The John Batchelor Show

THE CRISIS OF THE THIRD CENTURY AND AMERICAN PARALLELS Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 92 AD. Gaius and Germanicus explore Rome's "Crisis of the Third Century," where military coups and a fractured empire nearly caused total collapse. Germanicus draws parallels to the currently divided US elite and constitutional order, suggesting America might eventually require a "Tetrarchy"—a split management system—to survive its polarization. After debating historical alternatives like the US remaining a Britishdominion, they end with optimism. Citing Rome's miraculous recovery and the rise of Constantinople, they speculate America may eventually build a new, perhaps "space-based," fortress to ensure its longevity. NUMBER 31940

DOMESTIC MELODRAMA AND THE FOG OF RHETORIC Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 92 AD. Turning to domestic matters, the speakers discuss a controversy in Minnesota involving an ICE-related death, describing the situation as a "melodrama" obscured by a "fog of rhetoric." Germanicus contrasts this "theater" with the genuine violence of 19th-century labor strikes and the Spanish Civil War, warning that while current events are performative, the specialized training of opposing factions is dangerous. They conclude that these domestic battles follow a script of performative chaos similar to foreign policy, risking a slide into real insurrection if the "talk" ever crosses the threshold into actual violence. NUMBER 21953

THE THEATER OF CHAOS IN PERSIA AND VENEZUELA Colleagues Gaius and Germanicus, Friends of History Debating Society, Londinium, 92 AD. From a wine bar in Londinium, Gaius and Germanicus analyze modern geopolitical tensions through a Roman lens. They discuss unrest in "Persia" (Iran) and Venezuela, noting that Roman armies traditionally fail in Persia. Germanicus argues the US administration employs a strategy of "Wagnerian" drama and "chaos"—similar to 19th-century British imperial meddling—to manage global transitions without direct war. They observe that while "theater" and subversive "wet work" are being used to shift US strategy away from Eurasia, these melodramas, particularly in Venezuela, lack a clear "Act Two" or resolution. NUMBER 11940

STARBASE AND THE MECHAZILLA CATCH Colleague Eric Berger. The final segment centers on Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, where SpaceX built a modern rocket factory on swampland to construct the massive Starship. Berger details the "Chopstick" system, a tower designed to catch returning Super Heavy boosters to eliminate landing legs and enable rapid reuse. This fully reusable system, larger than the Saturn V, is the "endgame" for Musk's vision. Berger describes the operational concept: fleets of Starships refueling in orbit via tankers, then departing for Mars in waves every two years to establish a permanent human presence. NUMBER 81920 THE WARLORD OF MARS

THE CHUTE SHOW AND HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT Colleague Eric Berger. Berger discusses the Commercial Crew Program, noting that while Boeing's participation legitimized the effort for Congress, SpaceX ultimately led the way. The development of the Crew Dragon involved the "Chute Show," a team camping in the desert to iteratively test parachutes. Despite the "smooth" public image of NASA missions, Berger points out the inherent risks, such as launching near tornadoes during the first crewed attempt. The segment culminates in the success of the "Block 5" Falcon 9, an optimized rocket designed for rapid turnaround, with individual boosters now capable of flying up to 20 times. NUMBER 71920 THUVIA MAID OF MARS

STARLINK: FUNDING THE FUTURE Colleague Eric Berger. To finance the immense cost of Mars colonization, SpaceX developed Starlink, a constellation intended to comprise 12,000 satellites for global internet coverage. Bergerexplains that while the concept of low Earth orbit internet existed, SpaceX was the first to make it practical by mass-producing satellites at an unprecedented rate. This revenue stream is vital for the Starship program. Berger highlights how SpaceX has outpaced sovereign nations and corporate rivals like Amazon's Kuiper, which are years behind. The segment emphasizes the relentless work culture required to maintain this lead, often at the expense of employees' personal lives. NUMBER 61917 MASTER MIND OF MARS

LANDING ZONES AND EXPLODING SATELLITES Colleague Eric Berger. Focusing on the historic December 2015 return-to-flight, Berger describes the first successful land landing of a Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral. This feat required overcoming the National Reconnaissance Office's fears that sonic booms would damage spy satellites. However, this success was marred months later by the baffling explosion of the Amos-6 satellite during a routine static fire test. Berger notes that the failure was so sudden—occurring in microseconds—that Musk initially entertained the theory of a sniper attack from a competitor before investigators traced the cause to solid oxygen forming in the upper stage. NUMBER 51917 "...THRONG OF DEPARTING CHARIOTS."

