Ep 65: John Hosler on Jerusalem

School of War

John Hosler, Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and author of Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace, joins the show to talk about the wars, and the peace, of medieval Jerusalem.

John Hosler, Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and author of Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace, joins the show to talk about the wars, and the peace, of medieval Jerusalem.▪️Times 	•	01:26 Introduction 	•	01:46 Why care about medieval military history?	•	07:22 What is it about Jerusalem? 	•	12:45 Continuities	•	16:19 The Byzantines and the Jews	•	23:54 The Arabs arrive 	•	29:42 An “evidentiary problem”	•	33:59 Three hundred years of peace	•	36:29 Causes of the First Crusade	•	40:36 The Crusaders	•	42:32 Siege and conquest	•	44:23 A Christian city	•	47:31 The Crusader States 	•	49:29 The Knights Templar

Ep 64: Dan Blumenthal and Fred Kagan on China’s Three Strategies for Taiwan

Dan Blumenthal and Fred Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute join the show to talk about the three strategies that China can use to seize control of Taiwan.

Dan Blumenthal and Fred Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute join the show to talk about the three strategies that China can use to seize control of Taiwan.▪️Times 	•	01:40 China’s three approaches on Taiwan 	•	02:09 Persuasion	•	07:35 Complimentary campaigns 	•	10:34 Dominance of discourse power	•	14:40 Talk, talk, fight, fight	•	18:45 Coercion 	•	26:51 Speaker Pelosi's trip to Taiwan 	•	30:02 Compellence	•	35:24 CSIS war game conclusions 	•	42:33 Fighting for themselves	•	46:48 Ukraine or Taiwan, who gets what?	•	51:38 Xi Jinping’s dilemma

Ep 63: Steve Kemper on Interwar Japan  

Steve Kemper, author most recently of Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor, joins the show to talk about the political chaos in Tokyo in the years leading up to WWII and the man that tried to keep the peace, U.S. AmbassadorJoseph C. Grew.

Steve Kemper, author most recently of Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor, joins the show to talk about the political chaos in Tokyo in the years leading up to WWII and the man that tried to keep the peace, U.S. AmbassadorJoseph C. Grew.▪️Times 	•	01:18 Introduction 	•	01:50 Who was Joseph C. Grew? 	•	04:36 Japanese politics in the ’30s 	•	07:30 Imperial Army vs Imperial Navy	•	11:00 First impressions	•	17:31 Insurrection 	•	22:12 Drifting towards war 	•	26:08 Dynamics in D.C. 	•	28:24 Appeasement 	•	35:05 Japan’s plans	•	37:40 Embargoes and FDR	•	42:48 Distinct parallels

Ep 62: Mike Pompeo on American Foreign Policy

Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and author of Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love, joins the show to talk about American foreign policy and his service in the Trump administration.

Mike Pompeo, former Secretary of State and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and author of Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love, joins the show to talk about American foreign policy and his service in the Trump administration. <a href="http://bit.ly/41e4EOE">Watch this video on YouTube.</a>▪️Times 	•	01:13 Introduction 	•	02:12 Chinese surveillance balloons 	•	05:01 Chinese espionage “inside the gates” 	•	07:19 Meeting Xi Jinping 	•	10:25 “Mushy Middle” diplomacy 	•	15:58 Republicans and Russia 	•	20:18 America in the Middle East 	•	26:00 Why talk to the bad guys? 	•	31:35 Afghanistan	•	33:05 Resetting the conversation on human rights

Ep 61: Sonny Bunch on War Movies

Sonny Bunch, contributing columnist at the Washington Post and culture editor for The Bulwark, where he hosts The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood newsletter and podcast and Across the Movie Aisle, joins the show to talk about the best American war movies.

Sonny Bunch, contributing columnist at the Washington Post and culture editor for The Bulwark, where he hosts The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood newsletter and podcast and Across the Movie Aisle, joins the show to talk about the best American war movies.▪️Times 	•	01:35 Introduction	•	02:16 What is a war movie?	•	07:55 The Revolutionary War - The Patriot/John Adams	•	13:15 The Civil War - Glory/Gettysburg	•	16:56 World War I - Paths of Glory/Lawerence of Arabia (Hon. mention: Sgt. York)	•	26:30 World War II - Inglorious Bastards/Patton/The Thin Red Line/Greyhound	•	36:22 The Korean War - Heartbreak Ridge/The Manchurian Candidate 	•	41:45 The Vietnam War - Full Metal Jacket (Hon. mention: Apocalypse Now)	•	46:10 Post Cold War - Black Hawk Down/Jarhead	•	49:00 Post 9/11 - 13 Hours/The Outpost/Generation Kill

Ep 60: Marc Hyden on Gaius Marius

Marc Hyden, Director of State Government Affairs at R Street and author of Gaius Marius: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Saviour, joins the show to discuss the life  of one of the Roman Republic’s most innovative and controversial generals: Gaius Marius.

Marc Hyden, Director of State Government Affairs at R Street and author of Gaius Marius: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Saviour, joins the show to discuss the life of one of the Roman Republic’s most innovative and controversial generals: Gaius Marius.▪️Times 	•	01:33 Introduction	•	01:46 An interest in Rome	•	04:06 Growing pains 	•	06:36 The man born in Arpinum	•	09:46 Serving in the legions	•	11:37 Jugurtha 	•	13:25 Roman politics  	•	20:31 Marius in Numidia 	•	28:51 Sulla and political reform	•	37:06 The Cimbri and Teutones and “Marius’s Mules” 	•	43:05 Career on the rocks 	•	49:02 Social War to Civil War	•	56:27 “Do you dare kill Gaius Marius?”

Ep 59: James Lacey on Roman Strategy

James Lacey, the Major General Matthew C. Horner Chair of War Studies at Marine Corps University and author of Rome: Strategy of Empire, joins the show to discuss the grand strategy of the Roman Empire.

James Lacey, the Major General Matthew C. Horner Chair of War Studies at Marine Corps University and author of Rome: Strategy of Empire, joins the show to discuss the grand strategy of the Roman Empire.▪️Times 	•	01:33 Introduction	•	01:59 A lover of history	•	05:12 The “Plato to NATO” historian 	•	08:40 Edward Luttwak 	•	13:20 The Romans “obviously had a strategy”	•	21:02 Speaking from historical silence	•	26:27 The Republic vs the Empire  	•	32:50 Cost benefit analysis in Rome	•	35:57 Three moments of “muscle change” 	•	41:33 Unable to adapt militarily  	•	46:55 Lessons for America

Ep 58: Philip Taubman on George Shultz

Philip Taubman, lecturer at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation and author of In The Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz, joins the show to discuss the legacy of American statesmen George P. Shultz.

Philip Taubman, lecturer at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation and author of In The Nation's Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz, joins the show to discuss the legacy of American statesmen George P. Shultz.▪️Times 	•	01:52 Introduction	•	02:14 First encounters with Schultz	•	06:44 An old-fashioned patriot 	•	10:10 Secretary of State 	•	15:38 Different approaches to defeating Communism 	•	20:00 Two sides to Reagan 	•	26:44 Hawks	•	31:05 Schultz, Clark, and Dobrynin	•	33:35 Arms control 	•	38:24 The end of the Cold War	•	41:55 Tension as a tool

Ep 57: Mike Gallagher on China and the U.S. Military

Congressman Mike Gallagher, U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 8th district and chair of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, joins the show to discuss his time as a Marine in Iraq, the dangers posed by the CCP, from Tik-Tok to maritime threats, and the crisis confronting our military’s culture.

Congressman Mike Gallagher, U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 8th district and chair of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, joins the show to discuss his time as a Marine in Iraq, the dangers posed by the CCP, from Tik-Tok to maritime threats, and the crisis confronting our military’s culture.▪️Times •	01:26 Introduction•	02:11 The China Committee•	08:56 What’s the problem with Tik-Tok?•	13:12 A reverse Opium War •	15:25 A Marine from Green Bay •	21:16 On the ground in Iraq•	28:52 What’s the American interest in Taiwan?•	32:05 Consequences of Taiwan’s defeat•	38:21 Marine Corps force design•	41:42 The Navy’s fighting spirit•	46:31 Culture in the military

Ep 56: Ronald H. Spector and the Chaos of Postwar Asia

Ronald H. Spector, Professor Emeritus of History at George Washington University and author of A Continent Erupts: Decolonization, Civil War, and Massacre in Postwar Asia, 1945-1955, joins the show to discuss the fall of Japan, the spread of Communism, and the role of the United States in postwar Asia.

