Battleground

In the opening episode of our special Battleground ’44 series, Patrick Bishop and Saul David look at a character who cast a long shadow over the war in the west. The American general and later U.S. President - Dwight D. Eisenhower. In this episode Saul and Patrick delve into Eisenhower's story: his background, his meteoric rise through the U.S. Military ranks, his personality and experiences, and...

Today we have a fascinating interview where Patrick speaks to former Middle East correspondent Tim Butcher, who covered the 2006 Lebanon War. Tim provides some insightful analysis on the impact the 2006 War had on Israel and the IDF, and significantly how this has impacted on what is happening in Gaza today. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com Pr...

In our second Battleground podcast of 2024 Saul and Patrick return to the war in Ukraine, as in the past week has seen a tit for tat of missile and drone strikes – the majority, needless to say, fired from Russia. They also discuss both the possibility and the feasibility of recent reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is using backchannels and intermediaries to signal his interest in a ce...

Introducing our new series - Battleground 44. This year to mark the 80th anniversary of probably the most momentous year of the Second World War - 1944 - Patrick, Saul, and some special guests will be drawing on their vast knowledge and expertise on the subject to talk you through the big events and personalities that shaped the conflict and the world we live in today. In this first episode they s...

Welcome to the last Battleground podcast of the year with Saul David and Patrick Bishop, who both think military historians will look back on 2023 as a very significant year with two major wars whose outcomes will have a significant effect on the future of world events. The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are far from over of course. But in this episode we’ll be revisiting the major events of the ye...

On today's episode we focus on the issue of accountability for war crimes, what finding justice looks like for Ukraine, and the challenges Ukraine faces in this field. To discuss this Saul speaks to Dr Iva Vukusic - assistant professor in International History at Utrecht University and a research fellow at War Studies at Kings college London. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send the...

This week President Zelensky confessed that the Ukrainian army has asked for an extra 450-500,000 people to be mobilised to fight the war, but he had yet to be convinced that such a huge call-up was necessary. Discussing the implications of this Saul and Patrick, also take a look at the delay in US aid for Ukraine, as well as the growing criticism of the IDFs conduct in Gaza. They also address som...

In a now annual Battleground tradition, for a special Christmas treat we've recorded a special festive episode discussing the standout history books of the year, and the wider stories that surround them. Patrick, Saul, and Roger are joined by friends of the podcast - fellow historian Jessie Childs and publicist and historical novelist Richard Foreman. Producer: James Hodgson Twitter: @PodBattlegro...

In this episode of Battleground Saul and Patrick report on the latest news from Ukraine, with things recently not going Kyiv’s way. The US Congress has blocked a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky this week visited Washington in an attempt to persuade Republican politicians to change their mind. But will he succeed? Meanwhile Russia has hardened its bargaining pos...

In this episode of Battleground Saul and Patrick discuss the announcement from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that the beginning of the end of Hamas is in sight in Gaza and presumably victory for the Israelis is imminent. They’ll be asking whether he’s right and whether a military victory can actually produce circumstances that bring an end to the overall conflict. If you have any thoughts or quest...

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine Saul speaks to independent Russian journalist Maria. She discusses the trails of Ukrainian prisoners of war being held in the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, the effect sanctions are having on the Russian population, and on the wider feeling among Russians about the war in Ukraine. If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbat...

In this episode of Battleground Saul and Patrick react to the news that the ceasefire in Gaza has collapsed, with Israel resuming its air and ground offensive and civilians continuing to die in large numbers. They also discuss the mood inside Israel, with some criticism of the Israeli government strategy coming from inside Israel because of concerns over the risks a resumption of hostilities bring...

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine, Saul David speaks to David Patrikarakos from our sister podcast Disorder. David has just returned from Ukraine where he has been reporting on and off since the initial Russian Invasion in 2014. He discusses what he's witnessed recently and over the whole of his time in Ukraine and how the nature of warfare is changing both on the battlefield and on the prop...