DENSIFICATION AND THE CRUSHED SODA CAN Colleague Eric Berger. Berger explains the technical leaps required for the "Falcon 9 Full Thrust," specifically the use of densified propellants. By super-chilling liquid oxygen to nearly -300°F, SpaceX increased propellant density by 10-12%, drastically improving payload capacity. This innovation accompanied the challenge of landing boosters on ocean barges. Berger compares the fragility of an unpressurized rocket stage to a soda can, noting how easily they were crushed or exploded during early attempts to land on moving drone ships. These upgrades, including the "Octaweb" engine arrangement, were essential for creating a reusable fleet capable of frequent flight. NUMBER 41917 "SHE SAT AND DREW ON THE FLOOR THE FIRST MAP PF BARSOOMIAN I HAD EVER SEEN."

RISKY BUSINESS: DRAGON, NASA, AND REUSABILITY Colleague Eric Berger. To fund its Mars ambitions, SpaceX relied on NASA cargo contracts, which required the development of the Dragon spacecraft. Berger highlights a pivotal moment in 2012 when SpaceX combined two test missions (C2 and C3) to save time, a risky move that required rewriting flight software while the vehicle was near the International Space Station to fix a sensor glitch. Simultaneously, the company faced an "existential" crisis following the 2015 CRS-7 launch failure. Berger details the difficult evolution of reusability, moving from failed parachute concepts to the complex engineering required to land a booster vertically. NUMBER 31917 "THE OLD MAN SAT AND TALKED WITH ME FOR HOURS."

THE ROAD TRIP FROM HADES AND THE FALCON 9 Colleague Eric Berger. Berger chronicles the grueling transition from the single-engine Falcon 1 to the nine-engine Falcon 9 in 2009, describing it as a "long hot summer" of intense engineering. The process involved a chaotic transport of the oversized rocket, which physically crashed into a building in Louisiana due to its length. During the 2010 launch campaign, a thunderstorm damaged the upper stage antennas, forcing engineers to dry them with a "glorified hair dryer" overnight. Musk chose to launch despite telemetry issues, achieving a successful orbit that proved a private company could deliver a medium-lift vehicle, crucial for securing NASA contracts. NUMBER 21917 PRINCESS OF MARS

THE AUDACIOUS VISION: A MILLION TONS TO MARS Colleague Eric Berger. In his discussion of the 2016 Guadalajara speech, Eric Berger details Elon Musk's "grandioso architecture" for Mars colonization, proposed during a time of deep skepticism following rocket failures. Musk envisioned not just a visit, but a self-sustaining civilization requiring the transport of a million tons of supplies and thousands of people. Berger explains that Musk's ultimate goal is not economic profit, as there is no "pot of gold" on Mars, but rather ensuring humanity's survival against potential extinction events. Consequently, SpaceX is aggressively redirecting resources from the successful Crew Dragon to the massive, fully reusable Starship to realize this multi-planetary future. NUMBER 11913

MISUNDERSTANDING RUSSIA AND THE PERSISTENCE OF THE THREAT Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel argues that debates over Ukraine joining the EU or NATO miss the core issue: Russia's ideological refusal to accept Ukraine's existence. He criticizes Western leaders for treating Russia as a transactional, rational actor rather than a revanchist imperial power, noting that Eastern European warnings were ignored. Finkel asserts that transactional deals, like those proposed by Trump, will fail because the conflict is existential for Russia. He concludes with an anecdote about his grandfather refusing a KGB job, highlighting the long history of resistance against Russianco-optation. NUMBER 81925 SOVIET KYIV SEMINARY

THE BRUTALITY OF INVASION AND THE FAILURE OF INTELLIGENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Batchelor and Finkel discuss the historical roots of Russian cruelty in Ukraine, citing a 1932 letter from Stalinfearing the loss of Ukraine. Finkel argues that Russian leadership, from the Tsars to Putin, views human life as cheap and uses violence to maintain control over the land, regardless of casualties. Regarding the 2022 full-scale invasion, Finkel suggests Putin was isolated in an echo chamber of yes-men and myths, expecting a quick policing operation rather than a war. The invasion was driven by the refusal to accept Ukrainian statehood, not legitimate fears of NATO. NUMBER 71920 SOVIET UKRAINE

