John Lewis Gaddis
Pulitzer Prize–winning Cold War historian and Yale professor, expert on grand strategy and author of works on George Kennan, containment, and the Cold War.
Top 3 podcasts with John Lewis Gaddis
Ranked by the Snipd community
28 snips
Oct 8, 2018 • 42min
#447: On Grand Strategy
The ancient Greek poet Archilochus said, "A fox knows many things, but a hedgehog one important thing."The original meaning of the quote has been lost to the mists of time, but my guest today argues that it's a great metaphor for classifying two types of leadership strategies.His name is John Lewis Gaddis and he's a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, an expert on the Cold War, and a professor of military history at Yale University. Today, Professor Gaddis and I talk about his book, On Grand Strategy, in which he distills insights about strategy from political and military history going all the way back to antiquity.We begin our conversation discussing what strategy is and what it means to have grand strategy. John then shares the analogy of the fox and the hedgehog, and the benefits and downsides to each approach to thinking and acting. We then discuss why the best strategists combine fox-like and hedgehog-like mindsets, examples from history of great leaders who had both, and how he helps his students see the relationship between principle and practice.Get the show notes at aom.is/grandstrategy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
15 snips
Apr 13, 2018 • 1h
On Grand Strategy, with John Lewis Gaddis
Renowned historian John Lewis Gaddis discusses timeless principles of grand strategy and the fox vs. hedgehog concept. He explores balancing ambition with realism in historical strategy, dives into Chinese strategic literature, and reflects on the influence of Cold Wars on democracy in South Korea and Taiwan. Gaddis also touches on the influence of liberal politics on elite university campuses.
6 snips
Nov 19, 2025 • 1h 8min
Why the Cold War Still Matters with John Lewis Gaddis | Peter Robinson | Hoover Institution
John Lewis Gaddis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian from Yale, dives into the lasting impact of the Cold War on today's world. He highlights why many students struggle to grasp its significance and discusses how the atomic bomb redefined global politics. Gaddis critiques Vietnam’s legacy and examines Reagan’s dual approach of pressure and negotiation in ending the Cold War. He explores the challenges posed by China and the debate between spreading democracy and maintaining stability, advocating for learning from history to navigate modern policy decisions.
