Underground Strategy

This week on Underground Strategy, we’re joined by historian and author Jacqueline Reiter to explore the extraordinary life of Sir Home Riggs Popham, the naval officer at the heart of her book Quicksilver Captain.From Buenos Aires to the Cape of Good Hope, Popham was everywhere—and often where he shouldn’t have been. We unpack his role in British high strategy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, his infamous court-martial, his impact on naval signaling, and his talent for navigating both military disaster and political opportunity.Was he a maverick, a genius, or a fraud? Jacqueline digs into the archival trail and explains how Popham remains one of the most complex (and oddly useful) figures of the period.Quicksilver Captain by Jacqueline Reiter - https://amzn.to/4hSFw78Jacqueline Reiter on LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jacqueline-reiter-b30a1693More from Underground StrategyJoin the mission - https://undergroundstrategy.comDiscover Number 788 - https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7

This episode is part of a special collaboration with Durham University’s School of Government and International Affairs. This student-led episode was created as part of the postgraduate module “Contemporary Challenges of United Nations Peacekeeping (SGIA48815)” for the Class of 2025.In Part 2, we’re joined by veteran UN official and former Assistant Secretary-General Peter de Clercq, who shares deep insights into the evolution of peacekeeping, regional coalitions, accountability, intelligence, and reform. Drawing from decades of experience in Haiti, Somalia, and the DRC, Peter offers a masterclass in the current and future challenges facing peacekeeping operations.Durham SGIA X - https://x.com/durham_sgiaDurham Module Handbook - https://apps.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/2022/PG/module/SGIA48815Recommended Reading Does Peacekeeping Work? by Virginia Page Fortna – https://amzn.to/3XK5CCl Understanding Peacekeeping by Paul D. Williams – https://amzn.to/4iV0SlSMore from Underground Strategy Discover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7 Join the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.com

Military historian and author Peter Caddick-Adams joins Underground Strategy for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, legacy, and the life of Winston Churchill.We explore Churchill’s wartime decisions, his eccentric personality, his genius for messaging, and the long arc of a career that spanned cavalry charges to the nuclear age. Peter also shares firsthand insights from his time as a NATO historian and discusses how battlefield experience, archival research, and media strategy all shaped Churchill’s story—and continue to influence how we study and remember war.This episode covers everything from Churchill’s infamous boiler suit to his complex relationship with Roosevelt, his financial struggles, and whether Volodymyr Zelensky truly deserves the label of a “modern Churchill.”Peter Caddick-Adams’ WorkX (Twitter) – https://x.com/militaryhistoriWinston Churchill: The Prime Ministers Series – https://amzn.to/43v15r1More from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.com

In collaboration with Durham University, this special student-led episode explores contemporary challenges of United Nations peacekeeping. Recorded as part of the postgraduate module “Contemporary Challenges of United Nations Peacekeeping (SGIA48815)” at Durham’s School of Government and International Affairs, the conversation brings together real-world experience and academic insight.Max and Tony reflect on their deployments and contrast national military structures with multinational peacekeeping efforts. From the role of special forces and intelligence sharing to the challenges of building military culture in complex operations, this episode examines what happens when mandates, strategy, and ground realities don’t always align.With contributions from Durham’s Class of 2025, this discussion sets the stage for Part 2—featuring former UN diplomat Peter de Clercq.Durham SGIA X: https://x.com/durham_sgiaModule Handbook: https://apps.dur.ac.uk/faculty.handbook/2022/PG/module/SGIA48815Recommended Reading if you want to dig deeperDoes Peacekeeping Work? by Virginia Page Fortna – https://amzn.to/3XK5CClUnderstanding Peacekeeping by Paul D. Williams – https://amzn.to/4iV0SlSMore from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.com

In this episode, Tony is catching up with Kostiantyn Koshelenko on the latest developments in Ukraine, updates on his books and ongoing work, and his personal experiences during the war.Kostiantyn Koshelenko’s WorkManagement in Times of War – https://amzn.to/4kF6rpY LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/koshelenko Instagram – https://instagram.com/k_koshelenko/ X (Twitter) – https://x.com/k_koshelenkoMore from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.com

In this episode, military historian John C. McManus joins Underground Strategy to discuss his latest book, Alamo in the Ardennes, and the brutal early fighting during the Battle of the Bulge.We focus on the often-overlooked role of the 110th Infantry Regiment, whose desperate stand helped delay the German advance toward Bastogne before the arrival of the 101st Airborne. From the shattered remnants of the 28th Infantry Division to the chaos on the ground in Clervaux, John takes us through the battle day by day, including the leadership of Colonel Hurley Fuller and the tragic consequences of being ordered to "hold at all costs."This is a deep and moving account of courage, sacrifice, and how history sometimes forgets the most critical players.John C. McManus’ WorkAlamo in the Ardennes – https://amzn.to/4irXHBXContact John - https://bsky.app/profile/johncmcmanus.bsky.socialMore from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.com

Few people think of South Africa when discussing World War II at sea, but its waters played a crucial role in the global conflict. Historian Evert Kleynhans returns to Underground Strategy to uncover the forgotten story of submarine warfare, coastal defenses, and strategic shipping routes off South Africa’s coast.We explore how German U-boats and Axis surface raiders operated in the region, why the Cape of Good Hope was so strategically important, and how South Africa’s naval defenses evolved to meet the threat.From signals intelligence and convoy protection to the successes and failures of anti-submarine warfare, this episode sheds light on a rarely discussed front of World War II.Evert also shares insights from his book on South Africa’s naval war, the challenges of researching this overlooked history, and why these lessons still matter today.Evert Kleynhans’ WorkThe Naval War in South African Waters - https://amzn.to/3DuZJ50Hitler’s South African Spies - https://amzn.to/43u79jpThe Second World War in East Africa - https://amzn.to/41zapre20 Battles: Searching for a South African Way of War - https://amzn.to/4iwE4rWNavigating the New Terrain of Military Operations (Pre Order) - https://amzn.to/3DgrrT7The Handbook of African Defence and Armed Forces (Pre Order) - https://amzn.to/4ivILlMMore from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788 - https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission - https://undergroundstrategy.com

What makes soldiers fight—and what makes them stop? Historian, tour guide, and podcaster Tom Thorpe joins Underground Strategy to break down combat morale, motivation, and the will to fight.We discuss the psychology of combat, small-unit cohesion, leadership, and how motivation shifts across different wars and cultures. From the trenches of World War I to modern warfare, we explore how morale shapes battlefield outcomes—and why it sometimes leads to collapse.Tom also shares insights from his research on the London Regiment, upcoming books, and what history can teach us about the realities of motivation in war.Good reads on the subjectOn Killing - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman - https://amzn.to/4h8nIEIWill to Fight - Ben Connable - https://amzn.to/3QIXkGJCombat and Morale in the North African Campaign - Jonathan Fennell - https://amzn.to/3XmLINCThe Unforgiving Minute - Craig Mullaney - https://amzn.to/4i3PgMRMen Against Fire - S.L.A. Marshall - https://amzn.to/3DcwKCXTom Thorpe’s WorkCombat Morale Podcast- https://combatmoralepod.com/Episode 25 with Max Lauker and Tony Garcia - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ORR55guSbqDg9G1x4Wl4EThe Kensingtons blog - https://kensingtons.org.uk/Mentioned in Dispatches Podcast Ep 125 with Tony Garcia - https://open.spotify.com/episode/396537t2UVsnoN4dMdmVPcMore from Underground StrategyDiscover Number 788: https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7Join the mission: https://undergroundstrategy.com