S8 Ep302: THE ROAD TRIP FROM HADES AND THE FALCON 9 Colleague Eric Berger. Berger chronicles the grueling transition from the single-engine Falcon 1 to the nine-engine Falcon 9 in 2009, describing it as a "long hot summer" of intense engineering. The process involv
THE ROAD TRIP FROM HADES AND THE FALCON 9 Colleague Eric Berger. Berger chronicles the grueling transition from the single-engine Falcon 1 to the nine-engine Falcon 9 in 2009, describing it as a "long hot summer" of intense engineering. The process involved a chaotic transport of the oversized rocket, which physically crashed into a building in Louisiana due to its length. During the 2010 launc...
9m Jan 12
9m
S8 Ep302: THE AUDACIOUS VISION: A MILLION TONS TO MARS Colleague Eric Berger. In his discussion of the 2016 Guadalajara speech, Eric Berger details Elon Musk's "grandioso architecture" for Mars colonization, proposed during a time of deep skepticism following rocke
THE AUDACIOUS VISION: A MILLION TONS TO MARS Colleague Eric Berger. In his discussion of the 2016 Guadalajara speech, Eric Berger details Elon Musk's "grandioso architecture" for Mars colonization, proposed during a time of deep skepticism following rocket failures. Musk envisioned not just a visit, but a self-sustaining civilization requiring the transport of a million tons of supplies and tho...
9m Jan 12
9m
S8 Ep301: MISUNDERSTANDING RUSSIA AND THE PERSISTENCE OF THE THREAT Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel argues that debates over Ukraine joining the EU or NATO miss the core issue: Russia's ideological refusal to accept Ukraine's existence. He criticizes West
MISUNDERSTANDING RUSSIA AND THE PERSISTENCE OF THE THREAT Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel argues that debates over Ukraine joining the EU or NATO miss the core issue: Russia's ideological refusal to accept Ukraine's existence. He criticizes Western leaders for treating Russia as a transactional, rational actor rather than a revanchist imperial power, noting that Eastern European warni...
9m Jan 12
9m
S8 Ep301: THE BRUTALITY OF INVASION AND THE FAILURE OF INTELLIGENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Batchelor and Finkel discuss the historical roots of Russian cruelty in Ukraine, citing a 1932 letter from Stalin fearing the loss of Ukraine. Finkel argues that
THE BRUTALITY OF INVASION AND THE FAILURE OF INTELLIGENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Batchelor and Finkel discuss the historical roots of Russian cruelty in Ukraine, citing a 1932 letter from Stalinfearing the loss of Ukraine. Finkel argues that Russian leadership, from the Tsars to Putin, views human life as cheap and uses violence to maintain control over the land, regardless of casua...
10m Jan 12
10m
S8 Ep301: VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND THE EVOLUTION OF UKRAINIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel profiles Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noting his background as a Russian-speaking Jewish media entrepreneur and comedian who built a career in Moscow. Zelenskyy'
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND THE EVOLUTION OF UKRAINIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel profiles Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noting his background as a Russian-speaking Jewish media entrepreneur and comedian who built a career in Moscow. Zelenskyy's rise illustrates a shift in Ukrainian identity from ethnic definitions to a civic nationalism based on loyalty to the state. Elected as an o...
5m Jan 12
5m
S8 Ep301: PUTIN'S REVISIONIST HISTORY AND THE 2014 INVASION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. During the COVID-19 isolation of 2021, Vladimir Putin wrote an essay based on historical myths, asserting Ukrainians and Russians are one people and denying Ukraine's rig
PUTIN'S REVISIONIST HISTORY AND THE 2014 INVASION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. During the COVID-19 isolation of 2021, Vladimir Putin wrote an essay based on historical myths, asserting Ukrainians and Russians are one people and denying Ukraine's right to independent statehood. Finkel argues this revisionism signaled Putin's intent to restore Russia as a great empire. The conversation revi...
