The Strategy Bridge

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The Nigerian Civil War and the Biases of American Intelligence Analysis with Judd Devermont Feb 24, 2019

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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 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 US intelligence community's biases during the Nigerian civil war" was published in African Affairs. Devermont is the host of the podcast "Into Africa."

The Strategy Bridge is a non-profit organization focused on the development of people in strategy, national security, & military affairs. To learn more about the strategy bridge journal, podcast, and events visit thestrategybridge.org.

Able Archer and the Nuclear War Scare of 1983 Dec 18, 2018

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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 we talk with Dr. Bob Hamilton about how Soviets and Americans misunderstood each other and almost started a nuclear war. Hamilton is an 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 WWI with Michael Kazin Nov 19, 2018

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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 WWI. 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 Strategy Bridge is a non-profit organization focused on the development of people in strategy, national security, & military affairs. To learn more about the Strategy Bridge journal, podcast, and events visit thestrategybridge.org.

The U.S. Navy as a Learning Organization with Trent Hone Oct 17, 2018

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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 the book 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 Sep 14, 2018

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From the 1890s through the end of WWI, 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 in the Germans' eyes for military service. 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.

The Strategy Bridge is a non-profit organization focused on the development of people in strategy, national security, & military affairs. To learn more about the journal, podcast, and events visit the Strategy Bridge website.

On Indian Foreign Policy with Dr. Aparna Pande Aug 13, 2018

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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.

The First Day at the Battle of Hue: One Soldier's Story Jul 23, 2018

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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.

Politics & Strategy of the Mexican-American War with Amy Greenberg Jun 11, 2018

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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.

On Iroquois War and Diplomacy with Timothy Shannon May 14, 2018

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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. 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 Apr 11, 2018

Show notes

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. 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.

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