The John Batchelor Show
Episodes
S8 Ep151: PREVIEW — John Hardie — The Evolution of Drone Warfare in the Ukraine Conflict. Hardie analyzes the expanding, evolving role of unmanned systems in the Ukraine war. Early intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drones, including the Turkish T
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — John Hardie — The Evolution of Drone Warfare in the Ukraine Conflict. Hardie analyzes the expanding, evolving role of unmanned systems ...
S8 Ep151: PREVIEW — Bill Roggio — The Threat of "Blue on Green" Attacks. Roggio addresses "blue on green" attacks, wherein Afghan security personnel, including national army and police units, attacked American and NATO forces throughout Afghanistan. The Taliban fre
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Bill Roggio — The Threat of "Blue on Green" Attacks. Roggio addresses "blue on green" attacks, wherein Afghan security personnel, inclu...
S8 Ep151: PREVIEW — Alan Tonelson — Worries Over Agriculture Driving US-China Trade Policy. John Batchelor and Tonelson examine Tonelson's concern that the Trump administration is allowing soybeans and agricultural interests to dominate U.S.-China trade policy form
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Alan Tonelson — Worries Over Agriculture Driving US-China Trade Policy. John Batchelor and Tonelson examine Tonelson's concern that the...
S8 Ep150: 3/3. The Regicide Debate — Gaius and Germanicus examine the history and implications of killing monarchs and emperors, particularly regarding modern political leadership. Germanicus uses the execution of Charles I in 1649 following the English Civil War a
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/3. The Regicide Debate — Gaius and Germanicus examine the history and implications of killing monarchs and emperors, particularly regarding modern...
S8 Ep150: 2/3. The Civic Communion Debate — Gaius observes that despite ceremonial declarations of national strength, the United States remains profoundly fragmented domestically. Germanicus presents French philosophical recommendations for "Civic Communion," empha
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/3. The Civic Communion Debate — Gaius observes that despite ceremonial declarations of national strength, the United States remains profoundly fra...
S8 Ep150: 1/3. The Peace Debate — In a Londinium wine bar during a storm in 91 AD, Gaius and Germanicus philosophize about service and contemporary geopolitics, centering on the modern concept of "peace," particularly regarding Ukraine despite ongoing conflicts in
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/3. The Peace Debate — In a Londinium wine bar during a storm in 91 AD, Gaius and Germanicus philosophize about service and contemporary geopolitic...
S8 Ep149: 8/8. Conservation Battles: From the Extinction of the Ivory Bill to the Political Fight over Wolves — Dan Flores — The twentieth century witnessed simultaneous conservation efforts and continuing ecological tragedy, notably the probable extinction of the
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
8/8. Conservation Battles: From the Extinction of the Ivory Bill to the Political Fight over Wolves — Dan Flores — The twentieth century witnessed...
S8 Ep149: 7/8. The Western Safari, Sheridan's Irony, and the Scientific Ignorance Driving the Wolf Slaughter — Dan Flores — The mid-nineteenth-century American West became a safari destination for wealthy European nobility who engaged in serial, unjustified massacr
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
7/8. The Western Safari, Sheridan's Irony, and the Scientific Ignorance Driving the Wolf Slaughter — Dan Flores— The mid-nineteenth-century Americ...
S8 Ep149: 6/8. The Great Slaughter: Audubon's Regret and the Lewis and Clark Grizzly Massacre — Dan Flores — The opening of the American West initiated an unprecedented destruction of animal populations. Flores documents that John James Audubon, while initially kil
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
6/8. The Great Slaughter: Audubon's Regret and the Lewis and Clark Grizzly Massacre — Dan Flores — The opening of the American West initiated an u...
S8 Ep149: 5/8. Thoreau, Extinction Denial, and the Destruction of America's Beaver Engineers — Dan Flores — Nineteenth-century intellectuals including Henry David Thoreau lamented the systematic extermination of iconic American fauna. Flores documents that the conc
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
5/8. Thoreau, Extinction Denial, and the Destruction of America's Beaver Engineers — Dan Flores — Nineteenth-century intellectuals incl...
S8 Ep149: 4/8. The Second Eurasian Invasion: Herding Culture, Wolves, and the Birth of the Global Market Economy — Dan Flores — European colonists expressed astonishment regarding the extraordinary abundance of American wildlife following the catastrophic populatio
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/8. The Second Eurasian Invasion: Herding Culture, Wolves, and the Birth of the Global Market Economy — Dan Flores — European colonists expressed...
S8 Ep149: 3/8. Ten Thousand Years of Kinship: Native American Hunter-Gatherers and Ecological Balance — Dan Flores — Following the Pliocene extinction event, North America entered a 10,000-year period characterized by hunter-gatherer societies achieving sophisticat
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/8. Ten Thousand Years of Kinship: Native American Hunter-Gatherers and Ecological Balance — Dan Flores — Following the Pliocene extinction event...
S8 Ep149: 2/8. Clovis Culture and the American Extinction: Early Humans as Ecological Simplifiers — Dan Flores — The Clovis culture, emerging approximately 13,000 years ago, rapidly spread across North America in a remarkably brief timeframe. Flores connects the Cl
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/8. Clovis Culture and the American Extinction: Early Humans as Ecological Simplifiers — Dan Flores — The Clovis culture, emerging approximately ...
