School of War

Ep 177: Christopher Kolakowski on Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.

2025-02-1452:18

Christopher Kolakowski, director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and editor of Tenth Army Commander: The World War II Diary of Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., joins the show to discuss the most senior U.S. officer killed by enemy action in WWII, Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr. ▪️ Times • 01:44 Introduction • 02:15 In the shadows • 03:53 Fathers and sons • 06:28 Childhood • 09:30 West Point Commandant of Cadets • 16:03 Alaska ’41 • 20:18 The Japanese threat • 24:20 10th Army • 29:03 Notes for an unwritten memoir • 31:02 Operation Causeway • 35:47 Okinawa • 41:52 Attrition • 43:50 Another Anzio? • 50:57 Homeward bound Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 176: David Betz on Modern Fortification

2025-02-1151:51

David Betz, Professor of War in the Modern World at King’s College London and author of The Guarded Age: Fortification in the Twenty-First Century, joins the show to discuss how fortification is alive, well, and everywhere. ▪️ Times • 01:22 Introduction • 01:53 A default condition • 13:20 Why is that there? • 22:13 Alexandrian foundations • 28:50 Security and mobility • 39:53 The pendulum swings • 48:54 Intrigue Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 175: Mick Ryan on War & Fiction

2025-02-0738:01

Mick Ryan, a retired major general in the Australian Army and author of War Transformed: The Future of Twenty-First-Century Great Power Competition and Conflict, joins the show to discuss future-war fiction and the possible futures of current wars. ▪️ Times • 01:23 Introduction • 02:10 Tom Clancy • 05:40 Accessibility • 07:14 The Battle of Dorking • 09:57 White Sun War • 13:39 Diplomatic failures • 15:40 Friction • 18:50 Israel transformed • 23:00 Existential threats • 25:25 Ukraine • 32:31 Pressuring Putin • 35:01 Taiwan and Japan Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 174: Hal Brands on the Long Struggle for Eurasia

2025-02-0401:48

Hal Brands, Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and author of The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World, joins the show to discuss the continued relevance of geopolitics. ▪️ Times • 01:29 Introduction • 01:54 Twentieth century • 03:29 Advent of geopolitical theory • 07:08 Land versus sea • 13:09 Authoritarianism • 17:40 Struggle for power • 20:30 Burdens of defense • 23:25 Eurasia • 27:50 Different politics • 36:09 “…a kind of American realism” Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 173: Tom Karako on America’s Iron Dome

2025-01-3130:30

Tom Karako, Senior Fellow and Director of the Missile Defense Project at CSIS, joins the show to discuss what President Trump’s executive order on missile defense portends. ▪️ Times • 01:15 Introduction • 02:08 Dawn of missile defense • 05:50 Ups and downs • 10:40 Arguments against • 14:50 Capabilities • 18:45 A layered defense • 22:20 Cost • 26:42 Tried and tested • 28:21 A “Pearl Harbor” Pearl Harbor Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 172: Eric Chewning and Tom Moore on the Warship Production Crisis

2025-01-2803:25

Eric Chewning and Thomas Moore of HII join the show to discuss America’s military shipbuilding challenges, and their potential solutions. ▪️ Times • 01:32 Introduction • 01:55 Origins • 07:08 An eroded defense industrial base • 10:20 Shipbuilding in 2025 • 17:11 Deindustrialization • 21:46 Learning curves • 27:00 Contract economics • 32:26 Japan and South Korea • 37:39 Thinking about the whole problem • 39:03 Manned and unmanned • 42:25 Force protection • 45:06 Soft kills and hard kills Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 171: I Am André: German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy

2025-01-2401:05:14

Diana Mara Henry and Gabe Scheinmann join the show to discuss the new book I Am André: German Jew, French Resistance Fighter, British Spy, which charts the astonishing, brave, and tragic World War II career of ‘André’ Joseph Scheinmann. ▪️ Times • 01:50 Introduction • 03:01 The story of a fighter • 09:26 Born in Munich • 11:87 Citizen without a country • 17:08 Liaison to the High Command • 21:46 MI6 • 25:20 Spycraft • 30:27 London and capture • 36:31 Interrogation • 42:52 Max and Regina • 46:40 Natzweiler • 52:29 Dachau • 55:30 America • 01:01:17 “Jews as fighters” Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 170: Evan Mawdsley on WW2 in the Central Pacific

