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Goalhanger

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, Saul David, and Roger Moorhouse turn their attention every Friday to the war in Ukraine, and every Wednesday look back at the significant wars, events, and figures from conflicts around the world.

Goalhanger Podcasts

Battleground

In this instalment of our Special Forces series, Patrick Bishop and Saul David pivot from Allied triumphs to examine a daring operation from the "enemy" perspective: the 1943 rescue of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

Following the Allied invasion of Sicily and a vote of no confidence from his own council, Mussolini was arrested and whisked away to a remote ski resort 2,112 meters high in the Apennine Mountains. While the new Italian government hoped to use him as a bargaining chip, Adolf Hitler had other plans—ordering his "favourite commando," the scarred and imposing Otto Skorzeny, to spring his old ally from captivity.

In this episode, we deconstruct Operation Oak, exploring:

 
The Myth vs. The Reality: How Skorzeny, a master of self-promotion, elbowed his way into the limelight and took credit for an operation primarily executed by German paratroopers (Fallschirmjäger).

 
The Silent Approach: Why the Germans chose high-risk glider landings over traditional parachutes to achieve total silence and surprise.

 
A Propaganda Masterstroke: Why the rescue was ultimately a "damp squib" militarily, serving as a desperate PR stunt for a Nazi regime facing defeat on all fronts.

 
The Shadowy Afterlife: Skorzeny’s post-war exploits, from escaping internment to advising world leaders in Egypt and Argentina, and the chilling allegations of his work for Mossad.

Join us as we unmask the "most dangerous man in Europe" and reveal how a "special operation" was born more out of vanity and propaganda than strategic necessity.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

Follow us on:

X - @PodBattleground

Instagram - podbattleground

TikTok - battlegroundukraine

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

386. Otto Skorzeny and the Gran Sasso Raid

In this episode of the Battleground Podcast, Saul David and Roger Moorhouse analyse what appears to be a possible tipping point in the four-year-long Russo-Ukraine war. 

The discussion centres on the overwhelming effectiveness of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, led by Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, which is reportedly achieving a staggering kill ratio of 400 Russians for every one Ukrainian at a remarkably low material cost. This drone-led strategy has expanded the "kill zone" up to 93 miles behind the front lines, effectively breaking the rhythm of Russian offensive operations and forcing the Kremlin to face unsustainable casualty rates.

The hosts also examine the growing internal instability within Russia, highlighted by the arrest of former loyalist mil-blogger Ilya Remeslo and the expansion of state-sanctioned internet blackouts to St. Petersburg. These moves suggest a desperate attempt by the Putin regime to stifle dissent and prepare for wider conscription as recruitment struggles persist. 

Additionally, they explore the geopolitical impact of the conflict in Iran, where fluctuating oil prices and potential U.S. military manoeuvres under Donald Trump continue to influence Russia’s war economy.

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

Follow us on:

X - @PodBattleground

Instagram - podbattleground

TikTok - 

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

385. Swapping Plastic for Metal: The New Economics of Warfare

If you would like to watch this podcast you can watch it on Spotify or you can find it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@BattlegroundUkraine

In this special on-the-ground edition of Battleground Special Forces, Saul David and Julius Strauss travel to the outskirts of Kharkiv and Kyiv to examine the catastrophic opening hours of the 2022 Russian invasion. 

Through eyewitness accounts and visits to the sites of intense urban combat, they reconstruct how Russia’s most elite units—the GRU-trained Spetsnaz and the VDV Airborne—faced fierce resistance that derailed the Kremlin’s "two-day" victory plan. 

This episode features:

• The Siege of School 134: A detailed look at the 13-hour gun battle in Kharkiv where dozens of elite Spetsnaz soldiers made a final, hubristic stand before the building was destroyed by a gas explosion. 

• The Battle for Hostomel (Antonov) Airport: The strategic "linchpin" operation involving helicopter assaults and a desperate back-and-forth struggle for the gateway to Kyiv. 

• The Human Cost in Bucha: A somber visit to the Bucha cemetery, where the rows of civilian victims bear witness to the 32-day Russian occupation. 

Join Saul and Julius as they explore the "battlefield detritus" and the layers of history in a region still caught between recovery and the ongoing realities of war. 

Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Here are the hyperlinks:

Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

Follow us on:

X - @PodBattleground

Instagram - podbattleground

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

384. Hubris at the Gates: The Fall of Russia's Elite

The Battleground team returns to Ukraine to witness how a whirlwind year of shifting geopolitics and a brutal winter have transformed the nation. 

On our first day in Odesa, hosts Saul David and Julius Strauss explore a city that remains a stunning architectural gateway to the country, despite being a primary target for Russian drones and missiles.

In this episode, we sit down with friend of the podcast, Boldizsar Gyori, to discuss Odesa’s complex history and its critical role as the port that keeps the Ukrainian economy afloat through the grain corridor. 

We also hear two deeply moving firsthand accounts from two young Ukrainian women, Katerina and Tatyana, who share their harrowing experiences living under occupation in Kherson and Bucha.

If you would like to watch this podcast you can watch it on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@BattlegroundUkraine

Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Here are the hyperlinks:

Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com

Follow us on:

X - @PodBattleground

Instagram - podbattleground

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

383. Odesa Mama, Port of War & Surviving Russian Occupation

As the war between America, Israel, and Iran escalates, the ripple effects are being felt acutely in Ukraine. 

In this episode, Patrick and Saul analyse the "extraordinary diplomatic developments" emerging from the White House, where President Trump appears to be equating Western support for Ukraine with Russian support for a repressive Iranian theocracy.

