The Strategy Bridge

From the 1890s through the end of WWI, Germans recruited African soldiers to serve in the Schutztruppe, the colonial army in German East Arica. In this episode we talk with Dr. Michelle Moyd about the askari, their way of war, and what motivated them to be 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."

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 is the author of From Chanakya to Modi: Evolution of India's Foreign Policy.

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 was in charge of a Quad 50 gun truck. The trucks were originally intended for air defense but 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.

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 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 the book A Wicked War: Polk, Clay, Lincoln, and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico.

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 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.

As the U.S. Army transitioned to the All Volunteer Force in the 1970’s, it realized that it needed to provide a higher standard of living to its soldiers and their families to encourage recruitment and retention. 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.

In this episode of the Strategy Bridge podcast we talk with Richard Immerman about Pres. Eisenhower's Project Solarium and what we can learn from it. 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.

The Strategy Bridge 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 a professor of Clausewitz studies at the Army War College.

The Strategy Bridge 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. 

Join The Strategy Bridge on January 22 for the premiere of a new podcast series on strategy, national security, and strategic history. Subscribe in iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.