The conditions necessary to allow genocide – to provide one group the psychological “permission” to kill another en masse – come together all too often, in Europe during World War II, in Rwanda, in Bosnia, in Cambodia. This week on War College, we try to understand what those conditions are, and whether climate change may be the trigger for the next great Holocaust. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 09, 2015•32 min
The media in Russia is lively, often entertaining and largely state controlled. Still, an illusion of freedom remains key for the Kremlin to maintain its grasp over a country that spans 11 time zones. In this episode of War College, we look at how Vladimir Putin crafts his message for both internal and external consumption. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 01, 2015•30 min
Predator and Reaper drones hang in the sky above Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria. Mostly they observe, search for targets – and occasionally they unleash Hellfire missiles. Targets may be large gatherings of suspicious figures, convoys or training camps. They can also be private houses, and sometimes they turn out to be weddings. The theory behind strikes is not mass destruction, but to find militant leaders and kill them, as surgically as possible. But how effective have those efforts been? And...
Nov 24, 2015•28 min
The recent terror attacks in Paris shook the world and put the focus back on Islamic State. This week on War College, we talk with American Special Operations intelligence veteran Malcolm Nance. Nance literally wrote the textbook on Iraq’s terrorists and is the executive director of the Terror Asymmetrics Project . Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 19, 2015•45 min
Many in the West think of the Islamic State as a loose collection of fighters -- rabble who kill, loot and burn. But the truth is more complex, though no less terrifying. Islamic State actually governs the territory it takes and it’s not terrible at it. The group levies taxes, teaches children and organizes garbage pickup. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 11, 2015•32 min
The host of the Hardcore History podcast joins War College to discuss some of the most powerful figures in history - men and women who burned down the world they were born into and -- many generations later -- are sometimes credited with laying the foundation for progress. But that doesn't mean that's what the arsonist set out to do, or that the people in their way were happy to pay the price. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mo...
Nov 03, 2015•27 min
America’s Special Operations Forces have become instrumental in the war against radical Islam. But few in America know their story or how they operate. Sean Naylor wants to change that. His new book, Relentless Strike: The Secret History of American Special Operations Command , gives readers a window into this secretive world. Naylor talks to us on this week’s War College Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 28, 2015•28 min
The annexation of Crimea, the war in eastern Ukraine and the military operation in Syria present the image of a confident Russian President Vladimir Putin willing to expend military power for political gain. The truth, according to Dr. Mark Galeotti of New York University, is far more complex. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 20, 2015•33 min
None of the world’s great powers were ready for the carnage World War I. The armies of 1914 looked a lot like the armies of 1814 … but they didn’t go to war with 19th century weapons. The modern world was born in blood on the battlefields of Europe during the Great War … and the machine gun cut the umbilical cord. This week on War College, we sit down with Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons as he walks us through the Maxim Gun -- one of the earliest machine guns -- and how it changed the pace of ...
Oct 14, 2015•30 min
The need for armies, both ancient and modern, to travel long distances to thwart enemies and take territory has made militaries one of the driving factors behind food science. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 30, 2015•32 min
It’s the world’s most famous weapon, popular with soldiers, insurgents and video gamers alike. As many as 100 million of the world's guns are descended from Mikhail Kalashnikov's original Avtomat Kalashnikova, first prototyped in 1947. How many lives they've taken is unknown. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 23, 2015•28 min
War College talks to author and journalist Robert Young Pelton talks about the waves of immigrants washing up on the shores of Europe and why things have gotten worse in the last few months. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 15, 2015•31 min
This week’s War College examines the state of Iran’s conventional military, as well as its guiding strategies. Jason Fields, Matthew Gault and Robert Beckhusen also discuss the likely impact of the nuclear treaty on its regular forces. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 09, 2015•30 min
There are approximately 1,000 satellites currently in orbit, but how many of them are really weapons in disguise? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 02, 2015•33 min
This week’s War College looks at nuclear threats around the world and whether U.S. strategy has kept up. Thomas Nichols, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College, says it hasn’t and explains why that makes the world a more dangerous place. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 25, 2015•30 min
This week War College looks at some of the weirdest weapons that the U.S. military came up with for use during the Vietnam War. While the nuclear rifle didn’t go anywhere, another invention can be found at raves around the world. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 18, 2015•33 min
To understand just how strong China’s military really is, it’s important to understand its true mission and objectives. And those are very different from what the United States is trying to accomplish around the globe. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 12, 2015•27 min
Drones linger over battlefields all over the world, and over places that don’t realize that they’re battlefields until the Hellfire missiles strike. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 04, 2015•33 min
The United States plans to replace all of its fighter jets with the F-35 in the next decade or so, at a cost estimated to be at least $1 trillion. But the plane’s development hasn’t been smooth. So, is the Pentagon’s plan the smart way to go? Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 28, 2015•39 min
