A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

Dickinson College...students marched on the War College but instead of violence we had discussion. In a time when the nation sees increasing political divides and claims that the civil-military gap is ever widening, one program reaches out to try and reverse the trend. Colonels Ed Kaplan and Mike Baim join WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt, to highlight the contributions of the U.S. Army War College's Eisenhower Series College Program. Ed and Mike explain how each academic year a joint cohort of military officers reach out to colleges and town halls across the nation to introduce War College students to audiences that are often unfamiliar with members of the U.S. Military. Their goal is to have reasoned and thoughtful discussions with the society they serve and protect. And for the last 50 years the Eisenhower Program has succeeded in closing that gap in communities that have little or no tie to the military. COL Mike Baim is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College AY19 Resident Class. Colonel Ed Kaplan is the Director of Aerospace Studies at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Check out this video of a typical engagement for the Eisenhower Series College Program. Photo: On the eve of the operation, Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Greenham Common, an English airfield in Newbury, where he addressed the blackened face of 1st Lieutenant Wallace C. Strobel, Company E, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, and other airborne troopers. Photo Credit: U.S. Army Signal Corps

Bill Johnsen, a historian at the U.S. Army War College, and Con Crane, Chief of the Historical Services Division, dive into the life of Baron Antoine-Henri Jomini, a pivotal figure in military theory. They explore Jomini's battle against Clausewitz's chaotic approach and how his structured principles originated from Napoleon’s victories. Discussion highlights Jomini's lasting impact on military education, the balance of art and science in warfare, and the need for critical thinking about military strategy today.

We continue our Great Strategists series with an episode on the man whose works serve as a foundation of strategic thought about war. Thucydides (c. 460-400 BC) was a Athenian general in the Peloponnesian War who, early on, recognized the War's potential for transforming the political and social structures of the period. Thus, he set out to write a detailed account of the War from its onset. His aim was to understand how wars began, its impacts on combatant forces and societies, and to raise questions about the meaning of 'just' war. His first-person perspective adds color and power to his description of these events. Much of the contemporary discourse about the nature and character of war is owed to Thucydides. However, the full History of the Peloponnesian War is not the easiest read and covers an extensive amount of ground. It is both too easy and dangerous to reduce the work to particular passages such as the powerful Melian Dialogue or reduce the work to bumper stickers like the "Thucydidean Trap." A wider reading shows how strategic decisions made early in the war had significant effects in the short and long terms. Helping tell Thucydides' story and the impacts of his History are three faculty members from the U.S. Army War College -- Drs. Tami Davis Biddle, Michael Neiberg, and Richard Lacquement. Each have a role in incorporating Thucydides' works into the War College curriculum and offer their individual perspectives. UProfessor of Strategy and WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates. [Thucydides] is one of the very few primary resources we have. If he hadn't done this, we probably wouldn't know very much about this period at all Tami Davis Biddle is Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Army War College. Michael Neiberg is Chair of War Studies at the U.S. Army War College. Richard Lacquement was Dean of the School of Strategic Landpower at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline Whitt is Associate Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Image: Depiction of Pericles' Funeral Oration by Phillip Foltz, c. 1877, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain

Ah, writing ... that elusive skill. For all the advice and helpful books on the market, there is little substitute for developing the skill through practice and experience. But not everyone has the time, and even experienced writers can struggle to find the right words. In this episode of A BETTER PEACE, Jennifer Keene and Michael Neiberg discuss various tips on writing, especially history and other scholarship. How does one craft a good thesis? Or deliver a great hook in the introduction? Or develop those 'wow' moments that leave a lasting impression on the reader?

