School of War
The Free Press
In School of War, CBS News National Security Analyst and Free Press columnist Aaron MacLean sits down with secretaries of state, top military historians, war planners, and key political decision-makers to help understand the lessons of war.
Tune in as School of War takes you to the front lines.
Aaron MacLean is a former senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He has worked as a foreign policy advisor and legislative director to Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Visit our Substack for episode transcripts
Follow along on Instagram
Tune in as School of War takes you to the front lines.
Aaron MacLean is a former senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He has worked as a foreign policy advisor and legislative director to Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Visit our Substack for episode transcripts
Follow along on Instagram
Episodes
Mentioned books
18 snips
Oct 2, 2026 • 1h 3min
What the Dutch Empire Reveals About America Today
Alexander Bick, historian, University of Virginia professor, and former National Security Council official, explores how the Dutch West India Company fused commerce and warfare against Spain. They discuss patriotic investment, the costly conquest of Brazil, and strategic success despite commercial failure. Bick then connects Dutch mercantilism to U.S. policy toward China, Biden and Trump, and the resource-driven politics of Venezuelan oil.
37 snips
Sep 29, 2026 • 1h 15min
How the Middle East Got So Screwed Up, with Simon Sebag Montefiore
Simon Sebag Montefiore, the British historian and author of The Cauldron, explores how the modern Middle East was shaped by empire, nationalism, expulsions, and Islamism. He examines why 1979 transformed the region, Iran’s revolutionary resilience and nuclear standoff, Trump’s pressure strategy, Israel’s increasingly preemptive posture, and Erdoğan’s neo-Ottoman ambitions.
17 snips
Sep 25, 2026 • 47min
America’s Aging Shipyards Are a Crisis Waiting to Happen
Alex Wong, Hanwha Group’s global strategy chief and former U.S. national security official, examines America’s shipbuilding crisis. He discusses how policy choices hollowed out the industry, why commercial yards matter for naval power, and how Korean investment, robotics, and workforce training could accelerate recovery. He also explores wartime surge capacity, North Korea diplomacy, and the strategic links between Taiwan and Korea.
17 snips
Sep 22, 2026 • 49min
The Middle East After America?
Imtiaz Tyab, a CBS News senior foreign correspondent specializing in conflict and international security, reports from Afghanistan and the wider Middle East. He describes a safer yet more repressive Afghanistan, secret schools where girls defy the Taliban, and letters from students pleading for help. He also examines whether Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey could form a “Muslim NATO” as America’s regional role shifts.
24 snips
Sep 18, 2026 • 60min
Why John Boyd Still Matters
Ian Brown, a retired Marine officer, war-game analyst, and author on military strategy, explores why John Boyd’s ideas remain vital. They trace Boyd’s path from fighter-pilot theory to the OODA loop, examine maneuver warfare’s focus on organizational gaps, and consider how AI, drones, information warfare, and Ukraine are reshaping conflict.
44 snips
Sep 15, 2026 • 1h 2min
What War Teaches Us—If We Survive It
John Spencer, a retired Army major and urban-warfare expert, joins a wide-ranging conversation on the war with Iran, the Battle of Hormuz, and the stakes of failure. He recounts losing part of his ear, leaving the Rangers, and finding resilience through repeated setbacks. Vivid stories from Iraq and Marjah explore IEDs, battlefield intuition, leadership, and the complex power networks of Baghdad.
34 snips
Sep 11, 2026 • 57min
‘We Are Going to War’: H.R. McMaster Remembers 9/11
H.R. McMaster, a retired lieutenant general, military historian, and former national security adviser, recalls the shock of 9/11 and the wars that followed. He discusses adapting to insurgency in Iraq, how withdrawal helped ISIS rise, Afghanistan’s collapse, Iran’s regional alliances, presidential messaging, and keeping the military above partisan politics.
55 snips
Sep 8, 2026 • 44min
Ten-Minute Warning: The Hypersonic Threat
Zachary Krevor, aerospace engineer and CEO of Stratolaunch, explores the hypersonic arms race. He explains the differences between glide bodies and cruise missiles, the brutal heat and engineering challenges of Mach 5 flight, and why China and Russia have gained a testing edge. They also examine Talon A, missile interception, AI-enabled swarms, and the future of layered defense.
37 snips
Sep 4, 2026 • 55min
What to Expect When You’re Expecting Great Power Conflict
Brendan Simms, a Cambridge historian and geopolitics scholar, explores what makes a great power. He identifies the four powers shaping today’s world, examines Iran’s regional influence, and challenges assumptions about Britain’s status. The conversation spans the Cold War, the end of American primacy, Europe’s awakening, realism’s blind spots, and how to understand totalitarianism without relying on Hitler analogies.
13 snips
Sep 1, 2026 • 1h 3min
Shot Down over Serbia: General Goldfein’s Incredible Story
David Goldfein, a retired four-star Air Force general and former F-16 pilot, recounts surviving a 1999 shootdown over Serbia. He describes evading capture, guiding rescuers to his position, and the daring extraction under fire. He also reflects on combat leadership, witnessing 9/11 at the Pentagon, and the push to digitize America’s military.