Ronald H. Spector, Professor Emeritus of History at George Washington University and author of A Continent Erupts: Decolonization, Civil War, and Massacre in Postwar Asia, 1945-1955, joins the show to discuss the fall of Japan, the spread of Communism, and the role of the United States in postwar Asia.▪️Times •	01:34 Introduction•	05:57 No clear plan•	08:30 The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere•	10:51 The Indian National Army •	12:12 Marines in North China •	15:49 Levels of violence•	17:24 Was 1949 preventable?•	22:32 U.S. attitudes towards Korea •	26:25 Kim Il-sung•	28:17 Ho Chi Minh goes to Moscow•	31:08 Stopping the spread of communism •	33:03 Reconstruction •	35:09 Post 1955

 Ep 55: Myke Cole and the Spartan Myth

Myke Cole, author of The Bronze Lie: Shattering the Myth of Spartan Warrior Supremacy, joins the show to discuss what most people get wrong about Sparta, arguing that Spartan warriors were neither more deadly, nor more successful in war, than other Greeks of their day.

Myke Cole, author of The Bronze Lie: Shattering the Myth of Spartan Warrior Supremacy, joins the show to discuss what most people get wrong about Sparta, arguing that Spartan warriors were neither more deadly, nor more successful in war, than other Greeks of their day.▪️Times 	•	01:09 Introduction	•	05:13 “Not especially tough”	•	09:17 Getting it right, not being right	•	10:48 What is the “Bronze Lie”? 	•	16:57 Captured by politics	•	23:23 Who were the Spartans?	•	30:11 Spartan slavery 	•	34:09 The Greco-Persian Wars 	•	37:00 Thermopylae	•	41:32 Sparta and soft power	•	45:30 “Making the time”

 Ep 54: Jonathan Kirshner on Realism

Jonathan Kirshner, Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Boston College and author of An Unwritten Future: Realism, Uncertainty, and World Politics, joins the show to discuss realism and realists.

Jonathan Kirshner, Professor of Political Science and International Studies at Boston College and author of An Unwritten Future: Realism, Uncertainty, and World Politics, joins the show to discuss realism and realists.▪️Times•	01:40 Introduction•	02:25 What is Realism?•	07:10 The birth of modern Realism•	11:59 To be “scientific” and “predictive” •	15:10 Not a rejection of social sciences•	19:30 “Purpose matters”•	23:40 Liberalism •	28:04 The Twenty Years Crisis •	36:00 Ideology matters•	42:07 The China challenge•	48:04 Sleepwalking into war?•	55:48 Where does classical realism fall short?•	01:02:10 Finding moral counsel

Ep 53: David M. Pritchard on Athens at War

David M. Pritchard, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Queensland and author of Athenian Democracy at War, joins the show to discuss how and why ancient Athens fought its wars.

David M. Pritchard, Associate Professor of Greek History at the University of Queensland and author of Athenian Democracy at War, joins the show to discuss how and why ancient Athens fought its wars.▪️Times  •	01:41 Introduction•	02:3 Martial culture in Athens•	05:08 Democracy and victory•	11:42 Innovation and participation•	15:38 Joining up in ancient Athens•	19:10 Broad support for war•	24:43 Military morality •	30:49 Control of the battlefield is victory•	38:28 Democracy and war today

Ep 52: Dr. Michael Livingston on the battle of Crécy 

Dr. Michael Livingston , Professor at The Citadel and author of Crécy: Battle of Five Kings, joins the show to discuss the Hundred Years War, medieval warfare, and the English victory at the battle of Crécy.

Dr. Michael Livingston , Professor at The Citadel and author of Crécy: Battle of Five Kings, joins the show to discuss the Hundred Years War, medieval warfare, and the English victory at the battle of Crécy.▪️Times  •	01:53 Introduction•	02:33 Why Crécy•	05:53 The Hundred Years War•	10:29 The French-Scottish connection •	14:08 Why invade France at all?•	20:51 Strengths/Weaknesses•	26:00 Medieval command and control•	34:01 Crécy the legend•	38:24 French losses•	39:17 Crécy the reality•	44:29 Costly French decisions•	51:11 The King of Bohemia’s last ride•	57:52 Hundred Years War ends

Ep 51: Alexander Mikaberidze on Kutuzov

Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History and Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University in Shreveport and author of Kutuzov: A Life in War and Peace, joins the show to discuss the Russian general Kutuzov, the hero of 1812.

Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History and Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_State_University_in_Shreveport">Louisiana State University in Shreveport</a> and author of Kutuzov: A Life in War and Peace, joins the show to discuss the Russian general Kutuzov, the hero of 1812.▪️Times  	•	00:53 Introduction	•	01:31 18th century Russia 	•	04:00 A young officer	•	08:57 Modernization  	•	12:11 Catherine’s wars	•	14:30 International relations	•	17:00 Shot in the head - twice	•	22:11 Promotions	•	29:18 Tolstoy’s take on Kutuzov	•	32:32 Czar Alexander	•	39:21 Austerlitz	•	48:28 Grand strategy in 1812	•	57:21 Tolstoy and reality	•	1:02:09 Legacy

Ep 50: Lawrence Freedman on Command

Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London and author of Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, joins the show to discuss how politics and military command are inextricably linked.

Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London and author of Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine, joins the show to discuss how politics and military command are inextricably linked.▪️Times  •	01:08 Introduction•	02:01 Command •	05:44 Politics and generalship•	08:00 MacArthur myths •	11:59 Educating future commanders•	15:50 France’s end of empire•	22:57 Democratic drawbacks•	27:51 Putin’s position•	33:49 Ukraine endgame•	37:27 Better off without Putin•	39:09 Winter is coming

Ep 49: William Inboden on Ronald Reagan

William Inboden, executive director and William Powers, Jr. Chair at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin and author of The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink, joins the show to discuss Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy.

William Inboden, executive director and William Powers, Jr. Chair at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin and author of The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink, joins the show to discuss Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy.▪️Times  	•	01:32 Introduction	•	02:09 Inheriting détente 	•	06:13 The Soviet understanding	•	09:56 Deterring strength, exploiting weakness 	•	13:42 Religious Reagan	•	17:32 Bush as teammate	•	20:54 Win without fighting	•	25:47 Contradictions	•	30:00 South and Central America	•	35:35 Gorbachev	•	40:23 Did Reagan’s approach work?	•	43:53 Kissinger	•	45:09 Reagan as manager	•	50:07 Reagan’s legacy on the Right

Ep 48: Ian Beckett on the Anglo-Zulu War

Ian Beckett, professor emeritus of military history at the University of Kent and author of Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana, joins the show to talk about the two most famous battles of the Anglo-Zulu War.

Ian Beckett, professor emeritus of military history at the University of Kent and author of Rorke’s Drift and Isandlwana, joins the show to talk about the two most famous battles of the Anglo-Zulu War.▪️Times 	•	01:58 Introduction	•	02:22 British interests in Zululand 	•	06:52 The Zulu system	•	09:55 The British plan  	•	13:12 The horns of the buffalo	•	16:49 Isandlwana	•	26:44 Innate warriors	•	29:14 Aftermath	•	33:18 Movies and myths	•	42:11 Rorke’s Drift 	•	48:38 Firepower wins out	•	53:56 A western way of war?

Ep 47: Senator Tom Cotton on American Foreign Policy

Tom Cotton, senator from Arkansas and author of Only the Strong: Reversing the Left's Plot to Sabotage American Power, joins the show to talk about U.S. foreign policy.

Tom Cotton, senator from Arkansas and author of Only the Strong: Reversing the Left's Plot to Sabotage American Power, joins the show to talk about U.S. foreign policy.▪️Times 	•	01:03 Introduction	•	03:43 Formative Interests	•	06:47 Bill Rood And The Distant Ramparts	•	11:13 Joining The Infantry 	•	13:30 Iraq &amp; Afghanistan	•	18:39 Congress 	•	21:19 Foreign Entanglements	•	25:54 Progressivism	•	32:06 Vietnam	•	38:52 Iran 	•	44:26 Withdrawal	•	47:15 American Interests And The Rimland

Ep 46: James M. Scott on Curtis LeMay in World War II

James M. Scott, author of Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo and the Road to the Atomic Bomb, joins the show to talk about the World War II career of one of the most important and controversial American generals of the 20th Century, Curtis LeMay, and his leadership of the strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific.  

