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Summary: This episode delves into the world of invasive birds, exploring their ecological impact and culinary potential. Justin and Adam discuss various species, including rock doves, Eurasian collared doves, songbirds, and waterfowl like snow geese and mute swans. They share insights on cooking techniques, flavor profiles, and sustainable practices for harvesting these birds. The conversation emphasizes the importance of viewing invasive species as a resource and encourages listeners to experiment with historical recipes and modern cooking methods. - Leave a Review of the Podcast - Buy our Wild Fish and Game Spices The Art of Venison Sausage Making Recipes: Breaking Up with Dove Poppers: Why It's Time to Move On Buttermilk Fried Dove & Waffles with Spicy Bourbon Maple Syrup Retro Recipe: Sous Vide Peking Dove with Pickled Veggies Sweet and Spicy Jalapeño Quail or Doves Roasted Doves and Maitake with Poblano Cream Sauce on Grits Tandoori Dove with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce Takeaways: Invasive species can be a resource if harvested responsibly. Rock doves and Eurasian collared doves are common invasive birds in North America. Both doves are edible and can be prepared in various ways. Cooking techniques vary based on the age and type of bird. Songbirds like house sparrows and starlings are often overlooked as food sources. Mute swans are invasive and can be managed through hunting. Snow geese are abundant and provide high-quality meat. Cooking methods for waterfowl include roasting, braising, and grinding for sausage. Upland birds like pheasants are often introduced and considered game birds. Historical recipes can provide inspiration for cooking invasive species. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Invasive Species and Their Culinary Potential 02:53 Doves: The Rock Dove and Eurasian Collared Dove 05:55 Flavor Profiles and Cooking Techniques for Doves 08:44 Exploring Other Invasive Birds: Songbirds and Their Edibility 11:25 Harvesting and Cooking Techniques for Songbirds 14:36 Creative Recipes for Dove and Songbird Dishes 17:27 Culinary Traditions and Historical Context of Eating Invasive Birds 32:05 Exploring Urban Wildlife: Pigeons and Sparrows 34:03 The Invasive Mute Swan: A Threat to Native Species 34:29 Snow Geese: Conservation and Culinary Delights 38:20 Canada Geese: The Resident vs. Migratory Debate 41:31 Flavor Profiles of Waterfowl: Snow Geese vs. Canada Geese 46:07 Cooking Techniques for Waterfowl: From Plucking to Braising 51:17 Upland Birds: A Culinary Perspective 53:49 Peacocks: The Ornamental Bird with Culinary Potential 57:39 Final Thoughts on Invasive Birds and Cooking Techniques Keywords: Invasive species, hunting, cooking, doves, pigeons, songbirds, waterfowl, recipes, ecological impact, sustainable eating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wildlife Photography in the Heart of New York with Jacqueline Emery and David Lei.Jacqueline Emery and David Lei are wildlife photographers and authors of Finding Flaco: Our Year with New York City's Beloved Owl. In this episode, we explore what it meant to follow Flaco day after day over the course of a year, the lessons his story holds for photographers and wildlife lovers, and how one bird captured the imagination of an entire city.On February 2, 2023, Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl escaped from his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo and took to the skies of Manhattan. Captive his whole life, he seemed doomed in a city of glass towers, poisons, and noise. Yet against all odds, Flaco learned to hunt, fly, and thrive. For one improbable year, he became more than an owl. He became a symbol of freedom, resilience, and the fragile line between captivity and wildness.Notable Links:Finding Flaco: Our Year with New York City's Beloved OwlJacqueline Emery InstagramDavid Lei Instagram*****This episode is brought to you by Lexar.For almost 30 years, Lexar has been trusted as a leading global brand of memory solutions so they know firsthand just how quickly content is transforming our world. Their award-winning lineup performs second to none and includes professional memory cards, card readers, and solid state drives for creators of all skill levels. So - Whether shooting photos, capturing video, or transferring content on the go, Lexar provides the reliability and performance you can rely on to get the shot with confidence.I certainly do. I've been using Lexar Professional CFexpress 4.0 Type B GOLD memory cards with my Canon mirrorless cameras for years and years. And they deliver the blazing speed and the durability for the extreme weather conditions I encounter all over the world.To learn more about Lexar Memory Solutions, please visit lexar.com*****This episode is brought to you by Kase Revolution Plus Filters. I travel the world with my camera, and I can use any photography filters I like, and I've tried all of them, but in recent years I've landed on Kase Filters.Kase filters are made with premium materials, HD optical glass, shockproof, Ultra-Low Reflectivity, zero color cast, round and square filter designs, magnetic systems, filter holders, adapters, step-up rings, and everything I need so I never miss a moment.And now, my listeners can get 10% off the Kase Filters Amazon page when they visit. beyondthelens.fm/kase and use coupon code BERNABE10Kase Filters, Capture with Confidence.