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY AND THE EVOLUTION OF UKRAINIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel profiles Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noting his background as a Russian-speaking Jewish media entrepreneur and comedian who built a career in Moscow. Zelenskyy's rise illustrates a shift in Ukrainian identity from ethnic definitions to a civic nationalism based on loyalty to the state. Elected as an outsider to replace failed politicians, Zelenskyy initially hoped his background and communication skills would allow him to negotiate peace with Putin. His presidency challenged Russian propaganda painting Ukrainian nationalists as extremists, representing instead a diverse, modern nation unified by political commitment rather than language. NUMBER 61900 LVIV

PUTIN'S REVISIONIST HISTORY AND THE 2014 INVASION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. During the COVID-19 isolation of 2021, Vladimir Putin wrote an essay based on historical myths, asserting Ukrainians and Russians are one people and denying Ukraine's right to independent statehood. Finkel argues this revisionism signaled Putin's intent to restore Russia as a great empire. The conversation reviews the 2014 Maidan revolution, which Putinperceived as a loss of control, prompting the invasion of Crimea and the Donbas. Finkel clarifies that while some locals in the east preferred Russia, the violent uprising was engineered by Russian security services and mercenaries, not a genuine organic movement. NUMBER 51912 KYIV

KHRUSHCHEV, CRIMEA, AND THE MYTH OF THE SOVIET FLORIDA Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. The discussion turns to Nikita Khrushchev, who transferred Crimea to Ukraine in 1954 for practical logistical reasons, a decision Putin now contests. Finkel explains that during the 1960s, Ukraine became a manufacturing hub for Sovietmissiles and a "Soviet Florida" for vacations, cementing a romanticized Russian attachment to the region. For Putin'sgeneration, Ukraine is viewed not as a separate state but as an extension of Russia—a place of summer holidays and shared history. This deep-seated perception fuels the refusal to accept Ukrainian independence and the belief that the territory belongs to Moscow. NUMBER 41927 KYIV

SOVIET SUBJUGATION, FAMINE, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF INDEPENDENCE Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Following the empire's collapse, Ukrainians attempted to form independent states (UNR and ZUNR), but these failed due to internal weakness and external aggression from Bolsheviks and Poles. Finkel describes the subsequent Soviet era, highlighting the Holodomor—a purposeful famine engineered by Stalin in the early 1930s to break Ukrainian resistance and extract grain for industrialization, killing millions. This brutality left Ukraine decimated before World War II, where it became a battleground for Hitler and Stalin. The Soviet victory reinforced the myth that controlling Ukraine was essential for Moscow's security and economy. NUMBER 31913 UKRAINE

SHIFTING BORDERS AND THE FIGHT FOR GALICIAN IDENTITY Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. Finkel shares the story of his grandfather, Israel (Lev), a Jew from Galicia who was drafted into the Red Army despite growing up in Poland without speaking Russian. This illustrates the complex history of western Ukraine, which experienced Austrian tolerance regarding language compared to Russian repression and forced assimilation elsewhere. Finkel notes that Russian fear of Ukrainian nationalism in Galicia was a key driver for World War I. Following the 1917 Russian Empire collapse, a short-lived Ukrainian state emerged, but the region was eventually partitioned between the Soviet Union and Poland in 1939. NUMBER 21863 UKRAINE

THE STATUE OF KHMELNYTSKY AND THE ORIGINS OF IMPERIAL DOMINATION Colleague Professor Eugene Finkel. John Batchelor and Professor Eugene Finkel discuss the 1888 statue of Bohdan Khmelnytsky in Kyiv, originally a project of Russian nationalists who envisioned a Ukraine stripped of Jews, Poles, and Westerninfluence. Finkel explains Khmelnytsky's 17th-century rebellion against Poland and his subsequent alliance with Moscow, which Russians interpret as unification but Ukrainians view as a pragmatic move for statehood. The conversation explores the 1783 imperial project under Catherine the Great, comparing the colonization of "New Russia" and the Black Sea coast to American colonial expansion, aiming to force Russian identity onto a diverse population. NUMBER 1SOVIET KYIV

