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The Strategy Bridge Podcast on strategy, national security, and strategic history.

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Edward Mead Earl and “Makers of Modern Strategy” with Michael Finch

In 1943, the book Makers of Modern Strategy was released and was an immediate success. The editor, Edward Mead Earle, had hoped to offer the public a historical lens through which to understand a world in the midst of a global war. Joining us to talk about the book, its intellectual history, and legacy is Michael Finch. Finch is the author of Making Makers: The Past, The Present, and the Study of War.

From the Rappahannock to Gettysburg with Scott Mingus and Eric Wittenberg

From June 3-30, 1863, the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac moved from their positions along the Rappahannock River at Fredericksburg, VA north to Pennsylvania where they met in battle at Gettysburg. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Scott Mingus and Eric Wittenberg about some of the key events of this movement. They are the authors of the two-volume series “If We Are Striking for Pennsylvania”: The Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac March to Gettysburg (Volume 1: June 3–21, 1863 & Volume 2: June 22 - June 30, 1863).

The Delaware River Campaign of 1777 with James McIntyre

Between September and November of 1777, the Continental Army and Pennsylvania State Navy fought to deny the British access to the Delaware River to prevent the Royal Navy from supplying British troops in Philadelphia. In this episode, James McIntyre joins The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about the Delaware River Campaign and his book A Most Gallant Resistance. McIntyre is an associate professor of history at Moraine Valley Community College.

The Geographies of war wtih jeremy black

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, Jeremy Black returns to talk about geographical concepts, mapmaking, strategy, geopolitics, and his book The Geographies of War. Jeremy Black is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and an Emeritus Professor of History at Exeter University.

Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America with Wayne Lee

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Wayne E. Lee about his book The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500-1800. Lee is Bruce W. Carney Professor of History and the University of North Carolina.

The Fight for Women to Fly in Combat with Eileen Bjorkman

Eileen Bjorkman joins The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about her book Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat. The book tells the story of how women fought for equality in the armed services and for the right to serve on flight crews in combat. Bjorkman is a retired Air Force colonel and flight test engineer.

Martial Aesthetics with Anders Engberg-Pedersen

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we are joined by Anders Engberg-Pedersen to talk about his book Martial Aesthetics: How War Became an Art Form. He is Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Southern Denmark and the University of Copenhagen.

THE U.S. ARMY IN THE PACIFIC WAR, 1945 WITH JOHN MCMANUS

Dr. John McManus returns to The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about the final book in his trilogy on the U.S. Army in the Pacific War, To the End of the Earth: The U.S. Army and the Downfall of Japan, 1945. McManus is the Curator's Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Wargaming Education and Design with Sebastian Bae

Sebastian Bae joins The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about wargaming education and design and his new game Littoral Commander: Indo-Pacific. Bae is the editor of the book Forging Wargamers: A Framework for Professional Military Education. He works as a research analyst and game designer in the defense industry and serves as an adjunct assistant professor at the Center for Security Studies at Georgetown University, where he teaches a graduate course on designing educational wargames.

The Mobile Riverine Force in the Vietnam War with Erik Villard

During the Vietnam War, a joint Army and Navy unit known as the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) was established to operate in the maritime environment of the Mekong Delta. In this episode we talk about the Mobile Riverine Force with Erik Villard, the digital military historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and a historian of the Vietnam War. Villard is the author of Combat Operations: Staying the Course, October 1967 to September 1968.

Further Reading:

Water, Roads, and Rail in the Gettysburg Campaign with Troy HarmAn

National Park Service Ranger Troy Harman joins The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about the role of the location of water, roads, and rail in decision making during the Gettysburg campaign. We also talk about how symbolism built into the design of the park shapes views of the battle. Harman has served as a ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park since 1989 and he is the author of All Roads Led to Gettysburg: A New Look at the Civil War’s Pivotal Campaign.