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore Eurasian steppe nomads from Aryans to Mongols, analyzing how small mobile populations repeatedly conquered and influenced much larger sedentary civilizations. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | NETSUITE | ORACLE The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction and Philosophy of History (12:18) The Eurasian Steppe Geography (12:22) Sponsors: Zcash | Netsuite (18:07) Water Analogy for Steppe Peoples (23:34) Two Generative Cores of the Steppe (26:31) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (27:39) Aryan Origins and Population Mixing (31:00) Horse Technology Evolution (36:17) Aryan Invasions and European Myths (46:01) Cimmerians and Bronze Age Impact (52:00) Xiongnu vs Han Dynasty (1:01:00) Scythians and Persian Conflicts (1:11:00) Sarmatians in the Roman Period (1:14:00) Hun Empire and Attila (1:19:00) Post Hun Peoples and Hungary (1:25:00) Chinese Barbarian States Period (1:30:00) Turkic Migrations and Slave Soldiers (1:34:00) Understanding Turkish Identity (1:48:00) Mongol Universal Empire (1:55:00) End of Steppe Power (2:01:00) Future of Inner Asia (2:08:57) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Crazy Wisdom, host Stewart Alsop talks with Michel Bauwens, founder of the P2P Foundation, about the rise of peer-to-peer dynamics, the historical cycles shaping our present, and the struggles and possibilities of building resilient communities in times of crisis. The conversation moves through the evolution of the internet from Napster to Web3, the cultural shifts since 1968, Bauwens' personal experiences with communes and his 2018 cancellation, and the emerging vision of cosmolocalism and regenerative villages as alternatives to state and market decline. For more on Michel's work, you can explore his Substack at 4thgenerationcivilization.substack.com and the extensive P2P Foundation Wiki at wiki.p2pfoundation.net.Check out this GPT we trained on the conversationTimestamps00:00 Michel Bauwens explains peer-to-peer as both computer design and social relationship, introducing trans-local association and the idea of an anthropological revolution.05:00 Discussion of Web1, Web3, encryption, anti-surveillance, cozy web, and dark forest theory, contrasting early internet openness with today's fragmentation.10:00 Bauwens shares his 2018 cancellation, deplatforming, and loss of funding after a dispute around Jordan Peterson, reflecting on identity politics and peer-to-peer pluralism.15:00 The cultural shifts since 1968, the rise of identity movements, macro-historical cycles, and the fourth turning idea of civilizational change are unpacked.20:00 Memories of 1968 activism, communes, free love, hypergamy, and the collapse of utopian experiments, showing the need for governance and rules in cooperation.25:00 From communes to neo-Reichian practices, EST seminars, and lessons of human nature, Bauwens contrasts failed free love with lasting models like kibbutzim and Bruderhof.30:00 Communes that endure rely on transcendence, religious or ideological foundations, and Bauwens points to monasteries as models for resilience in times of decline.35:00 Cycles of civilization, overuse of nature, class divisions, and the threat of social unrest frame a wider reflection on populism, Eurasian vs Western models, and culture wars.40:00 Populism in Anglo vs continental Europe, social balance, Christian democracy, and the contrast with market libertarianism in Trump and Milei.45:00 Bauwens proposes cosmolocalism, regenerative villages, and bioregional alliances supported by Web3 communities like Crypto Commons Alliance and Ethereum Localism.50:00 Historical lessons from the Roman era, monasteries, feudal alliances, and the importance of reciprocity, pragmatic alliances, and preparing for systemic collapse.55:00 Localism, post-political collaboration, Ghent urban commons, Web3 experiments like Zuzalu, and Bauwens' resources: fortcivilizationsubstack.com and wiki.p2pfoundation.net.Key InsightsMichel Bauwens frames peer-to-peer not just as a technical design but as a profound social relationship, what he calls an “anthropological revolution.” Like the invention of writing or printing, the internet created trans-local association, allowing people across the globe to coordinate outside of centralized control.The conversation