WW2 Stories & Real War Stories

In February 1945, as Nazi Germany crumbled, the three most powerful men in the world gathered in a palace on the Black Sea to decide the fate of a continent. The decisions Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin made at Yalta would shape Europe for nearly half a century—and help set the stage for the Cold War.In this episode, host Philip Champion explores one of the most consequential diplomatic meetings of the twentieth century, examining what the Big Three decided, the constraints they faced, and the enduring controversy over whether Eastern Europe was betrayed.What You'll Discover:

The World in Early 1945: Why German defeat was inevitable and how Soviet military control of Eastern Europe shaped the negotiations

The Big Three: Roosevelt, gravely ill and seeking cooperation; Churchill, suspicious but representing a declining power; and Stalin, ruthless and negotiating from strength

The Fight Over Poland: The most contentious issue at Yalta—borders, governments, and the hollow promises of free elections

The Declaration on Liberated Europe: The democratic vision the West secured on paper and Stalin ignored in practice

The Fate of Germany: How the occupation zones agreed at Yalta began the division that would define the Cold War

The War Against Japan: Stalin's agreement to enter the Pacific war in exchange for concessions in Asia

The United Nations: How Yalta advanced the creation of the postwar international order

The Question of Betrayal: The enduring debate over whether the West abandoned Eastern Europe—or simply faced military realities it couldn't change

The Road to the Cold War: How Yalta foreshadowed the division of Europe and the Iron Curtain

Key Topics Covered:

Why Soviet occupation gave Stalin the upper hand at the negotiating table

The "Yalta betrayal" narrative and the arguments on both sides

How military reality constrained Roosevelt and Churchill's options

The origins of the Cold War and Yalta's role in them

The decades of communist rule that followed for Eastern Europe

Lessons about idealism, realism, and the limits of diplomacy

Perfect for fans of:

World War 2 diplomacy and the end of the war

Cold War origins and 20th-century geopolitics

Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin as leaders

The division of Europe and the fate of Eastern Europe

High-stakes negotiation and historical decision-making

Why This Episode Matters:Yalta is remembered as the moment three men divided a continent—but the truth is more complex than either the "betrayal" narrative or the celebration of Allied cooperation suggests. The Western leaders faced genuine constraints, above all a Soviet army already occupying the territories in question. This episode examines Yalta with nuance, exploring the choices, the constraints, and the profound consequences that followed for hundreds of millions of people. It's essential context for understanding not just the end of World War II, but the Cold War world it created.From the fight over Poland to the seeds of the Iron Curtain, from Roosevelt's failing health to Stalin's cold calculation, this is the complete story of the conference that shaped the modern world.

You've seen the film. Now hear the true story. In March 1944, Allied airmen imprisoned in a camp the Germans believed was escape-proof tunneled their way to one of the largest mass breakouts of World War II. Seventy-six men crawled to freedom through a tunnel dug 30 feet underground. But the real story is more remarkable—and more tragic—than Hollywood ever showed.

In this episode, host Philip Champion tells the complete history of the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III, separating the historical reality from the famous 1963 film and honoring the men who sought freedom—including the 50 who were murdered for it.

What You'll Discover:

• The Escape-Proof Camp: Why the Germans built Stalag Luft III with sandy soil, raised barracks, and seismograph microphones to make tunneling impossible
• The Escape Organization: How Squadron Leader Roger Bushell—"Big X"—organized hundreds of prisoners into a secret escape industry
• Tom, Dick, and Harry: The three tunnels dug simultaneously, shored with bed boards, ventilated by hand-made pumps, and lit with electricity tapped from the camp
• The "Penguins": The ingenious methods prisoners used to hide tons of bright yellow tunnel sand from the guards
• The Forgers and Tailors: How prisoners created false documents, civilian clothes, maps, and compasses from scavenged materials
• The Night of the Escape: The tunnel that fell short, the exposed exit near a guard tower, and the tense escape of 76 men into the darkness
• The Manhunt: How the escapees tried to cross Nazi Germany—and why only three made successful "home runs" to freedom
• The Murder of the Fifty: Hitler's order to execute 50 recaptured prisoners, a war crime that included the murder of Roger Bushell himself
• Justice and the Legend: The postwar hunt for the perpetrators and how the 1963 film shaped—and altered—public memory

