School of War

Wayne Lee, Bruce W. Carney Distinguished Professor of History at UNC and author of The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500-1800, joins the show to talk about war in the ‘Eastern Woodlands’, both before and after European contact. ▪️ Times • 01:48 Introduction • 02:50 Coincidences • 07:19 “Woods and rivers, deer and rabbits, corn and beans” • 12:51 Unused land • 19:29 Sacred spaces • 21:56 Strategic objectives • 28:35 Why not occupy? • 32:50 Logistics • 41:57 The role of the prisoner • 49:10 Something like the truth • 54:34 Offense and defense Follow along on Instagram

David Betz, Professor of War in the Modern World at King’s College London, joins the show to talk about what the status of the Ukrainian counteroffensive has to teach us about the enduring relevance of fortifications and the defense as a form of war. ▪️ Times • 02:02 Introduction • 02:16 Modern War • 03:36 Counteroffensive progress • 06:08 Tracking events • 11:08 Russia’s defensive scheme • 23:07 Fortified strategic complex • 32:9 Maginot reconsidered • 40:47 The pendulum • 48:07 What if… To read the article discussed on this episode click the link - Russian fortifications present an old problem for Ukraine - JULY 20, 2023 DAVID J BETZ Follow along on Instagram

Antulio J. Echevarria, General Douglas MacArthur Chair of Research at the U.S. Army War College and a contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about one of the most influential military thinkers of the modern age, Antoine-Henri Jomini. ▪️ Times • 01:55 Introduction • 02:22 Who was Jomini? • 06:13 A charlatan? • 08:57 Summary of the Art of War • 11:50 Clausewitz vs Jomini • 14:26 The center of gravity • 16:03 Lines of operation • 21:21 Regard for the enemy • 24:44 Interpreting Napoleon • 28:09 Mahan and Jomini • 30:47 Air power • 31:55 Clausewitz revival • 34:02 Jomini today

Mike Gallagher, U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district and Chair of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, joins the show to talk about why the Korean War should be front-of-mind for American policymakers and strategists. ▪️ Times • 02:06 Introduction • 04:05 Wolf-warrior diplomacy • 10:42 A new Cold War • 13:05 T.R. Fehrenbach • 22:25 “This stuff matters” • 25:25 Task Force Smith • 29:44 Route clearances • 31:23 Inchon • 35:06 Truman’s failures • 38:19 Eisenhower brings balance • 42:24 China has gotten stronger Follow along on Instagram And here is a link to checkout the article Aaron and Mike wrote for Foreign Affairs Why America Forgets and China Remembers the Korean War

Mark McGrath and Brian Rivera, hosts of the No Way Out podcast, join the show to talk about strategist John Boyd. ▪️ Times • 02:09 Introduction • 02:59 Who was John Boyd? • 06:03 “40 Second” Boyd • 08:05 Air to air combat • 09:45 OODA Loop • 14:20 Getting inside the enemy’s loop • 18:44 Fast transients • 21:41 Patterns of Conflict • 26:27 Military reformer • 29:46 Blitzkrieg and Entebbe • 37:43 Detractors Follow along on Instagram For more on John Boyd and from Mark and Brian check out the ​​No Way Out Podcast

Aaron O’Connell, Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin, joins the show to talk about the “founding fathers” of 20th century geopolitical thought: Mahan, Mackinder, and Spykman. ▪️ Times • 01:46 Introduction • 02:20 From Marine to scholar to the NSC • 06:24 Alfred T. Mahan • 12:27 Choke points, decisive battle, and battleships • 15:45 Security through imperialism • 18:08 Chinese Mahanians • 20:33 China’s crowded neighborhood • 21:27 Halford Mackinder • 28:56 Heartland rising • 31:36 Inner and outer crescent • 33:01 Nicholas Spykman • 37:55 The nature of power • 39:03 Containment • 42:11 The American role • 46:22 The path of partnerships Follow along on Instagram

Charles Edel, senior adviser and Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about one of the founding architects of American foreign policy, John Quincy Adams. ▪️ Times • 01:33 Introduction • 02:20 Democratic strategy • 04:43 Adams • 08:03 Early threats to the Republic • 13:20 A potential challenger to Europe • 18:10 Unity and strength • 25:08 “In search of monsters to destroy” • 30:07 British parallels • 34:11 Slavery • 38:36 Public service Follow along on Instagram

Max Hastings, journalist, military historian, and author most recently of Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962, joins the show to talk about the world’s brush with World War III. ▪️ Times • 01:41 Introduction • 01:59 From journalism to history • 07:06 Recollections • 09:40 Castro and the Bay of Pigs • 19:46 Overflights • 26:46 Quarantine and blockade • 33:45 Russian floundering • 35:52 Dealmaking • 40:07 Uncomfortable proximity • 42:36 Spheres of influence Follow along on Instagram