13m Jan 12
13m
S8 Ep301: KHRUSHCHEV, CRIMEA, AND THE MYTH OF THE SOVIET FLORIDA Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. The discussion turns to Nikita Khrushchev, who transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 for practical logistical reasons, a decision Putin now contests. Finkel explains
KHRUSHCHEV, CRIMEA, AND THE MYTH OF THE SOVIET FLORIDA Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. The discussion turns to Nikita Khrushchev, who transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 for practical logistical reasons, a decision Putin now contests. Finkel explains that during the 1960s, Ukraine became a manufacturing hub for Sovietmissiles and a "Soviet Florida" for vacations, cementing a romanticized R...
9m Jan 12
9m
S8 Ep301: SOVIET SUBJUGATION, FAMINE, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF INDEPENDENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Following the empire's collapse, Ukrainians attempted to form independent states (UNR and ZUNR), but these failed due to internal weakness and external aggr
SOVIET SUBJUGATION, FAMINE, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF INDEPENDENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Following the empire's collapse, Ukrainians attempted to form independent states (UNR and ZUNR), but these failed due to internal weakness and external aggression from Bolsheviks and Poles. Finkel describes the subsequent Soviet era, highlighting the Holodomor—a purposeful famine engineered by Sta...
11m Jan 12
11m
S8 Ep301: SHIFTING BORDERS AND THE FIGHT FOR GALICIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel shares the story of his grandfather, Israel (Lev), a Jew from Galicia who was drafted into the Red Army despite growing up in Poland without speaking Russian. T
SHIFTING BORDERS AND THE FIGHT FOR GALICIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel shares the story of his grandfather, Israel (Lev), a Jew from Galicia who was drafted into the Red Army despite growing up in Poland without speaking Russian. This illustrates the complex history of western Ukraine, which experienced Austrian tolerance regarding language compared to Russian repression...
7m Jan 12
7m
S8 Ep301: THE STATUE OF KHMELNYTSKY AND THE ORIGINS OF IMPERIAL DOMINATION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. John Batchelor and Professor Eugene Finkel discuss the 1888 statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv, originally a project of Russian nationalists who envision
THE STATUE OF KHMELNYTSKY AND THE ORIGINS OF IMPERIAL DOMINATION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. John Batchelor and Professor Eugene Finkel discuss the 1888 statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv, originally a project of Russian nationalists who envisioned a Ukraine stripped of Jews, Poles, and Westerninfluence. Finkel explains Khmelnytsky's 17th-century rebellion against Poland and his subseq...
11m Jan 12
11m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. In his final decades, Chamberlain's war wounds continued to plague him, eventually requiring surgeries that revealed the extent of his suffering to the public. Despite financial struggles and failed business attempts, he remained act
Guest: Ronald White. In his final decades, Chamberlain's war wounds continued to plague him, eventually requiring surgeries that revealed the extent of his suffering to the public. Despite financial struggles and failed business attempts, he remained active, serving as Surveyor of the Port of Portland. He endured personal losses, including the death of his brother Tom and his wife Fanny, who we...
8m Jan 11
8m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. In 1880, Maine faced a violent political crisis known as the "Count Out," where armed mobs threatened the statehouse over a stolen election. Chamberlain, called upon to keep the peace, courageously faced a mob intent on killing him. H
Guest: Ronald White. In 1880, Maine faced a violent political crisis known as the "Count Out," where armed mobs threatened the statehouse over a stolen election. Chamberlain, called upon to keep the peace, courageously faced a mob intent on killing him. He opened his coat and offered his life to preserve the state's honor, successfully dispersing the crowd without bloodshed. This period also sa...
12m Jan 11
12m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, attempting to modernize the institution by introducing science and broader curricula. He faced resistance from conservative trustees and alumni but persisted in his vision for
Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, attempting to modernize the institution by introducing science and broader curricula. He faced resistance from conservative trustees and alumni but persisted in his vision for a progressive education. Religious tensions also arose as Unitarianism gained influence; Chamberlain remained inclusive, even as Fanny and his...
