School of War

Mike Gallagher, U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 8th district and Chair of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China, shares insights on the Korean War's relevance to today's geopolitics. He discusses the historical impacts of U.S. military strategy and how lessons from the war can inform current tensions with China. Gallagher emphasizes the significance of military preparedness and the role of diplomatic narratives in understanding the complexities of international relations, particularly amid rising Chinese influence.

Mark McGrath and Brian Rivera, hosts of the No Way Out podcast, join the show to talk about strategist John Boyd. ▪️Times     •    02:09 Introduction     •    02:59 Who was John Boyd?    •    06:03 “40 Second” Boyd    •    08:05 Air to air combat    •   09:45 OODA Loop     •    14:20 Getting inside the enemy’s loop    •    18:44 Fast transients    •    21:41 Patterns of Conflict    •   26:27 Military reformer      •    29:46 Blitzkrieg and Entebbe     •    37:43 DetractorsFollow along on InstagramFor more on John Boyd and from Mark and Brian check out the ​​No Way Out Podcast

Aaron O’Connell, Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin, joins the show to talk about the “founding fathers” of 20th century geopolitical thought: Mahan, Mackinder, and Spykman. ▪️Times   •    01:46 Introduction     •    02:20 From Marine to scholar to the NSC    •    06:24 Alfred T. Mahan    •    12:27 Choke points, decisive battle, and battleships    •   15:45 Security through imperialism      •    18:08 Chinese Mahanians    •    20:33 China’s crowded neighborhood    •    21:27 Halford Mackinder    •   28:56 Heartland rising      •    31:36 Inner and outer crescent    •    33:01 Nicholas Spykman     •    37:55 The nature of power    •    39:03 Containment    •   42:11 The American role    •    46:22 The path of partnershipsFollow along on Instagram

Charles Edel, senior adviser and Australia Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about one of the founding architects of American foreign policy, John Quincy Adams. ▪️Times     •    01:33 Introduction     •    02:20 Democratic strategy    •    04:43 Adams    •    08:03 Early threats to the Republic    •   13:20 A potential challenger to Europe    •    18:10 Unity and strength     •    25:08 “In search of monsters to destroy”    •    30:07 British parallels     •   34:11 Slavery     •    38:36 Public serviceFollow along on Instagram

Max Hastings, journalist, military historian, and author most recently of Abyss: The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962, joins the show to talk about the world’s brush with World War III. ▪️Times     •    01:41 Introduction     •    01:59 From journalism to history    •    07:06 Recollections    •    09:40 Castro and the Bay of Pigs    •   19:46 Overflights     •    26:46 Quarantine and blockade     •    33:45 Russian floundering    •    35:52 Dealmaking     •   40:07 Uncomfortable proximity     •    42:36 Spheres of influenceFollow along on Instagram

Holger Afflerbach, Professor of Modern European History at the University of Leeds and author of On a Knife Edge: How Germany Lost the First World War, joins the show to talk about the origins of the First World War, how much Germany is to blame, and why the July Crisis of 1914 is relevant in 2023. ▪️Times     •    01:59 Introduction     •    02:46 Fritz Fischer     •    10:34 1914 and today    •    15:24 The Kaiser    •   21:54 Bethmann Hollweg    •    27:46 Military necessity    •    37:25 How did Germany lose?     •    44:10 Murderers or sleepwalkers?For context, and a better sense of the events unfolding in 1914, checkout the National World War One Museum Interactive Timeline and Summer 1914 Day By Day.Follow along on Instagram

Mark Galeotti, director of Mayak Intelligence, host of the In Moscows’s Shadow podcast, and author of Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine, joins the show to talk about the post-Cold War Russian Armed Forces.▪️Times     •    02:13 Introduction     •    04:26 The peak     •    10:04 In decline    •    13:04 A day in the life of a ’90s Russian soldier    •    16:23 The First Chechen War     •    21:17 Putin and Chechnya    •    24:42 Russia’s claims    •    35:10 Modernization    •    40:49 Historical karma in Ukraine    •    46:10 Big picture     •    48:20 Ukraine’s counter-offensive    •    51:49 Wagner and PrigozhinFollow along on Instagram

Hew Strachan, Bishop Wardlaw Professor at the University of St. Andrews, digs into the enduring impact of Carl von Clausewitz on military strategy. He discusses the distinctions between limited and total war, emphasizing the emotional and political contexts that shaped Clausewitz's insights. The conversation explores the American embrace of Clausewitz and how his theories continue to influence modern conflicts, especially in light of the situation in Ukraine. Strachan also contrasts Clausewitz's ideas with those of Jomini, highlighting the complexities of military decision-making.

Iskander Rehman, Ax:son Johnson Fellow at the Kissinger Center at Johns Hopkins SAIS and contributor to New Makers of Modern Strategy, joins the show to talk about French grand strategy during the 16th and 17th century rivalry between the Bourbons and Habsburg Spain. ▪️Times     •    02:41 Introduction     •    04:35 A nagging curiosity      •    06:59 Sully at the start     •    13:27 The genesis of a struggle    •    21:19 French internal cohesion     •    26:51 Naval power    •    29:28 Religious factions and Richelieu    •    32:14 The 30 Years War and France    •    36:22 The fruits of disorder    •    41:44 Defender of the faith    •    44:41 Mazarin     •    49:48 Hegemonic France    •    53:56 Rapid-fire lessonsFollow along on Instagram

Levi Roach, Associate Professor of Medieval History at the University of Exeter and author of Empires of the Normans: Conquerors of Europe, joins the show to talk about the rise, violent spread, and ultimate normalization of the group of Viking raiders know as the Normans.  ▪️Times  • 01:25 Introduction  • 01:53 Who were the Normans?   • 06:40 Transformations • 11:41 Parallel outbursts • 14:35 “If a Frank is your neighbor, he’s not your friend” • 16:01 Towards 1066 • 22:20 Dukes and kings • 26:34 Hastings • 31:42 William’s victory • 36:13 Rule by castle • 39:26 Siege and counter-siege • 41:27 Normans in the Mediterranean • 47:24 “Noteworthy, not unique”Follow along on Instagram