Key Topics Covered:

• The prisoner's duty to escape and tie down enemy resources
• The extraordinary engineering behind tunnel "Harry"
• What the famous film got right—and what it invented
• The Geneva Convention and the war crime that followed the escape
• How the murdered men were brought to justice and remembered
• The Great Escape as a symbol of the human desire for freedom

Perfect for fans of:

• World War 2 history and POW stories
• The 1963 film "The Great Escape" and the true story behind it
• Tales of ingenuity, engineering, and daring
• Stories of courage, sacrifice, and moral reckoning
• Military history and prisoner-of-war experiences

Why This Episode Matters:

The Great Escape is remembered as a thrilling adventure—and it was a genuine feat of human ingenuity and determination. But the real story carries a weight the popular image often obscures. The prisoners' quest for freedom led to the cold-blooded murder of 50 of their number, a war crime that transformed triumph into tragedy. This episode honors both sides of the story: the brilliant resourcefulness of men who refused to accept captivity, and the terrible price they paid. It's a testament to the unquenchable human desire for freedom—and a reminder of why the laws of war exist.

From the tunnels beneath the barracks to the manhunt across Nazi Germany, from Roger Bushell's vision to the murder of the fifty, this is the complete and true story of the Great Escape.

They fought with extraordinary courage for a country that had betrayed them. Their families were imprisoned in internment camps behind barbed wire. Yet the Japanese American soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team became the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in United States military history. Their motto: "Go for Broke."

In this episode, host Philip Champion tells the inspiring and troubling story of the Nisei soldiers who proved their loyalty through sacrifice, transcending one of the gravest injustices in American history.

What You'll Discover:

The Injustice of Internment: How Executive Order 9066 led to the imprisonment of some 120,000 Japanese Americans—most of them U.S. citizens—without charge or trial

The Agonizing Decision to Serve: Why young Nisei men chose to fight for the country that imprisoned their families, many volunteering directly from the camps

The Formation of the Unit: The 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the meaning of "Go for Broke"

Combat in Italy: How the "Purple Heart Battalion" and the 442nd established their record through fierce fighting and heavy sacrifice

The Rescue of the Lost Battalion: The legendary operation in the Vosges Mountains where the 442nd suffered over 800 casualties to save 211 trapped Texans

The Most Decorated Unit: The Distinguished Service Crosses, thousands of Purple Hearts, and Medals of Honor that testify to their valor—including Daniel Inouye's

The Military Intelligence Service: The lesser-known Japanese American soldiers who served in the Pacific using their language skills against Japan

Recognition and Reckoning: The 1988 apology and reparations, the belated upgrading of awards, and the enduring legacy of the 442nd

Key Topics Covered:

The wartime hysteria and prejudice behind Japanese American internment

What loyalty and patriotism mean in the face of injustice

How the 442nd's record helped change attitudes toward Japanese Americans

Daniel Inouye and other veterans who shaped postwar America

Why the 442nd's story remains urgently relevant today

The dangers of judging people by ethnicity rather than character

Perfect for fans of:

World War 2 history and untold stories

Civil rights and social justice history

Stories of courage in the face of injustice

Japanese American history and the internment experience

Inspiring accounts of loyalty, sacrifice, and moral complexity

Why This Episode Matters:

The story of the 442nd is one of the most inspiring and troubling in American history—inspiring for the soldiers' extraordinary courage and loyalty, troubling for the profound injustice they faced. These men fought not for the America that had betrayed them, but for the America of its ideals: freedom, equality, and justice. Through their sacrifice, they proved their community's loyalty beyond any doubt and helped move the nation closer to its own promise. Their story stands as both a powerful indictment of prejudice and a testament to the highest ideals of citizenship and courage.

From the internment camps to the mountains of France, from "Go for Broke" to the rescue of the Lost Battalion, this is the complete story of the Japanese American soldiers who gave everything for a country that had doubted them.