Guest: Ronald White. In his final decades, Chamberlain's war wounds continued to plague him, eventually requiring surgeries that revealed the extent of his suffering to the public. Despite financial struggles and failed business attempts, he remained active, serving as Surveyor of the Port of Portland. He endured personal losses, including the death of his brother Tom and his wife Fanny, who went blind before dying in 1905. Remarkably, Chamberlain continued learning until the end, studying Arabic and Greek during a 1905 trip to Egypt. He died in 1914 from his Civil War wounds, the conflict's last casualty1863 JULY 1-4, GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. In 1880, Maine faced a violent political crisis known as the "Count Out," where armed mobs threatened the statehouse over a stolen election. Chamberlain, called upon to keep the peace, courageously faced a mob intent on killing him. He opened his coat and offered his life to preserve the state's honor, successfully dispersing the crowd without bloodshed. This period also saw him testify to vindicate General Warren's reputation regarding Five Forks. After leaving Bowdoin, he struggled with business ventures in Florida but remained a dominant voice in the "second Civil War" fought over the memory of the conflict.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin College as its president, attempting to modernize the institution by introducing science and broader curricula. He faced resistance from conservative trustees and alumni but persisted in his vision for a progressive education. Religious tensions also arose as Unitarianism gained influence; Chamberlain remained inclusive, even as Fanny and his daughter left the Congregational church. Throughout this era, he continued to be a highly sought-after speaker at veterans' reunions, outshining famous generals like Grant and Sheridan with his ability to weave classical literature and deep meaning into his war recollections.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. After the war, Chamberlain became a celebrated orator, using his rhetorical skills to preach reconciliation between North and South. Drafted by Republicans, he served four terms as Governor of Maine, focusing on economic reconstruction and railroad expansion. However, his private life was marred by constant pain from his internal war wounds; he often had to work lying down and could not sit erect. This physical suffering, combined with his absences, strained his marriage to Fanny, who struggled with depression and the isolation of their life during his political years.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. Returning to duty, Chamberlain led a frontal assault at Petersburg in 1864, where he suffered a catastrophic wound through the hips that surgeons deemed fatal. Believing he was dying, he wrote a farewell letter to Fanny, yet miraculously survived due to his brother Tom's help and sheer will. Later, at the Battle of Five Forks, he defended General Warren against General Sheridan's dismissal. At the war's end, Chamberlain was selected to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomattox. In a controversial but defining gesture, he ordered a marching salute to honor the courage of the defeated Southern soldiers.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain's early war experience included the massacre at Fredericksburg and a smallpox outbreak that sidelined his regiment. Under the tutelage of the disciplinarian Adelbert Ames, Chamberlain learned command strategies. The narrative culminates at the Battle of Gettysburg, where the 20th Maine was ordered to hold the extreme left flank at Little Round Top "at all cost." Facing overwhelming Confederate forces and running out of ammunition, Chamberlain ordered a desperate, unconventional bayonet charge to sweep down the hill. In the chaos, he saved his own life by physically disarming a Confederate officer pointing a pistol at his head.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. Chamberlain returned to Bowdoin as a professor, where he prioritized critical thinking over strict regimentation and married Fanny in 1855. During his tenure, he witnessed significant pre-war events, including a visit by Jefferson Davis and Harriet Beecher Stowe reading early chapters of Uncle Tom's Cabin. When the Civil Warbegan, Chamberlain felt compelled to serve, abandoning a planned sabbatical in Europe to study languages. Despite the governor offering him a colonelcy, Chamberlain modestly requested a lower command to "earn and learn" the military trade, eventually joining the 20th Maine regiment in 1862.1863 GETTYSBURG

Guest: Ronald White. This segment introduces Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain's early life and intellectual formation. In 1848, Chamberlain passed a rigorous entrance exam for Bowdoin College by reciting classical Greek and Romanliterature from memory. Raised in Brewer, Maine, by "hardy congregationalist" parents, he balanced his father's love for physical pursuits like sailing and riding with his mother's religious devotion. Although his father desired a military career for him at West Point, Chamberlain attended Bangor Theological Seminary, mastering nine languages. He also met his future wife, Fanny Adams, a talented organist with a troubled, "shadowed" childhood, while leading a church choir.1861 UNION GENERAL OFFICERS