highlights the cycles of history, drawing from macro-historians and the “fourth turning” model. Bauwens explains how social movements rise, institutionalize, and collapse, with today's cultural polarization echoing earlier waves such as the upheavals of 1968. He sees our era as the end of a long cycle that began after World War II.Bauwens shares his personal cancellation in 2018, when posting a video about Jordan Peterson triggered accusations and led to deplatforming, debanking, and professional exclusion. He describes this as deeply traumatic, forcing him to rethink his political identity and shift his focus to reciprocity and trust in smaller, resilient networks.The episode revisits communes and free love experiments of the 1970s, where Bauwens lived for years. He concludes that without governance, rules, and shared transcendence, these communities collapse into chaos. He contrasts them with enduring models like the Bruderhof, kibbutzim, and monasteries, which rely on structure, ideology, or religion to survive.A major theme is populism and cultural polarization, with Bauwens distinguishing between Anglo-Saxon populism rooted in market libertarianism and continental populism shaped by Christian democratic traditions. The former quickly loses support by privileging elites, while the latter often maintains social balance through family and worker policies.Bauwens outlines his vision of cosmolocalism and regenerative villages, where “what's heavy is local, what's light is global.” He argues that bioregionalism combined with Web3 technologies offers a practical way to rebuild resilient communities, coordinate globally, and address ecological and social breakdown.Finally, the episode underscores the importance of pragmatic alliances across political divides. Bauwens stresses that survival and flourishing in times of systemic collapse depend less on ideology and more on reciprocity, concrete projects, and building trust networks that can outlast declining state and market systems.
An ancient city of stones and bricks has revitalized through openness and connectivity in the heart of the Eurasian continent. Western headlines would have you believe that the region is reeling under surveillance and suppression, and people are unhappy. But what's conveniently missing from those narratives are real stories from people on the ground, those with firsthand experiences. In 2024, Xinjiang welcomed nearly 300 million arrivals, with 5 million from overseas, marking a 55% increase compared with the previous year. What exactly is attracting all these visitors? What is Xinjiang really like today? And where is it headed going forward?
An ancient city of stones and bricks has revitalized through openness and connectivity in the heart of the Eurasian continent. Western headlines would have you believe that the region is reeling under surveillance and suppression, and people are unhappy. But what's conveniently missing from those narratives are real stories from people on the ground, those with firsthand experiences. In 2024, Xinjiang welcomed nearly 300 million arrivals, with 5 million from overseas, marking a 55% increase compared with the previous year. What exactly is attracting all these visitors? What is Xinjiang really like today? And where is it headed going forward?
HEADLINE: India-China-Russia Axis Dismissed as Propaganda Despite Modi-Xi Handshake GUEST NAME: Sadanand Dhume SUMMARY: Sadanand Dhume dismisses speculation of an India-China-Russia "Eurasian axis" following Modi-Xihandshake at SCO summit as "nonsense." Relations remain hostile due to border disputes with tens of thousands of troops deployed. China's ties with Pakistan, supplying 80% of arms and investing through CPEC, further strain India relations. 1904 INDIA
Beijing issued a white paper outlining the CPC's Xinjiang strategy, highlighting economic growth, stability, cultural heritage protection, and its role as a Eurasian gateway, as the region marks its 70th founding anniversary (01:13). The Beijing Xiangshan Forum closed with calls for multilateralism, dialogue, and respect for sovereignty, stressing cooperation in global governance to advance peace, and address shared international security challenges (10:40). China has condemned another U.S. veto of a UN Gaza resolution demanding ceasefire, aid access, and hostage release (20:50).
