A Better Peace: The War Room Podcast

In "America in Vietnam: When the Best and Brightest Go Wrong," Historian Brian VanDeMark talks about his new book, "ROAD TO DISASTER: A NEW HISTORY OF AMERICA'S DESCENT INTO VIETNAM.." How do advances in cognitive psychology help explain how intelligent, well-intentioned leaders led America into the tragedy of Vietnam? What lessons does this hold for our own era? WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Andrew Hill moderates.

In "Learning About Leadership Through the Classics," WAR ROOM welcomes Lieutenant General Christopher Cavoli, Commander of U.S. Army Europe and Seventh Army, to discuss his perspectives on strategic leadership. In this interview, he shows how studying history--people and texts--helps better understand today's national security issues. WAR ROOM Podcast Editor Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.

The joint force has long depended on the private sector to provide necessary goods and services to support and sustain the warfight. This has been true since the days of the American Revolution, but reliance on contracted support has steadily increased over time. Business interests, emergence of dual-use technologies and commodities (e.g., tents), and political pressures have shaped this relationship. Has the promise been realized of cost savings due to contracting under conditions of private sector competition? Or, has the dependence on the private sector caused overall costs to increase? Addressing these and other questions are Dr. Jennifer Mittelstadt of Rutgers University and former U.S. Army War College faculty member, and Dr. Jacqueline E. Whitt, Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College.

What were the historical challenges of integrating women into the armed forces and what lessons do they provide for gender integration efforts now?

WAR ROOM welcomes Lieutenant General Wayne Eyre of the Canadian Armed Forces to the studio to discuss his perspectives on strategic leadership. He focuses most of his comments toward colonels entering the strategic level and the need for them to show self-awareness, develop their character, be lifelong learners, and lead teams. An excellent presentation for mid-grade officers to learn what it takes to make it as a senior leader. WAR ROOM podcast editor Jacqueline E. Whitt moderates.

In "Foreign Fighters are not Foreign to Insurgencies," David Malet and Jacqueline E. Whitt describe what foreign fighters are, why individuals may want to become them, and how foreign fighters affect the overall outcomes. David and Jacqueline also cover the long history of foreign fighters' involvement in insurgencies over the past two hundred years, which highlights both the risks and rewards of employing them.

In "War Films: Cooperation and Friction Between the U.S. Military and Hollywood," Ryan Wadle and Jacqueline E. Whitt discuss the history of how the war film industry emerged out of the interwar period. Focusing on naval films, the podcast presents how the military's relationship with Hollywood was mutually beneficial, but not without its challenges.

How has the evolving economic landscape affected U.S. confidence in the global economic order, and what impact does this have on national security?

In "Balancing Between Civilian Life and Service in the National Guard," A BETTER PEACE welcomes the 28th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Air Force General Joseph Lengyel. In the past two decades, the roles and commitments of the National Guard have grown tremendously, with ten percent of the force engaged worldwide whether for contingencies overseas or in response to state level missions, such as disaster response. How do strategic leaders address the competing military and civilian demands that National Guard Soldiers face at a national level?

The 2018 National Defense Strategy includes the following stark assessment of Professional Military Education, or PME: "PME has stagnated, focused more on the accomplishment of mandatory credit at the expense of lethality and ingenuity." Externally, PME has been a regular subject of criticism and target of calls for reform for the past decade. But internally, PME institutions have (without much fanfare) been embracing change and innovating their curricula and methodologies to ensure its graduates are prepared to re-enter the joint force with the requisite skills and knowledge. So what continues to be the problem and what barriers still must be overcome. The 51st Commandant of the U.S. Army War College John Kem, who also serves as Deputy Commandant of the Army University, addresses these questions with Andrew A. Hill, WAR ROOM's Editor-in-Chief.

The U.S. military and the militaries of many of its partner nations regard themselves as professional organizations and comrades in the profession of arms. The military is heralded as a profession composed of professionals who enact a unique domain of expert knowledge. But the meaning of this changes over time through the evolution of civil-military relations, global security, and new or emerging threats. The Army underwent a period of reflection at the turn of the century based on its Cold War experiences and renewed its commitment to professionalism. Is the time nigh for another such period? This and other questions are discussed between Ty Mayfield of Strategy Bridge and WAR ROOM's Podcast Editor Jacqueline E. Whitt.

Hannibal Barca (247-183 BC) was a Carthaginian general at a time when the Roman Empire was growing in power and influence across the Mediterranean. Hannibal demonstrated his prowess as a tactical commander and strategic leader during the Second Punic War as he marched from the Iberian Peninsula, through the Pyrenees, Gaul, and the Alps, eventually reaching northern Italy. A string of victories--Trebia, Lake Trasimere, and Cannae--followed, but he was unable to approach Rome before having to retreat to his homeland. Despite his ultimate defeat in the Battle of Zama, Hannibal is considered one of the greatest commanders in military history. Hannibal's story is presented by U.S. Army War College Professor of Strategic Landpower GK Cunningham. WAR ROOM Editor-in-Chief Andrew A. Hill moderates.

When military historians study battles or campaigns, what purpose does it serve? To immerse oneself deeply in the period and master the details, or to connect events of the past to the present? These and other questions are addressed in this conversation between two renowned military historians--Robert Citino of the World War II Museum and Michael Neiberg of the U.S. Army War College. They also address questions of what constitutes good historical writing and why it is especially important to develop such writing skills today.

The harsh winter of 1777-1778 saw the American Revolution at a crossroads. Despite growing popular support among colonists for independence, the Continental Army was in a difficult state. Battle weary and low on money and supplies, the Army was neither in a position to mount a winter campaign nor defend Philadelphia and instead chose to encamp at Valley Forge. General George Washington's leadership would be tested as the Army suffered from starvation and disease due to continued supply problems, yet still managed to re-organize and re-train for renewed fighting that summer. The lessons of this experience are discussed between Professor Rick Herrera of the School of Advanced Military Studies in Fort Leavenworth and U.S. Army War College Professor of Strategy Jacqueline E. Whitt.

He understands the psychology of war matters, and he is intent on trying to get the war over as quickly as possible. We continue our series on Great Captains with a look at William Tecumseh Sherman, one of the more controversial figures in the Civil War due to his actions in the South during the latter stages. A brilliant leader who understood well the impact that war has on soldiers and societies, Sherman was credited by Liddell-Hart as being the first "modern" general. But as the architect of a brutal campaign that severly weakened the Confederacy, Sherman also invoked fear and anger from enemies and friends alike. War College professors Jacqueline E. Whitt and Andrew A. Hill take a close look at Sherman and his legacy and one of histories Great Captains.   Jacqueline E. Whitt is Professor of Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and Andrew A. Hill is the Chair of Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College. The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense. Photo: Cropped portrait of William T. Sherman by Mathew Brady, listed as between 1865 and 1880. Digitally enhanced from original negative. Photo Credit:  Prints and Photographs Division, Brady-Handy Collection, Library of Congress (public domain)