S8 Ep149: 1/8. The Deep History of North American Mammals and the Arrival of Human Predators — Dan Flores — Flores's book Wild New World examines North American fauna spanning 66 million years, detailing the evolutionary processes and intercontinental migration pat
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/8. The Deep History of North American Mammals and the Arrival of Human Predators — Dan Flores — Flores's book Wild New World examines North Amer...
S8 Ep149: 8/8. Global Bird Consciousness and Human Responsibility — Steven Moss — Moss concludes by emphasizing that birds represent profound indicators of planetary ecological health and human stewardship. Moss argues that human societies have repeatedly demonstra
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
8/8. Global Bird Consciousness and Human Responsibility — Steven Moss — Moss concludes by emphasizing that birds represent profound indicators of ...
S8 Ep149: 7/8. The Snowy Egret, The Emperor Penguin, and the Climate Canary — Steven Moss — Moss describes the beautiful Snowy Egret, nearly driven to extinction during 19th-century "plumage wars," when its feathers, priced equivalently to gold, were harvested for
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
7/8. The Snowy Egret, The Emperor Penguin, and the Climate Canary — Steven Moss — Moss describes the beautiful Snowy Egret, nearly driven to extin...
S8 Ep149: 6/8. Mao's Sparrow Campaign and the Worst Human-Created Disaster — Steven Moss — Moss recounts Chairman Mao's 1958 order for systematic extermination of the Tree Sparrow, predicated on the erroneous belief that sparrows consumed excessive grain supplies.
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
6/8. Mao's Sparrow Campaign and the Worst Human-Created Disaster — Steven Moss — Moss recounts Chairman Mao's 1958 order for systematic exterminat...
S8 Ep149: 5/8. Guano, Tragedy, and the Rise of Intensive Farming — Steven Moss — Moss discusses seabird guano (nutrient-rich droppings), first recognized as a valuable resource by the Incas and subsequently monetized by William Gibbs, who accumulated immense wealth
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
5/8. Guano, Tragedy, and the Rise of Intensive Farming — Steven Moss — Moss discusses seabird guano (nutrient-rich droppings), first recognized as...
S8 Ep149: 4/8. The Dodo and the Legacy of Extinction — Steven Moss — Moss examines the Dodo as the iconic symbol of species extinction, despite extinction being conceptually incomprehensible to contemporary observers when the species disappeared from Mauritius. Mos
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/8. The Dodo and the Legacy of Extinction — Steven Moss — Moss examines the Dodo as the iconic symbol of species extinction, despite extinction b...
S8 Ep149: 3/8. Darwin's Finches: The Evolution Myth and the Speed of Adaptation — Steven Moss — Moss corrects widespread misconceptions regarding Darwin's Finches, noting that Charles Darwin collected the specimens but failed to properly label their specific island
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/8. Darwin's Finches: The Evolution Myth and the Speed of Adaptation — Steven Moss — Moss corrects widespread misconceptions regarding Darwin's F...
S8 Ep149: 2/8. Pigeons: The Great Communicators and Wartime Heroes — Steven Moss — Moss discusses the humble pigeon as a paradoxical feral bird species possessing extraordinary homing capabilities that made it invaluable as a communications mechanism. Although the
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/8. Pigeons: The Great Communicators and Wartime Heroes — Steven Moss — Moss discusses the humble pigeon as a paradoxical feral bird species poss...
S8 Ep149: 1/8. The Wild Turkey, the Bald Eagle, and the Illogical Nature of Bird Names — Steven Moss — Moss introduces the Wild Turkey, discussing its successful reestablishment in New England and its domestication origin in southern Mexico. Moss critiques the turk
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/8. The Wild Turkey, the Bald Eagle, and the Illogical Nature of Bird Names — Steven Moss — Moss introduces the Wild Turkey, discussing its succe...
S8 Ep151: 4/4. The Perilous Return and Legacy of OSIRIS-REx — Dante Lauretta — The sample return capsule executed its descent over the Utah desert with dramatic complications. Critical anxiety ensued when the drogue parachute failed to deploy at the nominal 100,000
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/4. The Perilous Return and Legacy of OSIRIS-REx — Dante Lauretta — The sample return capsule executed its descent over the Utah desert with dram...
S8 Ep149: 3/4. Encountering Bennu: Unexpected Terrain and Science — Dante Lauretta — Asteroid Bennu presented surprising geological characteristics, displaying unexpectedly rocky, boulder-strewn terrain rather than the predicted smooth, "beach-like" surface indicat
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/4. Encountering Bennu: Unexpected Terrain and Science — Dante Lauretta — Asteroid Bennu presented surprising geological characteristics, display...
S8 Ep149: 2/4. Naming OSIRIS-REx and Overcoming Major Hurdles — Dante Lauretta — Following successive rejections, Lauretta systematically defined the mission's core scientific objectives—Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security—establishi
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/4. Naming OSIRIS-REx and Overcoming Major Hurdles — Dante Lauretta — Following successive rejections, Lauretta systematically defined the missio...