7m Jan 11
7m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. After the war, Chamberlain became a celebrated orator, using his rhetorical skills to preach reconciliation between North and South. Drafted by Republicans, he served four terms as Governor of Maine, focusing on economic reconstructio
Guest: Ronald White. After the war, Chamberlain became a celebrated orator, using his rhetorical skills to preach reconciliation between North and South. Drafted by Republicans, he served four terms as Governor of Maine, focusing on economic reconstruction and railroad expansion. However, his private life was marred by constant pain from his internal war wounds; he often had to work lying down ...
11m Jan 11
11m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. Returning to duty, Chamberlain led a frontal assault at Petersburg in 1864, where he suffered a catastrophic wound through the hips that surgeons deemed fatal. Believing he was dying, he wrote a farewell letter to Fanny, yet miraculou
Guest: Ronald White. Returning to duty, Chamberlain led a frontal assault at Petersburg in 1864, where he suffered a catastrophic wound through the hips that surgeons deemed fatal. Believing he was dying, he wrote a farewell letter to Fanny, yet miraculously survived due to his brother Tom's help and sheer will. Later, at the Battle of Five Forks, he defended General Warren against General Sher...
8m Jan 11
8m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain's early war experience included the massacre at Fredericksburg and a smallpox outbreak that sidelined his regiment. Under the tutelage of the disciplinarian Adelbert Ames, Chamberlain learned command strategies. The narrat
Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain's early war experience included the massacre at Fredericksburg and a smallpox outbreak that sidelined his regiment. Under the tutelage of the disciplinarian Adelbert Ames, Chamberlain learned command strategies. The narrative culminates at the Battle of Gettysburg, where the 20th Maine was ordered to hold the extreme left flank at Little Round Top "at all cost."...
12m Jan 11
12m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin as a professor, where he prioritized critical thinking over strict regimentation and married Fanny in 1855. During his tenure, he witnessed significant pre-war events, including a visit by Jefferson Dav
Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin as a professor, where he prioritized critical thinking over strict regimentation and married Fanny in 1855. During his tenure, he witnessed significant pre-war events, including a visit by Jefferson Davis and Harriet Beecher Stowe reading early chapters of Uncle Tom's Cabin. When the Civil Warbegan, Chamberlain felt compelled to serve, abando...
7m Jan 11
7m
S8 Ep300: Guest: Ronald White. This segment introduces Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's early life and intellectual formation. In 1848, Chamberlain passed a rigorous entrance exam for Bowdoin College by reciting classical Greek and Roman literature from memory. Raised
Guest: Ronald White. This segment introduces Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's early life and intellectual formation. In 1848, Chamberlain passed a rigorous entrance exam for Bowdoin College by reciting classical Greek and Romanliterature from memory. Raised in Brewer, Maine, by "hardy congregationalist" parents, he balanced his father's love for physical pursuits like sailing and riding with his m...
11m Jan 11
11m
S8 Ep299: DALLAS THE DOG MONITORS COCKATOO SIEGE DURING HEATWAVE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. During a severe heatwave in New South Wales where temperatures reached 115°F (43°C), Dallas the dog has been vigilantly monitoring a flock of destructive cockatoos from his por
DALLAS THE DOG MONITORS COCKATOO SIEGE DURING HEATWAVE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. During a severe heatwave in New South Wales where temperatures reached 115°F (43°C), Dallas the dog has been vigilantly monitoring a flock of destructive cockatoos from his porch. While intelligent birds like magpies have retreated to the shade or are sharing Dallas's water bowl to survive the heat, the cockatoos rem...
5m Jan 11
5m
S8 Ep299: BAZBALL DECLARED DEAD AFTER AUSTRALIA'S ASHES VICTORY Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Australia's decisive 4-1 victory in the Ashes series is viewed as a failure of England's "Bazball" strategy, which Zakis declares "dead" for test cricket. The strategy, reliant
BAZBALL DECLARED DEAD AFTER AUSTRALIA'S ASHES VICTORY Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Australia'sdecisive 4-1 victory in the Ashes series is viewed as a failure of England's "Bazball" strategy, which Zakis declares "dead" for test cricket. The strategy, reliant on brute force and psychological warfare to score quickly, ultimately backfired by exhausting the English players over the duration of the five...