The Mythology of World War II with Elizabeth Samet

Elizabeth Samet joins The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about the mythology surrounding World War II, the literature and film that emerged following the war, and the mythology’s effect on our beliefs about the use of American military force. Samet is the author of Looking for the Good War: American Amnesia and the Violent Pursuit of Happiness and a professor of English at West Point.

Nimitz and the Art of Command in the Pacific

Trent Hone returns to The Strategy Bridge Podcast to talk about his new book Mastering the Art of Command: Admiral Chester Nimitz and Victory in the Pacific. We talk about how Nimitz organized and reorganized his staff as the war unfolded, his relationship with the Army, the effort to integrate the British Pacific Fleet into American operations and more. Trent Hone is a Vice President with ICF and an award-winning naval historian.

The History of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers with Matt Kriner and Jon Lewis

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Matt Kriner and Jon Lewis about the history, ideology, and organization of the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers. Matt Kriner is a Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism at Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He is an intelligence analyst with almost a decade of experience researching and analyzing U.S. domestic violent extremism, transnational far-right extremism, and radicalization. Jon Lewis is a Research Fellow at the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, where he studies domestic violent extremism and homegrown violent extremism, with a specialization in the evolution of white supremacist and anti-government movements in the United States and federal responses to the threat. They are the authors of the articles “Pride & Prejudice: The Violent Evolution of the Proud Boys” and “The Oath Keepers and their Role in the January 6 Insurrection,” published by the Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point’s CTC Sentinel.

The Concept of “Great-Power Competition” and American Foreign Policy with Ali Wyne

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Ali Wyne about the concept of great-power competition and what it means for American foreign policy. Wyne is a senior analyst at the Eurasia Group and is the author of America’s Great-Power Opportunity: Revitalizing U.S. Foreign Policy to Meet the Challenges of Strategic Competition.

The Susquehannock Wars and Bacon’s Rebellion with Matthew Kruer

In this episode of the Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Matthew Kruer about the Susquehannock wars of the 1670s and 1680s in the mid-Atlantic and Bacon’s Rebellion in colonial Virginia. Kruer is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Chicago and author of Time of Anarchy: Indigenous Power and the Crisis of Colonialism in Early America.

The U.S. Army in the Pacific War, 1944 with John McManus

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, Dr. John McManus returns to talk about Island Infernos: The U.S. Army’s Pacific War Odyssey, 1944, the second book in his series on the Army in the Pacific during World War Two. McManus is the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of U.S. Military History at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Habits of Maritime Strategists with James Holmes

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. James Holmes about his book Habits of Highly Effective Maritime Strategists. Holmes is a former Navy surface warfare officer and the J.C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College.

Combatant Command Campaign Planning with Chad Pillai

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Chad Pillai about combatant command campaign planning. Pillai is a U.S. Army strategist and the author of “Developing a Combatant Command Campaign Plan: Lessons Learned at US Central Command” published by the Modern War Institute at West Point.

Indian Civil-Military Relations with Ayesha Ray

Since gaining independence in 1947, the relations between India’s civilian leaders and the military has changed over time as the country fought wars with China and Pakistan, developed nuclear weapons, and used the military for internal counterinsurgency operations. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Ayesha Ray about Indian civil-military relations. Ray is an Associate Professor of Political Science at King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and the author of The Soldier and the State in India: Nuclear Weapons, Counterinsurgency, and the Transformation of Indian Civil-Military Relations.

The U.S. Navy in the Jacksonian Era with Claude Berube

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Claude Berube about his book On Wide Seas: The U.S. Navy in the Jacksonian Era. Dr. Berube is the museum director at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, an assistant professor of history at the U.S. Naval Academy, and a Naval Reserve officer.

Strategy and the Second World War with Jeremy Black

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Jeremy Black about the relationship between the Soviet Union and Germany, how the German Army and Navy worked together, the strategic significance of map making, and the effect of the Allied Mediterranean campaigns on neutral Spain. Black is an emeritus Professor of History at the University of Exeter and the author of Strategy and the Second World War: How the War Was Won and Lost.