S8 Ep149: 1/4. The Genesis of the Asteroid Hunter Mission and Early Rejections — Dante Lauretta — Lauretta, hired by mentor Mike Drake at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL), initiated the asteroid sample return mission concept in 2004 following a pivotal meet
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/4. The Genesis of the Asteroid Hunter Mission and Early Rejections — Dante Lauretta — Lauretta, hired by mentor Mike Drake at the Lunar and Plan...
S8 Ep150: 4/4. Climate Pragmatism and Denial of Renewable Energy Constraints — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Anderson highlights Bjorn Lomborg's "climate pragmatism" framework, which advocates rational spending prioritizing immediate human needs rather than attempting
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/4. Climate Pragmatism and Denial of Renewable Energy Constraints — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Andersonhighlights Bjorn Lomborg's "climate pragmat...
S8 Ep150: 3/4. Price Discovery, Trade Policy, and Government Market Distortions — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Anderson discusses Timothy Fitzgerald's analysis demonstrating that border carbon adjustment mechanisms frequently disguise protectionist trade policies, ali
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/4. Price Discovery, Trade Policy, and Government Market Distortions — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Andersondiscusses Timothy Fitzgerald's analysis ...
S8 Ep150: 2/4. Politics vs. Markets: The Failures of Incentivized Climate Solutions — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Anderson discusses adaptation barriers, noting that regulatory frameworks systematically impede Alaskan Native Villages' traditional ecological knowledge
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/4. Politics vs. Markets: The Failures of Incentivized Climate Solutions — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Andersondiscusses adaptation barriers, notin...
S8 Ep149: 1/4. Market Adaptations, Fossil Fuels, and Physical Limits of Renewables — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Anderson introduces Adapt and Be Adept, examining market-driven responses to climate change while applying Pascal's Wager analytical framework. The book e
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/4. Market Adaptations, Fossil Fuels, and Physical Limits of Renewables — Terry Anderson (Editor) — Andersonintroduces Adapt and Be Adept, examin...
S8 Ep147: Wildlife Intelligence: Magpie Alliances and Cockatoo Defense — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis discussed his dog Dallas, who has become a skilled magpie whisperer, having cultivated alliances with five distinct magpie families throughout the neighborhood. Dallas dem
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wildlife Intelligence: Magpie Alliances and Cockatoo Defense — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis discussed his dog Dallas, who has become a skilled magpie whi...
S8 Ep148: First Ashes Test in Perth: Lopsided Victory and Food Surplus — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis detailed the first Ashes test match in Perth, which concluded rapidly due to Australia's dominant performance, resulting in a severely lopsided victory over England. The u
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
First Ashes Test in Perth: Lopsided Victory and Food Surplus — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis detailed the first Ashes test match in Perth, which concluded...
S8 Ep147: Alarming Urban Home Invasion: Venomous Brown Snake in Canberra — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis reported on a concerning home invasion in Canberra involving a highly venomous great eastern brown snake, one of Australia's deadliest species. The family discovered the
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Alarming Urban Home Invasion: Venomous Brown Snake in Canberra — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis reported on a concerning home invasion in Canberra involvin...
S8 Ep147: Bureau of Meteorology Website Renovation Fails — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis reported on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), which failed to accurately predict the La Niña weather cycle and subsequent rainfall patterns. A $96.5 million website renovation
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bureau of Meteorology Website Renovation Fails — Jeremy Zakis — Zakis reported on the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), which failed to acc...
S8 Ep146: 8/8 Trauma, Memory, and the Silence of "Eating Bitterness" — Tanya Branigan — Branigan characterizes the CR as a collective convulsion or "Maoist hysteria." Mental health infrastructure was historically underdeveloped in China, and psychology was official
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
8/8 Trauma, Memory, and the Silence of "Eating Bitterness" — Tanya Branigan — Branigan characterizes the CRas a collective convulsion or "Maoist...
S8 Ep146: 7/8 The Unfilial Son and the Trauma of Informing — Tanya Branigan — This segment recounts the 1970 execution of Fu Zhong Mo, a devoted Communist Party member who was denounced following her criticism of Mao. Her seventeen-year-old son, Jiang Hong Bing, in
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
7/8 The Unfilial Son and the Trauma of Informing — Tanya Branigan — This segment recounts the 1970 execution of Fu Zhong Mo, a devoted Communist P...
S8 Ep146: 6/8 Impersonators, Nostalgia, and the Fall of Lin Biao — Tanya Branigan — CR nostalgia manifests in organized commemorative groups and the remarkable phenomenon of Lin Biao impersonators. Lin Biao, once Mao's designated successor and principal architect o
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
6/8 Impersonators, Nostalgia, and the Fall of Lin Biao — Tanya Branigan — CR nostalgia manifests in organized commemorative groups and the remarka...
S8 Ep146: 5/8 Princelings, Purges, and the Politics of Red Nostalgia — Tanya Branigan — Princelings Bo Xilai and Xi Jinping, both children of senior Communist leadership, were themselves CR victims, experiencing persecution and hardship. Bo Xilai, known for his con
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
5/8 Princelings, Purges, and the Politics of Red Nostalgia — Tanya Branigan — Princelings Bo Xilai and Xi Jinping, both children of senior Communi...
