Underground Strategy

In this episode of Helion Talks, host Tony Garcia speaks with historian Glenn Price, author of Soldiers and Civilians, Transport and Provisions: Early Modern Military Logistics and Supply Systems during the British Civil Wars 1638–1653. Glenn discusses the often-overlooked world of logistics and supply during the British Civil Wars, exploring how armies were fed, equipped, and kept moving amid the chaos of seventeenth-century warfare.The conversation sheds light on the human and operational realities behind campaigns — from food shortages and transport systems to regional supply variations and the civilian toll of sustaining armies in the field. Glenn also explains why the Royalists’ logistical struggles may have been overstated and how supply lines, local productivity, and coastal transport shaped the outcome of these conflicts.Helion Talks releases new episodes once a month, featuring authors and historians from around the world.Links:Soldiers and Civilians, Transport and Provisions: Early Modern Military Logistics and Supply Systems during the British Civil Wars 1638–1653Glenn Price on XHelion & Co: https://www.helion.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helionbooks/X: https://x.com/HelionbooksProduced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.comMusic: ‘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 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/HelionbooksProduced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.comMusic: ‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

In this inaugural episode of Helion Talks, host Tony Garcia sits down with Helion & Company founder and CEO Duncan Rogers to explore the origins of one of the world’s leading military history publishers. Duncan shares how his lifelong passion for military history evolved into the founding of Helion in 1996, and how that passion continues to drive the company today.They discuss the evolution of Helion’s hallmark series — from Century of the Soldier to At War — and how these collections have built a global readership across eras and regions. Duncan also talks about Helion’s commitment to giving voice to overlooked stories, from South Africa to Sweden, and fostering international collaboration through partnerships like the new Underground Strategy series.Helion Talks will release new episodes once a month, featuring conversations with authors and historians from around the world.Links:Helion & Co: https://www.helion.co.uk/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helionbooks/X: https://x.com/HelionbooksProduced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.comMusic: ‘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/HelionbooksProduced and hosted for Helion & Co by UGS — https://undergroundstrategy.comMusic: ‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley — released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

A small state, big pressures—Botswana built its army late and cautiously.In this season finale, we sit down with Bafumiki Mocheregwa, a historian and academic at the University of Southern Mississippi who studies the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) and Southern African military history.The conversation explores how Botswana built its armed forces late—only in 1977—after relying for years on the Police Mobile Unit. We cover how the BDF grew under financial and political constraints, its complicated role during the Rhodesian Bush War and apartheid, and its later peacekeeping deployments to Somalia, Mozambique, and Lesotho.This isn’t a neat story. It’s a patchwork of half-forgotten history, regional pressures, and unanswered questions about how a small, cautious state tried to manage the chaos around it.Recommended ReadingThe BDF in the Struggle for an African Environment - https://amzn.to/3IAvkorMore from Underground StrategyJoin the mission – https://undergroundstrategy.comDiscover Number 788 – https://amzn.to/3BQGmm7