War Veterans and Fascism with Angel Alcalde

In the years following the First World War, the Italian fascist movement appropriated the symbol of the veteran as a new revolutionary political force. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk about the fascist myth of the veteran with Dr. Angel Alcalde. Alcalde is the author of War Veterans and Fascism in Interwar Europe and is a lecturer in Twentieth Century European History at the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at the University of Melbourne.

The U.S. Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943 with John McManus

By the summer of 1945,1.8 million American soldiers were serving in the war against Japan in the Pacific and Asia. This included 21 U.S. Army infantry and airborne divisions plus independent regimental combat teams and tank battalions. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Dr. John McManus about the role the Army played in the Pacific during the first two years of the war. McManus is the author of Fire and Fortitude: The U.S. Army in the Pacific War, 1941-1943 and is the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

The Politics and Strategy of Project Apollo

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony about how the Apollo program to put men on the moon was created and run as an instrument of foreign policy. Muir-Harmony is the curator of the Project Apollo collection at the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum and is the author of the book Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo.

A Foreign Service Officer in South Sudan with Elizabeth Shackelford

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Elizabeth Shackelford about her book The Dissent Channel: American Diplomacy in a Dishonest Age. Shackelford writes about her time in South Sudan as a Foreign Service Officer and what she experienced when the new country descended into war.

Strategic Culture, Ideology, and Military Strategy with Jeremy Black

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk about strategic culture, ideology, and military strategy with Jeremy Black. He is an emeritus Professor of History at the University of Exeter and the author of Military Strategy: A Global History.

Strategy Before Clausewitz with Beatrice Heuser

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Professor Beatrice Heuser from the University of Glasgow about whether strategic thinking as we have come to understand it existed in the centuries before the word “strategy” was introduced into the Western European languages. Heuser is the author of Strategy Before Clausewitz: Linking Warfare and Statecraft, 1400-1830.

On Bernard Brodie’s A Layman’s Guide to Naval Strategy with Nick Prime

In 1942 Bernard Brodie published the first edition of his book A Layman’s Guide to Naval Strategy. It would see a total of 5 editions, the last in 1964 with a slightly changed title of A Guide to Naval Strategy. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk about Brodie’s book with Dr. Nick Prime, a post-doctoral fellow with the Army Strategic Education Program at the U.S. Army War College. 

On Grand Strategy with John Lewis Gaddis

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. John Lewis Gaddis about his book On Grand Strategy. Gaddis is the Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military & Naval History at Yale University and was the founding director of the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy.

The Strategist and the General Staff Officer with Jacqueline Whitt and J.P. Clark

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Dr. Jacqueline Whitt and Dr. J.P. Clark about two essays in On Strategy: A Primer. Whitt is an Associate Professor of Strategy at the Army War College and the author of the essay “The Strategists’ Mixing Board: Characteristics of a Strategist.” Clarke is an active duty Army officer who has served 14 years as an Army Strategist and is the co-author along with Frances Park of the essay ”Practical Strategists: The Perspective and Craft of the General Staff Officer.” Clark is the author of Preparing for War, and Whitt is the author of Bringing God to Men: American Military Chaplains in the Vietnam War.

"Useful Fiction," Imaginative Thinking, and National Security Affairs with August Cole 

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with August Cole about how fiction and imaginative thinking can inform how we approach national security affairs. Cole is a non-resident senior fellow at the Brent Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council. From 2014-2017 he directed the Art of Future Warfare Project, which explored creative and narrative works for insight into the future of conflict. He works on creative futures at SparkCognition, an artificial intelligence company, and along with Peter Singer he is the author of two novels Ghost Fleet: A Novel of the Next World War and Burn-In: A Novel of the Real Robotic Revolution.