DALLAS THE DOG MONITORS COCKATOO SIEGE DURING HEATWAVE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. During a severe heatwave in New South Wales where temperatures reached 115°F (43°C), Dallas the dog has been vigilantly monitoring a flock of destructive cockatoos from his porch. While intelligent birds like magpies have retreated to the shade or are sharing Dallas's water bowl to survive the heat, the cockatoos remain active and destructive, tearing at pine cones and eyeing the neighbor's roof, which they damaged the previous year. The cockatoos are able to withstand the extreme temperatures better than other wildlife because they have located a water source in a neighbor's chicken coop, allowing them to continue their "siege" despite the weather. Dallas manages the situation by giving them the "stink eye" from his beanbag, successfully keeping them on the neighbor's side of the fence for the time being. NUMBER 41951

BAZBALL DECLARED DEAD AFTER AUSTRALIA'S ASHES VICTORY Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Australia'sdecisive 4-1 victory in the Ashes series is viewed as a failure of England's "Bazball" strategy, which Zakis declares "dead" for test cricket. The strategy, reliant on brute force and psychological warfare to score quickly, ultimately backfired by exhausting the English players over the duration of the five-day matches. The Australian team successfully "outfoxed" England by utilizing technical bowling expertise—varying pace and using sliders—rather than engaging in a contest of pure speed. While England boasted of hitting "sixes" (home runs) prior to the series, Australia's disciplined field placement and bowling variety prevented the English batters from getting "their eye in," dismantling the aggressive strategy completely. NUMBER 31928

SNAKE CATCHER SURVIVES EASTERN BROWN BITE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. The risks of the Australiansummer are highlighted by the ironic near-death experience of Michaela, a professional snake catcher who was bitten by a deadly Eastern Brown snake while off-duty and barefoot in her own garden. Although her organs began to shut down from the venom, she received antivenom within the crucial "golden hour" and is expected to survive and return to work. This incident underscores the "macho" culture among snake catchers, who often wear flip-flops and shorts as a "badge of honor," believing their understanding of the environment is sufficient protection. However, there are physical limits to this career; medical wisdom suggests a human body usually cannot withstand more than three bites from a brown snake, often forcing professionals to move into administrative roles to avoid a fatal fourth strike. Financially, a standard house call for snake removal costs approximately $120, though insurance policies generally do not cover snake-related issues. NUMBER 2

CYCLONE KOJI STRIKES QUEENSLAND AS BUSHFIRES RAGE ELSEWHERE Colleague Jeremy Zakis. Jeremy Zakis reports that Cyclone Koji, described as a "monster" system with winds reaching 90 to 100 miles per hour, struck the Queensland coast near Townsville. Fortunately, the cyclone's epicenter made landfall south of the major population centers, resulting in damage primarily restricted to uprooted trees and localized flooding rather than widespread structural destruction. As the system moved inland, it depowered into an "ex-cyclone" bringing heavy rain to a region defined by volcanic rock and sharp cliffs rather than sandy beaches. Simultaneously, other parts of the continent, specifically Victoria and Western Australia, are battling extreme heat and bushfires ignited by lightning storms striking dry undergrowth. In these fire zones, firefighters have been observed rescuing exhausted wildlife, including providing water to dehydrated kangaroos and transporting koalas to rangers for care. NUMBER 11933 QUEENSLAND SUMMER

NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION AND ECONOMIC ISOLATION AS DETERRENCE Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. To deter immediate Chinese aggression, Fanell advocates for "war fighting proliferation," suggesting the US should support nuclear capabilities for allies like Japan and South Korea because conventional US forces cannot be rebuilt fast enough. Thayer argues for total economic decoupling, urging Washington to cut off trade to exploit Xi Jinping's domestic weaknesses. They propose "political warfare" to isolate the regime diplomatically, treating the CCPas a pariah to encourage internal dissent. They emphasize that the goal is not invasion, but power politics and credible deterrence to change Beijing's calculus without boots on the ground. FANELL NUMBER 41925 DUTCH MARINES PATROL SHANGHAI