10m Jan 11
10m
S8 Ep299: SNAKE CATCHER SURVIVES EASTERN BROWN BITE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. The risks of the Australian summer are highlighted by the ironic near-death experience of Michaela, a professional snake catcher who was bitten by a deadly Eastern Brown snake while off-dut
SNAKE CATCHER SURVIVES EASTERN BROWN BITE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. The risks of the Australiansummer are highlighted by the ironic near-death experience of Michaela, a professional snake catcher who was bitten by a deadly Eastern Brown snake while off-duty and barefoot in her own garden. Although her organs began to shut down from the venom, she received antivenom within the crucial "golden hour...
9m Jan 11
9m
S8 Ep299: CYCLONE KOJI STRIKES QUEENSLAND AS BUSHFIRES RAGE ELSEWHERE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Jeremy Zakis reports that Cyclone Koji, described as a "monster" system with winds reaching 90 to 100 miles per hour, struck the Queensland coast near Townsville. Fortunat
CYCLONE KOJI STRIKES QUEENSLAND AS BUSHFIRES RAGE ELSEWHERE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Jeremy Zakis reports that Cyclone Koji, described as a "monster" system with winds reaching 90 to 100 miles per hour, struck the Queensland coast near Townsville. Fortunately, the cyclone's epicenter made landfall south of the major population centers, resulting in damage primarily restricted to uprooted trees a...
13m Jan 11
13m
298: NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION AS DETERRENCE Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. To deter immediate Chinese aggression, Fanell advocates for "war fighting proliferation," suggesting the US should support nuclear capabilities for alli
NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION AS DETERRENCE Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. To deter immediate Chinese aggression, Fanell advocates for "war fighting proliferation," suggesting the US should support nuclear capabilities for allies like Japan and South Korea because conventional US forces cannot be rebuilt fast enough. Thayer argues for total economic decoupling, urgin...
8m Jan 11
8m
S8 Ep298: ADMITTING STRATEGIC FAILURE AND THE NEED FOR TEAM B Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell argues the intelligence community must admit its "strategic failure" regarding China, likening the current denial to a patient ignoring a cancer diagnos
ADMITTING STRATEGIC FAILURE AND THE NEED FOR TEAM B Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell argues the intelligence community must admit its "strategic failure" regarding China, likening the current denial to a patient ignoring a cancer diagnosis. He asserts that institutional bias protects the status quo. To counter this, they propose creating a "Team B"—independent analysts outside...
11m Jan 11
11m
S8 Ep298: HISTORICAL ECHOES: THE 10-YEAR RULE AND TIANANMEN BLINDNESS Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. The authors draw parallels between current US policy and the British Empire's 1919 "10-year rule," which slashed defense spending based on the assumpti
HISTORICAL ECHOES: THE 10-YEAR RULE AND TIANANMEN BLINDNESS Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. The authors draw parallels between current US policy and the British Empire's 1919 "10-year rule," which slashed defense spending based on the assumption of peace, leading to unpreparedness for WWII. Fanell recalls his intelligence experience post-Tiananmen Square, noting the US Navy dismisse...
8m Jan 11
8m
S8 Ep298: THE ANACONDA STRATEGY AND THE NEO-ENGAGEMENT TRAP Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell and Thayer discuss the "Joint Sword 2024 Alpha" exercises, describing them as an "Anaconda strategy" where the PRC practices suffocating Taiwan through bl
THE ANACONDA STRATEGY AND THE NEO-ENGAGEMENT TRAP Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell and Thayer discuss the "Joint Sword 2024 Alpha" exercises, describing them as an "Anaconda strategy" where the PRC practices suffocating Taiwan through blockades and missile strikes. Thayer argues that despite these overt threats, Washington remains captured by the "neo-engagement school," mista...