Librarians, Books, and Intelligence Gathering in World War II with Kathy Peiss

During World War II, librarians, archivists, microfilm specialists, and book connoisseurs were recruited by the U.S. government to go overseas and collect enemy books, newspapers, journals, and other publications as part of an open-source intelligence effort. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk about their work with Dr. Kathy Peiss. She is a professor of American history at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of Information Hunters: When Librarians, Soldiers, and Spies Banded Together In World War II Europe.

On Hannah Arendt’s “Lying in Politics” with Celestino Perez

In 1971, the New York Times published leaked versions of what became known as the Pentagon Papers. The papers were part of a 7,000 page report commissioned by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara that looked at the history of the American involvement in Vietnam. Later that year, political theorist Hannah Arendt published an essay in the New York Review of Books called “Lying in Politics” that focused on issues of deception and self-deception as revealed in the Pentagon Papers. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Celestino Perez about Arendt’s essay and what it can teach us about decision making. Perez is a colonel in the U.S. Army and a professor at the Army War College.

U.S. Foreign Assistance Policy with Jessica Trisko Darden

Since its establishment during the Truman administration, the U.S. foreign assistance program has been seen by policymakers as a primary means of influencing the politics and economies of recipient countries. But foreign assistance has often had unintended consequences. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Jessica Trisko Darden about how U.S. foreign assistance contributes to state violence and government repression. Trisko Darden is an assistant professor of international affairs at the School of International Service at American University. She is the author of Aiding and Abetting: U.S. Foreign Assistance and State Violence.

The U.S. Navy’s Strategical Awakening with Scott Mobley

From the 1870s-1890s the U.S. Navy experienced a strategical awakening. Changes in technology, international politics, and other factors drove officers to develop new concepts of naval professionalism, identity, and organization. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Dr. Scott Mobley about how this awakening unfolded. Mobley teaches at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is the author of Progressives in Navy Blue: Maritime Strategy, American Empire, and the Transformation of U.S. Naval Identity, 1873-1898. Special thanks to the U.S. Naval Academy Museum and Claude Berube for providing a space to record the podcast.

The U.S. Colored Troops, Camp William Penn, and the Civil War with Donald Scott

In 1863, Camp William Penn was established outside of Philadelphia to train African American soldiers for the Union Army. By the end of the war eleven U.S. Colored Troops regiments were trained there and would go on to serve in Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina and other states. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Donald Scott about the U.S. Colored Troops and Camp William Penn. Scott is an assistant professor at the Community College of Philadelphia and a history columnist for Digital First Media, Inc. He is the author of the book Camp William Penn, 1863-1865.

A Theory of Tactics with Brett Friedman

While military thinkers have assembled many lists of the principles of war, they have not developed a theory of tactics. Brett Friedman set out to remedy that situation by writing the book he wished he had when he was a junior officer. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, he joins us to talk about his book On Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle. Friedman is a military analyst and Marine Corps Reserve officer.

Naval Irregular Warfare in Early America with Benjamin Armstrong

While naval historians and strategists have tended to focus on commerce raiding and ship-on-ship or fleet-on-fleet operations, naval history also includes many examples of wartime raiding and maritime security operations. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk about naval irregular warfare in early America with Dr. Benjamin Armstrong. He is an active duty naval officer and Assistant Professor of War Studies and Naval History at the US Naval Academy. Armstrong is the author of the book Small Boats and Daring Men: Maritime Raiding, Irregular Warfare and the Early American Navy.

U.S. Army Professionalism and Preparations for War, 1815-1917 with J.P. Clark

Throughout the 19th century the U.S. Army alternated between a small regular force scattered at isolated forts and large forces built quickly to fight major wars. In his book Preparing for War, Dr. J.P. Clark breaks the officer corps down into four generations between 1815-1917, generations whose ideas about professionalism and how to prepare for war were shaped by their institutions, experiences and culture. Clark is an active duty military officer who has taught history at West Point and served as a strategic advisor at the Pentagon and British Ministry of Defense.