ADMITTING STRATEGIC FAILURE AND THE NEED FOR TEAM B Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell argues the intelligence community must admit its "strategic failure" regarding China, likening the current denial to a patient ignoring a cancer diagnosis. He asserts that institutional bias protects the status quo. To counter this, they propose creating a "Team B"—independent analysts outside the CIA's "educated elite"—to provide objective threat assessments, similar to the Cold War approach against the Soviets. Thayer advocates moving CFIUS to the Department of Defense to better protect intellectual property and calls for a "whole of society" response that cuts off trade and explicitly recognizes the CCP as the enemy. FANELL NUMBER 31925 SHANGHAI RIOTS

HISTORICAL ECHOES: THE 10-YEAR RULE AND TIANANMEN BLINDNESS Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. The authors draw parallels between current US policy and the British Empire's 1919 "10-year rule," which slashed defense spending based on the assumption of peace, leading to unpreparedness for WWII. Fanell recalls his intelligence experience post-Tiananmen Square, noting the US Navy dismissed the PLA Navy threat while myopically focusing on Russia. Thayer criticizes the US response to the 1989 massacre, where the Bush administration rushed to repair relations rather than recognizing the CCP as a "sadistic monster." They argue this failure to perceive the true nature of the regime allowed China to rise without political reform. FANELL NUMBER 21905 SHANGHAI RIOTS, BRITISH EMPIRE SIKH PATROL

THE ANACONDA STRATEGY AND THE NEO-ENGAGEMENT TRAP Colleagues James Fanell and Bradley Thayer. Fanell and Thayer discuss the "Joint Sword 2024 Alpha" exercises, describing them as an "Anaconda strategy" where the PRC practices suffocating Taiwan through blockades and missile strikes. Thayer argues that despite these overt threats, Washington remains captured by the "neo-engagement school," mistakenly believing that economic engagement can democratize China. They critique "elite capture" within US institutions, noting that the Bidenadministration has largely continued Obama-era policies rather than confronting the reality that the CCP is transforming international norms rather than being transformed by them. FANELL NUMBER 11905 SHANGHAI MIXED COURT

UNORDERED HEROISM AND THE ULTIMATE BLUFF Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis recounts the extraordinary heroism of Dorie Miller, a cook at Pearl Harbor who, despite segregation and lack of training, manned a machine gun and saved his captain without orders. The segment concludes with Commander Ernest Evans of the USS Johnston at Leyte Gulf. Facing a massive Japanese fleet with no support, Evans led a suicidal charge to protect the landing force. This bluff convinced the Japanese that a larger American force must be nearby, causing them to retreat and saving the operation through sheer audacity and the sacrifice of the "tin can sailors." STAVRIDIS NUMBER 41932 ITALY HEAVY CRUISER TRENTO IN SHANGAI HARBOR

EMOTIONAL DETACHMENT AND THE COURAGE TO PIVOT Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. The Admiral emphasizes emotional detachment in leadership, using The Godfather as an analogy for not letting hatred cloud judgment. He critiques Bill Halsey for letting a rivalry with Spruance drive him into a trap at Leyte Gulf. Stavridis also explores the willingness to change plans, illustrating this with Stephen Decatur, who intended to steal the Philadelphiabut burned it when discovered. He reiterates that rational decision-making is vital even when it resembles surrender, as with Lloyd Bucher, challenging "Old Navy" views by asserting there is no shame in surrendering when resistance is impossible. STAVRIDIS NUMBER 31945 USS ANZIO AT SHANGHAI TO TRANSPORT LIBERATED US MILITARY TO HOME.

RESOURCE EVALUATION: FROM IRONCLADS TO PANDEMICS Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Stavridis examines how leaders evaluate resources under pressure. He cites David Farragut at Mobile Bay, who successfully combined Army and Navy assets and adapted to new ironclad technology while ordering "full speed ahead" through mines. In contrast, he defends Commander Lloyd Bucher of the USS Pueblo, who surrendered his spy ship because he had "no resources" to resist and chose to save his crew from suicide. Finally, he praises Captain Brett Crozierfor prioritizing his crew's safety during the COVID-19 outbreak on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, accepting the career cost of leaking a plea for help. STAVRIDIS NUMBER 21945 US NAVY HUANGPU RIVER, SHANGHAI