Holger Afflerbach, Professor of Modern European History at the University of Leeds and author of On a Knife Edge: How Germany Lost the First World War, joins the show to talk about the origins of the First World War, how much Germany is to blame, and why the July Crisis of 1914 is relevant in 2023. ▪️ Times • 01:59 Introduction • 02:46 Fritz Fischer • 10:34 1914 and today • 15:24 The Kaiser • 21:54 Bethmann Hollweg • 27:46 Military necessity • 37:25 How did Germany lose? • 44:10 Murderers or sleepwalkers? For context, and a better sense of the events unfolding in 1914, checkout the National World War One Museum Interactive Timeline and Summer 1914 Day By Day. Follow along on Instagram

Mark Galeotti, director of Mayak Intelligence, host of the In Moscows’s Shadow podcast, and author of Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine, joins the show to talk about the post-Cold War Russian Armed Forces. ▪️ Times • 02:13 Introduction • 04:26 The peak • 10:04 In decline • 13:04 A day in the life of a ’90s Russian soldier • 16:23 The First Chechen War • 21:17 Putin and Chechnya • 24:42 Russia’s claims • 35:10 Modernization • 40:49 Historical karma in Ukraine • 46:10 Big picture • 48:20 Ukraine’s counter-offensive • 51:49 Wagner and Prigozhin Follow along on Instagram

Hew Strachan, Bishop Wardlaw Professor at the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews and a contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about Carl von Clausewitz. ▪️ Times • 02:10 Introduction • 04:31 Serious-minded • 09:43 On War • 11:54 Deconstruct to construct • 15:19 Distinctions in war • 24:07 The American embrace of Clausewitz • 28:00 Context is everything • 32:14 Politics by other means • 36:24 Clausewitz the Marxist • 40:05 Absolute and Total Follow along on Instagram

Iskander Rehman, Ax:son Johnson Fellow at the Kissinger Center at Johns Hopkins SAIS and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about French grand strategy during the 16th and 17th century rivalry between the Bourbons and Habsburg Spain. ▪️ Times • 02:41 Introduction • 04:35 A nagging curiosity • 06:59 Sully at the start • 13:27 The genesis of a struggle • 21:19 French internal cohesion • 26:51 Naval power • 29:28 Religious factions and Richelieu • 32:14 The 30 Years War and France • 36:22 The fruits of disorder • 41:44 Defender of the faith • 44:41 Mazarin • 49:48 Hegemonic France • 53:56 Rapid-fire lessons Follow along on Instagram

Levi Roach, Associate Professor of Medieval History at the University of Exeter and author of Empires of the Normans: Conquerors of Europe, joins the show to talk about the rise, violent spread, and ultimate normalization of the group of Viking raiders know as the Normans. ▪️ Times • 01:25 Introduction • 01:53 Who were the Normans? • 06:40 Transformations • 11:41 Parallel outbursts • 14:35 “If a Frank is your neighbor, he’s not your friend” • 16:01 Towards 1066 • 22:20 Dukes and kings • 26:34 Hastings • 31:42 William’s victory • 36:13 Rule by castle • 39:26 Siege and counter-siege • 41:27 Normans in the Mediterranean • 47:24 “Noteworthy, not unique” Follow along on Instagram

Toshi Yoshihara, Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, author of Mao’s Army Goes to Sea, and contributor to the New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about Sun Tzu and Mao’s strategic thought. ▪️ Times • 02:14 Introduction • 02:33 Who was Sun Tzu? • 05:38 Spring and Autumn • 08:27 Legitimizing the text • 11:18 Rational analysis • 13:51 Clausewitz versus Sun Tzu • 20:28 A dangerous optimism • 24:40 Shih • 29:59 Mao in ’49 and ’50 • 34:11 Chinese intervention in Korea • 38:36 The origins of Chinese sea power • 43:11 Amphibious operations • 47:33 D-Day without any advantages Andrew Rhodes Map D-Day Invasion compared to potential Taiwan Invasion Follow along on Instagram

Mark Moyar, the William P. Harris Chair of Military History at Hillsdale College, author of Triumph Regained: The Vietnam War, 1965-1968 and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to reconsider the history of the Vietnam War. ▪️ Times • 01:53 Introduction • 04:30 Beginnings • 08:43 Early success • 12:23 Fallout from the coup • 14:00 LBJ takes over • 19:06 Domino theory • 22:20 China and Vietnam • 25:40 Buying time • 28:23 Johnson and McNamara • 34:22 Maintaining the shield • 35:53 Westmoreland and attrition • 41:42 South Vietnam • 45:33 Parallels Follow along on Instagram