James M. Scott, author of Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo and the Road to the Atomic Bomb, joins the show to talk about the World War II career of one of the most important and controversial American generals of the 20th Century, Curtis LeMay, and his leadership of the strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific.  ▪️Times  	•	02:00 Introduction	•	03:02 Teaching In Japan	•	06:27 Lemay, Tireless Worker	•	09:47 Bomber Vs Fighter 	•	11:43 Europe, B-17, and B-29 	•	19:54 Hansel &amp; O’Donnell	•	30:00 LeMay Takes Over 	•	32:37 From Dresden To Tokyo	•	35:10 On His Own Authority	•	40:26 “We’ll Be Tried As War Criminals”	•	43:07 Firestorm	•	49:06 What Brought Peace?

Ep 45: Randall Schriver on China

Randall Schriver, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific affairs and Chairman of the Project 2049 Institute, joins the show to talk about U.S.-China relations and a new project, the China Economic & Strategy Initiative.  

Randall Schriver, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific affairs and Chairman of the Project 2049 Institute, joins the show to talk about U.S.-China relations and a new project, the China Economic &amp; Strategy Initiative.  Times •	02:10 Introduction•	03:36 “Take Chinese Language” •	11:21 Why 2049?•	13:40 China In The ’90s •	18:13 Power Projection and Missiles•	28:10 The Diplomatic Situation •	35:00 Economic Entanglement •	42:44 Decoupling •	47:32 Urgency And Policy •	52:00 Deterrence Check out the China Economic &amp; Strategy Initiative here - https://cesionline.org

Ep 44: Jay Lockenour on Erich Ludendorff 

Jay Lockenour, associate professor of history at Temple University and author of Dragonslayer: The Legend of Erich Ludendorff in the Weimar Republic and Third Reich, joins the show to talk about the life of the infamous German general and politician.

Ep 44: Jay Lockenour on Erich Ludendorff ▪️Jay Lockenour, associate professor of history at Temple University and author of Dragonslayer: The Legend of Erich Ludendorff in the Weimar Republic and Third Reich, joins the show to talk about the life of the infamous German general and politician. ▪️Times •	01:30 Introduction•	02:00 Ludendorff’s Significance•	03:08 Ludendorff’s Early Life•	05:02 Not Quite A Matinee Idol •	07:13 The German General Staff•	11:43 A General Without Portfolio•	17:50 The War And The Myth •	22:23 For The Record - The German Military Lost •	26:12 The Early 1920’s•	29:49 Erich And Adolf    • 34:10 Ludendorff And The Right•	37:00 The Holocaust And Ludendorff

Ep 43: Eli Lake on the Bush administration in the Middle East

Eli Lake, host of The Re-Education and national security journalism fellow at the Clements Center, joins the show to talk about 9/11 and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Eli Lake, host of The Re-Education and national security journalism fellow at the Clements Center, joins the show to talk about 9/11 and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. ▪️Times  •	02:04 Introduction•	02:43 From Philly To The Middle East•	05:14 9/11•	07:49 The World Before •	09:20 No More Nation Building•	12:03 Neo-Cons Or Not•	18:09 Liberal Internationalists •	22:05 Early Mistakes•	29:08 Baking In Problems •	32:46 The Bonn Conference    • 37:04 Capable Of Being Free•	41:04 Toppling Sadam - Right or Wrong?    • 45:47 WMDs And Insurgency•	53:25 New Strategies    • 56:51 The Surge •	59:01 The Loss Of Choice

Ep 42: Ian Easton on Xi Jinping and the CCP’s Grand Strategy

Ian Easton, senior director at the Project 2049 Institute and author of The Final Struggle: Inside China’s Global Strategy, joins the show to talk about Xi Jinping, the ideology that shaped Jinping and by which he rules, and why his vision for the world should not be dismissed. 

Ian Easton, senior director at the Project 2049 Institute and author of The Final Struggle: Inside China’s Global Strategy, joins the show to talk about Xi Jinping, the ideology that shaped Jinping and by which he rules, and why his vision for the world should not be dismissed. ▪️Times  	•	01:56 Introduction	•	02:22 Interested In China	•	05:01 Discovering Taiwan	•	10:32 Perceptions Of The PRC 	•	13:11 How The Chinese Government Works	•	17:47 Who Is Xi Jinping?	•	23:42 The Tactics Of Ideology And Control	•	26:29 The “Scourge Of The Corrupt”	•	29:36 Authentic Socialism	•	31:25 Does China’s Communism Matter?    • 	37:04 The Blending Of Communism And Nationalism	•	43:04 Exporting Xi Jinping Thought    • 	49:19 Absolute Control	•	52:41 Does Xi Jinping Have Rivals?      • 	56:04 Optimisim To Pessimism In Taiwan  	•	01:04:00 It’s Not All Dark

Ep 41: Hal Brands and Michael Beckley on China

Hal Brands, Henry Kissinger Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, and Michael Beckley, associate professor of political science at Tufts University, join the show to talk about how an armed confrontation with China could be coming more quickly than most expect. 

Hal Brands, Henry Kissinger Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University, and Michael Beckley, associate professor of political science at Tufts University, join the show to talk about how an armed confrontation with China could be coming more quickly than most expect. ▪️Times  •	01:30 Introduction•	02:28 Danger Zone •	05:13 A Matter Of Timing•	07:55 A Thucydides Trap?•	13:07 Historical Analogies and 1914•	20:32 Getting To The Long Game•	25:37 Sleepwalking Into War?•	31:10 China’s Problems And Plans•	35:06 The “Lenin Trap”•	36:44 Why Does Taiwan Matter?    • 40:27 Commitments And Capabilities •	44:37 What Will War Look Like?    • 48:24 Cold War Lessons •	52:22 Getting Through The Danger Zone

Ep 40: Michael S. Neiberg on Vichy France 

Michael S. Neiberg, Chair of War Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College, joins the show to talk American policy towards Vichy France.

Michael S. Neiberg, Chair of War Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_War_College">U.S. Army War College</a>, joins the show to talk American policy towards Vichy France.▪️Times  	•	01:21 Introduction	•	02:15 Vichy France - An Overview	•	06:38 A Phony War	•	09:16 American Assumptions Pre-war	•	13:09 Isolationism No Longer Works	•	24:30 Roosevelt’s Policy 	•	28:45 Stress In The Anglo-American Alliance	•	33:03 American Vision Of A Post-War World	•	36:00 Vichy Unveiled 	•	39:01 Chaos In North Africa    • 	43:19 Vichy’s Shame	•	51:57 de Gaulle

Ep 39: Ocie Vest on the Marine Corps’ War in Afghanistan, Part 2 of 2

Ocie Vest, retired Marine infantry officer, joins the show to talk about his experiences as a platoon commander in the Battle of Marjah and later as a combat leader in Nimruz Province, lessons learned in training and in combat, and how the war can continue after the fighting ends. Second of a two-part conversation.

Ocie Vest, retired Marine infantry officer, joins the show to talk about his experiences as a platoon commander in the Battle of Marjah and later as a combat leader in Nimruz Province, lessons learned in training and in combat, and how the war can continue after the fighting ends. Second of a two-part conversation.▪️Times  •	01:27 Violent Months•	06:15 “Do Whatever Those Guys Do”•	09:42 Tactical Adaptation•	13:32 A Fighting Exit•	18:03 “That Sucked…Why’d We Want To Do That So Bad?”•	21:29 Dispersed Operations•	26:36 Nimruz Province •	30:43 Hope For The Future•	34:39 Leadership•	36:11 Medically Retired, Twice    • 38:53 The Work Works•	45:47 “Now Its Up To Them”

Ep 38: Ocie Vest on the Marine Corps’ War in Afghanistan, Part 1 of 2

Ocie Vest, retired Marine infantry officer, joins the show to talk about his experiences as a platoon commander in the Battle of Marjah and later as a combat leader in Nimruz Province, lessons learned in training and in combat, and how the war can continue after the fighting ends. First of a two-part conversation.

Ocie Vest, retired Marine infantry officer, joins the show to talk about his experiences as a platoon commander in the Battle of Marjah and later as a combat leader in Nimruz Province, lessons learned in training and in combat, and how the war can continue after the fighting ends. First of a two-part conversation. ▪️Times  	•	01:46 Introduction	•	02:24 Joining The Marines	•	03:55 Quantico	•	09:00 Becoming An Infantry Officer	•	20:22 Camp Lejeune	•	27:21 False Start	•	35:06 Crossing The Line Of Departure 	•	40:49 On The Job Learning	•	44:40 Marjah	•	50:43 First Combat    • 	59:11 Sustained Combat	•	1:02:45 Different Neighborhood, Different War

Ep 37: Alexander Watson on WWI’s Siege of Przemysl and the Making of Europe’s Bloodlands

Alexander Watson, Professor of History at Goldsmiths, University of London, joins the show to talk about the Eastern Front in World War One, and how the events of 1914/15 foreshadowed tragedies to come and the crisis in Ukraine today.  