Wargaming and National Security Decision Making with Elizabeth Bartels

Over the past several years, there has been a renewed interest in gaming as a method to investigate national security decision making, explore policy and strategy options, and provide experience as practitioners. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Elizabeth Bartels about how wargames are designed, the differences in approaching gaming as an art and a science, and how games are used to think creatively about global competition. Bartels is a PhD candidate studying national security policy gaming at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. On her website, she provides more detailed information on her research on gaming methods as well as game designs and results.

On J.C. Wylie’s “Military Strategy” with Nick Prime

In 1967, a short book called Military Strategy: A General Theory of Power Control was published by a naval officer named J.C. Wylie. Over the years the book developed a devoted following despite being generally neglected and is considered one of the important books on strategy to come out of the 20th century. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we are joined by Dr. Nick Prime to talk about Military Strategy and its intellectual history. Prime recently completed a PhD at King's College London focused on Wylie and the control school of strategy. He was the Smith Richardson Predoctoral Fellow in naval and strategic studies with International Security Studies program at Yale University.

The Nigerian Civil War and the Biases of American Intelligence Analysis

From July 1966 to January 1970, Nigerians fought a civil war which led to the deaths of more than half a million people. Looking back at the American attempts to understand what was happening offers an opportunity to assess how intelligence analysts responded to a foreign policy challenge. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Judd Devermont about the American intelligence community’s biases in its analysis of the Nigerian Civil War and its influence on American policy. Devermont is the director of the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has worked at the CIA, National Security Council, and in the office of the Director of National Intelligence. His article, “The U.S. Intelligence Community's Biases During the Nigerian Civil War,” was published in African Affairs. Devermont is the host of the podcast “Into Africa.”

Able Archer and the Nuclear War Scare of 1983

In 1983 Soviet leaders interpreted a series of American actions leading up to Exercise ABLE ARCHER as real steps toward a nuclear attack. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Robert Hamilton about how Soviets and Americans misunderstood each other and almost started a nuclear war. Hamilton is an Associate Professor of Eurasian Studies at the U.S. Army War College and a retired Army colonel. He is the author of the article “ABLE ARCHER at 35: Lessons of the 1983 War Scare.”

The American Anti-War Movement During World War I

The decision to go to war is one of the most important a country can make. In a democracy that debate can involve activist groups both for and against the war. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Michael Kazin about the American anti-war movement during the First World War. Kazin is a professor of history at Georgetown University and a co-editor of Dissent Magazine. He is the author of War Against War: The American Fight for Peace 1914-1918.

The U.S. Navy as a Learning Organization with Trent Hone

As the United States industrialized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the U.S. Navy worked to adapt to a maritime environment shaped by the development of new technologies and ship types. This effort led to the redefinition of what it meant be a naval officer and new thinking about doctrine, tactics, and strategy. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Trent Hone about how the American Navy transitioned from a traditional institution to a modern learning organization. Hone is the author of Learning War: The Evolution of Fighting Doctrine in the US Navy, 1898-1945.

African Soldiers in the German East African Colonial Army with Michelle Moyd

From the 1890s through the end of World War I, Germans recruited African soldiers to serve in the Schutztruppe, the colonial army in German East Africa. Known as the askari, they were drawn from various ethnic groups whose backgrounds made them desirable for military service in the eyes of the Germans. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Michelle Moyd about the askari, their way of war, and what motivated them to act as agents of German imperialism. Moyd is an associate professor of history at Indiana University and a former U.S. Air Force officer. She is the author of Violent Intermediaries: African Soldiers, Conquest, and Everyday Colonialism in German East Africa.

On Indian Foreign Policy with Dr. Aparna Pande

In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast we talk with Dr. Aparna Pande about Indian foreign policy and how it has been influenced by ancient philosophers, the example of Indian empires, the institutions of the British Raj, and the ideas of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Pande is the director of the Initiative on the Future of India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute and the author of From Chanakya to Modi: Evolution of India's Foreign Policy.

