The Secrets of Statecraft
Hoover Institution
Secrets of Statecraft is a bimonthly podcast hosted by Distinguished Visiting Fellow Andrew Roberts that explores the effect that the study of history has had on the careers and decision making of public figures. The podcast also features leading historians discussing the influence that the study of history had on their biographical subjects. The title is taken from Winston Churchill’s reply on Coronation Day 1953 to a young American who had asked him for life advice, to whom he said, “Study history, study history, for therein lie all the secrets of statecraft.”
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
Sep 29, 2026 • 1h
What Thucydides Can Teach Us About Politics And War | Hoover Institution
Andrew Novo, a historian and strategic studies professor, revisits Thucydides beyond the usual quotations. They explore the Peloponnesian War, democracy’s vulnerabilities, the Melian Dialogue, Alcibiades’ disastrous Sicilian expedition, and the dangers of applying ancient history to America-China rivalry. The conversation also considers power beyond military strength, civil war, human nature, and a counterfactual Roman Empire ruled from Alexandria.
15 snips
Sep 8, 2026 • 1h 4min
Andrew Roberts on Churchill, Napoleon, and the Men Who Change History | Hoover Institution
Peter Robinson, an American journalist, writer, interviewer, and Hoover Institution research fellow, speaks with historian Andrew Roberts about Churchill’s leadership, Napoleon, and the individuals who redirect history. They explore Churchill’s wartime decisions, criticisms of his record, Hitler’s fanaticism, Brexit, Trump, socialism, immigration, and the decline of literacy and historical memory.
Aug 25, 2026 • 35min
Can Palantir and AI Transform the UK For The Better? | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Louis Mosley, Head of Palantir UK and software executive in defence, healthcare and policing. He explains how data integration and AI are reshaping battlefields, NHS operations, and police investigations. The conversation covers Palantir’s support for Ukraine, NHS system linking that increased surgical capacity, political pushback in London, and the broader promise and risks of AI for institutions.
19 snips
Aug 12, 2026 • 59min
The Secrets of Churchill’s Diplomats with Lord Peter Ricketts | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Lord Peter Ricketts, former head of Britain’s Diplomatic Service and first National Security Adviser, discusses wartime Foreign Office figures and their impact. He sketches tense dealings with de Gaulle, clandestine work in neutral capitals, and the creation of postwar institutions like the UN and NATO. He also considers how Britain managed decline and whether the postwar order is unraveling.
Jul 27, 2026 • 1h 5min
The Rise and Fall of Empires with Conrad Black | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Conrad Black, Canadian-born businessman, historian, and multi-volume author, discusses volume three of his Political and Strategic History of the World. He explores the rise and fall of great empires, contrasts French absolutism with British institutions, reevaluates figures like Napoleon and Lincoln, and traces how 17th–19th century strategies shaped the modern international order.
4 snips
Jul 7, 2026 • 57min
Secrets of Spin with Media Maestro David Yelland | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
David Yelland, former Sun editor and PR pro now running Kitchen Table Partners, discusses how media and messaging really move power. He unpacks Murdoch-era tabloids vs tech platforms, crisis communications, royal and political messaging, AI and regulation, information warfare, and the growth of corporate PR. Short, sharp conversations about who shapes what the public sees.
Jun 16, 2026 • 44min
This Is Not America: A British Conversation On Race with Tomiwa Owolade | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Tomiwa Owolade, author and Times of London columnist known for This Is Not America, argues Britain needs its own race conversation separate from American frameworks. He critiques imported identity-politics, explores cultural cringe and social media’s role, and warns about institutional bias, sectarian risks, and the erosion of a shared civic culture.
4 snips
Jun 3, 2026 • 49min
Monarchy as Statecraft: Lessons from Elizabeth II with Hugo Vickers | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Hugo Vickers, writer and royal biographer with decades of access, brings lively anecdotes and archival research. He discusses how Elizabeth II used restraint and quiet persuasion in diplomacy. Conversations range from reconciliation with wartime foes to the mechanics of royal speechwriting, family scandals, Prince Philip’s influence, and where dramatizations like The Crown depart from fact.
May 19, 2026 • 43min
France’s Original Culture War: The Dreyfus Affair | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Catherine Ostler, journalist and author of The Renoir Girls, explores the Cahen d'Anvers family and Renoir’s portraits. She traces the Dreyfus Affair’s rise of French anti‑Semitism, the family’s wartime fates including escape, deportation, and accusations of collaboration. The story follows art, looting, survival, and how paintings witnessed Europe’s violent transformations.
May 8, 2026 • 58min
Dan Hannan and The Case for Capitalism | Andrew Roberts | Hoover Institution
Dan Hannan, Conservative politician and new director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, champions free markets and economic literacy. He discusses restoring market-friendly ideas, defending free trade against protectionist instincts, rethinking education to teach economics to youth, Brexit’s unrealized deregulation opportunities, and the cultural and political forces reshaping conservatism today.