2025-01-2150:04

Evan Mawdsley, Honorary Professorial Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow and author of Supremacy at Sea: Task Force 58 and the Central Pacific Victory, joins the show to discuss the successful 1944 U.S. naval campaign through the Central Pacific in World War II. ▪️ Times • 01:36 Introduction • 02:27 The Central Pacific • 11:15 Carrier air power • 14:31 Embracing the task force • 20:00 Replenishment at sea • 24:28 A campaign for airbases • 27:56 Limiting loss • 33:38 Spruance & Mitscher • 38:36 Japanese defense doctrine • 45:58 Parallels today Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 169: Dmitry Filipoff on Naval Warfare in 2025

2025-01-1446:101

Dmitry Filipoff, associate research analyst at the Center for Navy Analyses, joins the show to discuss the U.S. Navy surface component and the grave challenges it faces. ▪️ Times • 01:19 Introduction • 02:09 Lessons from the Red Sea • 06:35 Friendly fire • 10:55 Depletion • 13:45 2027 • 18:07 How do fleets fight? • 21:47 Scope and scale • 24:57 “Catastrophic destruction” • 29:00 The first few hours • 34:30 Scripted exercises • 37:15 Managing the chaos • 41:34 Failing constructively Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 168: Nadège Rolland on China’s Vision of Strategic Space

2025-01-0753:461

Nadège Rolland, Distinguished Fellow, China Studies, at the National Bureau of Asian Research and author of Mapping China's Strategic Space, joins the show to discuss how to better understand the geopolitical premises of China’s strategic elites. ▪️ Times • 01:36 Introduction • 02:04 Strategic space • 05:05 Mao’s strategic vision • 11:12 Origin points • 17:10 Geopolitical dimensions • 20:25 Finding answers • 26:35 Encirclement • 33:55 Core interests • 38:56 China’s end goal • 45:37 Multilateralism • 49:04 Risk and overextension Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 167: Dan Blumenthal and Kyle Balzer on China’s Nuclear Buildup

2024-12-2433:33

Dan Blumenthal and Kyle Balzer, co-authors of The True Aims of China’s Nuclear Buildup for Foreign Affairs, join the show to discuss the geopolitical implications of China’s increasing and diversifying nuclear arsenal. ▪️ Times • 01:24 Introduction • 02:40 China’s buildup • 05:05 American perception • 07:28 What is nuclear strategy? • 11:49 Geopolitical vision • 16:28 Shaping the world order • 18:41 Restoring American credibility • 25:10 Imagining failure • 30:24 Prospects Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 166: Rachel Kousser on Alexander the Great

2024-12-2045:57

Rachel Kousser, professor of Classics and Art History at the City University of New York and author of Alexander at the End of the World, joins the show to talk about the violent, brilliant, complex career of Alexander the Great. ▪️ Times • 01:27 Introduction • 01:59 Early years and conquest • 05:45 Pragmatic opportunist • 09:20 Persepolis burning • 11:48 Darius • 14:36 Alexander in the field • 19:30 Understanding the geography • 25:56 Dreamer • 29:50 “A war of choice…” • 32:57 Building something new • 34:36 Breaking point • 38:00 King with consent • 41:48 Harnessing strength Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 165: Shyam Sankar on a Defense Reformation

2024-12-1739:18

Shyam Sankar, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of Palantir Technologies, joins the show to explain the broken Defense Department acquisition process and how he believes it can be fixed. ▪️ Times • 01:24 Introduction • 01:39 Employee #13 • 03:14 Palantir • 06:22 Monopsony • 11:18 Messy and chaotic • 14:40 Dual purpose companies • 17:18 The buying process • 23:50 Pushback • 25:59 Competing efforts • 27:37 Heretics and heroes • 31:22 Thinking about future war • 35:05 A changing selection criteria • 36:47 “The future is software defined” Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 164: Mark Dubowitz on Syria’s Collapse

2024-12-1105:471

Mark Dubowitz, chief executive officer of Foundation for Defense of Democracies, joins the show to break down the collapse of the Assad regime and the implications for Israel, Turkey, and Iran. ▪️ Times • 01:23 Introduction • 02:49 What happened? • 05:04 Rebels • 08:17 Risk assessment • 11:30 Factions • 17:10 Extremists and radicals • 19:15 “Our enemies lie to us…” • 24:19 Defensive reshuffle • 29:11 Nuclear Iran • 34:59 A powerful message • 42:40 Striking power • 47:27 A new “Ring of Fire” Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 163: School of War Goes to Israel—Lessons from a Savage Year