In the heart of Nazi Germany, at the height of Hitler's power, a small group of university students dared to resist—not with weapons, but with words. They knew discovery meant almost certain death. Most were executed before their 25th birthdays. They were the White Rose.In this episode, host Philip Champion tells the story of one of history's most inspiring examples of moral courage—the students of Munich who distributed anti-Nazi leaflets until their arrest and execution in 1943, led by siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl.What You'll Discover:

Germany Under the Swastika: The totalitarian police state, the Gestapo, and the atmosphere of fear that made open resistance almost unthinkable

The Scholl Siblings: How Hans and Sophie went from Nazi youth organizations to moral opposition, shaped by conscience, faith, and Hans's experiences on the Eastern Front

The Formation of the Group: The circle of medical students—Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf—and Professor Kurt Huber who joined the resistance

The Leaflets: The eloquent, morally powerful documents that condemned the regime and, remarkably, explicitly denounced the murder of the Jews when most Germans stayed silent

The Arrest: The fateful day at the University of Munich when Sophie scattered leaflets from the atrium balcony and was caught

The Trial and Execution: The show trial before the notorious Judge Roland Freisler and the swift executions carried out the same day

The Final Leaflet's Journey: How the group's last leaflet reached the Allies, who dropped millions of copies over Germany

The Legacy: How the White Rose became a symbol of the "other Germany" and continues to inspire resistance to tyranny worldwide

Key Topics Covered:

Nonviolent resistance under a totalitarian regime

Sophie Scholl's courage in the face of certain death

The moral and religious foundations of the White Rose

Why the group condemned the Holocaust when so many were silent

The People's Court and Nazi political trials

What the White Rose means for questions of moral responsibility

Why their example still speaks powerfully to young people today

Perfect for fans of:

World War 2 resistance and home front history

Stories of moral courage and conscience

German history and the anti-Nazi resistance

The Holocaust and those who spoke out against it

Inspiring true stories of young people who changed history

Why This Episode Matters:The White Rose members died young, their resistance seemingly futile against the overwhelming power of the Nazi state. But their significance transcends any practical impact. In a society built on lies and terror, they spoke the truth. They refused to be complicit in evil. They proved that even under the most repressive tyranny, individuals can choose to resist. Their example poses a question to all of us: what is our duty when we witness injustice? This episode honors their courage and explores the enduring meaning of their sacrifice.From the Scholls' moral awakening to the guillotine at Stadelheim Prison, from the secret printing of leaflets to Sophie's final words, this is the complete story of the young idealists who dared to defy Hitler.

Deep in an Austrian salt mine in 1945, a small group of American soldiers made one of history's greatest discoveries—thousands of stolen masterpieces by Michelangelo, Vermeer, and Rembrandt, hidden by the Nazis and possibly marked for destruction. But these weren't ordinary soldiers. They were curators, scholars, and architects on an extraordinary mission. They were the Monuments Men.

In this episode, host Philip Champion tells the remarkable story of the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives program—the Allied unit that worked to protect and recover the cultural heritage of Western civilization amid the destruction of World War II.

What You'll Discover:

The Nazi Looting Machine: How Hitler's dream of a Führermuseum and Göring's greed drove the most systematic art theft in history, targeting museums, churches, and especially Jewish collections

The Birth of the Mission: How a small group of art experts traded museums for military uniforms to protect Europe's heritage in the war zones

Protecting Monuments Under Fire: The delicate balance between military necessity and cultural preservation, including the controversial destruction of Monte Cassino

The Hunt for Looted Art: The detective work that led to salt mines and castles hiding hundreds of thousands of stolen treasures

The Altaussee Discovery: The Austrian mine containing the Ghent Altarpiece, Michelangelo's Madonna of Bruges, and countless masterpieces—and the race to save them from destruction

The Collecting Points: The painstaking work of cataloging, researching, and returning stolen art to its rightful owners

The People Behind the Mission: George Stout, the pioneering conservator; Rose Valland, the French heroine who secretly documented Nazi looting at great personal risk; and the men who died in service

The Broader Losses: The treasures that couldn't be saved and the ongoing, unresolved issue of Nazi-looted art today

Key Topics Covered:

The Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (ERR) and organized Nazi plunder

The looting of Jewish art collections as part of the Holocaust

How the Monuments Men located hidden repositories across Germany and Austria

The Merkers mine and its art, gold, and currency

The challenge of restitution when owners were murdered in the Holocaust

The legacy in international law and the 1954 Hague Convention

Why cultural heritage is worth protecting even in wartime

Perfect for fans of:

World War 2 history from an unusual angle

Art history and museum culture

Stories of preservation amid destruction

The Holocaust and Nazi-era history

Tales of dedicated individuals against overwhelming odds

Why This Episode Matters:

In the midst of a war that revealed humanity's capacity for destruction and genocide, the Monuments Men worked to preserve the products of humanity's capacity for beauty and creativity. Their story is one of the war's most inspiring—a reminder that even in the darkest times, the cultural achievements of civilization are worth protecting. The masterpieces they rescued now hang in museums across Europe and the world, seen by millions who benefit from their work.

From the salt mines of Altaussee to the collecting points of Munich, from Hitler's looting machine to Rose Valland's secret courage, this is the complete story of the men and women who saved civilization's heritage from the wreckage of war.

For 57 consecutive nights, German bombers pounded London. Over eight months, roughly 43,000 British civilians were killed and hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed. It was a deliberate campaign to terrorize a population into surrender—and it failed. This is the story of the Blitz.

In this comprehensive episode, host Philip Champion tells the story of Britain's ordeal from September 1940 to May 1941, when the people of London and cities across Britain endured relentless bombing meant to break their spirit, and instead forged one of history's most enduring examples of civilian resilience.

What You'll Discover:

The Road to the Blitz: How the fall of France, the Battle of Britain, and a fateful shift in German strategy turned the Luftwaffe's guns on Britain's cities

The First Night: The devastating September 7, 1940 raid on London's docklands that set the East End ablaze

Life Under the Bombs: Air raid sirens, Anderson and Morrison shelters, and the communities that formed deep in the London Underground

The Rescue Workers: The firefighters, air raid wardens, and ambulance crews who ran toward danger to save lives night after night

The RAF Response: How night-fighter radar, anti-aircraft defenses, and the earlier victory in the Battle of Britain shaped Britain's defense

The Human Cost: The staggering casualties, the destruction of homes and heritage, and the survival of St. Paul's Cathedral as a symbol of defiance

Why the Blitz Failed: How British morale held, the role of Churchill's leadership, and why the theory that bombing could break a population proved wrong

The Legacy: The "Blitz spirit," the escalation of warfare against civilians, and the complex reality behind the myth

Key Topics Covered:

The German theory of victory through terror bombing—and why it failed

The bombing of Coventry and other British cities beyond London

High-explosive versus incendiary bombs and the firefighting nightmare

Winston Churchill's leadership and morale in wartime Britain

The evacuation of children from Britain's cities

The iconic image of St. Paul's standing amid the smoke

How the Blitz shaped British national identity

The moral questions raised by bombing civilian populations

Perfect for fans of:

World War 2 home front history

The Battle of Britain and RAF history

Stories of civilian courage and resilience

Churchill and wartime leadership

London history and the British experience of WWII

Why This Episode Matters:

The Blitz was designed to shatter a nation's will through terror from the sky. Instead, it became a defining test of civilian resilience—one that disproved the theory that bombing could break a population and forged a legend that endures to this day. This episode honors both the genuine courage of those who endured and the real suffering they experienced, presenting a nuanced picture beyond the myth. It also confronts the uncomfortable truth that the Blitz was an early chapter in a war that would see the deliberate targeting of civilians escalate on all sides.

From the docklands ablaze to the shelters of the Underground, from the firefighters battling the flames to Churchill inspiring a nation, this is the complete story of how London and Britain survived the Blitz.

In the winter of 1937, over roughly six weeks, the Chinese capital of Nanking became the site of one of the worst atrocities of the twentieth century. In this episode, host Philip Champion tells the story of the Nanjing Massacre honestly and with the gravity it deserves—not to sensationalize, but to ensure the victims are remembered and the historical truth is preserved.

