School of War

Thomas Mahnken, President of CSBA, discusses strategic fallacies in warfare focusing on rationality, Hitler's actions, and dangers of under/overestimating adversaries. He challenges war being solely irrational, emphasizing the need for accurate strategic assessments.

John Spencer, an expert in urban warfare, discusses Israel's unique war against Hamas with a focus on justice and humanity. The conversation delves into changes in urban warfare, the significance of terrain, learning on the ground, the battle of Manila, and outthinking the enemy with innovative strategies like tunnels.

Frank Gavin, a nuclear strategy expert, discusses the role of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war. Topics include invasion insurance, Putin's potential use of nuclear weapons, and the effectiveness of saber-rattling. Gavin highlights historical contexts and the impact of nuclear strategies on global politics.

Stephen Kotkin discusses the war in Ukraine, major victories, regime change in Russia, and the cultural identity of Europe. Topics include Ukraine's defense, revitalizing NATO, humiliating Russia, and maintaining alliances during negotiations with authoritarian regimes like China.

Authors Robert Blackwill & Richard Fontaine discuss America's failed pivot to Asia, challenges in US trade policy, navigating strategy towards China, US values-based approach, and Henry Kissinger's views on US-China relations.

Michel Paradis—litigator, national security law scholar, and author of The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower—joins the show to talk about D-Day and the man behind the invasion, Dwight Eisenhower.▪️Times     •      01:49 Introduction     •      01:56 “Wildly under appreciated”    •      05:17 Upbringing      •      11:40 Seeing the world as it is    •      15:01 Not that long ago      •      22:14 British vs American plans    •      32:50 Using strategic advantages        •      36:03 Designing D-Day       •      46:58 Planning for failureFollow along  on InstagramFind a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War SubstackFollow the link to buy the book - The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower

Journalist and author Nick Bunker discusses America's early Cold War era, including Truman, Stalin, nuclear thinking, and the need to defend Korea. The podcast draws parallels between historical events and current US-China relations, focusing on Asia and Europe.

Shane Brennan, Associate Professor of History and Classics, discusses Xenophon's Anabasis and leadership. Topics include Xenophon's journey, Cyrus the Younger, Matterhorn, exile, and lessons on leadership from ancient Greek military history.

In this engaging discussion, Sergey Radchenko, a professor at Johns Hopkins and author of "To Run the World," analyzes Soviet motivations during the Cold War. He dives into how the USSR sought global recognition over ideology, using newly declassified documents to reshape our understanding of the era. The conversation also explores Stalin's quest for legitimacy and the complexities of Cold War détente, highlighting the stark contrasts between past and present attitudes towards nuclear weapons and the economic lessons for China from the Soviet experience.

Mike Gallagher and Matt Pottinger discuss the need for a victory strategy in America's cold war with China. They explore why detente isn't working, the importance of real statesmanship, and propose a strategy of rearm, reduce, and recruit. The podcast highlights the urgency of reevaluating tactics in dealing with China and acknowledges recent legislative success in China competition.