The First Day at the Battle of Hue: One Soldier’s Story

When the Tet Offensive began on January 31, 1968, Bob Lauver had been in Vietnam for 15 months. He was a sergeant with G Battery, 65th Artillery Regiment, and he was in charge of a Quad 50 gun truck. The trucks were originally intended for air defense, but they found a new role in Vietnam in firebase support and as convoy escorts. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we follow Lauver through his experiences on the first day of the Battle of Hue, for which he would be awarded a Silver Star.

Politics & Strategy of the Mexican-American War

In the presidential election of 1844, James Polk campaigned on a policy of territorial expansion. After becoming president he used diplomacy and military force to implement his policy. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Dr. Amy Greenberg about the politics and strategy of the Mexican-American War. Greenberg is a professor of history at Penn State University and the author of A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico.

On Iroquois War and Diplomacy with Timothy Shannon

In the 1600s and 1700s, the Iroquois were a Native American confederacy that exercised great influence in northeastern North America in their relations with the French, Dutch, and English colonists and the surrounding native peoples. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk to Dr. Timothy Shannon about how the Iroquois waged war and engaged in diplomacy to advance their interests. Shannon is a professor of American history and the chair of the history department at Gettysburg College. He is the author of Iroquois Diplomacy on the Early American Frontier. His most recent book is Indian Captive, Indian King: Peter Williamson in America and Britain.

The Rise of the Military Welfare State with Jennifer Mittelstadt

As the U.S. Army transitioned to the All Volunteer Force in the 1970s, it realized that it needed to provide a higher standard of living to its soldiers and their families to encourage recruitment and retention. The provision of these services was controversial, as it challenged concepts of military identity and became part of a larger political discussion within the U.S. about social welfare services. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge podcast, we talk with Jennifer Mittelstadt about her book The Rise of the Military Welfare State. Mittelstadt is a professor of history at Rutgers University and this year is the Harold K. Johnson Chair of Military History at the U. S. Army War College.

President Eisenhower's Project Solarium with Richard Immerman

In the months after Dwight Eisenhower was inaugurated president, he initiated what became known as Project Solarium. Three teams were established to research different options for dealing with the Soviet Union and to present their findings to the president and his foreign policy and national security advisors. In this episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast, we talk with Richard H. Immerman about Project Solarium and what we can learn from it.

Many Project Solarium documents are available at the State Department’s Office of the Historian website (between May-August 1953). Three especially interesting documents include:

  1. Notes Taken at the First Plenary Session of Project Solarium, Washington, June 26, 1953

  2. Memorandum by the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (Cutler) July 16, 1953 (Eisenhower’s comments on Project Solarium)

  3. Summaries Prepared by the NSC Staff of Project Solarium Presentations and Written Reports

Immerman is professor emeritus at Temple University, a specialist in the Cold War foreign policy and intelligence history, and co-author of Waging Peace: How Eisenhower Shaped an Enduring Cold War Strategy.

Culture, Politics, and Carl von Clausewitz with Vanya Eftimova Bellinger

The Strategy Bridge Podcast talks with Vanya Eftimova Bellinger about the influence of culture and politics on Carl von Clausewitz. Vanya Eftimova Bellinger is the author of Marie von Clausewitz: The Woman Behind the Making of On War and is Professor of Clausewitz Studies at the Army War College. Read more from Professor Bellinger here.

On Strategy Education with Tami Davis Biddle

The Strategy Bridge Podcast talks with Dr. Tami Davis Biddle about strategy education, strategic thinking, and the importance of being a lifelong learner. Dr. Tami Davis Biddle is a professor of national security and strategy at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, PA. Read Dr. Biddle's monograph Strategy and Grand Strategy: What Students and Practitioners Need to Know and her research on air power in World War II, Rhetoric and Reality in Air Warfare: The Evolution of British and American Ideas about Strategic Bombing, 1914-1945.