10m Jan 11
10m
S8 Ep297: UNORDERED HEROISM AND THE ULTIMATE BLUFF Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis recounts the extraordinary heroism of Dorie Miller, a cook at Pearl Harbor who, despite segregation and lack of training, manned a machine gun and saved his captain with
UNORDERED HEROISM AND THE ULTIMATE BLUFF Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis recounts the extraordinary heroism of Dorie Miller, a cook at Pearl Harbor who, despite segregation and lack of training, manned a machine gun and saved his captain without orders. The segment concludes with Commander Ernest Evans of the USS Johnston at Leyte Gulf. Facing a massive Japanese fleet with no suppo...
10m Jan 11
10m
S8 Ep297: EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE COURAGE TO PIVOT Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. The Admiral emphasizes emotional detachment in leadership, using The Godfather as an analogy for not letting hatred cloud judgment. He critiques Bill Halsey for letting a riv
EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE COURAGE TO PIVOT Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. The Admiral emphasizes emotional detachment in leadership, using The Godfather as an analogy for not letting hatred cloud judgment. He critiques Bill Halsey for letting a rivalry with Spruance drive him into a trap at Leyte Gulf. Stavridis also explores the willingness to change plans, illustrating this with Stephe...
10m Jan 11
10m
S8 Ep297: RESOURCE EVALUATION: FROM IRONCLADS TO PANDEMICS Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis examines how leaders evaluate resources under pressure. He cites David Farragut at Mobile Bay, who successfully combined Army and Navy assets and adapted to new
RESOURCE EVALUATION: FROM IRONCLADS TO PANDEMICS Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis examines how leaders evaluate resources under pressure. He cites David Farragut at Mobile Bay, who successfully combined Army and Navy assets and adapted to new ironclad technology while ordering "full speed ahead" through mines. In contrast, he defends Commander Lloyd Bucher of the USS Pueblo, who sur...
10m Jan 11
10m
S8 Ep297: INTELLIGENCE AND CALCULATION IN THE CRUCIBLE OF COMMAND Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Admiral Stavridis discusses leadership lessons from his book To Risk It All. He highlights Admiral George Dewey's victory at Manila Bay, which relied on gathering h
 INTELLIGENCE AND CALCULATION IN THE CRUCIBLE OF COMMAND Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Admiral Stavridis discusses leadership lessons from his book To Risk It All. He highlights Admiral George Dewey's victory at Manila Bay, which relied on gathering human intelligence from diplomats in the absence of modern technology. Conversely, he analyzes Admiral Bill Halsey's failure at Leyte Gulf, wh...
9m Jan 11
9m
S8 Ep296: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SILENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan discusses the psychological aftermath of the Cultural Revolution with professionals in Shanghai, describing the era as a "collective hysteria." She explores the concept of "eating bitterness,"
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SILENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan discusses the psychological aftermath of the Cultural Revolution with professionals in Shanghai, describing the era as a "collective hysteria." She explores the concept of "eating bitterness," or enduring suffering without complaint. While the Cultural Revolution is not strictly banned like the 1989 Tiananmen protests, it remains a se...
9m Jan 11
9m
S8 Ep296: A SON'S BETRAYAL Colleague Tanya Branigan. This file recounts the tragic story of Zhang Hongbing, who, as a teenager in 1970, denounced his own mother to the authorities. His mother, Fang Zhongmou, was executed after Zhang and his father reported her for
A SON'S BETRAYAL Colleague Tanya Branigan. This file recounts the tragic story of Zhang Hongbing, who, as a teenager in 1970, denounced his own mother to the authorities. His mother, Fang Zhongmou, was executed after Zhangand his father reported her for criticizing Mao at home. Decades later, Zhang lives with profound guilt, feeling that his mother "never answers" his attempts to communicate. H...
