Our new series of podcasts continues as Phil and I face the Mother of all Quandaries... we soon fall down a rabbit hole of what next, and we'll soon be turning to the masses for guidance. Not sure if this is a wise thing.
The Adjutants Lounge returns with Dr Phil Blood and me, Ben Skipper, talking models and looking through the Meng Bergepanther manual. This was originally recorded on 20 March 2023 with our usual style.
I hope you enjoy our ramblings.
Mark of British Army Reform in the Victorian/Edwardian era studies (Twitter: @MAJ_1868_1918) returns to the Adjutants Lounge for a long overdue catch-up and what he has planned next, as well as collaborations with the Irish at War (Twitter: @irelandbattles)
Pic - Officers of the 72nd Foot (the Duke of Albany's own Highlanders), 1840s Madeley - Richard Cannon (1848)
Master Modeller and editor of Scalemodelling Now (https://www.scalemodellingnow.com) Geoff Coughlin returns to the Adjutants Lounge with a light-hearted visit filled with some great news, including not one, but two upcoming book releases with Pen & Sword books and KLP Publishing.
We also talk current builds, B-29 and F-16 kits, general modelling, aviation and 'stuff'
Pic - A pre-production F-4K (XT597) of the A&AEE. unknown
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this feature length episode, Dr Philip Blood, legal counsel Dustin Du Cane and I discuss the continuing Russo-Ukraine war. The theme of Genocide is now becoming the predominant feature of the Russian war against Ukraine. We discuss the impact of this, the deliberate targeting of centres of the civil population, discuss how best to classify accidental acts such as artillery overshoots, airborne ordnance malfunctioning or running out of fuel.
We also discuss the similarities between the current Russian operations and German Bandenbekämpfung, the future role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in prosecuting war criminals and what we perceive to be the aims of war for all sides and begin the discussion on what we feel is its wider impact.
*Note: We are now aware that reports of Lithuania removing the railway line to Kaliningrad as false. This is an example of how pervasive propaganda has become. Lesson learned.
Pic: Fadel Senna/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, Dr Philip Blood, legal counsel Dustin Du Cane and I discuss the continuing Russo-Ukraine war, agriculture, a new book and how the spectre of famine is being weaponised by the Russians.
Pic: Gather the Harvest, 1931, Dmitrii Moor
Sponsored by the Acme slipper and pipe company, this episode sees Phil Blood and I take a break and enter the post Port phase of any mess conversation and ramble on about railways, models, and glue with a bit of social history as well as reminisce about model shops. A nice conversation to have.
Pic: An Alco PA diesel and Berkshire 2-8-4 diesel meet on Tony Koester’s HO scale Nickel Plate Road model train layout.
Tony Koester
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, I'm joined by Neil Poynter, a former officer in the Corps of Royal Engineers for his take on the disastrous Bilohorivka river crossing of the Siversky Donets River in the Donbas region. What appeared to be an unopposed river crossing turned into a highly planned and well-executed combined arms defensive action by Ukrainian Forces, resulting in the destruction of Russian forces belonging to, it's believed, the 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade.
Pic: Ukrainian Armed Forces
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, Dr Philip Blood, legal counsel Dustin Du Cane and I are joined by historian Nick Budd, to discuss the continuing Russo-Ukraine war and the challenges and responsibilities facing Ukrainians on the ground as well as securing a workable and an acceptable peace with Russia and how best to administer such a deal.
Pic - Members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defence Forces in training before the 3 weeks before the expansion of the Russian Attack on Ukraine territory. The Canadian Press/AP/Efrem Lukatsky
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, Dr Philip Blood and I are joined by legal counsel Dustin Du Cane and historian and translator of Russian war propaganda, Dr Ian Garner, to discuss the continuing Russo-Ukraine war and the challenges and responsibilities, both legal and ethical, facing academics, regardless of discipline, in recording Russian acts of genocide as defined by Raphäel Lemkin.
