Charlie Laderman, associate professor at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education, joins the show to discuss parallels between Reagan’s policy towards Cold War Poland and the crisis in Iran today. ▪️ Times 02:45 Comparing Iran and Poland 05:56 Reagan’s plan 10:15 Reheating the Cold War 12:26 ’81 coup 15:53 Sanctions and pressure 20:19 Constant agitation 27:38 End of the Cold War 34:45 The violence of the Iranian regime 37:55 Structural differences 44:32 Exile...
Feb 20, 2026•49 min
Rep. Michael Baumgartner of Washington State’s 5th Congressional District joins the show to give his key takeaways from the Munich Security Conference. ▪️ Times 01:34 Getting to Munich 05:22 European attitude 14:20 AOC and recalibration 17:50 Germany returns 23:59 Rubio’s speech 30:23 Ukraine 39:22 Iran and a “good” deal Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast...
Feb 17, 2026•44 min
Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King’s College London and author of On Strategists and Strategy: Collected Essays, 2014-2024 , joins the show to talk about a lifetime among strategists, and to give an update on the war in Ukraine. ▪️ Times 02:34 Essay writing 07:49 Michael Howard 18:42 Colin Gray 23:06 Timeless aspects of strategy 26:00 The goal of SDI 36:40 Tactics 41:20 Differences between tactics and strategy 45:01 Ultimate objectives 50:08 Sensible uses of nuclear wea...
Feb 13, 2026•54 min
Matthew Kroenig, Professor in the Department of Government and the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, joins the show to talk about the new nuclear age the world is entering. ▪️ Times 03:27 Secret Chinese testing 07:35 Seismic monitoring and de-coupling 11:40 U.S. testing plan 15:30 Why might we need more nuclear weapons? 18:01 New START 21:23 How many nukes are needed? 27:04 If deterrence fails 30:20 Limits, if any Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , a...
Feb 09, 2026•32 min
Beatrice Heuser, Distinguished Professor at the Brussels School of Governance in the Free University of Brussels and author of Flawed Strategy: Why Smart Leaders Make Bad Decisions , joins the show to discuss decision-making and strategic thinking. ▪️ Times 02:58 Economists and strategy 07:59 Acting rationally vs logically 15:00 Mirror imaging 20:01 How should we study strategy? 27:17 Denial 32:18 Strategic intelligence failures 36:15 Hidden causes 38:57 Everyone does it Follow along on Instagra...
Feb 06, 2026•39 min
Geoff Ball, U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer, staff director for the Naval Academy’s Leadership Education and Development Division and Executive Editor of The Connecting File , joins the show to discuss the radical changes and surprising continuities in how America’s grunts will fight. ▪️ Times 02:25 The Connecting File 06:22 How is the infantry doing? 14:10 Companies of the future 23:22 Information and trust 29:57 Innovative spirit 33:30 Light Armored Recon 39:05 Drone battalions 42:24 Learni...
Feb 03, 2026•43 min
David Shedd, former Acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and author of The Great Heist: China’s Epic Campaign to Steal America’s Secrets , joins the show to discuss Chinese spy craft. ▪️ Times 02:05 Early days 06:49 CIA 09:28 Sandinistas and revolutionaries 15:14 IC preparation 18:35 A great awakening 26:11 Industrial espionage 30:50 National Intelligence Estimate 34:11 The MSS 44:19 The culture of the 18th Bureau 50:17 Battlefield consequences 55:20 Counterarguments Follow along o...
Jan 30, 2026•1 hr 3 min
Walter Russell Mead, Alexander Hamilton Professor of Strategy and Statecraft at the University of Florida's Hamilton Center and columnist for The Wall Street Journal, joins the show to discuss foreign policy in the Age of Trump. ▪️ Times 03:15 An extraordinary week 05:06 The Transatlantic relationship 09:02 Turning to China 16:10 Greenland 27:03 Post-presidency Trump 32:25 Harder now 43:08 Zelenskyy Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more content ...
Jan 26, 2026•51 min
Seth Jones, president of the Defense and Security Department and Harold Brown Chair at CSIS, joins the show to talk about how America has resurrected its defense industrial base in the past and why it should be doing so now. ▪️ Times 02:55 The British in the 1930s 05:58 Roosevelt’s decision 09:48 Re-orientation 13:59 The B-29 16:00 Victory in Iraq 27:54 Skunkworks 31:30 Xi comes into power 35:07 Disadvantages 39:07 What needs to be done? 44:28 Fighting for 5% 47:43 Culture shift Follow along on ...
Jan 23, 2026•49 min
Michael Lurie, CEO and President of Rafael USA, joins the show to explain how High Energy Lasers and Iron Beam will change missile & air defense, not to mention warfare itself, forever. ▪️ Times 02:34 The evolution of missile defense 05:09 Iron Dome & Iron Beam 08:04 How do lasers work? 15:16 Limitations 20:07 Integrating systems 25:28 Future applications 30:09 Lessons from field testing 40:15 American interest Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcas...