Alexander Watson, Professor of History at Goldsmiths, University of London, joins the show to talk about the Eastern Front in World War One, and how the events of 1914/15 foreshadowed tragedies to come and the crisis in Ukraine today. ▪️Times 	•	01:43 Introduction	•	02:40 WWI In The East	•	05:29 Battlefield - Austria-Hungary 	•	10:10 The Austro-Hungarian Army	•	13:28 Coveted Galicia	•	17:44 1914 - A Primordial Soup	•	19:02 The Siege Begins	•	26:27 Przemysl’s Defensive Plan	•	29:50 The Russians Take A Direct Approach	•	36:08 Inside A City Under Siege    •	40:19 Total Exhaustion 	•	44:45 Military And Human Consequences	•	50:00 Birthplace Of The Bloodlands	•	55:09 Strange Ends Maps Courtesy of United States Military Academy West Point <a href="https://www.westpoint.edu/sites/default/files/inline-images/academics/academic_departments/history/WWI/WWOne24.jpg">Eastern Europe, 1914 and Planned Army Concentration Areas in Central Europe, 1914</a> <a href="https://www.westpoint.edu/sites/default/files/inline-images/academics/academic_departments/history/WWI/WWOne28.jpg"> Operations on The Eastern Front to 20 September 1914</a>

Ep 36: Charlie Laderman on Hitler’s Decision to Declare War on America

Charlie Laderman, lecturer at King’s College London and co-author of Hitler's American Gamble, joins the show to talk about his latest book, which covers the crucial days between the attack Pearl Harbor and Hitler’s perplexing declaration of war on the United States.

Charlie Laderman, lecturer at King’s College London and co-author of Hitler's American Gamble, joins the show to talk about his latest book, which covers the crucial days between the attack on Pearl Harbor and Hitler’s perplexing declaration of war on the United States. ▪️Times  •	01:52 Introduction•	02:50 Wasn’t War Inevitable?•	07:12 Japan And Germany - Strange Bedfellows•	11:10 Hitler’s Blurred Vision•	14:45 Japan - Will They, Won’t They Attack •	15:51 Churchill’s Outlook•	22:58 Anti-Interventionist Sentiment•	26:57 Anti-Semitism•	31:18 Roosevelt Sees Things Clearly•	35:21 A War With Germany, Not Japan    •	38:40 Catastrophic German Strategic Errors•	43:23 Hitler’s American Gamble •	49:15 Pearl Harbor Condemned The European Jews•	53:54 Alarmingly Relevant Parallels

Ep 35: Brendan Simms and Steven McGregor on the Battle of Midway

Brendan Simms, Professor at the University of Cambridge, and his co-author, Steven McGregor a U.S. Army vet, join the show to talk about their new book, The Silver Waterfall: How America Won the War in the Pacific at Midway.

Brendan Simms, Professor at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Cambridge">University of Cambridge</a>, and his co-author, Steven McGregor, a U.S. Army vet, join the show to talk about their new book, The Silver Waterfall: How America Won the War in the Pacific at Midway.▪️Times  	•	02:12 Introduction	•	02:30 Why Write About Midway?	•	05:54 Strategic Situation In The Pacific 	•	08:26 Who Is Chester Nimitz? 	•	11:02 Small Scale Start To The Large Scale Fight	•	14:20 Intelligence Breaches And Carrier Combat 	•	17:12 Dueling Carrier Doctrines 	•	22:09 Lt. Dusty Kleiss On The Day Of Battle	•	24:45 Hide And Seek In The Pacific Ocean	•	28:45 Finding The Kido Butai At Midway	•	30:53 To Dive Bomb Or Not	•	32:11 Never Call Me A Hero	•	33:38 A Fine Days Work 	•	36:23 Preparation + Opportunity = Luck

Ep 34: Andrew Corbett on Britain’s Nukes

Andrew Corbett, author of Supreme Emergency: How Britain Lives With the Bomb, joins the show to talk about what it’s like commanding one of Her Majesty’s deadliest weapons, how deterrence policy actually works, and why Britain has the Bomb.

Andrew Corbett, author of Supreme Emergency: How Britain Lives With the Bomb, joins the show to talk about what it’s like commanding one of Her Majesty’s deadliest weapons, how deterrence policy actually works, and why Britain has the Bomb.▪️Times  •	01:45 Introduction•	02:12 Why Join The Royal Navy?•	03:31 What’s In A Name?•	05:31 Day To Day Life •	10:33 Disorienting Conditions •	12:35 The Fighting Sub•	16:58 The Sound Of Silence •	21:50 The Nuclear Triad•	24:12 Developments Under The Sea•	26:05 The British And The Bomb•	30:12 Command By Sub-Committee•	32:23 Extreme Secrecy •	37:35 Morality In Nuclear Weapons •	45:04 Why Should The UK Have Nukes•	50:07 Who Shouldn’t Have Nukes •	54:46 Extended Deterrence

Ep 33: Steven Pressfield on the Truth about War

Steven Pressfield, author of A Man at Arms and Gates of Fire, joins the show to talk about writing historical fiction, telling the truth about war, and why the hardest part of art is “doing the work” .

Steven Pressfield, author of A Man at Arms and Gates of Fire, joins the show to talk about writing historical fiction, telling the truth about war, and why the hardest part of art is “doing the work” . ▪️Times  	•	01:38 Introduction	•	03:49 Why Historical Fiction?	•	08:25 Creating The “Distant Mirror”	•	12:12 Special Forces 	•	14:17 Characters 	•	19:44 A Man at Arms 	•	22:01 Post-Warrior Life  	•	23:46 The Warrior Ethos	•	27:20 Society Needs, But Doesn’t Want, Warriors	•	32:52 Citizen-Soldier 	•	34:10 Reading History 	•	37:48 Characters Are Uncovered, Not Made	•	40:19 The War Of Art	•	45:52 Telling Stories

Ep 32: Barry S. Strauss on Actium

Barry Strauss, Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies at Cornell University, joins the show to talk about Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra, and the battle of Actium, the clash that “made the Roman Empire”.

Barry Strauss, Bryce and Edith M. Bowmar Professor in Humanistic Studies at Cornell University, joins the show to talk about Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra, and the battle of Actium, the clash that “made the Roman Empire”. Times  	•	02:04 Introduction	•	02:36 Events Leading To Actium	•	07:45 What Breaks The Second Triumvirate	•	13:29 Strategy Is Not Sterile 	•	15:04 Antony’s Will, Octavian’s Weapon	•	20:24 Caesar’s Inheritance 	•	22:42 Audacious Agrippa  	•	25:26 Ancient Marines And War In The Mediterranean 	•	31:18 Breakout Is Victory	•	38:27 Antony In Defeat	•	42:16 End Game

Ep 31: Rich Goldberg on Economic Sanctions and Financial Warfare

Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and host of both the Cryptonite podcast and Jewish Insider’s Limited Liability podcast, joins the show to talk about economic sanctions and financial warfare.

Rich Goldberg, senior advisor at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and host of both the Cryptonite podcast and Jewish Insider’s Limited Liability podcast, joins the show to talk about economic sanctions and financial warfare. Times  •	01:30 Introduction•	08:19 The Dollar Is Still King•	10:10 Access Is Everything•	13:00 Whom Do Sanctions Effect •	15:42 Uneasy Lies The Head That Wears A Crown•	21:50 Warfare By Other Means•	30:20 Working With Allies•	38:33 Exquisite Calibration •	43:42 Usurping The Power Of The Dollar•	49:02 Integrated Deterrence •	51:01 The Potency Of Sanctions

Ep 30: Guy MacLean Rogers on The Jewish Revolt

Guy MacLean Rogers, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and Classical Studies at Wellesley College and author of For the Freedom of Zion: The Great Revolt of Jews Against Romans, 66-74CE, joins the show to talk about the great uprising of the Jewish people against Rome—including moments that resonate to the present day, like the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem and the siege of Masada. 

Guy MacLean Rogers, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History and Classical Studies at Wellesley College and author of For the Freedom of Zion: The Great Revolt of Jews Against Romans, 66-74CE, joins the show to talk about the great uprising of the Jewish people against Rome—including moments that resonate to the present day, like the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem and the siege of Masada.  Times  	•	02:20 Introduction	•	04:21 The Jewish Revolt In Roman History 	•	08:09 Flavius Josephus 	•	13:41 Herod the Great 	•	22:29 Little Causes, Big Revolt	•	26:40 The Leadership Of Rebellion	•	30:11 Jewish Strategy And Logistics	•	35:03 Vespasian	•	41:04 The Temple 	•	50:01 The End of the Sacrificial Cult	•	52:01 Destruction of the Temple	•	56:00 The End Of The Revolt	•	1:01:02 Josephus’ Speeches	•	1:06:13 Could The Jews Have Won?