In this episode of Ethnocynology, host David Ian Howe sits down with archaeologist and anthropologist Dr. William Taylor (University of Colorado Boulder), author of Hoofbeats: How Horses Shaped Human History.While this show usually focuses on dogs, today we shift to the other animal that transformed humanity: the horse. Dr. Taylor walks us through the evolutionary history of horses, their domestication on the Eurasian steppe, and their reintroduction to the Americas after the Ice Age. Together we explore how humans first interacted with horses—as prey, symbols in cave art, sources of milk and meat, and eventually as partners in transport, warfare, and belief systems.Topics include:The origins of domestic horses around 2000 BC in the Caucasus steppesHorses evolving in North America, going extinct, and being reintroduced by the SpanishHunting evidence from sites like Schöningen in Germany and Bluefish Caves in the YukonHorses in Paleolithic cave art (Lascaux, Chauvet) and the Vogelherd ivory carvingEvidence for early horse riding and chariot use in Egypt, Assyria, and beyondThe role of horses in indigenous North and South American societies before widespread European contactEthno-equine parallels in Mongolia, Australia, and Patagonia, where horses shaped cultural, spiritual, and economic lifeThis is Part 1 of a two-part series: next time, David speaks with Cassidy Thornhill of the University of Wyoming, who researches the protohistoric introduction of horses into the Americas.If you enjoy the episode, please rate and review Ethnocynology on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It helps more people discover the show and supports the entire Archaeology Podcast Network.Links:Hoofbeats: How Horses Shaped Human History by Dr. William Taylor — available on Amazon and other retailers.davidianhowe.comDavidianhowe.com/storeArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Keir Giles has spent his career watching, studying, and explaining Russia. Keir's work has appeared in a wide range of academic and military publications across Europe and in North America, and he is a regular contributor and commentator on Russian affairs for international print and broadcast media. He works with the Conflict Studies Research Centre (CSRC), a group of deep subject matter experts on Eurasian security formerly attached to the British Ministry of Defence. He is a regular contributor to research projects on Russian security issues in the U.S., UK, and Europe.----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISER - A project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's frontline towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------DESCRIPTION:Analyzing Russian Drone Incursions in Poland: Intentional Act or Accident?In this episode, we delve into the recent incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, a significant event post-World War II. The discussion examines the implications of such actions, including NATO's response and the invocation of Article Four. Our expert guest provides insights into the potential motivations behind Russia's actions, the role of Belarus, and the complexities of electronic warfare. We also explore the broader context of Russia's provocations against Western resolve, the potential for escalatory steps, and the future of NATO's response strategy. This episode offers a comprehensive look at the geopolitical tensions and the strategic calculations involved.----------CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background00:54 Recent Drone Incursion in Poland02:17 NATO's Response and Article Four04:24 Kremlin Signaling and Intent12:17 Electronic Warfare and Drone Behavior16:02 Potential Escalation and Western Response20:30 Belarus' Role and Sanctions22:53 Conclusion and Final Thoughts----------BOOKS:Who Will Defend Europe? An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent (2024)Order Keir's new book: https://amzn.to/4cFI1b6Russia's War on Everybody: And What it Means for You (2022)Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West (2019)The Turning Point for Russian Foreign Policy (2017)The State of the NATO-Russia Reset (2011)Potential Challenges to Public Order and Social Stability in the Russian Federation (2011)----------LINKS:Order Keir's new book: https://amzn.to/4cFI1b6https://www.chathamhouse.org/about-us/our-people/keir-gileshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keir_Gileshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/keir-giles-499a489/----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND:Save Ukrainehttps://www.saveukraineua.org/Superhumans - Hospital for war traumashttps://superhumans.com/en/UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukrainehttps://unbroken.org.ua/Come Back Alivehttps://savelife.in.ua/en/Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchenhttps://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraineUNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyyhttps://u24.gov.ua/Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundationhttps://prytulafoundation.org----------