What This Episode Covers:

• The Road to Nanking: How the Second Sino-Japanese War and the brutal Battle of Shanghai brought Japanese forces to the gates of China's capital
• The Fall of the City: The chaotic collapse of Chinese defenses in December 1937 and the hundreds of thousands of civilians left behind
• The Nanking Safety Zone: How a small group of foreigners—led by German businessman and Nazi Party member John Rabe, alongside American missionary Minnie Vautrin—created a refuge that saved countless lives
• The Atrocities: An honest, sober account of the mass killings and mass sexual violence that unfolded over six weeks
• The Question of Numbers: Understanding the historical estimates and why the debate over figures should never obscure the reality of the atrocity
• Why It Happened: The role of dehumanizing ideology, military culture, and the breakdown of command and discipline
• The Witnesses and the Record: How contemporary documentation by foreign observers, survivor testimony, and even Japanese accounts established the historical truth
• Justice and Its Limits: The postwar tribunals, the incompleteness of accountability, and the ongoing controversy over acknowledgment and denial
• Legacy and Memory: The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, Iris Chang's landmark book, and why remembering matters

Key Topics:

• The Second Sino-Japanese War and the invasion of China
• John Rabe, Minnie Vautrin, and the International Committee
• The historical evidence and the response to denialism
• The lasting impact on China-Japan relations
• Honoring the individual human beings behind the numbers

Why This Episode Matters:

The victims of Nanking cannot speak for themselves. This episode confronts a difficult chapter of history because remembering it is a moral obligation—to acknowledge the suffering of those who died, to honor those who tried to help, and to understand how such horrors become possible so that we may work to prevent them. It also examines the ongoing importance of historical truth in the face of denial.

This is not an easy listen, but it is an important one. Presented with care and respect, it seeks to bear witness to one of history's darkest hours.

Before the United States officially entered World War II, a group of American pilots was already at war with Japan—flying shark-faced fighters over the mountains and jungles of China and Burma, defending cities from Japanese bombers, and becoming legends on both sides of the Pacific. They were the Flying Tigers.

In this comprehensive episode, host Philip Champion tells the remarkable story of the American Volunteer Group—the mercenaries, adventurers, patriots, and misfits who left the U.S. military to fight for China, led by the brilliant and controversial Claire Chennault, months before Pearl Harbor changed everything.

What You'll Discover:

• Claire Chennault's Vision: How a stubborn, retired Army captain whose fighter tactics were rejected by the military establishment created one of history's most famous air combat units
• The Secret Recruitment: The covert arrangements, private companies, and legal maneuvers that let American pilots fight for China while the U.S. remained officially neutral
• The Shark-Faced P-40s: The story behind the iconic aircraft design and the "Flying Tigers" name
• Innovative Combat Tactics: How Chennault's diving attacks and teamwork let outnumbered pilots defeat the more maneuverable Japanese fighters
• The First Victory: The December 20, 1941 defense of Kunming that proved someone was finally fighting back
• Life on the Ground: The primitive bases, tropical disease, and heroic ground crews who kept the fighters flying
• The Blood Chit: How Chinese civilians risked everything to rescue downed American pilots
• The Chennault-Stilwell Feud: The legendary personality clash that complicated the American war effort in China
• The Combat Record: Nearly 300 claimed Japanese aircraft destroyed—and the debate over the real numbers
• The End of the Volunteers: How the Flying Tigers were absorbed into the U.S. military in July 1942

Key Topics Covered:

• Why American pilots came to fight for China before U.S. entry into WWII
• The Second Sino-Japanese War and China's desperate need for air defense
• How the early warning network gave the Flying Tigers their crucial advantage
• The defense of the Burma Road supply lifeline
• Famous aces like David "Tex" Hill and Robert Neale
• The bonds forged between the Flying Tigers and the Chinese people
• The legend versus the reality of their combat achievements
• The lasting legacy in Sino-American relations and American aviation history

Perfect for fans of:

• World War 2 aviation and air combat history
• Stories of unconventional heroes and adventurers
• The China-Burma-India theater of WWII
• Military history before and after Pearl Harbor
• Tales of innovation, tactics, and underdog victories

Why This Episode Matters:

At a time when the news from the Pacific was almost entirely bad, the Flying Tigers provided a rare story of American success and heroism. They proved the Japanese weren't invincible in the air, boosted morale across the Allied world, and demonstrated tactical innovations that would influence American air doctrine. But beyond the legend of shark-faced fighters and dashing volunteer pilots lies a more complex story—of covert politics, a brilliant but difficult commander, primitive conditions, and the genuine bonds between Americans and the Chinese people they defended.

