Underground Strategy – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Helion Talks, host Tony Garcia speaks with historian Karen Horn, author of Bold in Battle: South African Stories from the Second World War. Karen shares how her work brings to life the overlooked experiences of South African volunteers who served across Africa and Europe — men and women whose stories have long remained in the margins of military history.

Drawing on personal diaries, letters, and firsthand accounts, Karen discusses the human side of war — from the courage of ordinary soldiers and POWs to the quiet sacrifices of families back home. She also reflects on South Africa’s complex culture of remembrance, the challenges of commemoration, and the importance of preserving these voices for future generations.

Helion Talks releases new episodes once a month, featuring authors and historians from around the world.

Links:

Bold in Battle: South African Stories from the Second World War

Karen Horn on Instagram

Helion & Co: https://www.helion.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helionbooks/

X: https://x.com/Helionbooks

Produced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.com

Music: ‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

In this episode of Helion Talks, host Tony Garcia speaks with historian and author Michael Fredholm von Essen about his new two-volume series Whiskey on the Rocks — an in-depth exploration of a tense Cold War standoff between the Soviet Union and Sweden.

Michael recounts the extraordinary events of October 1981, when a Soviet Whiskey-class submarine ran aground near a major Swedish naval base, sparking a ten-day diplomatic and military crisis. He explains how misunderstandings, high-stakes decisions, and Cold War paranoia shaped the incident — and how newly declassified documents reveal what really happened beneath the surface.

The conversation also looks ahead to his sequel volume, which follows the continuing confrontation and near-miss moments that could have drawn both sides into open conflict. Helion Talks releases new episodes once a month, featuring discussions with leading military historians and authors.

Links:

Whiskey on the Rocks Vol. 1 – A Soviet Submarine Stranded in Swedish Waters (1981)

Whiskey on the Rocks Vol. 2 – The Swedish–Soviet Confrontation (1981)

Helion & Co: https://www.helion.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helionbooks/

X: https://x.com/Helionbooks

Produced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.com

Music: ‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

In this episode, we turn our focus to one of the most iconic campaigns of the Second World War—the battle for North Africa. From the strategic significance of the Suez Canal and Middle Eastern oil to the rise and fall of Rommel’s legend, the North African campaign shaped the course of the global conflict in unexpected ways.

We’re joined by Lt. Col. Dr. Jean-Pierre Scherman of the South African National Defence Force—a combat officer, scholar, and friend of the podcast—to walk us through what made the desert war so pivotal. We explore the mobile chaos of the early clashes, the critical role of supply lines, and the unsung story of South Africa’s volunteer soldiers who served far from home.

We also dive into the bitter legacy of the surrender at Tobruk, the mythmaking around commanders like Rommel and Montgomery, and what it all looked like from the ground level.

Expect serious analysis, hard questions, and some reflections on today’s conflicts too.

Jean-Pierre Scherman’s contacts

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/schermanjeanpierre/

X – https://x.com/schermanjp74

LinkedIn – https://za.linkedin.com/in/jean-pierre-scherman

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In Part 2 of our conversation with Serhii Velychanskyi, we shift from combat to recovery—exploring how war leaves marks that can’t be seen from the outside, and how humor can help heal them.

After serving on the front lines in Irpin and Kharkiv, Serhii transitioned into Ukraine’s Center for Morale and Psychological Support, where he began using improvisational theater as a recovery tool. He walks us through his program “Improv 450,” designed to help wounded and traumatized soldiers decompress, reconnect, and rebuild.

But this is more than a therapy story. Serhii reflects on identity, language, Russian disinformation, and the existential nature of this war.

We also hear about his upcoming leadership work, his book Path to Effectiveness (Ukrainian only), and what it means to fight and heal at the same time.

Serhii’s Work

Improv 4.5.0 – https://improv450.com.ua/en

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sergey_velichanskiy

LinkedIn – https://ua.linkedin.com/in/velichansky

Path to Effectiveness (Ukrainian only) – https://www.skyhorse.ua/product/shlyahy-efektyvnosti/

Also Mentioned

Management in Times of War by Kostiantyn Koshelenko – https://amzn.to/43gNmlW

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In Part 1 of our conversation with Serhii Velychanskyi, we follow his journey from civilian to frontline soldier in Ukraine’s 130th Territorial Defense Battalion—where he took part in the defense of Kyiv and the liberation of Irpin and Kharkiv.

Serhii walks us through those early days of the full-scale Russian invasion: the uncertainty, the shelling, and the harsh lessons learned on the ground. But this isn’t just a war story—it’s also about adaptation. Serhii shares how his past life as an improv performer unexpectedly shaped his resilience under fire, and how that mindset helped him—and others—navigate the chaos of combat.

Part 2 continues the story as Serhii transitions into psychological support work, helping soldiers heal through humor, storytelling, and group recovery.

Serhii’s Work

Improv 4.5.0 – https://improv450.com.ua/en

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sergey_velichanskiy

LinkedIn – https://ua.linkedin.com/in/velichansky

Path to Effectiveness (Ukrainian only) – https://www.skyhorse.ua/product/shlyahy-efektyvnosti/

Also Mentioned

Management in Times of War by Kostiantyn Koshelenko – https://amzn.to/43gNmlW

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The third part of our Fortress Britain series takes us north, where Gordon Barclay joins us for a deep dive into Scotland’s defense plans during the Second World War—and how they’ve been misunderstood ever since.