S8 Ep146: 4/8 Persecution and Survival: The Composer Wang Xilin's Memory — Tanya Branigan — The biography of composer Wang Xilin, a zealous Communist Party member and peasant-background intellectual, illustrates the regime's betrayal of its devoted followers. Wang
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/8 Persecution and Survival: The Composer Wang Xilin's Memory — Tanya Branigan — The biography of composer Wang Xilin, a zealous Communist Party ...
S8 Ep146: 3/8 Red August and the Idealism of Teenage Red Guards — Tanya Branigan — Yu Zhangzhen, who became a Red Guard at age thirteen, recalls "Red August" 1966, when Mao Zedong summoned millions of young people to massive rallies, explicitly endorsing the moveme
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/8 Red August and the Idealism of Teenage Red Guards — Tanya Branigan — Yu Zhangzhen, who became a Red Guard at age thirteen, recalls "Red August...
S8 Ep146: 2/8 Witnessing the First Red Guard Murder and the Contested Apologies — Tanya Branigan — This segment examines the 1966 murder of educator Bian Zhongyun by teenage Red Guards at a prestigious girls' secondary school. Her husband, Wang Jingyao, clandestine
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/8 Witnessing the First Red Guard Murder and the Contested Apologies — Tanya Branigan — This segment examines the 1966 murder of educator Bian Zh...
S8 Ep146: 1/8 The Vanishing Museum of the Cultural Revolution — Tanya Branigan — Branigan's book Red Memory opens with the Pagoda Museum in Shantou, the sole institutional site documenting Cultural Revolution history and memory. Built by official Peng Qi'an to pres
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/8 The Vanishing Museum of the Cultural Revolution — Tanya Branigan — Branigan's book Red Memory opens with the Pagoda Museum in Shantou, the sol...
S8 Ep145: 8/8. Roosevelt's Landslide and the Realignment of American Politics — David Pietrusza — Contrary to the Literary Digest straw poll prediction of a close race, early returns confirmed Roosevelt's enormous landslide victory, securing 46 states and overwhelm
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
8/8. Roosevelt's Landslide and the Realignment of American Politics — David Pietrusza — Contrary to the Literary Digest straw poll prediction of a...
S8 Ep145: 7/8. The Campaign: Eleanor's Star Rises as FDR Welcomes Hatred — David Pietrusza — Alf Landon conducted a weak campaign that deteriorated sharply after attacking Social Security, alienating key voter constituencies. Eleanor Roosevelt, initially regarded a
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
7/8. The Campaign: Eleanor's Star Rises as FDR Welcomes Hatred — David Pietrusza — Alf Landon conducted a weak campaign that deteriorated sharply ...
S8 Ep145: 6/8. Alf Landon, the Unremarkable Candidate, Nominated by Republicans — David Pietrusza — Republicans deliberately rejected Herbert Hoover, instead considering mavericks like William Borah and mainstream figures like Arthur Vandenberg before ultimately no
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
6/8. Alf Landon, the Unremarkable Candidate, Nominated by Republicans — David Pietrusza — Republicansdeliberately rejected Herbert Hoover, instead...
S8 Ep145: 5/8. William Randolph Hearst Breaks with Roosevelt over Tax Policy — David Pietrusza — Newspaper and radio magnate William Randolph Hearst, who initially opposed FDR in 1932, became progressively disaffected as Roosevelt moved leftward and proposed substa
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
5/8. William Randolph Hearst Breaks with Roosevelt over Tax Policy — David Pietrusza — Newspaper and radio magnate William Randolph Hearst, who in...
S8 Ep145: 4/8. FDR Deals with the Socialist and Communist Parties — David Pietrusza — Roosevelt expressed concern that the Socialist Party (led by Norman Thomas) and the Communist Party (led by Earl Browder) would siphon votes from the Democratic ticket. Due to Sta
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
4/8. FDR Deals with the Socialist and Communist Parties — David Pietrusza — Roosevelt expressed concern that the Socialist Party (led by Norman Th...
S8 Ep145: 3/8. Social Security is Driven by the Townsend Plan and the Rise of Father Coughlin — David Pietrusza — Dr. Francis Townsend's proposal to provide $200 monthly to citizens over age 60 compelled a reluctant FDR to rapidly introduce the Social Security legi
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
3/8. Social Security is Driven by the Townsend Plan and the Rise of Father Coughlin — David Pietrusza — Dr. Francis Townsend's proposal to provide...
S8 Ep145: 2/8. The Populist Challenge: Huey Long's Legacy and Eugene Talmadge — David Pietrusza — Roosevelt faced formidable challenges from both the populist left and the conservative South. Although Huey Long (representing the radical Share Our Wealth program) wa
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
2/8. The Populist Challenge: Huey Long's Legacy and Eugene Talmadge — David Pietrusza — Roosevelt faced formidable challenges from both the populi...
S8 Ep145: 1/8. FDR's 1936 Campaign Begins Amid Loss and Opposition from the Right — David Pietrusza — Pietrusza's book Roosevelt Sweeps Nation details the opening phase of FDR's 1936 reelection campaign, commencing with the April death of Franklin D. Roosevelt's pr
30 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
1/8. FDR's 1936 Campaign Begins Amid Loss and Opposition from the Right — David Pietrusza — Pietrusza'sbook Roosevelt Sweeps Nation details the op...
