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Episode 420
The Fog of War and Humanity | Part 2

In Part Two of this powerful conversation, host Richard Acritelli continues his discussion with Liam Carballal, diving deeper into the aftermath of the Spanish American War and the complex legacy of American expansion overseas.

This episode explores the U.S. takeover of the Philippines, the rise of guerrilla warfare, and the moral gray areas that emerged as America shifted from liberator to occupier. The conversation does not shy away from difficult truths, including wartime conduct, the brutal realities of counterinsurgency, and how disease and environment shaped military outcomes as much as bullets did.

The discussion then moves to Theodore Roosevelt and the Panama Canal, examining how medical breakthroughs, political boldness, and gunboat diplomacy helped define America’s arrival as a global power. Strategic necessity, national pride, and ethical compromise collide as the hosts ask a tough question that echoes into today’s headlines: when does security justify intervention, and at what cost?

Blending military history, foreign policy, and human consequences, this episode highlights how decisions made over a century ago still influence global strategy today. History may not repeat perfectly, but it certainly rhymes.

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