At the outbreak of the war, all of those armies were quite small but they rapidly grew many times their size in 1914 Historical memory of the First World War often focuses on the western front, perhaps because of egocentrism or the wealth of documents and literature that emerged from the front. But while the western front is iconic, this focus obscures the fact that the Great War was indeed a world war fought on several continents by soldiers from around the globe. An often overlooked theater was Africa, where soldiers from colonial armies fought each other on the continent, or joined their colonial powers on the western front. These small colonial armies originally supported and preserved imperial rule, but as the Great War broke out they mobilized quickly. What motivated Africans to fight in the armies of their colonial power? How did the war change the relationships between the empires and their colonies? These are other topics are presented by special guest Michelle Moyd, author of Violent Intermediaries: African Soldiers, Conquest, and Everyday Colonialism in German East Africa. WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.     Michelle Moyd is the Ruth N. Halls Associate Professor, Department of History and Associate Director, Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society at Indiana University. Jacqueline E. Whitt is the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: Four Askaris, German East Africa Soldiers, taken between 1906 and 1918. Photo Credit: By Bundesarchiv, Bild 105-DOA3124 / Walther Dobbertin / under creative commons license 3.0, Germany [CC-BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 3.0 de]. Refer to this link for more information.

They're outgoing. They're adventurous. They want to do something for the war effort. They want to do their bit. While contemporary conversations about women and the military focus on the extent to which women are or should be integrated as service members, this is but one perspective. Women have been associated with militaries in various ways and to varying degrees throughout human history. In the U.S., the wars and conflicts of the 20th century saw civilian American women taking on significant roles and responsibilities in support of war efforts, from the thousands of women manning the factory floors (a la Rosie the Riveter) to entertainers sent overseas. One of the more interesting (and by today's standards, rather odd) initiatives was the sending of attractive single women to the front lines of World War I. The purpose was simply to meet and converse with the soldiers thereby sustaining morale. For soldiers who had never left home before the war, the presence of these women were reminders of the home front and (it is believed) helped keep soldiers from engaging in immoral or unprofessional conduct with the locals. This idea evolved over subsequent wars but the aim remained the same -- to alleviate combat stress and help keep soldiers on the straight and narrow. However, the launch of the All-Volunteer Force, gender integration, and the growing numbers of older, married soldiers led to movements away from employing women in such morale support roles. Discussing this history and contemporary implications is Kara Dixon Vuic, author of the book The Girls Next Door: Bringing the Home Front to the Front Lines. WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.   Kara Dixon Vuic is the Lance Corporal Benjamin W. Schmidt Professor of War, Conflict, and Society in 20th-Century America at Texas Christian University. Jacqueline E. Whitt is the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: Doughnut Girl in World War I with troops, circa 1918 Photo Credit: Salvation Army via Smithsonian, public domain (pre-1924)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The current temporary theme we are using only credits a single guest. This podcast featured Roland Murphy and Chris Wyatt The western African nation of Liberia underwent a period of significant unrest and violent beginning with a military coup in 1980 and culminated with a very bloody civil war in 2003, which saw the ouster and exile of an autocratic leader. Under watch of the United Nations Mission to Liberia, the nation successfully transitioned to democratic rule, signified by the free and fair election of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in 2005. In the years that followed, the U.S. assisted in the demobilization of the old Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and the establishment of a new AFL, operating under civilian rule, by 2010. So what has transpired since? Is the new AFL operating as a professional force similar to the U.S.? To what extent does it contribute to enduring peace in Liberia at home and to international peace efforts elsewhere? These and many other topics are explored in this special episode where we welcome Lieutenant Colonel Roland Murphy of the Liberian Armed Forces who provides an insiders' view of the AFL's professionalization. These may inform future U.S. efforts to build partner capacity in other nations. U.S. Army War College Director of African Studies Chris Wyatt moderates. A lot of neighbors in our subregion were skeptical of Liberia, so after the new Armed Forces of Liberia were formed, they were watching carefully. The story is different now. Roland Murphy is a lieutenant colonel in the Liberian Army, a member of the 2nd Cohort of the new Armed Forces of Liberia, and an International Fellow of the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2020. Chris Wyatt is a colonel in the U.S. Army and the Director of African Studies at the U.S. Army War College. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf inspecting AFL soldiers on board USS Fort McHenry in 2008 Photo Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Elizabeth Merriam