2024-12-1001:17:58

Host Aaron MacLean recently embedded with the Israeli Defense Forces and saw firsthand Israel’s war with Iranian proxy groups Hezbollah and Hamas. What lessons can Americans learn from Israel’s year of fighting for its survival? ▪️ Times • 03:28 The North • 04:26 Metula • 07:45 Yishai • 10:00 Realities and misconceptions • 18:06 Stalemate • 22:33 Shaping the fight • 40:00 Reconnaissance-strike complex • 46:38 Dotan Razili • 50:50 Iron Dome in action • 54:43 Sarit Zehavi • 1:11:01 Hezbollah defeated • 1:12:58 “Knowing but not understanding” Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 162: Michael Leggiere on Military History on Campus

2024-12-0629:15

Michael Leggiere, Professor of Humanities at the University of Florida and editor of War Studies Journal 1, joins the show to discuss the sad state of military history in higher education. ▪️ Times • 01:17 Introduction • 02:48 Military history in academia • 03:53 PME • 05:22 What is “new” military history? • 11:55 “History shouldn’t be a mystery” • 17:55 The Journal • 20:45 Suggested pieces • 24:32 Napoleon • 26:58 Lee Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 161: Mackenzie Eaglen on China’s Military Spending and Ours

2024-12-0349:05

Mackenzie Eaglen, senior fellow at AEI and author of Keeping Up with the Pacing Threat: Unveiling the True Size of Beijing’s Military Spending, joins the show to discuss the dire situation the U.S. defense budget is in. ▪️ Times • 01:22 Introduction • 02:48 Keeping up • 05:26 China’s spending • 10:01 Equipment costs • 13:46 “Stealing our stuff” • 18:25 5 alarm fire • 20:32 U.S. budget truths • 24:50 BCA 101 • 31:32 Today or tomorrow • 39:23 Defense is cheaper, not better • 43:21 Solutions Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 160: Thomas Barfield on Empire and Imperial Strategies Today

2024-11-2658:331

Thomas Barfield, Professor and Chairman of the Anthropology Department at Boston University and author of Shadow Empires: An Alternative Imperial History, joins the show to discuss empire. ▪️ Times • 01:15 Introduction • 03:20 Understanding Afghanistan • 05:15 Classifying empires • 09:59 Failures and features • 12:24 Borders • 15:30 Exogenous empires • 21:36 Brits and Athenians • 26:40 Vulture empires • 32:21 Taking responsibility • 37:15 Empires of nostalgia • 44:50 Vacuum empires • 51:05 American/Athenian policy • 54:53 China and empire today Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 159: Rebeccah Heinrichs on the Morality of Nuclear Weapons

2024-11-1944:51

Rebeccah Heinrichs, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and author of Duty to Deter: American Nuclear Deterrence and the Just War Doctrine, joins the show to make the moral argument for why the United States should modernize and grow its nuclear arsenal. ▪️ Times • 01:15 Introduction • 01:48 A net good • 04:50 Tactical nuclear weapons • 10:25 The argument of disarmament • 14:03 Cold War strategy • 19:53 Capability and will • 26:06 Downside of “no first use” • 32:03 The nuclear triad • 37:20 Russia and China • 40:56 The moral argument Watch today’s episode on YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Follow along on Instagram Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Ep 158: Randall Schriver and Dan Blumenthal on an Economic Strategy for China

2024-11-1248:23

Randall Schriver, Chairman of the Board at The Project 2049 Institute, and Dan Blumenthal, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, join the show to discuss a road map for economic competition—and warfare—between the U.S. and China. ▪️ Times • 01:55 Introduction • 02:30 Planning for economic warfare • 06:27 Endstate • 10:18 Leadership • 12:21 NSDD • 14:59 Starting points • 17:10 Decoupling • 20:03 Where is the stuff coming from? • 23:50 Degrading the Chinese economy • 27:33 A dream of cooperation • 32:17 Slow the growth • 36:08 Wargaming • 41:41 Protraction • 44:49 International and Congressional concerns Click the link to read the report - DEFEATING THE CCP A RUNNING START Follow along on Instagram or YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find a transcript of today’s episode on our School of War Substack

Saba Qamar

Downeast Maritime

Jeremy Cartwright

#box-pro-ellipsis-173971842968518{-webkit-line-clamp:2;}School of War

Saba Qamar

Downeast Maritime

Jeremy Cartwright

School of War