S8 Ep144: From Harding's Success to FDR's Political Evolution — David Pietrusza — Herbert Hoover chose affiliation with the Republican Party, finding the Democratic Party either excessively radical or institutionally corrupt. Hoover's persistent inability to establ
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From Harding's Success to FDR's Political Evolution — David Pietrusza — Herbert Hoover chose affiliation with the Republican Party, finding the D...
S8 Ep144: Harding's Landslide and the Imprisoned Socialist — David Pietrusza — Socialist candidate Eugene Debs conducted his presidential campaign from Atlanta Penitentiary, where he was incarcerated for speaking against American participation in World War I. The 1
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Harding's Landslide and the Imprisoned Socialist — David Pietrusza — Socialist candidate Eugene Debsconducted his presidential campaign from Atla...
S8 Ep144: The 1920 General Election: The League and Campaign Oratory — David Pietrusza — Harding proved to be a surprisingly effective orator, earning substantial speaking fees on the Chautauqua lecture circuit despite his reputation for carefully evasive rhetoric.
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The 1920 General Election: The League and Campaign Oratory — David Pietrusza — Harding proved to be a surprisingly effective orator, earning subs...
S8 Ep144: The Democratic Convention: Forty-Four Ballots and the Two-Thirds Rule — David Pietrusza — The July 1920 Democratic National Convention required 44 grueling ballots to achieve nomination, constrained by the restrictive two-thirds supermajority rule. Presid
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Democratic Convention: Forty-Four Ballots and the Two-Thirds Rule — David Pietrusza — The July 1920 Democratic National Convention required 4...
S8 Ep144: The Republican Convention and the Rise of Harding — David Pietrusza — The June 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago failed to nominate any of the leading frontrunners, including Hiram Johnson, General Leonard Wood, or Herbert Hoover. Harding, wh
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Republican Convention and the Rise of Harding — David Pietrusza — The June 1920 Republican National Convention in Chicago failed to nominate ...
S8 Ep144: Introducing the Future Presidents: FDR, Coolidge, and Hoover — David Pietrusza — This segment introduces the remaining figures who would subsequently achieve the presidency: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover. FDR, the ambitious As
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Introducing the Future Presidents: FDR, Coolidge, and Hoover — David Pietrusza — This segment introduces the remaining figures who would subseque...
S8 Ep144: Warren G. Harding: The Available Man from Ohio — David Pietrusza — With Theodore Roosevelt deceased and Wilson incapacitated, Republicans sought a viable candidate for what they perceived as a favorable electoral year. Warren G. Harding, a small-town news
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Warren G. Harding: The Available Man from Ohio — David Pietrusza — With Theodore Roosevelt deceased and Wilson incapacitated, Republicans sought ...
S8 Ep143: Wilson's Stroke and the League of Nations in the 1920 Election — David Pietrusza — The 1920 presidential election opened with the tragedy of President Woodrow Wilson's stroke in October 1919, leaving him profoundly incapacitated for the remainder of his l
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wilson's Stroke and the League of Nations in the 1920 Election — David Pietrusza — The 1920 presidential election opened with the tragedy of Pres...
S8 Ep142: SHOW 11-28-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR The Genius of Early Photography: Nadar, Daguerre, and Dangerous Chemistry — Anika Burgess — Burgess details the risky and adventurous origins of photography as a practical medium. She examines Nada
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
SHOW 11-28-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1963 The Genius of Early Photography: Nadar, Daguerre, and Dangerous Chemistry — Anika B...
S8 Ep142: Lessons from WWII: Unleashing Private Enterprise — Arthur Herman — Herman explores the strategic tension during WWII between New Deal administrators favoring centralized government command and industrialists prioritizing private sector innovation and ope
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lessons from WWII: Unleashing Private Enterprise — Arthur Herman — Herman explores the strategic tension during WWII between New Deal administra...
S8 Ep142: The B-29 Superfortress and the Battle of Omaha — Arthur Herman — Herman recounts the genesis of the B-29 Superfortress bomber, conceived after General Hap Arnold consulted with Charles Lindbergh in 1939. The B-29 represented the ultimate expression of air
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The B-29 Superfortress and the Battle of Omaha — Arthur Herman — Herman recounts the genesis of the B-29 Superfortress bomber, conceived after Ge...
S8 Ep142: Henry Kaiser: The Builder of Liberty Ships — Arthur Herman — Herman profiles Henry Kaiser, the second transformative figure in Freedom's Forge. Kaiser, a road construction entrepreneur who had previously coordinated monumental infrastructure projects incl
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Henry Kaiser: The Builder of Liberty Ships — Arthur Herman — Herman profiles Henry Kaiser, the second transformative figure in Freedom's Forge. K...
S8 Ep142: Freedom's Forge: FDR, WWII Mobilization, and Bill Knudsen — Arthur Herman — Herman discusses his book Freedom's Forge, detailing the extraordinary challenge FDR confronted in May 1940 to prepare America for modern industrial warfare. The preeminent indust
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Freedom's Forge: FDR, WWII Mobilization, and Bill Knudsen — Arthur Herman — Herman discusses his book Freedom's Forge, detailing the extraordinar...