From the WAR ROOM Editorial Staff: What happens when a DBA from the Harvard Business School lands at the U.S. Army War College? There's the inevitable push-back against the formal dress code, but more importantly--there's innovation and new ideas. Although Dr. Andrew A. Hill has announced his departure from the War College and as the Editor-in-Chief of WAR ROOM, his mark and legacy is unmistakable. Under Andrew's tenacious leadership and vision, WAR ROOM and its podcast, A BETTER PEACE, matured from a twinkle in his eye to a somewhat-rebellious adolescent in just two years. There have been growing pains and challenges as the editorial team navigated the crowded space of online publishing in the national security arena and as WAR ROOM hit its stride and found its niche. Andrew's imagination and tireless efforts were central to every achievement. To commemorate his departure from the U.S. Army War College, the WAR ROOM Editorial Team has elected to re-release one of our earliest podcasts, Andrew's June 2017 interview with then-War College Commandant Major General Bill Rapp entitled, "Why War Colleges?" The podcast is more than a treatise on the roles, missions, challenges, and opportunities of senior professional military education (PME). It represents Andrew's vision of WAR ROOM as a forum for introspection on enduring issues in national security and the defense enterprise. The WAR ROOM team, under the leadership of the new Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt, pledge to faithfully uphold the vision of crowdsourced content that opens space for new voices in the arena while insisting on the highest standards of content and quality. All of us at WAR ROOM thank Andrew for his vision, energy, and dedication these past two-and-a-half years and wish him every success, and (even if this does require a strained translation from Latin), prudens futuri. It is leaders and ideas that make the War Colleges, especially today, necessary and vital In this War Room Podcast, “Why War Colleges?” Andrew A. Hill interviews the 50th Commandant of the U.S. Army College, U.S. Army Major General Bill Rapp to discuss the history, roles, and responsibilities of war colleges to develop future strategic leaders, both military and civilian, and to develop ideas that address current and future needs of the defense enterprise. They explore why the Army’s performance during the Spanish-American War necessitated the Army War College’s founding, and how it has evolved in the century since.     Bill Rapp is a major general in the U.S. Army and the 50th Commandant of the U.S. Army War College.  Andrew A. Hill is editor-in-chief of War Room. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Army or the U.S. Government.  Photo:  Left -- Close-up of U.S. Army War College resident class of 1952. Right -- Close-up of U.S. Army War College resident class of 2017. Photo credit:  U.S. Army War College

How important is enhancing unity of effort ... [so] all the differences in culture, values, caveats, mindsets, etc. are harmonized for a common objective? Service at the strategic level sometimes involves working with international partners and possibly serving within multinational environments, such as NATO in Belgium or UN peacekeeping missions. The experiences of American officers in such settings can feel, literally, foreign as U.S. military culture and habits may differ from those of allied and partner nations. Unfortunately, not everyone receives adequate training or other preparation for entry into such assignments, which can impact both individual and team performance. This year, a team of U.S. Army War College researchers studied factors that contribute to success in multinational staff assignments based on interviews with U.S. Army War College students -- both Americans and International Fellows. Reporting the results of this study are two of the team members -- Colonel Christian Vial, a U.S. Army War College Exchange Officer from Chile and Dr. George Woods. What can professional military education institutions and force providers do to set its budding multinational staff officers for success? A BETTER PEACE Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates. Click here to download an executive summary of the study!     Christian Vial is a colonel in the Chilean Army and an exchange officer on the faculty of the U.S. Army War College. George Woods is Professor of Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College. Jacqueline E. Whitt is the Editor-in-Chief of A BETTER PEACE. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: Official opening of the SHAPE Headquarters, Mons, Belgium, 1967 Photo Credit: NATO

Space is important and we would notice if it went away Indeed, so much of what the global public relies upon for work and life depends on space capabilities. But more than ever, the space domain is becoming contested, and that is driving a new discourse about the capabilities that the U.S. military require to protect it from adversarial attack or exploitation. Recognizing these emerging challenges, the U.S. President expressed the intent to create a dedicated space force. Since then, there have been many discussions about a space force's roles, missions, require capabilities, rules of engagement, and composition. What are the problems that the DoD and the Army face in the space domain, and how would a dedicated space force address those problems? Addressing these and many other questions is Andrew Diederich, a space officer in the Army. A BETTER PEACE Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.       Andrew Diederich is a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army National Guard and a graduate of the U.S. Army War College resident class of 2019. Jacqueline E. Whitt is the Editor-in-Chief of A BETTER PEACE. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo Credit: U.S. Air Force photo