We talk about stop lines, airfield vulnerabilities, pillbox design, and the sheer logistical push it took to prepare the country for invasion. Gordon breaks down how anti-tank ditches, coastal artillery, and naval fortresses fit into a larger strategy—one that included Polish and Norwegian forces defending the Scottish coast. We also look at how these defenses evolved, what still survives today, and how some of it is only just being re-discovered.

Toward the end, we discuss how Gordon’s research was misrepresented during Scotland’s independence debate, and why wartime history—when twisted—can still fuel modern mythmaking.

Gordon’s work

If Hitler Comes: Preparing for Invasion – Scotland 1940 by Gordon Barclay – https://amzn.to/4kvhT6B

Other books mentioned

Fortress Britain: 1940 by Andrew Chatterton – https://amzn.to/3Sd5iJ4

Britain’s Secret Defences by Andrew Chatterton – https://amzn.to/4jYuT4x

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In this episode, we explore the Zimbabwean liberation struggle—a war that redefined Southern Africa and left lasting political and military scars across the region.

Takawira Chatambudza joins us to unpack the origins of the nationalist movements, the split between ZANU and ZAPU, and how their armed wings—ZANLA and ZIPRA—fought on different fronts with different doctrines. We talk about guerrilla tactics, ideological influence from China and the Soviet Union, and how newly independent frontline states like Mozambique and Angola changed the course of the war.

Taka also offers a grounded, firsthand view of Rhodesian counterinsurgency tactics, including the controversial role of the Selous Scouts and their deep infiltration operations, and we revisit pivotal moments like the Lancaster House Agreement, ZIPRA’s cross-border raids, and the collapse of internal unity efforts like ZIPA.

This episode brings together politics, warfare, and memory from a perspective rarely heard in Western military history circles.

Takawira’s work

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Zimbabwe’s Liberation Struggle (Edited) – https://amzn.to/3H3f3XT

Want more?

For Better Or Worse? Women And ZANLA In Zimbabwe's Liberation Struggle – https://amzn.to/43gKeXe

The Army and Politics in Zimbabwe – https://amzn.to/43kG1St

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The second part of our Fortress Britain series takes us to the windswept beaches of northeast Scotland, where archeology meets military history.

Tony and Alessandro link up with Bruce Mann—a senior Historic Environment Officer and real-world battlefield archaeologist—to walk through pillboxes, anti-tank blocks, and the overlooked coastal defenses that still dot the landscape today. We talk about how terrain shaped defense planning, how local contractors helped construct pillboxes under pressure, and why Black Dog Beach isn’t just a poetic name.

We also explore how defensive structures were camouflaged, improvised, and in some cases, repurposed entirely—and how the layering of stop lines and river crossings built a real strategy behind the concrete. From hidden gun loops to pillboxes disguised as cottages, this is the physical side of Britain’s invasion defense as few have seen it.

Bruce’s contact

Historic Environment Team – archeology@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Books mentioned

Fortress Britain: 1940 by Andrew Chatterton – https://amzn.to/3Sd5iJ4

Britain’s Secret Defences by Andrew Chatterton – https://amzn.to/4jYuT4x

If Hitler Comes: Preparing for Invasion: Scotland 1940 by Gordon Barclay - https://amzn.to/4kvhT6B

More from Underground Strategy

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In the first of our Fortress Britain episodes, we step back from the secret guerrilla units and look at the bigger picture—how ready was the UK, really, to stop a German invasion in 1940?

Andrew Chatterton returns to break down Britain’s physical defenses—from the rapid construction of stop lines and pillboxes to the strategic thinking behind them. We talk about how much of the country was actually covered, why mobility was so limited, and how even a random brick hut on the coast fits into a much larger defense plan. It wasn’t just Home Guard with pitchforks—there was real doctrine, structure, and urgency.

We also look at the overlooked air and naval elements: radar, decoy airfields, and the sheer power of the Royal Navy—along with the PR, panic, and practical improvisation that shaped the public's view of the war.

Andrew’s work

Fortress Britain: 1940 – https://amzn.to/3Sd5iJ4

Britain’s Secret Defences – https://amzn.to/4jYuT4x

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/historicalandrew

X – https://x.com/Chats1

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In this episode, we’re joined by Roman Kuzyuk, First Deputy CEO of Viysktorgservice and co-author of Management in Times of War. Roman brings a unique mix of experience to the table—from corporate governance and martial arts to frontline logistics within Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.

We explore the transformation of Ukraine’s defense sector, the challenges of legacy systems, and the ongoing fight to establish integrity and effectiveness within state institutions. Roman speaks openly about veterans' futures, the limits of reform, and the deeper personal mission that drives him through war and bureaucracy alike.

We also dive into his fiction writing, why he chose a detective novel to explain real-world corporate dysfunction, and how martial arts shaped his view on leadership, balance, and power.

This isn’t theory—it’s real-world warfighting, organizational struggle, and national survival, told by someone living it every day.

Books by Roman Kuzyuk

Management in Times of War (English) – https://amzn.to/44SdXbx

Ledarskap i krigstider (Swedish edition) – https://www.bokus.com/bok/9789177415527/ledarskap-i-krigstider-erfarenheter-fran-krigets-ukraina/

Connect with Roman Kuzyuk

LinkedIn – https://ua.linkedin.com/in/roman-kuzyuk

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/roman.kuzyuk.2025/

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