine amidst these dramatic shifts. We want YOUR input on what we should cover next! Please follow the link below to fill out our poll. https://forms.gle/DK4RMN3y1ugCXxxN8 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

In this episode of Battleground, Patrick Bishop sits down with former Financial Times reporter Marcus Gibson to discuss his controversial new book, The Greatest Force. Gibson's research challenges decades of historical consensus, arguing that RAF Bomber Command was, in fact, the single most crucial factor in Germany's defeat in World War II. Prepare for a deep dive into the impact of the bombing campaign, and Marcus' claim that RAF bombing diverted 80% of Germany's air defences away from the front lines. We want YOUR input on what we should cover next! Please follow the link below to fill out our poll. https://forms.gle/DK4RMN3y1ugCXxxN8 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