James Nixey was lead at the Russia-Eurasia programme at Chatham House, and his principal expertise concerns the relationships between Russia and the other post-Soviet states. He has published papers and articles in books and journals and commented extensively in the national and global media. He has also organised hundreds of private expert round tables on Russian and Eurasian affairs while at Chatham House. Publications include The Long Goodbye: Waning Russian Influence in The South Caucasus and Central Asia, Putin Again: Implications for Russia and the West, and many others.----------LINKS:https://x.com/jamesnixey?lang=enhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/james-nixey/----------SILICON CURTAIN FILM FUNDRAISERA project to make a documentary film in Ukraine, to raise awareness of Ukraine's struggle and in supporting a team running aid convoys to Ukraine's front-line towns.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SILICON CURTAIN LIVE EVENTS - FUNDRAISER CAMPAIGN Events in 2025 - Advocacy for a Ukrainian victory with Silicon Curtainhttps://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasOur events of the first half of the year in Lviv, Kyiv and Odesa were a huge success. Now we need to maintain this momentum, and change the tide towards a Ukrainian victory. The Silicon Curtain Roadshow is an ambitious campaign to run a minimum of 12 events in 2025, and potentially many more. Any support you can provide for the fundraising campaign would be gratefully appreciated. https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrasWe need to scale up our support for Ukraine, and these events are designed to have a major impact. Your support in making it happen is greatly appreciated. All events will be recorded professionally and published for free on the Silicon Curtain channel. Where possible, we will also live-stream events.https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extras----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain----------DESCRIPTION:Understanding Russia's Intentions: A Deep Dive with James NixeyIn this episode, Jonathan chats with James Nixey, former head of the Russia Eurasia program at Chatham House. They delve into Russia's relations with post-Soviet states, the miscalculations made by Western leaders about Russia's aims, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The conversation also touches on the cultural, political, and even psychological factors driving Russian policy. Additionally, Jonathan highlights the importance of the 'Kyiv of Mine' film series, which chronicles life in Ukraine from before the war to the present day. This insightful discussion sheds light on the broader implications of Russia's actions for global stability and Western values.----------CHAPTERS: 03:06 The Russian Perspective on Winning04:03 Russia's Endless Campaign06:31 Ukraine's Struggle and Western Response09:04 Personal Recommendation: Kiev of Mine12:17 Trump and Putin: A Comparison15:10 Russia's Influence and Global Perception23:28 Lessons from the Cold War25:43 Questioning Our Values and Convictions27:45 Escalation and Boundaries28:41 The Threat of Authoritarianism in Europe29:43 The Role of Culture and Nationalism33:53 Long-term Strategies of Russia and China42:41 The Weaponization of Russian Culture48:27 Concluding Thoughts and Call to Action----------
Gray-headed Chickadee is certainly one of the most enigmatic species of breeding birds in the ABA Area. Though it is found broadly across northern Eurasian it was, until very recently, also known from an isolated breeding population in northern Alaska and far northwestern Canada. Those bird, long a bucket list objective for ABA Area birders, might be gone, and the reasons for that are unclear. Alaska birder and conservationist Brad Meiklejohn explores their disappearance in the Lost on the Frontier: The Mysterious Disappearance of North America's Rarest Breeding Bird, published in the July 2025 issue of Birding magazine, and he joins us to talk more about this avian mystery. Stay tuned for a publicly accessible version of this article. Also, the auction featuring some of our past Bird of the Year cover art is up and running! Subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts and please leave a rating or a review if you are so inclined! We appreciate it!