Jan 20, 2026•45 min
Blake Seitz, Content Strategist at Palantir Technologies, and Mike Watson, Executive Director at The Alexander Hamilton Society, join the show to discuss America’s relationship with the world at the time of the Founding Fathers. ▪️ Times 02:45 18th Century geopolitical landscape 06:25 Yorktown 11:17 Diplomacy of the Founders 16:23 Bold rhetoric 19:37 Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists 25:45 Washington’s legacy 32:42 The roots of isolationism 36:38 Parallels and changes 44:16 What does it mean to b...
Jan 16, 2026•48 min
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of FDD, joins the show to bring us up to speed on widespread Iranian protests, the chances of American or Israeli intervention, and what intervention might achieve. ▪️ Times 02:15 Will we strike? 05:34 New Iran talks? 07:03 Nuclear concessions? 10:35 Intervention possibilities 15:10 The Shah’s son and the Islamic regime 24:28 How do these protests compare to the past? 34:29 Public perceptions Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find m...
Jan 12, 2026•35 min
Mark Montgomery, senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at FDD and retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, joins the show to discuss Venezuela’s shadow fleet, the cyber component of the Maduro raid, and the future of the U.S. Navy. ▪️ Times 03:04 Shadow Fleets 06:06 Ship Hunting 10:07 Coast Guard 12:35 Leverage and Sanctions 18:37 Planning the Maduro Raid 24:57 How We Use Cyber 28:45 Types of Risk 31:50 State of the Navy 36:56 Return of the Battleship? Follow along on Instagram...
Jan 08, 2026•40 min
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss Venezuela and what might happen next. ▪️ Times 02:04 Snatch and Grab 05:50 Intelligence Operations 12:04 Oil 16:50 Holding the Country Together 24:16 Risks & Mistakes 30:48 Blockade 33:54 Hard To Leave 39:11 Not Iraq 41:48 Cuba 42:21 The Iranian Regime Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod , and...
Jan 05, 2026•46 min
Mark Jones Jr., chief pilot of experimental flight test with the Honda Aircraft Company and recently retired U.S. Air Force test pilot and special operations commander, joins the show to talk about the nature of special air operations and the extraordinary air raid that kicked off Desert Storm. ▪️ Times 02:45 9/11 05:58 Test Pilot 11:52 Special Air Operations 17:54 Two Vastly Different Experiences 21:24 Kabul 24:18 Desert Storm 32:30 Harder to See, Not Invisible 34:46 Battle Damage 39:55 Septemb...
Jan 02, 2026•47 min
Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director (Iran Program) and Senior Fellow at FDD, joins the show to talk about how Iran has worked to reconstitute its missile program since the summer, and what the U.S. and Israel might do to stop it. ▪️ Times 01:43 Vessel Seizure 05:45 Making a Ballistic Missile 13:06 What Modern War Looks Like 17:19 Iran’s Missile Program 21:42 Evolving Assessment 26:24 Relevance for U.S. Defense Planning 30:00 Disconnected Victories 35:04 Lessons from the 10/07 War 39:31 Bad Choic...
Dec 30, 2025•42 min
Kevin Passmore, professor of History at Cardiff University and author of The Maginot Line: A New History , joins the show to talk about the most elaborate fortification system of the 20th century and why it failed. ▪️ Times 02:03 Attacking the Maginot Line 05:53 Fortifications and Warfare 11:48 Flexibility vs Depth 15:38 A Total Commitment to War 19:49 French Defensive Concepts 22:42 Living in the Line 27:31 Decision in Belgium 36:22 Breaking the Enemy’s Will 39:36 Ukrainian Fortifications Follo...
Dec 26, 2025•40 min
Christian Brose, President and Chief Strategy Officer at Anduril Industries and author of The Kill Chain: Defending America in the Future of High-Tech Warfare , joins the show to talk about American industry and the future of war. ▪️ Times 02:26 Erosion of Military Advantage 11:11 The Nature of the Problem 16:42 Consensus and Urgency 21:01 Learning the Right Lessons in Ukraine 25:32 Scaling Up for the Offense 31:23 Leveraging AI for Defense 38:07 Will Liberal Arts and Humanities Win? 41:56 Arsen...
Dec 23, 2025•53 min
Eric Cline, professor of Classical and Ancient Near Eastern Studies and of Anthropology at The George Washington University and author of 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed , joins the show to break down the collapse of the Bronze Age civilization and why it matters today. ▪️ Times 02:57 Writing History for All 04:51 The Three Age System 10:32 Tin: The Oil of the Ancient World 11:37 Archeology in the Future 13:22 Bronze Age Society 21:02 The Beginning and End of History 26:07 The Sea Peo...
Dec 19, 2025•52 min
Elliott Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela and Iran from 2019 to 2021, joins the show to discuss events in the Caribbean. ▪️ Times 01:56 Venezuela Through Multiple Administrations 06:05 Maduro 11:53 Trump to Biden 17:56 U.S. Military Capabilities 24:05 Political Justifications 30:11 The Venezuelan Opposition 35:56 Machado in Hiding 41:27 Worst Case Scenarios Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpo...
