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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 and Saul David turned their attention to the war in Ukraine, and now every Wednesday look back to the seismic events of 1945.

Goalhanger Podcasts

Battleground

This week discussing the latest from Ukraine, Patrick Bishop and Saul David examine the ongoing, costly Battle for Pokrovsk, arguing that Russia's fixation on capturing cities continues to highlight strategic incompetence and desperation—a point underscored by the recent crackdown on pro-war milbloggers.

They also dissect the "unprecedented act of sabotage" on the Polish rail network, a critical aid route to Ukraine. Is Russia's increasingly reckless hybrid warfare campaign—including recent naval and drone provocations—a sign of fundamental weakness or a dangerous attempt to destabilise NATO's border states?

Finally, the hosts scrutinise reports of a secret US-Russian peace plan that allegedly requires Ukraine to make major concessions, including ceding land and limiting its military. 

Plus, an interview with director Benjamin Goldhagen about his documentary, The Steel Porcupine, which puts the conflict and the Ukrainian will to resist into essential context.

If you'd like to watch the documentary film you can find it online here: https://www.thesteelporcupine.com/ 

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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344. Pokrovsk, Polish Sabotage, & the Secret Peace Plan

This episode plunges into the brutality of static warfare. We explore the Chinese Spring Offensive of 1951 and the desperate defensive battles fought to hold the line, looking at the heroic and horrific three-day stand of the Glorious Glosters at the Battle of Imjin River—a sacrifice often credited with saving Seoul, and the Battle of Kapyong where the 27th Commonwealth Brigade fought their final battle. 

Saul and Roger also analyse the new reality: a "war of inches" fought over insignificant ground, where immense human cost was exacerbated by the massive, destructive scale of American area bombing.

As the fighting raged, armistice talks began at Panmunjom, but quickly stalled on a single, intractable issue: the fate of the Prisoners of War. We dissect the controversial "voluntary repatriation" policy—the West's insistence on not forcing men back to Communism—which turned POW camps into ideological battlegrounds and peace negotiations into a two-year agony. 

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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343. Battleground Korea: Episode V - The War of Wills and the Grind for Peace

In this crucial episode of Battleground: Ukraine, hosts Saul David and Patrick Bishop dissect the high-stakes battle for Pokrovsk, a strategic rail and supply hub now facing an overwhelming Russian onslaught.

Despite recent slowdowns in the Russian advance and successful Ukrainian counter-attacks—which have inflicted record casualties on the invaders—the city’s defences appear to be on the verge of collapse. We examine the claims from Ukrainian officials that "We are losing Pokrovsk," the implications of unverified footage showing Russian forces entering the city, and what the loss of this key position would mean for Ukraine’s morale and the entire Donbas "fortress belt."

They also dissect the shocking corruption scandal uncovered by Ukraine's anti-corruption units, which demonstrates both the scale of corruption in Ukraine and also the success of measures being used to combat it.

We also welcome back friend of the podcast, intrepid Hungarian war reporter Boldi Gyori, who shares his recent experiences from the frontlines in Kramatorsk.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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342. On the Brink: Is Pokrovsk About to Fall?

After their great victory at Inchon, UN forces race north toward the Chinese border, dreaming of ending the war fast. But, they ignore the warning signs coming from China...

In this episode, that gamble backfires. We detail the chilling reality of late 1950 when hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops launch a massive, counter-offensive. The UN forces are caught completely by surprise by the overwhelming attack and the brutal Korean winter.

The episode covers the desperate fight and retreat and the devastating consequence: UN forces are pushed back and the loss Seoul for a second time. 

As the war spirals out of control and he pushes for escalation, the political fallout leads directly to President Truman's dramatic sacking of the commanding General, Douglas MacArthur. The conflict has now exploded into a terrifying new war with no end in sight.

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

341. Battleground Korea: Episode IV - The Dragon Awakens

After a two-month absence, Patrick Bishop returns to the Battleground microphone to join Saul David, offering a fresh, big-picture perspective on the war in Ukraine.

Looking beyond the daily headlines, Patrick characterises the current state of the conflict—across military, diplomatic, economic, and political fronts—as an "uncertain stasis." While the war seems outwardly frozen, the hosts discuss whether powerful undercurrents could soon force a significant breakthrough.

They dive into the battlefield reality, analysing the potential fall of Pokrovsk and debating its true strategic significance for both Kyiv and Moscow. Is this the long-awaited Russian breakthrough, or just a costly, rubble-filled victory that simply sets the stage for more stalemate?

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground
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340. The Uncertain Stasis: Is the War in Ukraine Truly Frozen?

The only way out is with a gamble. 

In Episode 3, the Korean War narrative shifts from desperate survival to audacious counter-attack. The Allied line is breaking, the port of Pusan is on the verge of collapse, and the entire war rests on the success of General Douglas MacArthur's ambitious plan.