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine Inner Asia as the overlooked crossroads between China, Islam, Europe, and India, tracing ancient migrations through modern geopolitics in this forgotten spine of Eurasian civilization. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | NETSUITE | ORACLE The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (0:00) Introduction: Defining Inner Asia as the Forgotten Crossroads (1:37) Geographic Scope: From Transoxiana to Tibet and Zomia (3:25) James C. Scott and "The Art of Not Being Governed" (5:05) Zomia: Southeast Asian Anarchist Borderlands (9:24) Burma's Capital Move and State Control Strategies (13:00) Reframing Inner Asia as Central Hub vs. Periphery (14:33) The Continental Divide of Eurasia (18:00) Sponsors: Zcash | NetSuite (19:54) Lord Miles and the Wakan Corridor Adventure (23:42) Rudyard Kipling and "The Man Who Would Be King" (28:00) Marx vs. Kipling: Comparing Views on Race and Colonialism (31:24) World War I's Impact on European Colonial Prestige (35:07) Sponsor: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (36:34) Prehistoric Settlement: East Asian Population Formation (40:22) The Aryan Invasions and Bronze Age Civilizations (47:24) Genetic Mixing: Europeans, Persians, and Indians (57:15) Scythians vs. Persian Empire: Cyrus the Great's Death (1:02:00) Alexander the Great: Conquering Beyond Persia (1:08:04) The Hubris Trap and Christianity's Solution (1:10:53) Chinese Discovery of the Western World (150 BC) (1:15:05) Central Asian Christianity and Nestorian Civilization (1:20:48) Islamic Conquest and Religious Transformation (1:27:00) Tibet's Warrior Empire vs. China (1:30:30) Amira Ghurko's Journey: Meeting Tibet's Buddhist Elite (1:38:00) Islamic Golden Age: Arab Cotton Boom in Transoxiana (1:44:53) Genghis Khan's Destruction of Central Asian Civilization (1:51:01) The Great Game: British vs. Russian Imperial Competition (1:58:00) Modern Central Asian Dictatorships and Soviet Legacy (2:02:34) Belt and Road Initiative: China's Failed Infrastructure Push (2:06:00) Contemporary Challenges: MMA Fighters and Cultural Impact (2:07:33) Wrap Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
A dangerous new alliance could push the United States out of power. Are Russia, China, and others planning a future where America is no longer in charge?✅ I can be your speaking partner https://brentspeak.as.me/ Use Code SUMMER10 for 10% off your conversationEurasian – about both Europe and Asia. : The leaders talked about Eurasian trade between Europe and Asia.Stable – steady, not changing quickly. : China wants a stable friendship with India and Russia.Upend – to turn over or change completely. : The summit could upend the old system led by the West.Elaborate – detailed or fancy. : Xi gave an elaborate plan for new projects.Might – strength or power. : The summit showed the might of these big countries.Intentions – plans or goals. : Modi's intentions were to grow trust and trade.Disarray – confusion or disorder. : Some experts said the group might fall into disarray.Military Bloc – a group of countries joined for defense. : The SCO is not just a military bloc, but also for trade.Count On – to depend on. : Russia can count on China's support.Be At Odds – to disagree. : India and China have been at odds about their border.Clash – to fight or argue strongly. : The leaders did not want to clash during the meeting.Beats Up On – to hit again and again (real or in words). : Modi's message beats up on the need for trust.Reached Out – tried to connect or talk. : Putin reached out to India for closer ties.Embraced – accepted gladly. : The leaders embraced the idea of more energy trade.Crude Oil – oil in its natural form. : They spoke about selling crude oil to each other.Hypocritical – saying one thing but doing another.Some people said it was hypocritical for leaders to talk about peace while selling more weapons.Levying – charging a tax or fee. : The group warned against levying high trade taxes.Manifesting – showing clearly. : Smiles were manifesting friendship at the summit.Roll Out The Red Carpet – give a very special welcome. : China rolled out the red carpet for Putin's visit.Sacrifices – things given up for something else. : India may make sacrifices to keep peace in the region.Comparison – looking at how things are alike or different. : In comparison to Western meetings, this one felt different.Underdog – the weaker side. : Smaller countries in the group feel like underdogs.