Dec 16, 2025•39 min
Nadia Schadlow, former Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy and senior fellow at Hudson Institute, joins the show to breakdown what strategic depth is and why the concept remains relevant. ▪️ Times 02:37 Unhinged, Frenetic Times 03:36 What is Strategic Depth? 07:50 A Lack of Space 12:50 Territory and War 14:55 How to Increase Time 23:18 Allies and Forward Defense 30:29 How Do You Get Freedom of Choice? 36:57 Keeping and Maintaining Strategic Depth Follow a...
Dec 12, 2025•38 min
Roya Hakakian, author of Assassins of the Turquoise Palace and Journey from the Land of No , joins the show to discuss the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini, and how these events have shaped the world. ▪️ Times 02:56 Life Before the Revolution 11:02 Antisemitism in Revolutionary Iran 21:56 Khomeini’s Rise to Power 22:32 The Global Left and the Soviet Union 29:49 A Catastrophe of the 20th Century 37:21 The State of the Iranian Regime 42:19 The Revolution is Alive and...
Dec 09, 2025•53 min
Frank Gavin, Giovanni Agnelli Distinguished Professor and Director of the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs at Johns Hopkins University SAIS and author of Thinking Historically: A Guide to Statecraft and Strategy , joins the show to discuss the promise and perils of using history to guide today’s statecraft. ▪️ Times 02:20 Political Science vs. History 05:37 The Importance of Historical Thinking 08:13 Historical Interpretation 11:22 Counterfactuals 14:26 The Misuse of History in Polic...
Dec 05, 2025•54 min
Michael Pack, President and CEO of Palladium Pictures LLC and director of The Last 600 Meters: The Battles of Najaf and Fallujah , joins the show to discuss his remarkable documentary of the Iraq war and the Marines and battles that it portrays. ▪️ Times 01:59 The Journey of Creating 'The Last 600 Meters' 06:24 Censored 10:55 Combat and Valor 21:06 Political Decisions and Military Strategy 26:02 The Human Experience of War 36:29 The Hell House 40:24 Beyond the Battlefield 45:42 Full Metal Jacket...
Dec 02, 2025•56 min
Andrew Lambert, Laughton Professor of Naval History in the Department of War Studies, King's College London and No More Napoleons: How Britain Managed Europe from Waterloo to World War One , joins the show to discuss how the British Empire maintained the balance in Europe between the fall of Napoleon to the summer of 1914. ▪️ Times 02:59 Studying the Problem of War 06:20 British Perspectives of the European Coast 11:33 The French Likelihood of Invading Britain 21:40 The Scheldt River Estuary 30:...
Nov 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min
John Lee, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, joins the show to discuss the Trump administration’s efforts to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, and what it all means facing China in the Pacific. ▪️ Times 01:56 Strategic Implications of the War 03:24 The 28-Point Peace Plan 09:49 Challenges of Negotiating Peace 15:19 The Russia-China Connection 19:48 Nuclear Deterrence and Arms Control 29:30 Linking Ukraine and Taiwan 35:18 Ukraine War as a Chinese Proxy Conflict Follow along on Instagram, X...
Nov 25, 2025•48 min
Jeremy Armstrong, Professor of Classics & Ancient History at the University of Auckland and author of Children of Mars: The Origins of Rome's Empire , joins the show to discuss the early history of Rome, the role of family and clan in the structure of its military, the transition from monarchy to republic, and the nature of warfare during this formative period. ▪️ Times 02:28 The Problems of Early History 06:05 Warfare in Early Rome: A Complex Picture 11:52 The Importance of Myths in Roman I...
Nov 21, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Major General Mick Ryan, Australian Army (retired), Senior Fellow for Military Studies the Lowy Institute and author of the Futura Doctrina substack, joins the show to discuss the current state of the Ukraine war. We cover tactical innovations, the challenges of operations and strategy, the structure of the Ukrainian military, the political landscape under Zelensky, and the industrial capabilities of both Ukraine and Russia. ▪️ Times 00:00 State of Play 02:28 Tactical Innovations and Challenges ...
Nov 18, 2025•50 min
Marc Milner, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of New Brunswick and author of Second Front: Anglo-American Rivalry and the Hidden Story of the Normandy Campaign , joins the show to discuss the turbulent passing of the torch of Western hegemony during WWII. ▪️ Times 02:50 1917 10:52 American Battle Monuments Commission 14:31 FDR and the British Empire 21:36 American views on the Nazis 30:40 FDR at the Tehran Conference 35:42 Plans Before the Invasion of France 40:48 The British Empi...
Nov 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Nicholas Wright, neuroscientist and author of Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain , joins the show to explore the implications of neuroscience for warmaking. ▪️ Times 01:20 Neurology 02:57 Intelligence Defined 07:06 Mapping the Brain 17:05 How Modeling Happens 27:15 Outthinking and Outlearning the Enemy 30:25 Prioritization and Survival 35:15 Fear and the Fall of France in 1940 44:48 Enhancing Military Training 49:47 AI and Its Impact on Human Cognition Follow along on Ins...
Nov 11, 2025•53 min