Examples of anti-Ukrainian rhetoric can be found throughout Russian media outlets
"In Russia, the threads of politics, religion and the military all come together to create the noose of genocide" - Dustin Du Cane
Dr Ian Garners website: https://www.igarner.net/
UN Genocide Prevention: https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml
Pic - Graves of two victims in Bucha, Ukraine. ICRC
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, Dr Philip Blood and I are joined by legal counsel Dustin Du Cane, discussing the continuing Russo-Ukraine war and the legal challenges Russian behaviour presents. The concepts of Mechanized Holocaust and Holocaust by Artillery are also introduced. Phil's latest blog post regarding the Russian God of War (artillery) can be found here: https://www.philipwblood.com/post/a-holocaust-by-artillery-russian-military-operations-in-ukraine
RIA article regarding how the Russo-Ukraine war is seen can be found here: https://ria.ru/20220403/ukraina-1781469605.html
Pic - RIA
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The Russian Way of War - The Discussion Continues.
In this episode, Dr Philip Blood and I are joined by Neil Poynter, who brings excellent insight into the Adjutants Lounge. We discuss the All Arms battlespace, OBUA and the role of armour, which remains very much relevant. Other subjects discussed include the Russian economy and China's role in the current war.
We also discuss Genocide as defined by Lemkin, and how best to prepare our soldier's responses on encountering Genocide.
Genocide is the intentional destruction of a people — usually defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group — in whole or in part. Raphael Lemkin
Pic - Eurasian Times
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Continuing the theme of 'The Russian Way of War' Phil Blood and I discuss the continuing war in Ukraine, and the effect the politics of inadequacy and violence have on the current situation in Ukraine.
There is an accompanying article for this podcast that I recommend the listener reads.
https://www.philipwblood.com/post/remember-vukovar-lessons-from-the-breakup-of-yugoslavia
Pic: UN Peacekeepers collecting bodies from Ahmići, Bosnia and Herzegovina April 1993 - Photograph provided courtesy of the ICTY.
*Apologies for the iffy editing at the end
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Dr Philip Blood continues the discussion on the Russian Way of War in Ukraine.
Pic - Winnipeg Free Press
The Great Dictator Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8HdOHrc3OQ&t=1s
In this episode, I'm joined by OC Royal Horse Engineers, Neil Poynter who describes how the Ukrainians are winning the Morale War using FM Bill Slim's definitive approach to military morale as a Force Multiplier.
Pic - Lieutenant General Sir William Slim, commanding British Fourteenth Army in Burma, chatting with a Gurkha rifleman, November 1944. IWM
Listener caution: This is one of the more serious posts on the Adjutants Lounge.
In this feature-length episode, we continue the discussion regarding the Russian Way of War with Dr Phil Blood (@HistorianBlood) and Neil Poynter (@neilpoynter), discussing a range of relevant topics, including rarely talked about force multipliers such as leadership, and morale and ask the unpleasant question, is this a Total War scenario for Russia?
Dnieper Pic - Novoklimov
Listener caution: This is one of the more serious posts on the Adjutants Lounge.
In this episode of The Adjutants Lounge Phil Blood (Twitter: @HistorianBlood) discusses The Russian Way of War in its current context in Ukraine.
I'm joined by Nick Budd discussing the Grossdeutschland and its portrayal in Guy Sajer's seminal book The Forgotten Soldier as well as Nicks's own experiences in re-enacting Grossdeutschland activities.
An example of Nick's research can be found here: https://twitter.com/BuddNicholas/status/1382300887268347906
In this, the first Adjutants Lounge of 2022, whilst Mrs OC French Det is visiting the newest member of the tribe, I catch up with OC French Det, Gary. I discover sieges in Hesdin, hidden mausoleums and continued finds of French medal groups. We also discuss a new topic for our next catch-up. Which will be interesting.
*Pic Illustration of the siege of Hedsin. Unknown
In this, the final, feature-length, Adjutants Lounge of 2021 Dr. Philip Blood and I discuss research, re-enactment, the importance of maps, marksmanship and critical thinking, ending with a moment of Juvenilia.
Thanks for your support and help in 2021 in making the Adjutants Lounge the fringe podcast it's become.
Have a great 2022, and we look forward to welcoming you back.