11m Jan 11
11m
S8 Ep296: IMPERSONATORS AND THE DEATH OF IDEALISM Colleague Tanya Branigan. The conversation highlights the strange phenomenon of historical impersonators, including one of Lin Biao, the general who was Mao's successor before being branded a traitor. Branigan expla
IMPERSONATORS AND THE DEATH OF IDEALISM Colleague Tanya Branigan. The conversation highlights the strange phenomenon of historical impersonators, including one of Lin Biao, the general who was Mao's successor before being branded a traitor. Branigan explains that Lin's sudden vilification shattered the idealism of many Red Guards, causing them to question Mao's infallibility. The segment also d...
8m Jan 10
8m
S8 Ep296: PRINCELINGS AND POLITICAL NOSTALGIA Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan examines "princelings" Bo Xilai and Xi Jinping, children of elite leaders who were victimized during the Cultural Revolution. Xi was exiled to the countryside, while Bo's mother likely
PRINCELINGS AND POLITICAL NOSTALGIA Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan examines "princelings" Bo Xilai and Xi Jinping, children of elite leaders who were victimized during the Cultural Revolution. Xi was exiled to the countryside, while Bo's mother likely died from beatings. Despite this family trauma, Bo later utilized "red culture" nostalgia in Chongqing before his political downfall followin...
9m Jan 10
9m
S8 Ep296: THE COMPOSER WHO SURVIVED Colleague Tanya Branigan. This segment focuses on Wang Xilin, a composer and former zealous party member whose career was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Despite his devotion, he was persecuted, subjected to brutal "str
THE COMPOSER WHO SURVIVED Colleague Tanya Branigan. This segment focuses on Wang Xilin, a composer and former zealous party member whose career was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Despite his devotion, he was persecuted, subjected to brutal "struggle sessions," and driven to the brink of suicide. His music went unperformed for 37 years. Branigan describes Wang's intense anger when dis...
7m Jan 10
7m
S8 Ep296: TEENAGE ZEALOTS AND THE TRAUMA OF VIOLENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan details the memories of Yu Xiangzhen, a former Red Guard who attended Mao's first mass rally in August 1966. Mao encouraged youth to destroy "the four olds," sparking widesprea
TEENAGE ZEALOTS AND THE TRAUMA OF VIOLENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan details the memories of Yu Xiangzhen, a former Red Guard who attended Mao's first mass rally in August 1966. Mao encouraged youth to destroy "the four olds," sparking widespread violence against cultural artifacts and people. While traveling the country to spread revolution, Yu witnessed a sports court filled with cor...
12m Jan 10
12m
S8 Ep296: THE MURDER OF TEACHER BIAN Colleague Tanya Branigan. The discussion turns to "Red August" 1966 and the murder of vice-principal Bian Zhongyun by her students. Her husband, Wang Jingyao, secretly preserved photographs of her body and her bloodied clothes a
THE MURDER OF TEACHER BIAN Colleague Tanya Branigan. The discussion turns to "Red August" 1966 and the murder of vice-principal Bian Zhongyun by her students. Her husband, Wang Jingyao, secretly preserved photographs of her body and her bloodied clothes as a shrine and evidence of the brutality. Branigan discusses Yu Xiangzhen, a former Red Guard who blogged about her regrets until political pr...
9m Jan 10
9m
S8 Ep296: THE FORBIDDEN MUSEUM OF SHANTOU Colleague Tanya Branigan. Tanya Branigan discusses her book, Red Memory, and her visit to the Cultural Revolution Museum in Shantou. Founded by former official Peng Qi'an, this was the only museum in China dedicated to reco
THE FORBIDDEN MUSEUM OF SHANTOU Colleague Tanya Branigan. Tanya Branigan discusses her book, Red Memory, and her visit to the Cultural Revolution Museum in Shantou. Founded by former official Peng Qi'an, this was the only museum in China dedicated to recording the era's violence and chaos. Built in a remote location on a site of mass graves to avoid scrutiny, the museum was eventually suppresse...