Ep 29: Wesley Morgan on Afghanistan, Part 2 of 2

Wesley Morgan, journalist and author of The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan's Pech Valley, joins the show to discuss his experiences in the Pech valley, one of Afghanistan’s most contested battlegrounds, and to talk about the U.S. counterinsurgency’s successes and failures. This episode is part 1 of 2.

Wesley Morgan, journalist and author of The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan's Pech Valley, joins the show to discuss his experiences in the Pech valley, one of Afghanistan’s most contested battlegrounds, and to talk about the U.S. counterinsurgency’s successes and failures.  Times  	•	01:25 Illicit Economies	•	04:13 Green Berets And CIA “Lost The Forest For The Trees” In Kunar	•	06:57 Who Is Jim Gant?	•	11:36 Self-Aware Proxy Warriors	•	13:42 Counterinsurgency Styles and Outpost Building	•	20:44 Central Government - Whether They Want It Or Not	•	33:18 Cash For Calm - Paying For Peace	•	37:22 War Winds Down In The Pech 	•	41:30 The Afghan House Of Cards Collapses	•	44:13 A Tired Afghan Army With No Good Options

Ep 28: Wesley Morgan on Afghanistan, Part 1 of 2

Ep 28: Wesley Morgan on Afghanistan Wesley Morgan, journalist and author of The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan's Pech Valley, joins the show to discuss his experiences in the Pech Valley, one of Afghanistan’s most contested battlegrounds, and to talk about the U.S. counterinsurgency’s successes and failures. This episode is part 1 of 2. Times  <ul>
<li>02:52 Introduction</li>
<li>04:28 From Princeton to The Pech</li>
<li>07:25 The Age Dynamic </li>
<li>09:46 Fighting Styles In Helmand Province </li>
<li>12:42 The Episodic Nature Of Fighting In Afghanistan </li>
<li>13:42 The Terrain Of The Pech Valley</li>
<li>17:11 Seeking Bin Laden In Kunar </li>
<li>18:43 Kafiristan - Daniel Dravot’s Dream</li>
<li>20:27 Special Forces - A Tool For Every Task</li>
<li>24:21 The Role Of Seal Team Six and Delta Force</li>
<li>29:36 Seeking The Enemy </li>
<li>31:23 Who Was The Enemy In The Pech?</li>
<li>33:58 The Timber Mafia</li>
</ul>

Ep 27: Fred Kagan on Ukraine II

Fred Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins the show to discuss where the war in Ukraine stands, how initial Russian designs failed, and where the conflict is headed.

Ep 27: Fred Kagan on Ukraine II Fred Kagan, Senior Fellow and Director of Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins the show to discuss where the war in Ukraine stands, how initial Russian designs failed, and where the conflict is headed. Times  <ul>
<li>02:14 Introduction</li>
<li>03:22 Accurate Predictions</li>
<li>06:45 The Baffling Russian Attack on Kyiv </li>
<li>08:36 A River Runs Through…The Russian Plan </li>
<li>10:22 Operational Design 101</li>
<li>13:22 Back To Basics - Reading Terrain Still Matters</li>
<li>16:33 Russian Objectives In The East</li>
<li>21:51 Russian Command And Control </li>
<li>26:29 Ukrainian Strikes On Senior Russian Officers</li>
<li>28:38 Russian Objectives In The South</li>
<li>33:06 Putin Still Seeking Total Victory?</li>
<li>36:42 Russian Game-plan For The South Coast</li>
<li>39:18 Transnistria</li>
<li>42:27 False Flags - Putin’s Comfort Zone</li>
<li>44:01 Moldovan Capabilities </li>
<li>47:46 Force Is A Kind Of Failure</li>
<li>50:47 Putin’s Options </li>
<li>54:48 Deterrence And Nuclear Taboos</li>
</ul> <a href="https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Russian%20Offensive%20Campaign%20Assessment%2C%20May%202.pdf">Ukraine Maps 05/02/2022 per ISW</a>

Ep 26: Andrew Lambert on the Crimean War 

Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies, King's College, joins the show to discuss the Crimean War, including why it shouldn’t have been called by that name. Professor Lambert also explains the relevance of the Crimean War to today’s war in Ukraine.

Ep 26: Andrew Lambert on the Crimean War  Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies, King's College, joins the show to discuss the Crimean War, including why it shouldn’t have been called by that name. Professor Lambert also explains the relevance of the Crimean War to today’s war in Ukraine. Times •	01:28 Introduction•	02:20 Causes of the Crimean War•	07:57 Flashpoint in the Holy Land•	12:31 Steamships and Strategy•	16:34 Functional Dysfunction in Policymaking•	21:44 Why Target Sevastopol?•	26:44 What Went Wrong•	31:47 The Press and Public Opinion•	36:31 Reading Events Incorrectly •	38:57 The Baltic Campaign•	45:30 Mahan and Corbett Interpret the War•	48:39 Ukraine War - An Echo of the Crimean War•	55:34 Can Russia Re-Integrate Into The Global Community? •	58:32 Will Putin Use Tactical Nuclear Weapons?

Ep. 25: Waller Newell on Putin and Tyranny

Waller Newell, Professor of Political Science and Philosophy at Carleton University, joins the show to discuss tyranny and tyrants—and Vladimir Putin in particular. 

Waller Newell, Professor of Political Science and Philosophy at Carleton University, joins the show to discuss tyranny and tyrants—and Vladimir Putin in particular.  Times <ul>
<li>02:05 Introduction</li>
<li>03:43 Let's talk about Vladimir Putin</li>
<li>05:40 What is the Russian "Soul"?</li>
<li>07:19 Quote from "The Russian Idea"</li>
<li>08:40 Who was Nikolai Berdyaev?</li>
<li>09:54 Is Berdyaev an influence on Aleksandr Dugin?</li>
<li>11:05 The West has a hard time understanding non-economic motivations. Why?</li>
<li>13:06 Who is Aleksandr Dugin?</li>
<li>15:21 “Eurasian Nationalist Bolshevism” </li>
<li>16:55 Rehabilitating Stalin</li>
<li>18:40 Are we seeing a perpetuation of Tsarist Russia?</li>
<li>20:40 What is fascism?</li>
<li>22:35 The many types of tyranny</li>
<li>25:12 What kind of tyrant is Putin?</li>
<li>26:50 Why has millenarian tyranny appeared so relatively recently in history?</li>
<li>29:51 The relationship between liberalism and millenarian tyranny</li>
<li>31:25 The next ten years in Russia</li>
<li>34:00 Did Putin know what he was getting himself into in Ukraine?</li>
<li>35:36 The prospect of Russian and Chinese collaboration in the future</li>
<li>36:55 Who drives Chinese policy - Xi Jinping or the Chinese Communist Party?</li>
<li>38:56 Staying sane while studying tyrants</li>
<li>42:10 What should we be reading to better recognize hostile actors for what they are?</li>
</ul>

Ep. 24: Richard Overy on World War II

Richard Overy, professor of history at the University of Exeter, joins the show to discuss World War II and the wars of imperial aggression.

Richard Overy, professor of history at the University of Exeter, joins the show to discuss World War II and the wars of imperial aggression. Times<ul>
<li>02:23 - Introduction</li>
<li>04:24 - Imperialism prior to World War II</li>
<li>06:00 - Nations as empires</li>
<li>08:32 -Traditional imperialism versus the Axis Powers' concept</li>
<li>11:02 - Who is Halford Mackinder?</li>
<li>13:14 - The development of Germany's vision of empire</li>
<li>14:36 - German war aims in World War I and World War II</li>
<li>17:02 - Germany and the East</li>
<li>22:16 - The Japanese vision of empire</li>
<li>25:01 - How Japan modernization</li>
<li>26:33 - Japan's methods of rule</li>
<li>27:50 - American and the USSR</li>
<li>34:06 - World War II book recommendations</li>
</ul>

Ep. 23: James Holmes on Sea Power

James Holmes, the J.C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College, joins the show to discuss seapower, the war in Ukraine, and the possibility of war in the Pacific. 