S8 Ep142: Go Woke, Go Broke: The Financial Backlash and Corporate Retreat — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino reports that woke capitalism is experiencing significant financial retrenchment as corporations suffer bottom-line consequences. BlackRock experienced approxim
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Go Woke, Go Broke: The Financial Backlash and Corporate Retreat — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino reports that woke capitalism is experiencing sign...
S8 Ep142: Disney and ESPN: Running a Blue Company in a Red State — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino analyzes the radicalization of the Walt Disney Company, noting that CEO Bob Iger brought progressive cultural affinities while the company maintained profitability. His
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Disney and ESPN: Running a Blue Company in a Red State — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino analyzes the radicalization of the Walt Disney Company, no...
S8 Ep142: The Flashpoints of Woke Capitalism: Occupy Wall Street and the SEC — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino identifies the 2008 financial crisis and the ensuing progressive populist backlash, including the Occupy Wall Street encampment at Zuccotti Park, as pivotal
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Flashpoints of Woke Capitalism: Occupy Wall Street and the SEC — Charles Gasparino — Gasparinoidentifies the 2008 financial crisis and the en...
S8 Ep142: Woke Capitalism: Origins, ESG, DEI, and the Power of BlackRock — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino traces the origins of "woke capitalism," detailing how corporate America became an active institutional agent for progressive social change. This ideological sh
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Woke Capitalism: Origins, ESG, DEI, and the Power of BlackRock — Charles Gasparino — Gasparino traces the origins of "woke capitalism," detailing...
S8 Ep141: Angelica's Later Life: Return, Tragedy, and Founding Angelica, NY — Molly Beer — Angelica visited the United States for President Washington's 1789 inauguration but quickly returned to London, disappointed that the nascent republic fell short of her revol
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Angelica's Later Life: Return, Tragedy, and Founding Angelica, NY — Molly Beer — Angelica visited the United States for President Washington's 17...
S8 Ep141: Angelica in Europe: John Church, London Society, and Diplomacy — Molly Beer — Following ratification of the peace treaty, Angelica and her husband sailed to Paris to collect outstanding payments owed by the French government. John Carter leveraged the war
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Angelica in Europe: John Church, London Society, and Diplomacy — Molly Beer — Following ratification of the peace treaty, Angelica and her husban...
S8 Ep141: Angelica and the Founders: The Revolution and the Hamilton Connection — Molly Beer — Beer examines Angelica's pivotal role during the American Revolution, including her service alongside Rochambeau's army, traveling to Yorktown shortly after delivering he
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Angelica and the Founders: The Revolution and the Hamilton Connection — Molly Beer — Beer examines Angelica's pivotal role during the American Re...
S8 Ep141: Angelica Schuyler: Albany, Elopement, and the Start of the Revolution — Molly Beer — Beer discusses her book Angelica, focusing on Angelica Schuyler Church, daughter of General Philip Schuyler. Her mother, Katherine, oversaw construction of their Albany r
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Angelica Schuyler: Albany, Elopement, and the Start of the Revolution — Molly Beer — Beer discusses her book Angelica, focusing on Angelica Schuy...
S8 Ep141: From X-Rays to Motion Pictures: Expanding the Photographic Medium — Anika Burgess — Burgess traces the expansion of photographic technology beyond conventional image capture. She examines Alice Austin's intimate and playful photographs documenting her soc
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From X-Rays to Motion Pictures: Expanding the Photographic Medium — Anika Burgess — Burgess traces the expansion of photographic technology beyon...
S8 Ep141: Photography and Social Justice: Riis, Watkins, and the Question of Truth — Anika Burgess — Burgess demonstrates how photography became a transformative tool for social advocacy and reform. Jacob Riis, a newspaper journalist documenting Manhattan's tenemen
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Photography and Social Justice: Riis, Watkins, and the Question of Truth — Anika Burgess — Burgessdemonstrates how photography became a transform...
S8 Ep141: Early Photography's Scientific Reach: Lunar and Underwater Photography — Anika Burgess — Burgess explores early photography's critical scientific applications, noting that François Arago predicted the daguerreotype would enable detailed mapping of the lun
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Early Photography's Scientific Reach: Lunar and Underwater Photography — Anika Burgess — Burgess explores early photography's critical scientific...
S8 Ep141: The Genius of Early Photography: Nadar, Daguerre, and Dangerous Chemistry — Anika Burgess — Burgess details the risky and adventurous origins of photography as a practical medium. She examines Nadar, a visionary figure who deployed a giant balloon named L
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Genius of Early Photography: Nadar, Daguerre, and Dangerous Chemistry — Anika Burgess — Burgessdetails the risky and adventurous origins of p...
S8 Ep140: PREVIEW — Charles Gasparino — Go Woke, Go Broke: CEOs, Groupthink, and the Radicalization of Corporate America. Gasparino argues in Go Woke, Go Broke that the radicalization of American corporate leadership originated at the executive level, not within HR
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Charles Gasparino — Go Woke, Go Broke: CEOs, Groupthink, and the Radicalization of Corporate America. Gasparino argues in Go Woke, Go B...