Meanwhile, Saul provides a firsthand update following his recent trip to the front lines, and on the ground in Ukraine, we separate fact from fiction regarding General Gerasimov’s latest claims of Russian breakthroughs, contrasting them with the reality of "kill zones" and the successful liberation of territory in Zaporizhzhya.

Finally, we answer your questions on the persistent rumours of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s survival, whether the West can truly bankrupt Russia’s "shadow fleet" as oil prices soar, and more. 

Join the Conversation: If you have a question about the war in Ukraine or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com 

Follow us on: 

X - @PodBattleground 

Instagram - podbattleground

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

382. Putin’s Windfall, Gerasimov’s Fictions, and Moral Equivalence

In this episode of Battleground, Saul David and Patrick Bishop dive into a packed mailbag to answer your thoughts and questions on the elite units and daring raids that defined 20th-century special operations. 

Among the topics of discussion in today's episode are: operations by Norwegian SOFs during WW2, the daring Italian manned-torpedo raids on the British fleet at Alexandria in 1941, and Operation Jaywick - the audacious 1943 raid on Singapore Harbour. 

Join the Conversation:
If you have a question about the history of special forces or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com or follow us on X @PodBattleground.

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

381. Battleground: Special Forces — The Listener Mailbag

Recording from an overnight train traveling across Ukraine, Saul David and Julius Strauss reflect on an intensive week-long journey from Odesa to Kyiv. In this episode, they bear witness to the jarring dualities of a country at war—reporting directly from the site of a devastating missile strike on a Kharkiv apartment block.

They also share insights from Odesa on the repair of the electrical grid and the ongoing struggle against infrastructure attacks. And do an analysis of the ongoing dispute with Hungary and Ukraine’s growing diplomatic influence in the Gulf.

Join Saul and Julius for an atmospheric debrief on the endurance of the Ukrainian spirit, captured in transit as they head toward the final leg of their tour.

Join us as we conclude our deep dive into one of the most significant Special Forces operations in British history.

If you would like to watch this podcast you can watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uaEu09gbu5k 

Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Here are the hyperlinks: 

Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/

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

380. Tragedy, Resilience, and Defiance: Reflections from a Week Across Ukraine

At 7:07 p.m. on May 5, 1980, the Metropolitan Police officially handed control of the Iranian Embassy siege to the SAS. What followed were seventeen minutes of high-stakes drama that would change the reputation of the Special Air Service forever.

In this episode, Patrick Bishop and Saul David break down the frantic tactical reality of Operation Nimrod. We explore the "Blue" and "Red" team assaults, the infamous moment an operative became entangled in his abseil rope, and the live television broadcast that captivated millions across the globe.

Beyond the flashbangs and the smoke, they tackle the difficult questions:

 
The Controversy: Was there a "shoot-to-kill" policy? We examine the accounts of hostages and the fate of the surviving terrorists.

 
The Global Impact: How Margaret Thatcher used the success of the raid as diplomatic leverage to try and free American hostages in Tehran.

 
The Legacy: How a "textbook" assault on the edge of Hyde Park transformed the SAS from a shadowy unit into a world-renowned anti-terrorist force.

Join us as we conclude our deep dive into one of the most significant Special Forces operations in British history.

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

379. The Raid: Inside the SAS Assault on the Iranian Embassy: Part 2

If you are interested in reading more from Julius Strauss, you can find his substack here: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

In a bonus edition of Battleground Ukraine, Saul David and Julius Strauss are joined by Boldizsar Gyori to discuss the recent surge in tensions between Hungary and Ukraine and assess why recent developments could be very significant for Ukraine going forward. 

Additionally, they discuss the implications of the latest developments in the ongoing conflict in Iran and the wider Middle East region and weigh up the potential impact they might have on Ukraine.

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

378. Why Hungary and Iran Matter for Ukraine Right Now

While the world’s gaze is fixed on the "mega-drama" unfolding across Iran and the Middle East, the tremors are being felt on the battlefields of Ukraine. In this episode, Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop dive into the high-stakes geopolitical fallout of a widening Middle Eastern conflict and what it means for Kyiv.

As the U.S. and Israel burn through interceptor stocks, we ask the critical question: Is there enough room in the American arsenal for both the Middle East and Ukraine? With Donald Trump’s priorities shifting and production lines struggling to keep pace, Ukraine finds itself slipping further back in the queue for life-saving air defence.

In this episode, we discuss:

 
The Arsenal Drain: How the deployment of Patriot batteries across the Gulf and Israel’s "nitty-gritty" need for ammunition is creating a global scarcity that threatens Ukrainian airspace.

 
The Shaheed Shift: Why the disruption of Iranian exports might not be the win for Ukraine it seems, as Russia ramps up domestic production of the Geran-2 drone.

 
Trump’s "Forever War" Dilemma: The diplomatic consequences of a potential stalemate in Iran and why the U.S. President appears "out of the picture" regarding the Ukraine story.

 
Europe’s Exposed Weakness: A look at the "divided and hesitant" response from the EU’s Big Three and the conspicuous silence of Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen.

 
The Force de Frappe: France’s bold move to evolve its nuclear doctrine as Europe begins the painful process of weaning itself off U.S. dependency.

Is Putin the ultimate beneficiary of the chaos in Tehran? Join us as we unpack a week where the sidelines of the conflict have never felt more consequential.

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

381. Battleground: Special Forces — The Listener Mailbag

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