James Holmes, the J.C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College, joins the show to discuss sea power, the war in Ukraine, and the possibility of war in the Pacific Times<ul>
<li>00:58 - Introduction </li>
<li>01:57 - Time spent considering Russia and the NATO alliance’s naval power</li>
<li>04:05 - Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grand strategy</li>
<li>05:35 - What does Ukraine mean to Putin?</li>
<li>06:58 - The Crimean War </li>
<li>10:32 - Closing the Bosporus</li>
<li>16:15 - Does the war end well for Putin? </li>
<li>21:28 - Zelensky’s survival </li>
<li>23:12 - Worst-case scenario for Putin </li>
<li>25:43 - What the outcome in Ukraine will mean for Taiwan</li>
<li>28:35 - China’s challenge in Taiwan</li>
<li>31:02 - How security concerns in the early American Republic influence China’s thinking</li>
<li>35:25 - Should the United States shift national security focus to Asia? </li>
</ul>

Ep. 22: Jeremy Black on Tank Warfare 

Jeremy Black, Professor of History at the University of Exeter, joins the show to discuss tank warfare from its origins to the battlefields of Ukraine

Jeremy Black, Professor of History at the University of Exeter, joins the show to discuss tank warfare from its origins to the battlefields of Ukraine Times<ul>
<li>01:13 - Introduction</li>
<li>02:02 - The creation of the tank</li>
<li>07:48 - Parallel technological development of tanks and aircraft </li>
<li>14:20 - Developing thoughts on employing tanks leading into World War II</li>
<li>18:24 - Blitzkrieg and the role of armored vehicles, speed, and communication during invasions</li>
<li>24:13 - The Soviet Union's invasion of Finland </li>
<li>28:07 - The development of armored technology during the Arab-Israeli wars after World War II</li>
<li>35:06 - Russia's strategy for invasion, the likelihood of Putin overtaking Ukraine, and the future of the tank </li>
</ul>

Ep. 21: Matthew Kroenig on Ukraine and Putin’s Nuclear Weapons

Matthew Kroenig, Professor in the Department of Government and Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and Director of Studies at the Atlantic Council, joins the show to discuss Russian nuclear doctrine and what it means for the war in Ukraine.

Matthew Kroenig, Professor in the Department of Government and Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and Director of Studies at the Atlantic Council, joins the show to discuss Russian nuclear doctrine and what it means for the war in Ukraine. Times<ul>
<li>00:49 - Introduction</li>
<li>01:07 - Forecasting Russia's potential gains in Ukraine</li>
<li>02:45 - The nuclear dimension in Ukraine</li>
<li>05:05 - Russian nuclear doctrine: escalate to de-escalate</li>
<li>10:52 - Potential U.S. responses to Russian nuclear strikes on NATO allies</li>
<li>12:54 - Perceptions of nuclear weapons, from the Cold War to now</li>
<li>15:46 - Battlefield nuclear tactics</li>
<li>18:32 - Russian thinking on employing chemical weapons</li>
<li>21:05 - U.S. nuclear weapons policy</li>
<li>25:44 - Scenarios when Russia would use nuclear weapons</li>
<li>27:16 - Putin's rationale and next steps</li>
<li>29:21 - Russian strikes and potential fault lines in Western unity</li>
<li>32:30 - U.S. reliance on Russia's brokerage of a nuclear deal with Iran</li>
</ul>

Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, joins the show to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ep. 20: Bill Roggio on Ukraine Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and editor of the Long War Journal, joins the show to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 01:10 - Introduction7:32 - Assessing Russian objectives in Ukraine13:25 - Russian shortfalls23:12 - Limits on Russian resources28:37 - Does the lack of preparation hurt Russian troops?32:21 - No fly zones38:36 - Escalation scenarios43:00 - Prospects for insurgency 49:32 - How does this end?

Ep. 20: Bill Roggio on Ukraine

Fred Kagan, Director of Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins the show to discuss the first week of the Russian invasion into Ukraine. 

Fred Kagan, Director of Critical Threats Project at AEI, joins the show to discuss the first week of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Times:00:42 - Introduction 01:40 - The situation at present06:39 - Nature of original build-up of Russian forces14:50 - Russian strategic and operational style17:47 - Lack of political preparation20:44 - Putin's background24:22 - Will Russia win?30:14 - What are Putin's weaknesses?34:20 - What happens next if Kyiv falls?39:41 - Impact on American national security

Ep. 19: Fred Kagan on Ukraine

Ep. 18: Bruce Jones on Seapower

Bruce Jones, director of the Project on International Order and Strategy of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, joins the show to discuss seapower. 

Bruce Jones, director of the Project on International Order and Strategy of the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, joins the show to discuss seapower.  Times<ul>
<li>00:51 - Introduction </li>
<li>01:17 - The importance of seapower today</li>
<li>06:45 - Innovation of container shipping and how that changed the global economy </li>
<li>12:50 - China re-enters the seas </li>
<li>16:54 - China’s security challenges at sea</li>
<li>22:44 - Shallow seas, narrow passages, and massive ships </li>
<li>24:06 - China’s strategic interest in Taiwan  </li>
<li>26:10 - China’s alienation of potential allies  </li>
<li>29:08 - American strategic view of the Pacific Ocean</li>
<li>34:41 - Relations between the United States and India, specifically in terms of taking on China </li>
<li>39:12 - Seapower theorist Alfred Thayer Mahan</li>
<li>44:55 - Comparing America’s quest for power at sea during the 20th century and China’s return to the sea today </li>
<li>48:48 - The role of oceanography in nation-state power competition </li>
</ul>

Ep. 17: Alexander Mikaberidze on Napoleon

Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History and the Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University-Shreveport, joins the show to discuss the Napoleonic Wars.

Alexander Mikaberidze, Professor of History and the Ruth Herring Noel Endowed Chair at Louisiana State University-Shreveport, joins the show to discuss the Napoleonic Wars. Times<ul>
<li>01:12 - Introduction</li>
<li>07:38 - How did European attitudes toward Napoleon change over his life?</li>
<li>13:34 - Nuances of nationalist sentiment Napoleon inspired</li>
<li>15:13 - Napoleonic wars, French hegemony, and geopolitics</li>
<li>20:23 - Napoleon's youth and the French Revolution</li>
<li>24:49 - Napoleon's early campaigns and his rise to power</li>
<li>29:16 - What is the Napoleonic way of war?</li>
<li>33:43 - What is Combined Arms and what are its advantages?</li>
<li>37:42 - What is the Eastern Question to Napoleon? </li>
<li>45:55 - How did Napoleon think about the Western Hemisphere? </li>
<li>53:46 - What remains of Napoleon's legacy after the Congress of Vienna?</li>
</ul> LinkBook: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Napoleonic-Wars-Global-History-dp-0199951063/dp/0199951063/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&amp;me=&amp;qid=">The Napoleonic Wars: A Global History</a>

Ep. 16: Gerry Roncolato on the U.S. Navy

Is the United States Navy prepared for war? Retired Navy Captain Gerry Roncolato joins the show to discuss the past, present, and future of American maritime power.

Is the United States Navy prepared for war? Retired Navy Captain Gerry Roncolato joins the show to discuss the past, present, and future of American maritime power. Times<ul>
<li>02:08 - Introduction </li>
<li>03:31 - Is the U.S. Navy prepared for a great-power war?</li>
<li>04:59 - The Navy during the Interwar Period and the Battle of Guadalcanal</li>
<li>09:41 - The experience of war at sea</li>
<li>16:30 - Historical examples—and lessons for the Navy today—in Roncolato’s article, A Warfighting Imperative: Back to Basics for the Navy</li>
<li>20:49 - Alarming incidents during operations at sea and underlying problems</li>
<li>27:23 - Are the troops adequately prepared for war at sea? </li>
<li>38:20 - Books aspiring officers should read</li>
<li>40:52 - Maneuver warfare at sea</li>
<li>48:20 - Managing troops in the barracks versus maneuvering men in battle </li>
</ul> LinkRoncolato’s article, <a href="https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2022/january/warfighting-imperative-back-basics-navy">A Warfighting Imperative: Back to Basics for the Navy</a>

Ep. 15: Andrew Lambert on Julian Corbett 

 Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King's College, London, joins the show to discuss British strategist Julian Corbett and his vision of seapower at the turn of the 20th century

Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies at King's College, London, joins the show to discuss British strategist Julian Corbett and his vision of seapower at the turn of the 20th century. Times<ul>
<li>01:37 - Introduction </li>
<li>02:02 - The British Empire during the 19th and 20th centuries</li>
<li>04:43 - Corbett as a lawyer, novelist, and strategist</li>
<li>09:05 - The Boer War and the future of the British Empire </li>
<li>13:26 - Corbett’s education on the principals of British power</li>
<li>16:12 - Britain’s power on land versus at sea </li>
<li>19:04 - British power in the Mediterranean </li>
<li>22:30 - How Corbett differentiates himself from Alfred Mahan</li>
<li>28:14 - The principles at the core of Corbett’s strategy </li>
<li>35: 56 - Maritime strategy throughout history</li>
<li>37:29 - An argument for a continental strategy  </li>
<li>41:28 - What Corbett envisioned during World War I </li>
<li>51:43 - How Corbett’s ideas apply to British and American military strategy today</li>
</ul>