S8 Ep139: PREVIEW — Molly Beer — Angelica Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, and the Schuyler Family in the Revolution. Beer discusses her book examining Angelica Schuyler, an exceptionally well-born young Dutch woman and Revolutionary War hero. Angelica, the older sist
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Molly Beer — Angelica Schuyler, Alexander Hamilton, and the Schuyler Family in the Revolution. Beerdiscusses her book examining Angelic...
S8 Ep139: PREVIEW — Molly Beer — Angelica Schuyler Church and London's Educated Women. Angelica Schuyler Church moved to London following the war, establishing herself as a prominent figure among educated women residing in Mayfair. Angelica joined the Blue Stocking
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Molly Beer — Angelica Schuyler Church and London's Educated Women. Angelica Schuyler Churchmoved to London following the war, establish...
S8 Ep139: PREVIEW — Anika Burgess — The Invention of the Daguerreotype and Early Photography. Burgess examines the invention of the daguerreotype, the genesis of practical photography, by Louis Daguerre. Daguerre, who previously created innovative dioramas, partner
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Anika Burgess — The Invention of the Daguerreotype and Early Photography. Burgess examines the invention of the daguerreotype, the gene...
S8 Ep138: SHOW SHOW 11-27-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR ON THANKSGIVING 2025 Segment 1 — The Big Hop: Setting the Stage for the First Non-Stop Transatlantic Flight — David Rooney — Rooney discusses Lord Northcliffe establishing a £10,000 prize in 19
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
SHOW SHOW 11-27-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR 1758 FORT TICONDEROGA ON THANKSGIVING 2025 Segment 1 — The Big Hop: Setting the Stage f...
S8 Ep137: Segment 16 — Twin Targets: Stealing the Atomic Bomb and the B-29 Bomber Technology — Svetlana Lokhova — During WWII, Guyk Avakyan supervised the theft of atomic bomb secrets in coordination with physicist Igor Kurchatov. Agent Semyonov (code name "Twain")
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 16 — Twin Targets: Stealing the Atomic Bomb and the B-29 Bomber Technology — Svetlana Lokhova — During WWII, Guyk Avakyan supervised th...
S8 Ep136: Segment 15 — Propaganda Triumph: The Transpolar Flight, Shirley Temple, and Stanislav Shumovski's PR Genius — Svetlana Lokhova — In 1937, the Tupolev ANT-25RD completed a dramatic transpolar flight to California—a major Soviet propaganda triumph made poss
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 15 — Propaganda Triumph: The Transpolar Flight, Shirley Temple, and Stanislav Shumovski's PR Genius — Svetlana Lokhova — In 1937, the T...
S8 Ep136: Segment 14 — The Price of Service: Purges and Arrests of Soviet Agents and Designers — Svetlana Lokhova — The 1935 Kremlin affair investigation, triggered by Kirov's assassination, exposed plots against Stalin's authority. Chernowski, a military intellige
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 14 — The Price of Service: Purges and Arrests of Soviet Agents and Designers — Svetlana Lokhova — The 1935 Kremlin affair investigation...
S8 Ep136: Segment 13 — MIT and Espionage: Shumovski Targets American Aviation and Mass Production Secrets — Svetlana Lokhova — Soviet agents including Stanislav Shumovski systematically targeted crucial American industrial and aeronautical secrets. Shumovski focuse
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 13 — MIT and Espionage: Shumovski Targets American Aviation and Mass Production Secrets — Svetlana Lokhova — Soviet agents including St...
S8 Ep136: Segment 12 — The Master Spy: Guyk Avakyan Oversees the Theft of Chemical Warfare and Rocketry Secrets — Svetlana Lokhova — Guyk Avakyan, an Armenian chemist, was dispatched to America in 1933 to supervise the espionage network, specializing in chemical wa
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 12 — The Master Spy: Guyk Avakyan Oversees the Theft of Chemical Warfare and Rocketry Secrets — Svetlana Lokhova — Guyk Avakyan, an Arm...
S8 Ep136: Segment 11 — Training Soviet Spies: Ray Bennett Instructs in American Culture and Etiquette — Svetlana Lokhova — Bennett educated Russian agents, including Shumovski, in English language proficiency and American cultural customs—including proper silverwar
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 11 — Training Soviet Spies: Ray Bennett Instructs in American Culture and Etiquette — Svetlana Lokhova — Bennett educated Russian agent...
S8 Ep136: Segment 10 — Training Soviet Spies: Ray Bennett Prepares Agents for American Missions — Svetlana Lokhova — Lokhova examines Ray Bennett, a veteran intelligence operative and Soviet ideologue born in Tsarist Russia, who trained Russian students for covert
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 10 — Training Soviet Spies: Ray Bennett Prepares Agents for American Missions — Svetlana Lokhova — Lokhova examines Ray Bennett, a vete...
S8 Ep136: Segment 9 — Stanislav Shumovski: Polish Nobleman to Master Spy of Soviet Technology Theft — Svetlana Lokhova — Lokhova introduces Stanislav Shumovski, a Polish nobleman and Russian Civil War hero selected to lead Soviet science and technology (S&T) espion
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 9 — Stanislav Shumovski: Polish Nobleman to Master Spy of Soviet Technology Theft — Svetlana Lokhova — Lokhova introduces Stanislav Shu...