Ignoring every warning, MacArthur stakes the entire conflict on a single, risky amphibious assault: Operation Chromite at the tidal port of Inchon. We explore the incredible strategic audacity, the geographical obstacles, and how this audacious flanking maneuver shatters the North Korean People's Army (NKPA).

But victory is brief. As the 27th "Fire Brigade," the first British Commonwealth ground troops, advance north from the Pusan Perimeter, they confront the brutal reality of coalition warfare. We detail the intense and tragic Battle of Hill 282, where a catastrophic moment of friendly fire costs the lives of Commonwealth soldiers and forces the rapid formation of the resilient Commonwealth Brigade.

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

Battleground Korea: Episode III - The Tide Turns

Host Saul David interviews special guest Richard Woodruff, a young British volunteer in Ukraine since 2022.

Richard shares his journey from rebuilding destroyed homes in Bucha and Irpin to delivering critical humanitarian aid near the front lines. He recounts his immediate response to the Kakhovka Dam disaster, using speedboats to rescue stranded civilians and animals.

The discussion focuses heavily on his current work running what is described as Ukraine's largest volunteer-controlled drone factory, which has produced over 5,500 FPV drones credited with destroying millions in Russian equipment. Richard also discusses the future of the war, the challenge of international support, and his post-war plans to moving to Kharkiv to help lead the massive rebuilding effort.

If you want to have a look at Richard's work check it out here: https://frontlinekit.org/

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

338. From Rebuilder to Drone Builder: The Huge Impact of Foreign Volunteers in Ukraine

The lightning war begins. Following the invasion, the North Korean military executes a devastating blitzkrieg attack, sweeping through South Korea and shattering all initial resistance.

Saul and Roger are joined by experts Robert Lyman and David Allison, who help dive into the details of the chaotic early stages of the Korean War.

First we look at the desperate retreat of the overwhelmed South Korean and early US forces as they are pushed towards Pusan. Then we look at the crucial global response: the newly formed UN Security Council, seizing a rare opportunity, debates and authorises a multinational intervention.

Can a global force be assembled in time to halt the seemingly unstoppable North Korean war machine?

The episode climaxes at the Pusan Perimeter. Battered, exhausted, and pushed to the absolute limit of the peninsula, UN and South Korean forces make a final, desperate stand. This is North Korea's furthest advance.

Outnumbered, outgunned, and with their backs literally against the sea. The fate of South Korea hangs by a thread.

Next time: The Tide Turns.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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337. Battleground Korea: Episode II - The Brink and the Breaking Point

Join Saul David and Roger Moorhouse as they break down a week of diplomatic upheaval, and look at the latest from the front lines with a report from Hungarian war reporter Boldi Gyori, recently returned from Donetsk.

Hopes for a quick peace vanished after the US-Russia Budapest summit was scuttled by Moscow's refusal to freeze the front lines.

The hosts analyse the shifting politics surrounding long-range missiles: why President Trump withheld Tomahawks, and why Washington seemingly green-lit a major Ukrainian Storm Shadow missile strike on a critical Russian chemical plant.

On the home front, we examine new Western sanctions hitting Russia's oil and gas giants, reports of horrific war crimes against civilians in Donetsk and Kharkiv, and the long-term future of Ukrainian air power with the massive Swedish deal for up to 150 advanced Gripen E fighter jets.

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

336. The Diplomatic Roller Coaster & The New Realities of Drone Warfare

Welcome to Battleground Korea: The Unfinished War. 

We begin by exploring how Korea, a nation scarred by decades of Japanese occupation, was suddenly and arbitrarily divided by the victorious Allies in 1945. The line was the 38th Parallel.

This division birthed two fiercely opposing regimes and leaders: the Soviet-backed communist Kim Il Sung in the North, and the American-backed nationalist Syngman Rhee in the South. As the Cold War escalated, Korea rapidly became a volatile proxy battleground between East and West.

"With American and Soviet forces withdrawing, the fragile peace along the 38th Parallel began to unravel. Skirmishes grew bloodier and more audacious. Both Kim Il Sung and Syngman Rhee openly spoke of unifying the peninsula—by force. The question wasn't if the two Koreas would clash, but whether their civil conflict would ignite a wider conflagration, pulling in the global superpowers. The stage was set, but who would make the first devastating move?"

The episode concludes with the secret plotting that sealed Korea's fate. Kim Il Sung relentlessly lobbied Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong for the necessary support. After months of manoeuvring, the communist giants finally gave their approval, providing the crucial political green light.

Next time: The Invasion.

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

335. Battleground Korea: Episode I - The Spark of Division

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 Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has just announced that when the fighting is over Israel intends to exercise security control over Gaza indefinitely.
They also address some challenging and thought provoking questions from listeners.
If you have any thoughts or questions on the conflicts in Ukraine or Gaza, you can send them to - battlegroundukraine@gmail.com
Producer: James Hodgson
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103. What happens next in Gaza?

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