The US government has long tried to divide China, India, and Russia, but Washington's aggressive actions have only brought them together. Donald Trump's tariffs, in particular, angered Indian PM Modi, who visited the Chinese city Tianjin for the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where the Eurasian countries deepened their relations. Ben Norton analyzes the important results of this historic meeting, and how the US empire's aggression has blown back. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsFGCUtzzQ8 Topics 0:00 US imperial overstretch 1:25 China, Russia, India unite 3:38 Shanghai Cooperation Org (SCO) summit 4:48 Global Governance Initiative 6:50 New multipolar order 8:08 Members of SCO 9:29 Population of SCO 10:07 Economy of SCO 11:01 US empire seeks to divide Eurasia 12:49 Trump attacks India 13:37 Donald Trump's tariffs 14:52 India moves closer to China 16:23 Views India and China share 18:59 Modi meets with Xi Jinping 21:33 US war hawks are furious 22:02 (CLIP) John Bolton on India-China ties 23:20 US war hawks are furious 24:05 (CLIP) Jake Sullivan on India-China ties 25:17 USA alienates its "allies" 25:53 Trump makes China great again (川建国 Chuan Jianguo) 26:50 Trump accelerates US imperial decline 29:09 Dedollarization 30:48 CBDCs 32:42 Dedollarization 33:30 China proposes SCO development bank 33:48 SCO Tianjin Declaration 35:51 Need for UN reform 40:20 Multipolarity 41:07 International financial system 42:53 Xi Jinping's speech 46:43 Open-source artificial intelligence (AI) tech 47:38 Oppose the new cold war 48:15 Global South vision of multipolar world 50:45 Outro
Today's host was Michael Wear, Founder, President and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life. Thanks for listening to The Morning Five! Please subscribe to and rate The Morning Five on your favorite podcast platform. Learn more about the work of the Center for Christianity and Public Life at www.ccpubliclife.org. Scripture: John 3 Top Headlines: 1) Eurasian Leaders Appear Together 2) Trump EO Pulls Back Union Rights for Federal Employees 3) Rep. Nadler to Retire Today's host was Michael Wear, Founder, President, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life. Join the conversation and follow us at: Instagram: @michaelwear, @ccpubliclife Twitter: @MichaelRWear, @ccpubliclife and check out @tsfnetwork Music by: King Sis #politics #faith #prayer #Nadler #2026 #House #Democrats #Xi #Modi #Putin #China #Russia #India #Ukraine #ForeignPolicy #unions #WhiteHouse #executiveorders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When a white actor was recently announced to replace Darren Criss in Maybe Happy Ending, it sparked a fresh wave of debate over racial casting on Broadway. For Asian Americans like playwright David Henry Hwang and actor B.D. Wong, it felt like déjà vu, echoing a controversy they had spoken out against more than 30 years ago with Miss Saigon. That blockbuster musical became the center of a storm back in 1990 when Jonathan Pryce was chosen to reprise his Eurasian character from the London production when it transferred to Broadway. This decision ignited protests, ultimatums, and the first major reckoning with yellowface in American theater. In this episode, we look back at Miss Saigon, the clash between producer Cameron Mackintosh and Actors' Equity, and how that moment set the stage for Hwang's satirical play Face Value—and continues to reverberate today. --- Click here for a transcript and list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Theme music created by Blake Stadnik. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ghost unpacks the latest global power plays, starting with Russia's surprising move to recognize the Taliban government and its pledge to support Afghanistan in fighting terrorism and drug trafficking. He ties this shift to Trump's Doha Agreement and exposes how U.S. interventions fueled the opium trade and destabilized the region. From there, Ghost examines Afghanistan's central role in pipeline politics, Pakistan's decades-long entanglement with U.S. intelligence, and the broader fight over Eurasian sovereignty. The episode then pivots to Trump's dominance in Ukraine peace talks, his tariffs strategy, and Europe's fragile position in the conflict. Ghost also breaks down U.S. influence operations in Greenland, Denmark's pushback, and the Pentagon's plan to shift Greenland into NORTHCOM, raising questions about sovereignty and strategy in the Arctic. Wrapping up with Venezuela, he analyzes Maduro's standoff with Trump's naval buildup, narco-subs, and the coming showdown with cartels. Packed with sharp analysis, historical context, and bold predictions, this episode shows how sovereignty and geopolitics are colliding worldwide.