9m Jan 10
9m
S8 Ep295: THE BATTLE FOR RAFAH AND THE FUTURE OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. The discussion focuses on the strategic importance of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, identified as the primary artery for Hamas's weapons smuggling. Fra
THE BATTLE FOR RAFAH AND THE FUTURE OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. The discussion focuses on the strategic importance of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, identified as the primary artery for Hamas's weapons smuggling. Frantzman argues that Israel must control this border to prevent Hamas from rearming, noting Egypt's failure to secure the area effectively. Regar...
7m Jan 10
7m
S8 Ep295: THE OCTOPUS STRATEGY: IRAN'S PROXIES AND ISRAEL'S COUNTERATTACK Colleague Seth Frantzman. Frantzman employs the "octopus" metaphor to describe Iran as the central brain directing proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis to encircle Israel. He detail
THE OCTOPUS STRATEGY: IRAN'S PROXIES AND ISRAEL'S COUNTERATTACK Colleague Seth Frantzman. Frantzman employs the "octopus" metaphor to describe Iran as the central brain directing proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis to encircle Israel. He details Hamas's October 7 strategy: massacre civilians, seize hostages, and retreat to human shields and tunnels to await international pressure on ...
13m Jan 10
13m
S8 Ep295: ANATOMY OF AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE: ARROGANCE AND TECHNOLOGY Colleague Seth Frantzman. This segment analyzes the catastrophic intelligence failure leading to October 7, attributing it to a mix of complacency, arrogance, and groupthink within Israel's defe
ANATOMY OF AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE: ARROGANCE AND TECHNOLOGY Colleague Seth Frantzman. This segment analyzes the catastrophic intelligence failure leading to October 7, attributing it to a mix of complacency, arrogance, and groupthink within Israel's defense establishment. Despite warnings from border observers and Unit 8200 possessing Hamas's attack plans a year in advance, officials dismissed...
8m Jan 10
8m
S8 Ep295: THE HORROR OF OCTOBER 7 AND THE ORIGINS OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. Seth Frantzman recounts his harrowing experience on the evening of October 7, discovering a body on the road to Gaza, symbolizing the chaos of the initial invasion. The conversatio
THE HORROR OF OCTOBER 7 AND THE ORIGINS OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. Seth Frantzmanrecounts his harrowing experience on the evening of October 7, discovering a body on the road to Gaza, symbolizing the chaos of the initial invasion. The conversation shifts to the historical origins of Hamas, founded by Ahmed Yassin during the First Intifada as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Frantz...
10m Jan 10
10m
S8 Ep294: IRAN'S QUEST FOR SUPREMACY AND FUTURE NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS Colleague Brandon Weichert. Weichert discusses Iran's ultimate goal of regional supremacy, describing the regime as the "octopus brain" directing proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah to attack Israel.
 IRAN'S QUEST FOR SUPREMACY AND FUTURE NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS Colleague Brandon Weichert. Weichert discusses Iran's ultimate goal of regional supremacy, describing the regime as the "octopus brain" directing proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah to attack Israel. He notes that his book anticipated the proxy attacks that occurred on October 7. Looking forward, Weichert analyzes potential US responses, ...
7m Jan 10
7m
S8 Ep294: SHIFTS IN US POLICY AND THE RISE OF THE SHIA CRESCENT Colleague Brandon Weichert. This section tracks US policy shifts from Clinton's diplomatic attempts to the unintended consequences of the 2003 Iraq War. Weichert argues that removing Saddam Hussein el
SHIFTS IN US POLICY AND THE RISE OF THE SHIA CRESCENT Colleague Brandon Weichert. This section tracks US policy shifts from Clinton's diplomatic attempts to the unintended consequences of the 2003 Iraq War. Weichert argues that removing Saddam Hussein eliminated a check on Iranian power, allowing Tehran to establish a "Shia Crescent" of influence stretching to Lebanon. The conversation covers t...