From Claire Chennault's rejected theories to the December skies over Kunming, from the Burma Road to the disbanding of the volunteer group, this is the complete story of the Americans who painted tigers' teeth on their fighters and challenged an empire before their own nation had entered the war.

Whether you're a longtime student of WWII history or discovering the Flying Tigers for the first time, this episode reveals the truth behind one of the war's most colorful and enduring legends.

Step inside the most secret operation of World War II—the Victorian mansion in the English countryside where Alan Turing and thousands of brilliant codebreakers cracked Nazi Germany's "unbreakable" Enigma code and changed the course of history.

In this comprehensive episode, host Philip Champion tells the extraordinary story of Bletchley Park, where mathematicians, chess champions, crossword experts, and codebreakers waged a hidden war using logic, mathematics, and revolutionary machines—work so secret it remained classified for decades and so decisive it may have shortened WWII by two years.

What You'll Discover:

• The Enigma Machine Explained: How the Germans created a cipher with 158 quintillion possible settings that they believed was mathematically unbreakable
• The Polish Foundation: The three Polish mathematicians—Marian Rejewski, Jerzy Różycki, and Henryk Zygalski—who first cracked Enigma and handed their breakthroughs to Britain before the war
• Alan Turing's Genius: The troubled mathematician whose theoretical work founded computer science and whose Bombe machine automated the breaking of daily Enigma keys
• Breaking the Naval Enigma: How cracking U-boat communications turned the Battle of the Atlantic and saved Britain from starvation
• The Ultra Secret: The agonizing dilemmas of using intelligence without revealing the codes were broken
• The Birth of Computing: How Colossus—arguably the world's first programmable electronic computer—broke Hitler's highest-level communications
• The Women of Bletchley Park: The thousands of women who operated the Bombes and performed essential work, often unrecognized
• Alan Turing's Tragedy: The shameful postwar persecution, chemical castration, and death of the man who helped save Britain
• The Secret Revealed: How Bletchley Park's story stayed hidden until the 1970s and beyond

Key Topics Covered:

• How the Enigma code actually worked and why it seemed impossible to break
• The daring capture of German codebooks from U-110 and other vessels
• How Ultra intelligence shaped North Africa, D-Day, and the war in Europe
• The eccentric geniuses recruited through crossword competitions
• Winston Churchill's "geese that laid the golden eggs and never cackled"
• The lifelong secrecy that codebreakers maintained even from their own families
• Alan Turing's posthumous royal pardon and £50 note recognition
• Bletchley Park's lasting legacy in computing, cryptography, and modern intelligence

Perfect for fans of:

• World War 2 history and hidden wartime stories
• Alan Turing and the history of computing
• Codebreaking, cryptography, and cybersecurity
• The Imitation Game and Enigma-related films
• Stories of scientific genius and unconventional heroes
• Intelligence operations and military history

Why This Episode Matters:

The codebreakers of Bletchley Park won a secret war that helped win the larger war. General Eisenhower called their intelligence "decisive" to Allied victory. Yet for decades, their achievements remained hidden, their contributions unrecognized, and their pioneering work in computing obscured. This episode reveals how a group of brilliant, dedicated individuals broke the unbreakable, kept the secret, and changed both the war and the modern world—while also confronting the injustices some of them suffered, particularly the tragic treatment of Alan Turing.

From the mathematics of Enigma to the moral complexities of the Ultra secret, from the birth of the computer to the persecution of a national hero, this is the complete story of one of history's most important and least visible battles.

Whether you're a longtime student of WWII history or discovering Bletchley Park for the first time, this episode illuminates how the human mind—applied with brilliance, dedication, and courage—overcame a challenge that seemed truly impossible.

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Picture this: September 8, 1941. In the city of Leningrad — formerly Petrograd, formerly Saint Petersburg, Russia's second city and one of the great cultural capitals on earth — a thirteen-year-old girl named Tanya Savicheva goes about her day. School has been suspended. Her father is dead. Outside the apartment windows, the city does not yet fully understand what it has just become. German forces of Army Group North have reached the southern shores of Lake Ladoga, sealing the last overland route out of the city. For the first time in the war, the ring around Leningrad is complete.