Ep. 14: Kevin Hymel on General George S. Patton

Historian Kevin Hymel joins the show to discuss the life and leadership of the American World War II general most feared by the Nazis: George S. Patton

Historian Kevin Hymel joins the show to discuss the life and leadership of the American World War II general most feared by the Nazis: George S. Patton. Times<ul>
<li>01:48 - Introduction</li>
<li>04:38 - Recently uncovered details about General Patton</li>
<li>08:38 - History’s first draft</li>
<li>10:51 - How Patton became one of the most famous World War II leaders</li>
<li>13:35 - Patton before the war</li>
<li>17:34 - Patton in North Africa</li>
<li>23:08 - Problems with General Dwight D. Eisenhower</li>
<li>26:55 - Patton’s leadership style</li>
<li>28:20 - Fighting in Tunisia </li>
<li>32:49 - Patton’s risk calculations</li>
<li>34:16 - Patton’s behavior, temperament, and treatment of other officers</li>
<li>43:05 - The Civil War and Patton’s strategy in North Africa</li>
<li>45:00 - Patton’s role in Sicily </li>
<li>49:49 - Shell shock and Patton's anti-Semitism </li>
<li>55:21 - Sicily and combat stress </li>
</ul>

Ep. 13: Thomas Clavin on Joe Moser

Journalist and author Thomas Clavin joins the show to discuss the harrowing journey of Joe Moser, an American fighter pilot during World War II and the subject of Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival. 

Journalist and author Thomas Clavin joins the show to discuss the harrowing journey of Joe Moser, an American fighter pilot during World War II and the subject of Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival.  Times<ul>
<li>01:41 - Introduction </li>
<li>03:33 - Why a book on Joe Moser</li>
<li>09:44 - The Lockheed P-38 Lightning </li>
<li>11:09 - August 13, 1944</li>
<li>13:48 - Nazis send Moser to Buchenwald</li>
<li>15:44 - Buchenwald and the concentration camp system</li>
<li>17:48 - Karl-Otto and Ilse Koch</li>
<li>19:36 - Life at Buchenwald</li>
<li>21:34 - Colonel Phil Lamason</li>
<li>23:00 - Hannes Trautloft and Moser’s survival</li>
<li>27:27 - Leaving Buchenwald </li>
<li>31:47 - Joe after the war</li>
</ul>

Ep. 12: Hal Brands on the Cold War

Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, joins the show to discuss the Cold War's lessons for great-power rivalry today 

Hal Brands, the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, joins the show to discuss the Cold War's lessons for great-power rivalry today. Times<ul>
<li>01:24 - Introduction</li>
<li>02:47 - Halford Mackinder and how Eurasian geopolitics framed the Cold War</li>
<li>05:37 - Mackinder's theory of the heartland</li>
<li>07:47 - China's Belt and Road Initiative as an application of Mackinder's theory</li>
<li>09:07 - Comparing the United States' approaches to the USSR and China</li>
<li>13:04 - Nuclear power during the Cold War</li>
<li>17:24 - How Cold War-era nuclear logic applies today</li>
<li>21:02 - No first use policy</li>
<li>26:56 - The Nixon administration's critique of containment strategy</li>
<li>29:58 - The collapse of the Soviet Union</li>
<li>32:15 - Theories of victory that led to the Vietnam War</li>
<li>35:08 - End of the Cold War</li>
<li>39:17 - Infrastructure needed to fight the Soviets in the United States, and what the U.S. needs to take on China today</li>
<li>44:02 - China's moves to decouple economically from the United States</li>
<li>46:47 - The United States' harrowing responsibility to take on adversarial powers</li>
</ul>

Ep. 11: John Matteson on the Civil War's Cultural Impact

John Matteson, Distinguished Professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, joins the show to discuss how the Civil War—and in particular the fall of 1862—left its mark on the nation's culture and on some of its most famous citizens. 

John Matteson, Distinguished Professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, joins the show to discuss how the Civil War—and in particular the fall of 1862—left its mark on the nation's culture and on some of its most famous citizens. Times<ul>
<li>01:25 - Introduction</li>
<li>03:28 - Fall of 1862</li>
<li>09:19 - Matteson's selection of Americans included in A Worse Place Than Hell
</li>
<li>12:17 - Oliver Wendell Holmes and the 20th Massachusetts</li>
<li>16:13 - John Pelham</li>
<li>18:23 - Holmes, Pelham, and the battle of Antietam</li>
<li>23:56 - Holmes, Pelham, and the battle of Fredericksburg</li>
<li>27:23 - Valor and luck in battle</li>
<li>30:22 - The 20th Massachusetts in the battle of Fredericksburg</li>
<li>36:38 - Walt Whitman</li>
<li>40:17 - Oliver Wendell Holmes</li>
</ul> Recorded December 7, 2021

Ep. 10: Shane Brennan on Xenophon

Shane Brennan, associate professor of history at the American University in Dubai, joins the show to discuss the new Landmark edition of Xenophon's Anabasis, which he co-edits. The Anabasis, long unjustly neglected, is Xenophon's classic memoir of war and command in the lands which today constitute Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. 

Shane Brennan, associate professor of history at the American University in Dubai, joins the show to discuss the new Landmark edition of Xenophon's Anabasis, which he co-edits. The Anabasis, long unjustly neglected, is Xenophon's classic memoir of war and command in the lands which today constitute Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. Times<ul>
<li>01:26 - Introduction</li>
<li>05:07 - Who was Xenophon</li>
<li>06:09 - Late 5th century Athens</li>
<li>09:07 - Prince Cyrus of Persia</li>
<li>12:17 - The Greek's position and Xenophon's rise to leadership</li>
<li>16:46 - The army's path though Syria, Iraq and Turkey</li>
<li>20:42 - The end of Xenophon's expedition</li>
<li>23:42 - Xenophon's lessons for military leadership today</li>
<li>27:40 - Importance of Xenophon's work</li>
</ul> Recorded December 9, 2021

Ep. 9: David Stahel on the Eastern Front in WWII

David Stahel joins Aaron MacLean to discuss Operation Barbarossa—the German's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II

Biography David Stahel is a senior lecturer of history at the University of New South Wales in Australia. His research focuses on European military history, specifically Nazi-Soviet warfare from 1941-1945. Stahel is the author of several books, including his latest, Retreat from Moscow: A New History of Germany's Winter Campaign, 1941-1942. Times<ul>
<li>01:29 - Introduction</li>
<li>06:33 - Germany sends troops into the Soviet Union, summer 1941</li>
<li>12:24 - Flaws in Germany's plan </li>
<li>14:50 - "Cauldron" battle</li>
<li>22:10 - Culpability of German soldiers for atrocities during Operation Barbarossa </li>
<li>26:55 - Germans cede land to the Soviet Union, winter 1941-1942</li>
<li>29:38 - German's defensive position and strategy during the winter </li>
<li>39:11 - Ideology and military strategy </li>
<li>45:20 - Applicable lessons to strategists today</li>
</ul> Recorded on November 23, 2021

Ep. 8: H.W. Brands on the Patriots and the Loyalists 

Professor and historian H.W. Brands discusses the Patriots and the Loyalists during the Revolutionary War, drawing from his new book, Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution 

BiographyH.W, Brands is the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his doctorate in history. He is the author of thirty books, including two which have been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize: The First American and Traitor to His Class. His latest book, released November 9, is Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution. Times<ul>
<li>01:51- Introduction</li>
<li>07:36 - The sidelining of the Loyalists in American history and memory </li>
<li>12:53 - Individual decisions in the context of the Revolutionary War </li>
<li>18:42 - The Indian population and Joseph Brant</li>
<li>23:20 - The decision to rebel </li>
</ul> Recorded on November 9, 2021

Ep. 7: John McManus on the U.S. Army in the Pacific during World War II

Professor John McManus discusses his new book, Island Infernos, and the United States Army's role in the Pacific theater during the Second World War 

BiographyJohn McManus is the Curators' Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. McManus completed his doctorate in military history at the University of Tennessee and is the author of more than a dozen books. His latest, Island Infernos: The US Army's Pacific War Odyssey, 1944, is the second installment of a trilogy detailing the U.S. Army's role in the Pacific theater during World War II. Times<ul>
<li>01:12 - Introduction</li>
<li>03:38 - Misperceptions of the Army and Marines in Guadalcanal</li>
<li>08:44 - The Army's role in the Pacific</li>
<li>12:46 - Geography of the Pacific and dividing the theater between General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz</li>
<li>18:30 - Island hopping and the turning point in the Pacific theater</li>
<li>22:26 - The infantry's experience in combat</li>
<li>23:52 - The Pearl Harbor Conference and the endgame of war in the Pacific</li>
<li>31:55 - General Joseph Stilwell and China</li>
<li>38:39 - Prisoners of War in Japan</li>
<li>41:32 - The legacy of the War in the Pacific</li>
</ul> Recorded November 23, 2021

Ep. 6: Frank Ledwidge on Airpower 

Professor Frank Ledwidge discusses airpower, from its origins in World War I to its applications  in space 

BiographyFrank Ledwidge is a senior fellow of law and strategy at the Royal Air Force College in Cranwell, England. Ledwidge served as an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve and later worked in British foreign policy, focusing on the Balkans, the Middle East, and Central Asia. In 2015, Ledwidge earned his doctorate in War Studies at the King's College in London. He is the author of several books, including Losing Small Wars: British Military Failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, Investment in Blood: The True Cost of Britain's Afghan War, and Aerial Warfare: The Battle for the Skies.  Times<ul>
<li>01:14 - Introduction</li>
<li>04:27 - Origins and importance of airpower in the World War I</li>
<li>10:43 - From air reconnaissance to air bombings</li>
<li>12:43 - The Interwar Period and the "prophets" of air war</li>
<li>17:57 - How air bombing theories influence British and American World War II strategy</li>
<li>22:04 - Air raid casualties</li>
<li>29:05 - Control of the air during the Cold War</li>
<li>34:49 - Perceptions of the U.S.'s mistaken bombing of the Chinese Embassy</li>
<li>36:49 - Airpower in modern wars</li>
<li>38:57 - Theories of air warfare applied to space</li>
</ul> Recorded November 2, 2021

Ep. 5: Wayne Hsieh on Robert E. Lee

Wayne Hsieh discusses Robert E. Lee's military strategy as the commander of the Confederate Army during the Civil War

BiographyWayne Hsieh is a history professor at the United States Naval Academy. He served on the State Department's provincial reconstruction team in Iraq from 2008 to 2009 and is the recipient of multiple awards and honors, including the Army's Commander's Award for Civilian Service and the State Department's Meritorious Honors Award. Hsieh is the author of numerous articles and the co-author of The Savage War: A Military History of the Civil War. Times<ul>
<li>01:17 - Introduction </li>
<li>06:50 - Hostility toward studying Robert E. Lee </li>
<li>12:50 - Lee and West Point </li>
<li>15:18 - Senior leadership of Confederate and Union armies at West Point </li>
<li>17:17 - Lee's job as a junior officer in the Army Corps of Engineers </li>
<li>19:17 - Lee's rise during the Mexican War</li>
<li>23:27 - Ulysses Grant</li>
<li>26:21 - Stereotypes and temperaments of Civil War leaders</li>
<li>31:50 - What drives Lee's tactical decision-making</li>
<li>34:07 - Lee's strategic mistake </li>
</ul> Recorded October 6, 2021

Ep. 4: Sean McMeekin on Stalin and World War II

Sean McMeekin discusses World War II through the lens of Stalin, as outlined in his new book: Stalin's War

Biography Sean McMeekin is a professor and historian who focuses on early 20th century Europe. In addition to his latest book, Stalin's War: A New History of World War II, McMeekin is the author of The Russian Revolution: A New History, July 1914: Countdown to War, and The Ottoman Endgame: War, Revolution, and the Making of the Modern Middle East, 1908 - 1923, as well as several other books. McMeekin currently serves as the Francis Flournoy Professor of European History at Bard College in New York.Times<ul>
<li>02:02 - Introduction</li>
<li>05:35 - The American understanding of Russia and Joseph Stalin in World War II</li>
<li>09:12 - Politics and Stalin's legacy</li>
<li>11:37 - Stalin's foreign policy prior to WWII</li>
<li>17:40 - Stalin secures the Japanese non-aggression pact</li>
<li>24:03 - The Soviets push for a war between Japan and the United States</li>
<li>27:29 - Harry Hopkins and the Lend-Lease Policy</li>
<li>33:58 - Stalin as an ally</li>
<li>37:17 - Demanding unconditional surrender</li>
<li>40:16 - Debate over what compelled the Japanese to surrender</li>
<li>42:03 - Reception of Stalin's War
</li>
</ul> Recorded October 6, 2021

Ep. 4: Sean McMeekin on Stalin and World War II 

Ep. 3: Andrew Roberts on King George III

Historian Andrew Roberts discusses his new book, The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III

BiographyAndrew Roberts is a professor, author, and military historian. He's written or edited nearly 20 books, including biographies of Sir Winston Churchill and Napoleon, as well as his latest title, The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III. Roberts is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and the War Studies Department at King’s College, London. Times<ul>
<li>03:02- Introduction</li>
<li>04:05 - Why King George?</li>
<li>06:20 - How Britain wages war </li>
<li>13:39 - Party and class politics</li>
<li>15:44 - Britain's military strategy during the Revolutionary War</li>
<li>19:10 - Comparisons between the Revolution and World War II</li>
<li>20:30 - Fabian strategy in the Revolution </li>
<li>23:15 - George III's role in the War</li>
<li>25:52 - Forming new regiments </li>
<li>28:01 - What the British learn from their defeat</li>
<li>31:32 - Modern American portrayals of King George III</li>
<li>33:23 - Critiquing King George III's leadership and performance </li>
</ul> Recorded September 17, 2021

Ep. 2: Daniel Bolger on Maurice Rose 

Retired Lieutenant General Daniel Bolger discusses his new book, The Panzer Killers, and World War II General Maurice Rose 

BiographyDaniel Bolger is a retired Lieutenant General of the United States Army. A graduate of the Citadel, Lt. General Bolger earned five bronze stars during his time in the military. He served as the commander of several units, including the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, as well as the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. He earned a Ph.D. in military history form the University of Chicago and currently teaches at North Carolina State University. Times<ul>
<li>02:04 - Introduction</li>
<li>03:15 - Why Maurice Rose?</li>
<li>06:30 - What we know about Rose</li>
<li>10:39 - Rose's Motivations and relentless leadership</li>
<li>12:31 - Tank divisions in World War II</li>
<li>17:14 - Tank warfare following D-Day and maneuvering through the bocages</li>
<li>22:29 - Rose's command in the Battle of the Falaise Pocket</li>
<li>27:06 - Exhaustion and perseverance during battle</li>
<li>29:55 - What it takes to be a successful commander</li>
<li>34:07 - The final months of the War for Rose</li>
<li>40:09 - Leadership in today's forces</li>
</ul> Recorded August 27, 2021

Ep. 1: H.R. McMaster on the Gulf War

Retired Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster discusses his new book, Battlegrounds, and his time leading troops during the Gulf War

BiographyH. R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He was the 26th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.He is the author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Battlegrounds-Fight-Defend-Free-World/dp/0062899465">Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World</a> and Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Lies that Led to Vietnam.  Times<ul>
<li>03:10 - Introduction</li>
<li>04:02 - Biography</li>
<li>06:35 - Leading Eagle Troop</li>
<li>08:16 - Post Cold War preparation for Desert Shield and Desert Storm</li>
<li>15:17 - The Battle of the 73 Easting</li>
<li>23:17 - Advantages of the American military</li>
<li>26:12 - Overconfidence in American military dominance</li>
<li>29:16 - China's reaction to the Gulf War and technological development</li>
<li>32:30 - China's tactics</li>
<li>35:04 - The Biden administration's withdrawal from Afghanistan</li>
</ul> Recorded August 31, 2021

Trailer

Learn what war teaches

An introduction to the School of War podcast

This podcast seeks to learn what war teaches. There’s a steady decline in the study of military history and its associated theoretical discipline, strategy. Avoiding the knowledge of war is dangerous. This podcast solves that problem by diving into military and diplomatic history.&nbsp; We study strategy, and the words and deeds of significant battlefield commanders, diplomats, strategists, policymakers, and statesmen who have trained directly in the school of war.&nbsp;&nbsp; This podcast is primarily an interview show. The subject of any given episode may be the story of an historical battle, campaign, or conflict; the conduct of policy in the course of a major international competition; the work of a famous strategist; the nature of a famous weapon; the legacy of an important military commander or political leader in wartime.&nbsp;&nbsp;