12m Jan 10
12m
S8 Ep294: THE HOSTAGE CRISIS, THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR, AND THE CARTER DOCTRINE Colleague Brandon Weichert. Focusing on the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, this segment explores the American hostage crisis and the subsequent Iran-Iraq War initiated by Saddam Hussein in
THE HOSTAGE CRISIS, THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR, AND THE CARTER DOCTRINE Colleague Brandon Weichert. Focusing on the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, this segment explores the American hostage crisis and the subsequent Iran-Iraq War initiated by Saddam Hussein in 1980. Hussein attacked to exploit Iran's post-revolutionary chaos and seize the Shatt al-Arab waterway, fearing the spread of radical Islamism...
8m Jan 10
8m
S8 Ep294: US INTERVENTION IN IRAN: FROM OPERATION AJAX TO THE SHAH'S FALL Colleague Brandon Weichert. This segment introduces Brandon Weichert's book, The Shadow War, and examines the history of US interference in Iran. It details Ambassador William Sullivan's 1978
US INTERVENTION IN IRAN: FROM OPERATION AJAX TO THE SHAH'S FALL Colleague Brandon Weichert. This segment introduces Brandon Weichert's book, The Shadow War, and examines the history of USinterference in Iran. It details Ambassador William Sullivan's 1978 "Thinking the Unthinkable" memo, which suggested the Carter administration prepare for the Shah's removal as he weakened. The discussion highl...
10m Jan 10
10m
S8 Ep293: THE CHINESE JUDGE AND THE MODERN LEGACY OF THE TRIAL Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. Judge Mei Ju-ao represented China, striving to center the suffering of Asian peoples in the judgment before returning to a China engulfed by revolution. The trial's leg
THE CHINESE JUDGE AND THE MODERN LEGACY OF THE TRIAL Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. Judge Mei Ju-ao represented China, striving to center the suffering of Asian peoples in the judgment before returning to a China engulfed by revolution. The trial's legacy remains volatile in modern Asia, exemplified by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose grandfather, Kishi Nobusuke, was a suspected Class...
7m Jan 10
7m
S8 Ep293: DISSENT, EXECUTION, AND THE SHADOW OF IMPERIALISM Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. Judge Radhabinod Pal of India issued a massive 1,200-page dissent, arguing the tribunal was illegitimate and driven by the racism of colonial powers. Pal viewed Japanese a
DISSENT, EXECUTION, AND THE SHADOW OF IMPERIALISM Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. Judge Radhabinod Pal of India issued a massive 1,200-page dissent, arguing the tribunal was illegitimate and driven by the racism of colonial powers. Pal viewed Japanese actions as defense against Western encroachment and, controversially, questioned evidence of the Nanjing atrocities. Despite dissents from Fren...
13m Jan 10
13m
S8 Ep293: CONSPIRACY CHARGES AND THE LEGALITY OF AGGRESSIVE WAR Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. The prosecution focused on 28 Class A defendants, alleging a grand conspiracy to wage aggressive war. This conspiracy charge, borrowed from Nuremberg, fit awkwardly wi
CONSPIRACY CHARGES AND THE LEGALITY OF AGGRESSIVE WAR Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. The prosecution focused on 28 Class A defendants, alleging a grand conspiracy to wage aggressive war. This conspiracy charge, borrowed from Nuremberg, fit awkwardly with the fractured reality of the Japanese government, where defendants were often bitter rivals. To prosecute "aggressive war," the tribunal re...
8m Jan 10
8m
S8 Ep293: THE COLD WAR SHIFT: GEORGE KENNAN'S STRATEGIC PIVOT Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. By 1948, the trial's context shifted dramatically with the onset of the Cold War and the Chinese Civil War. George Kennan, the architect of containment, visited Tokyo to
THE COLD WAR SHIFT: GEORGE KENNAN'S STRATEGIC PIVOT Colleague Professor Gary J. Bass. By 1948, the trial's context shifted dramatically with the onset of the Cold War and the Chinese Civil War. George Kennan, the architect of containment, visited Tokyo to convince MacArthur that democratization was less important than establishing Japan as a strong anti-communist bulwark against the Soviets. Ke...
10m Jan 10
10m