Carter Malkasian, chair of the Defense Analysis Department at the Naval Postgraduate School and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about counterterrorism and counterinsurgency since 9/11. ▪️ Times • 01:39 Introduction • 02:01 From academia to Garmsir • 03:48 Center for Naval Analysis • 05:45 Two faces of the same coin • 08:51 Counterterrorism vs counterinsurgency • 13:00 McChrystal and Petraeus • 16:29 Types of insurgency • 20:34 The Sunni Awakening and the Surge • 24:32 Two different wars • 30:51 Gilding the lily • 37:46 The Obama Administration • 41:42 ISIS • 44:45 Withdrawal deadline Follow along on Instagram

Matthew Kroenig, professor in the Department of Government and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and contributor to the New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about one of the most influential strategic thinkers of all time, Niccolo Machiavelli. ▪️ Times • 02:21 Introduction • 03:52 Teaching Machiavelli • 05:38 Machiavelli’s relevance • 07:49 Who was Niccolo? • 10:00 A lasting effect • 12:16 The Art of War • 15:52 A bad reputation • 19:58 A return to republic • 22:25 The Prince • 25:45 An early realist • 30:35 Classical influences • 35:12 Bullish on democracy Follow along on Instagram

John Gaddis, Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military & Naval History at Yale University and a contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about the foundations of strategic thought. ▪️ Times • 02:01 Introduction • 02:42 Makers of Modern Strategy • 05:21 Democracy and strategy • 07:42 Do authoritarians do strategy better? • 10:32 A guide for future action • 14:19 Grammar and logic • 17:42 Ecological sensitivity • 21:00 Maintain credibility • 23:25 NSC-68 • 28:04 Reactions • 32:18 Self-correction • 37:12 Tolerating contradictions • 41:29 Robert Kagan • 42:43 Intellectual humility Follow along on Instagram

Will Scharf, former federal prosecutor and candidate for Missouri Attorney General, joins the show to talk about how the Chinese Communist Party uses fentanyl as part of a broader strategy to pressure the United States. ▪️ Times • 01:16 Introduction • 02:19 Law enforcement and policy • 04:39 What is fentanyl? • 06:53 Violent Crimes • 09:00 Fentanyl’s strength • 12:02 Fentanyl vs opium • 13:24 Origins • 17:52 China’s role • 21:09 The Opium Wars • 25:41 The Chinese enigma • 34:13 What can we do? • 38:02 The cartels • 41:03 Cui bono?

John Lisle, a historian of science and the American intelligence community and author of The Dirty Tricks Department, joins the show to talk about the World War Two-era Office of Strategic Services and its Research and Development Branch. ▪️ Times • 01:44 Introduction • 02:10 “Wild Bill” Donovan • 05:54 Donovan’s style • 08:53 Stanley Lovell • 12:35 An unconventional training process • 16:40 Explosive pancake batter • 19:24 Limpet mines and Java Man • 23:33 A meaningful legacy? • 27:34 Target: Werner Heisenberg • 31:51 WMDs • 35:40 Truth Serum • 39:02 From OSS to CIA Follow along on Instagram

Peter H. Wilson, Chichele Professor of the History of War at All Souls, Oxford, and author of Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500, joins the show to talk about Germany, Germans, and German-speakers at war. ▪️ Times • 01:52 Introduction • 03:07 A dominance myth? • 06:58 The Holy Roman Empire • 10:33 HRE longevity • 12:38 The Thirty Years War • 15:31 Westphalia • 21:24 Prussia rising • 24:09 Prussia and Austria • 27:56 Napoleon • 31:43 The Imperial legacy • 34:42 Bismarck’s wars • 37:06 1914 vs 1940 • 40:03 Blitzkrieg

Stephen J. Hadley, National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush and lead editor of Hand-Off: The Foreign Policy George W. Bush Passed to Barack Obama, joins the show to talk about the lasting effects of the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and the Bush administration’s dealings with Russia and China. ▪️ Times • 01:38 Introduction • 02:03 Transitions • 06:41 Russia and China then and now • 08:45 Democratic values and our interests • 15:20 Democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan • 19:39 Missing ingredients in Afghanistan • 24:07 Departing Iraq • 30:05 A better outcome for Afghanistan? • 33:33 Commitments • 38:30 China and Russia from ’01 to ’09 • 44:57 Integrating China into the international system • 47:37 NATO expansion

Michael E. O’Hanlon, senior fellow and director of research in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution and author of Military History for the Modern Strategist: America’s Major Wars Since 1861, joins the show to talk about how the patterns of military history can shed light on today’s concerns. ▪️ Times • 01:16 Introduction • 01:50 Military history for the modern strategist • 05:16 Is military history relevant? • 09:05 Lessons from the Civil War • 22:47 Could the South have succeeded? • 27:46 America starts slow • 35:35 MaArthur’s dismissal • 41:16 Could the Korean War have ended earlier? • 45:11 What is our grand strategy?

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

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

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

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. Watch this video on YouTube. ▪️ 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

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

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?”

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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

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. ▪️ 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

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

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

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?

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 & 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

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 & 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?

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. 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 & 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. ▪️ 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

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

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

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

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. ▪️ 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

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”