 INTELLIGENCE AND CALCULATION IN THE CRUCIBLE OF COMMAND Colleague Admiral James Stavridis. Admiral Stavridis discusses leadership lessons from his book To Risk It All. He highlights Admiral George Dewey's victory at Manila Bay, which relied on gathering human intelligence from diplomats in the absence of modern technology. Conversely, he analyzes Admiral Bill Halsey's failure at Leyte Gulf, where poor communication and impulsive decision-making led him to abandon the landing force based on misleading intelligence. Stavridis also profiles Admiral Michelle Howard's calculated risk-taking during the Maersk Alabama rescue, noting her ability to weigh the life-or-death consequences for Captain Phillips without letting career anxieties paralyze her decision-making. STAVRIDIS NUMBER 11978: MOTHBALLD AT PHILADELPHIA. SHANGRI-LA, IOWA, WISCONSIN.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SILENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan discusses the psychological aftermath of the Cultural Revolution with professionals in Shanghai, describing the era as a "collective hysteria." She explores the concept of "eating bitterness," or enduring suffering without complaint. While the Cultural Revolution is not strictly banned like the 1989 Tiananmen protests, it remains a sensitive topic met with silence due to both state pressure and personal trauma. Branigan shares an anecdote about a man who hallucinated Red Guards until his death, concluding that memory in China is often fractured by trauma and the struggle to create meaning. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 81965 SHANGHAIN SHIPYARD

A SON'S BETRAYAL Colleague Tanya Branigan. This file recounts the tragic story of Zhang Hongbing, who, as a teenager in 1970, denounced his own mother to the authorities. His mother, Fang Zhongmou, was executed after Zhangand his father reported her for criticizing Mao at home. Decades later, Zhang lives with profound guilt, feeling that his mother "never answers" his attempts to communicate. He took Branigan to his mother's grave, located in a construction site and under threat of removal. The story illustrates how the era's political zealotry destroyed family bonds and left survivors with unmanageable burdens of guilt. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 71965 SHANGHAI

IMPERSONATORS AND THE DEATH OF IDEALISM Colleague Tanya Branigan. The conversation highlights the strange phenomenon of historical impersonators, including one of Lin Biao, the general who was Mao's successor before being branded a traitor. Branigan explains that Lin's sudden vilification shattered the idealism of many Red Guards, causing them to question Mao's infallibility. The segment also discusses reunions of "educated youth" sent to the countryside. While many suffered, groups now meet to reminisce, filtering traumatic memories through a "memory bump" of their adolescence, contrasting their past struggles and camaraderie with the perceived moral emptiness of modern China. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 61945 SHANGHAI CELEBRATE SJAPAN SURRENDER

PRINCELINGS AND POLITICAL NOSTALGIA Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan examines "princelings" Bo Xilai and Xi Jinping, children of elite leaders who were victimized during the Cultural Revolution. Xi was exiled to the countryside, while Bo's mother likely died from beatings. Despite this family trauma, Bo later utilized "red culture" nostalgia in Chongqing before his political downfall following a murder scandal. Xi Jinping also draws upon this era's ideology to demand party purity. Branigan suggests this resurgence reflects a public search for meaning amid modern China's materialism, with leaders tapping into nostalgia for a time of perceived clearer beliefs. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 51925 SHANGHAI

THE COMPOSER WHO SURVIVED Colleague Tanya Branigan. This segment focuses on Wang Xilin, a composer and former zealous party member whose career was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Despite his devotion, he was persecuted, subjected to brutal "struggle sessions," and driven to the brink of suicide. His music went unperformed for 37 years. Branigan describes Wang's intense anger when discussing the era, noting that even his family struggles to understand his trauma. Wang later visited Auschwitz, drawing parallels between the Holocaust and the suffering he and others endured, suggesting that for survivors, the past is never truly gone. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 41905 SHANGHAI NANJING ROAD

TEENAGE ZEALOTS AND THE TRAUMA OF VIOLENCE Colleague Tanya Branigan. Branigan details the memories of Yu Xiangzhen, a former Red Guard who attended Mao's first mass rally in August 1966. Mao encouraged youth to destroy "the four olds," sparking widespread violence against cultural artifacts and people. While traveling the country to spread revolution, Yu witnessed a sports court filled with corpses beaten to death by Red Guards, a memory that remains visceral. Despite such horror, some recall the era with nostalgia, remembering the freedom of free train travel and the intoxication of holding authority over adults during a break from strict social discipline. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 31905 SHANGHAI POSTCARD