In this episode of Battleground Patrick Bishop and Saul David discuss the welcome pause in the fighting in Gaza as the hostage for prisoner exchange process continues. They also turn their attention to what comes next, asking whether the refocussing of the world’s attention on the Israel-Palestine problem will bring any realistic expectation of progress on establishing a lasting peace. Helping the...

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine - Saul David and Patrick Bishop assess what has been a week of mostly depressing news for Ukraine, with only the occasional shaft of light dispelling the gloom. They look at signs that President Zelensky’s government is losing patience with his military commanders, reports that Iran could soon send ballistic missiles to Russia, and frontline Ukrainian soldie...

In this week's episode of Battleground Gaza, Saul and Patrick discuss the news that Israel and Hamas appear to be on the verge of agreeing a deal to bring about at least a temporary ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Coming at a crucial moment in the conflict when the world was beginning to wonder how long the IDF could continue the campaign in its current form. If you have any thoughts or questions, y...

On this episode of Battleground Ukraine - Saul and Patrick discuss the significant news from the front line this week that Ukrainian forces continue to expand their bridgehead on the east (left) bank of Dnipro river in Kherson oblast, southern Ukraine. Meanwhile Russia is trying to regain a theatre-wide initiative with several simultaneous offensive operations in eastern Ukraine. They also address...

In this episode of Battleground: Gaza - Saul and Patrick take a look at the latest developments in this divisive conflict. The battle of Gaza seems to have settled down into an attritional struggle in the rubble of the Gaza city, with the Israelis making limited progress. Whilst the civilian population are firmly in the firing line with locations like the Shifa hospital in the thick of the fightin...

On this week's Battleground: Ukraine Saul and Patrick react to the big news this week – an article written for the Economist by General Zaluzhnyi, the head of the Ukrainian armed forces, that seemed to suggest the counter-offensive had run out of steam and that the war had moved from one of movement to one of deadlock. They also asses a potentially significant move, that Ukrainian forces have tran...

In this episode of Battleground: Gaza Patrick and Saul look at what the latest developments could mean for the future of the conflict, with the latest picture in Gaza getting ever more grim and apocalyptic. The Israeli operation to crush Hamas has intensified with the defence ministry claiming it has now effectively cut the strip in half and is now moving to occupy Gaza city. Whilst Israeli Prime...

In this week's Battleground: Ukraine with Patrick Bishop and Roger Moorhouse we look at, the rising casualty figures of the Russians. Both sides guard their casualty figures very closely, of course, but the Ukrainian General Staff has kept a running total of Russian losses, this week, their estimate for Russian losses – dead and injured – topped 300,000. They also address some listeners questions...

In the last few days we’ve seen the long announced incursion by Israeli ground forces into the northern part of the Gaza Strip, while at the same time the Israeli bombing campaign shows no signs of letting up, in pursuit of the Israeli governments declared intention to destroy Hamas as a military organisation. Patrick and Roger Moorhouse (who is stepping in for Saul this week) will be discussing t...

In our 100th episode on this tragic conflict, we'll be bringing you all the latest news and we’ll be asking two big questions: has much changed in that time? And what happens next? The big news from the front line is that Russia continues its hugely costly, and frankly inexplicable, attack in eastern Ukraine to capture the town of Avdiivka. Interested in donating to Saul David's SBS Charity Paddle...

This week we’re going to again use the midweek podcast to focus on Gaza. Events there are simply too important for us not to address and things are developing, the conflict there is likely to be every bit as significant for global politics as the war in Ukraine. Saul and Patrick consider the options open to the Israeli Defence Forces in what can only be a fiendishly difficult operation before goin...

On this weeks Battleground: Ukraine Saul and Patrick discuss the big news that Ukraine has fired its first US long-range ATACMS missiles at two airports in Russian-occupied Ukraine with devastating results, which begs the question: why weren’t they supplied earlier? They also take a look at some diplomatic developments, including Putin's arrival in Beijing for a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinp...