Victor Davis Hanson and cohost Sami Winc discuss military history, focusing on generals and strategists, while also assessing progress in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Related
Share This
13 thoughts on “Grand Strategy”
Dude
Is there a solution to Ukraïne that takes Putin down a small peg and makes Joke look par for the course? Maybe 45 should jump in somehow – didn’t Teddy Roosevelt pull a similar trick?
Also thinking if there’s some truth to what Jared Kuschner said about 45’s enemies over-persuing and whether that tendency could be used to draw them into doing something even more over-the-top than Mar-a-Lago?
Hello Victor Davis Hanson,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Ukrainian war. Your insights about Putin reminds me of the quote “Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight back. He’ll just kill you.”
Thank you and hope the war ends without nuclear bombs.
Marie
Enjoyed your Grand Strategy podcast. It reminded me of my time at the Army War College. I take exception to Sami’s comment about today’s soldier having to be braver than soldiers in the past because war has changed. The way we wage war has changed, but not the heart of the American soldier. When called to do so, they pick up their weapon and march over the hill to meet the enemy. Regardless of the ferocity of the enemy, they march over the hill. They set aside fear and future and march over the hill. They are all brave because they all march over the hill. Their military and civilian leaders may fail them, but leaders come and go. The the heart of the American soldier remains strong. COL, US Army (Ret)
respectfully, Ive made this complaint many times, why are the 2 hosts always cutting professor Hanson short or changing topics while hes in the middle of a great run.. I haven’t missed one podcast maybe they are recorded for some live radio show? but would love to let the guard rails down and let the Professor go its always a bummer as I learn so much the way Professor discusses these important subjects, please forgive my ignorance just wanted to voice my opinion “More Victor is GOOD RADIO”
I am a student of VDH essays and observations and could listen to him for hours. But I don’t think everyone is equally attentive. VDH goes on wonderful tangents and into historical details in digestible spreads. His hosts are their to keep him from wandering to afar. I am annoyed when they butt in with a bored sounding “yeah” and interrupt him. But if a little on the fly editing will keep the content sharper and grow his audience, I will suffer it gladliy.
Thank you Mike, Roger! Hosts, Pleeeze allow Victor to talk. You can edit the recorded program and broadcast what goes overtime as part 2. Please Figure it out within your restraints and constraints. With all due respect, this comment has been politely brought up too many times with apparently no consideration made by the enterprise. De Oppresso Liber, G
Changes haven’t been made because just as many commenters have made the opposite observation. Management takes their POV into consideration too. I, personally, wish Jack and Sami talked more.
If I may be so bold, one of the simplest ways of explaining interior vs. exterior positions is to think about a spoked wagon wheel. If you are at the hub (the interior position), you can quickly run your reserve forces out to the rim in any direction and move them back to the hub when not needed so as to be able to move them out in another direction, if needed. You can quickly supply your forces at the rim from the center in any direction. If the enemy is outside the rim, at the exterior position, then it has to move its forces around the circumference. An example of a great interior position occurred at the beginning of the Korean War when the U.S. was inside the Pusan (now Busan) Perimeter and used the “Taegu Railway” (now Daegu) to move forces where needed to meet the North Korean onslaught.
Professor Hanson, given the recent success on the battlefield by the Ukrainians, the collapse of the Russians northwest of Donbas, and the Pushing back of the Russians near Kherson, do you think the war of attrition has now become a war of mobility and action? The past week suggest things are about to collapse for Russia in Ukraine, as the Ukrainians are engaging in the very combined arms operations that the Russian attempted to do by failed at the start of the war.
Grant’s campaign to capture Vicksburg featured a swing around the south and east of Vicksburg with almost no lines of supply. This was a micro version of Sherman’s swing thru the heart of the Confederacy. Grant also demonstrated brillance with his early victories at Fort Henry and Donelson.
In 1968, I was six years old and a family moved in next door. My town in Imperial County was a lot like VDH’s Selma. The aforementioned family consisted of a Samuel L. Jackson look-alike Marine officer father and husband, his Caucasian wife, and mixed race children. Tiny remnants of suspicious concern soon abated as this man’s character became known to our community. His love of country, community, freedom and truth led many towards him in emulation.
Major “C” was a high school teacher by vocation, and stories of the Battle of Chosin were a favorite staple. Interestingly, similar tales of Vietnam were few. I asked him once, after concluding that these two conflicts ended so differently, why such a difference existed in the first place. He said to me, “That’s simple to explain: television.” His position was that with the advent of television, the informed public, in general, would not tolerate what was necessary to satisfactorily conclude such conflicts. He told me that I would more than likely witness similar “lessenings” of appropriate and legitimate power and authority in public education, law enforcement, and even parenting–all to our detriment.
After listening to Victor today, I can see why public education, law enforcement, and even the military, are in such decline. Wokeism and other Leftist nonsense have been propagandized via the media and social media to such an extent, the real enemy is, indeed, within. America’s external enemies need do nothing.
Thank you Victor, Re: Marie “Thank you and hope the war ends without nuclear bombs.” Team, here’s the 5bLargest Nuclear Tests Caught On Camera(V/r, G) : https://youtu.be/_vPAoaRPi2k
Is there a solution to Ukraïne that takes Putin down a small peg and makes Joke look par for the course? Maybe 45 should jump in somehow – didn’t Teddy Roosevelt pull a similar trick?
Also thinking if there’s some truth to what Jared Kuschner said about 45’s enemies over-persuing and whether that tendency could be used to draw them into doing something even more over-the-top than Mar-a-Lago?
Hello Victor Davis Hanson,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Ukrainian war. Your insights about Putin reminds me of the quote “Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight back. He’ll just kill you.”
Thank you and hope the war ends without nuclear bombs.
Marie
Enjoyed your Grand Strategy podcast. It reminded me of my time at the Army War College. I take exception to Sami’s comment about today’s soldier having to be braver than soldiers in the past because war has changed. The way we wage war has changed, but not the heart of the American soldier. When called to do so, they pick up their weapon and march over the hill to meet the enemy. Regardless of the ferocity of the enemy, they march over the hill. They set aside fear and future and march over the hill. They are all brave because they all march over the hill. Their military and civilian leaders may fail them, but leaders come and go. The the heart of the American soldier remains strong. COL, US Army (Ret)
respectfully, Ive made this complaint many times, why are the 2 hosts always cutting professor Hanson short or changing topics while hes in the middle of a great run.. I haven’t missed one podcast maybe they are recorded for some live radio show? but would love to let the guard rails down and let the Professor go its always a bummer as I learn so much the way Professor discusses these important subjects, please forgive my ignorance just wanted to voice my opinion “More Victor is GOOD RADIO”
I am a student of VDH essays and observations and could listen to him for hours. But I don’t think everyone is equally attentive. VDH goes on wonderful tangents and into historical details in digestible spreads. His hosts are their to keep him from wandering to afar. I am annoyed when they butt in with a bored sounding “yeah” and interrupt him. But if a little on the fly editing will keep the content sharper and grow his audience, I will suffer it gladliy.
Thank you Mike, Roger! Hosts, Pleeeze allow Victor to talk. You can edit the recorded program and broadcast what goes overtime as part 2. Please Figure it out within your restraints and constraints. With all due respect, this comment has been politely brought up too many times with apparently no consideration made by the enterprise. De Oppresso Liber, G
Changes haven’t been made because just as many commenters have made the opposite observation. Management takes their POV into consideration too. I, personally, wish Jack and Sami talked more.
If I may be so bold, one of the simplest ways of explaining interior vs. exterior positions is to think about a spoked wagon wheel. If you are at the hub (the interior position), you can quickly run your reserve forces out to the rim in any direction and move them back to the hub when not needed so as to be able to move them out in another direction, if needed. You can quickly supply your forces at the rim from the center in any direction. If the enemy is outside the rim, at the exterior position, then it has to move its forces around the circumference. An example of a great interior position occurred at the beginning of the Korean War when the U.S. was inside the Pusan (now Busan) Perimeter and used the “Taegu Railway” (now Daegu) to move forces where needed to meet the North Korean onslaught.
Professor Hanson, given the recent success on the battlefield by the Ukrainians, the collapse of the Russians northwest of Donbas, and the Pushing back of the Russians near Kherson, do you think the war of attrition has now become a war of mobility and action? The past week suggest things are about to collapse for Russia in Ukraine, as the Ukrainians are engaging in the very combined arms operations that the Russian attempted to do by failed at the start of the war.
Grant’s campaign to capture Vicksburg featured a swing around the south and east of Vicksburg with almost no lines of supply. This was a micro version of Sherman’s swing thru the heart of the Confederacy. Grant also demonstrated brillance with his early victories at Fort Henry and Donelson.
Very balanced viewpoints on the Ukrainian war. Thanks.
In 1968, I was six years old and a family moved in next door. My town in Imperial County was a lot like VDH’s Selma. The aforementioned family consisted of a Samuel L. Jackson look-alike Marine officer father and husband, his Caucasian wife, and mixed race children. Tiny remnants of suspicious concern soon abated as this man’s character became known to our community. His love of country, community, freedom and truth led many towards him in emulation.
Major “C” was a high school teacher by vocation, and stories of the Battle of Chosin were a favorite staple. Interestingly, similar tales of Vietnam were few. I asked him once, after concluding that these two conflicts ended so differently, why such a difference existed in the first place. He said to me, “That’s simple to explain: television.” His position was that with the advent of television, the informed public, in general, would not tolerate what was necessary to satisfactorily conclude such conflicts. He told me that I would more than likely witness similar “lessenings” of appropriate and legitimate power and authority in public education, law enforcement, and even parenting–all to our detriment.
After listening to Victor today, I can see why public education, law enforcement, and even the military, are in such decline. Wokeism and other Leftist nonsense have been propagandized via the media and social media to such an extent, the real enemy is, indeed, within. America’s external enemies need do nothing.
Thank you Victor, Re: Marie “Thank you and hope the war ends without nuclear bombs.” Team, here’s the 5bLargest Nuclear Tests Caught On Camera(V/r, G) : https://youtu.be/_vPAoaRPi2k