THE MURDER OF TEACHER BIAN Colleague Tanya Branigan. The discussion turns to "Red August" 1966 and the murder of vice-principal Bian Zhongyun by her students. Her husband, Wang Jingyao, secretly preserved photographs of her body and her bloodied clothes as a shrine and evidence of the brutality. Branigan discusses Yu Xiangzhen, a former Red Guard who blogged about her regrets until political pressure silenced her. The segment also covers Song Binbin, the elite student who famously placed an armband on Mao; her later apology for her role in the school violence was controversial, with many feeling it failed to fully reckon with her responsibility. TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 21905 GUANGZHOU QING DYNASTY

THE FORBIDDEN MUSEUM OF SHANTOU Colleague Tanya Branigan. Tanya Branigan discusses her book, Red Memory, and her visit to the Cultural Revolution Museum in Shantou. Founded by former official Peng Qi'an, this was the only museum in China dedicated to recording the era's violence and chaos. Built in a remote location on a site of mass graves to avoid scrutiny, the museum was eventually suppressed by authorities. Branigan recounts visiting during the Hu Jintao era while being monitored by undercover police. Today, the site is closed, unlike the National Museum, which relegates the decade-long catastrophe to a single "dingy corner." TANYA BRANIGAN NUMBER 11905 SHANGHAI MIXED COURT

THE BATTLE FOR RAFAH AND THE FUTURE OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. The discussion focuses on the strategic importance of Rafah and the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border, identified as the primary artery for Hamas's weapons smuggling. Frantzman argues that Israel must control this border to prevent Hamas from rearming, noting Egypt's failure to secure the area effectively. Regarding Hamas leadership, Frantzman speculates that Yahya Sinwar remains in Khan Yunis, refusing to leave his hometown. While Hamas's organized battalions have been significantly degraded, Frantzman warns that without a comprehensive political strategy, the group could transition back to an insurgency, similar to the Viet Cong. OCTOBER 7 WAR BY SETH FRANTZMAN NUMBER 41891 NAZARETH

THE OCTOPUS STRATEGY: IRAN'S PROXIES AND ISRAEL'S COUNTERATTACK Colleague Seth Frantzman. Frantzman employs the "octopus" metaphor to describe Iran as the central brain directing proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis to encircle Israel. He details Hamas's October 7 strategy: massacre civilians, seize hostages, and retreat to human shields and tunnels to await international pressure on Israel. The conversation outlines the IDF's counter-strategy, which involved cutting Gaza in half via the Netzarim corridor and systematically clearing areas from north to south. Frantzman notes the extensive tunnel network discovered in Khan Yunis, which served as a learning ground for IDF anti-tunnel operations. OCTOBER 7 WAR BY SETH FRANTZMAN NUMBER 31868 NAZARETH

ANATOMY OF AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE: ARROGANCE AND TECHNOLOGY Colleague Seth Frantzman. This segment analyzes the catastrophic intelligence failure leading to October 7, attributing it to a mix of complacency, arrogance, and groupthink within Israel's defense establishment. Despite warnings from border observers and Unit 8200 possessing Hamas's attack plans a year in advance, officials dismissed the threat, believing Hamas was deterred and incapable of such an operation. Frantzman highlights a critical over-reliance on technology over human intelligence on the ground. The discussion draws parallels to Pearl Harbor and 9/11, noting that Hamas successfully lured Israel into a false sense of security while training in the open. OCTOBER 7 WAR BY SETH FRANTZMAN NUMBER 21940 SEPPHORIS BEFORE EXCAVATION

THE HORROR OF OCTOBER 7 AND THE ORIGINS OF HAMAS Colleague Seth Frantzman. Seth Frantzmanrecounts his harrowing experience on the evening of October 7, discovering a body on the road to Gaza, symbolizing the chaos of the initial invasion. The conversation shifts to the historical origins of Hamas, founded by Ahmed Yassin during the First Intifada as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. Frantzman describes Hamas as evolving from a religious movement into a "terrorist mafia" known for internal brutality and killing collaborators. Key figures like Yahya Sinwarare discussed, noting his release from Israeli prison during the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange. OCTOBER 7 WAR BY SETH FRANTZMAN NUMBER 11850 MASADA