S8 Ep136: Segment 8 — Cutting the Funding: Policy Recommendations for Containing North Korea — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol argues that effective containment policy requires avoiding kinetic military operations and instead targeting North Korea's financial apparatus to
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 8 — Cutting the Funding: Policy Recommendations for Containing North Korea — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol argues that effective containment ...
S8 Ep136: Segment 7 — The Arsenal of Resistance: North Korea's Role in Ukraine and the Middle East Conflicts — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol analyzes North Korea's critical contributions to Russia's war effort in Ukraine, providing approximately 60% of Russian artillery
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 7 — The Arsenal of Resistance: North Korea's Role in Ukraine and the Middle East Conflicts — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol analyzes North Kor...
S8 Ep136: Segment 6 — Nuclear Assistance and Cyber Theft: North Korea's Contributions to Iran's Weapons Programs — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol details North Korea's substantial nuclear assistance to Iran, including uranium warhead designs, raw uranium supplies, and con
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 6 — Nuclear Assistance and Cyber Theft: North Korea's Contributions to Iran's Weapons Programs — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol details North ...
S8 Ep136: Segment 5 — Rogue Allies: Assessing the Nuclear and Proliferation Threat Posed by North Korea and Iran — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol examines North Korea and Iran as "Rogue Allies" whose strategic partnership the U.S. has failed to comprehend since 1983. Nort
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 5 — Rogue Allies: Assessing the Nuclear and Proliferation Threat Posed by North Korea and Iran — Bruce Bechtol — Bechtol examines North...
S8 Ep135: Segment 4 — Triumph and Legacy: Alcock and Brown Win the Prize and Inspire Lindbergh — David Rooney — Alcock and Brown completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight, landing in Ireland and achieving global celebration. They received the £10,000 prize
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 4 — Triumph and Legacy: Alcock and Brown Win the Prize and Inspire Lindbergh — David Rooney — Alcock and Brown completed the first non-...
S8 Ep135: Segment 3 — Newfoundland Ordeal: Facing Impossible Weather in the Race Across the Atlantic — David Rooney — Teams faced "suicidal" weather conditions in Newfoundland, the mandatory launch point for transatlantic attempts. In May 1919, the impatient Hawker
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 3 — Newfoundland Ordeal: Facing Impossible Weather in the Race Across the Atlantic — David Rooney— Teams faced "suicidal" weather condi...
S8 Ep135: Segment 2 — The Contenders: Hawker, Raynham, and Kerr Race for the Transatlantic Prize — David Rooney — Rooney further details the competing teams vying for Northcliffe's £10,000 prize. Key contenders include Australian pilot Harry Hawker (partnered with
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 2 — The Contenders: Hawker, Raynham, and Kerr Race for the Transatlantic Prize — David Rooney — Rooney further details the competing te...
S8 Ep135: Segment 1 — The Big Hop: Setting the Stage for the First Non-Stop Transatlantic Flight — David Rooney — Rooney discusses Lord Northcliffe establishing a £10,000 prize in 1913 to spur British aviation advancement. Following WWI, veterans including pilot Jo
28 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Segment 1 — The Big Hop: Setting the Stage for the First Non-Stop Transatlantic Flight — David Rooney — Rooney discusses Lord Northcliffe estab...
S8 Ep134: PREVIEW — Bruce Bechtol — China's Role in Supplying Dual-Use Technology to North Korea and the Axis. Bechtol examines China's critical role in sustaining North Korea's military-industrial complex, particularly since 2019 when international sanctions enfor
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Bruce Bechtol — China's Role in Supplying Dual-Use Technology to North Korea and the Axis. Bechtolexamines China's critical role in sus...
S8 Ep134: PREVIEW — Bruce Bechtol — Kim Jong-un's Vital Role in the Axis of Evil. Bechtol discusses how Kim Jong-un, despite international perceptions of him as a "clownish figure," is regarded with strategic seriousness by the "axis of evil," which now encompasses
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Bruce Bechtol — Kim Jong-un's Vital Role in the Axis of Evil. Bechtol discusses how Kim Jong-un, despite international perceptions of h...
S8 Ep134: PREVIEW — Svetlana Lokhova — Soviet Espionage in the US: The Role of Ray Bennett. Lokhova discusses the extensive Soviet espionage network established by Stalin in the 1930s to systematically steal American intellectual property, particularly aeronautics
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Svetlana Lokhova — Soviet Espionage in the US: The Role of Ray Bennett. Lokhova discusses the extensive Soviet espionage network establ...
S8 Ep134: PREVIEW — Svetlana Lokhova — The Atomic Spy Ring: Shamovski, Ovakimian, and Scientific Recruitment. Lokhova examines Soviet operatives Stanislav Shamovski and Gennady Ovakimian, who directed the espionage network stealing atomic weapons secrets. Ovakimian
27 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
PREVIEW — Svetlana Lokhova — The Atomic Spy Ring: Shamovski, Ovakimian, and Scientific Recruitment. Lokhova examines Soviet operatives Stanislav ...