Nancy Matsumoto is the author of Reaping What She Sows: How Women Are Rebuilding Our Broken Food System, which will be released in October but is available for pre-order now. The book is a collection of stories about women that are creating alternative food networks. They are building out local and regional supply chains in the face of overwhelming odds and the destructiveness of industrial agriculture. While the book traces how broken our global food system is, it's quite hopeful. All of the women featured are doing something about it. They are making changes. They are building something.We talk a lot about supply chains, how long they are and the work that it takes to shorten them. We talk about how an obscure Eurasian grass called kernza is having a positive impact on landscapes in the north central US while being used to create beer. How cacao producers in Belize and Guatemala are getting organized to better their situation. If you want to be inspired in making the changes you want to see in the world, read this book. We also talk with Nancy about the art of writing. We actually have the same agent and have faced a lot of the same challenges in the media industry, which has become nearly impossible to navigate. Putting non-fiction narrative books like this together require tremendous amounts of time and patience, yet we do it because these are important stories to tell. Nancy has also written the books Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake and By the Shore of Lake Michigan, a translation of WWII-era Japanese concentration camp poetry. Again, the latest book is Reaping What She Sows: How Women Are Rebuilding Our Broken Food System. Order a copy or follow Nancy on her just launched Substack, Reaping, which follows some of the stories from the book. --Host: Nicholas GillCo-host: Juliana DuqueProduced by Nicholas Gill & Juliana Duque Recording & Editing by New Worlder https://www.newworlder.com Read more at New Worlder: https://www.newworlder.com
The Daily Quiz - Geography Today's Questions: Question 1: Which country's flag can be described as 'Three equal horizontal bands of black red and gold.'? Question 2: Which mountain system was formed by the collision of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates? Question 3: Which of these countries borders North Korea? Question 4: Which of these cities is in Romania? Question 5: What is the capital city of Dominica? Question 6: What is the world's widest river? Question 7: In which country would you find the UNESCO World Heritage site of Uluru? Question 8: What is the capital city of Netherlands? Question 9: In which country would you find the city of Edinburgh? This podcast is produced by Klassic Studios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can beavers save Britain's dying rivers? Are these ecosystem engineers the key to reversing the catastrophic decline of Atlantic salmon, or do their dams create impassable barriers for struggling fish populations? With salmon numbers plummeting by 70% in just 20 years and predictions they could vanish entirely within two decades, the stakes couldn't be higher. The reintroduction of beavers to British waterways has sparked heated debate about their impact on our most threatened migratory species.In this episode, our guest is Dr Rob Needham, and we talk about his research from Scotland. Rob's long-term study reveals how beaver-modified streams support larger, healthier trout populations, with tagged fish successfully navigating multiple beaver dam crossings. We also talk about research from Norway, and North America that's providing crucial insights for British conservation efforts. For example Rachel Malison's work in Norway demonstrates that beavers and salmon coexist successfully for past decades on some of the world's most productive salmon rivers. The evidence suggests these species co-evolved together and co-existed for millennia, creating complex ecosystems that benefit both.From the western United States, Bridge Creek's remarkable restoration story demonstrates nature's incredible capacity for self-repair, with 200% increases in fish abundance following beaver reintroduction. Meanwhile, cutting-edge environmental DNA research is mapping salmon and beaver (and other species) distribution across Scottish catchments, showing how ecosystems can recover. As climate change intensifies pressure on freshwater habitats, the ecosystem engineering by beavers offers hope for building resilient river systems. The message is clear: collaboration between conservationists, researchers, and local communities is essential if we're to harness beavers' restorative power while protecting our precious migratory fish.Further reading:The impact of reintroduced Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) dams on the upstream movement of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in upland areas of Great BritainBalance The Scales - Launch TrailerSubscribe to Tommy's Outdoors: Conservation and Science NewsletterSupport the Podcast and Buy Me a Coffee.Recommended Books: tommysoutdoors.com/booksMerch: tommysoutdoors.com/shopFollow Tommy's Outdoors on Bluesky, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook
The Grayzone and friends held a day of discussion about the Ukraine proxy war, Greater Israel and its genocide in Gaza, and US empire in the Trump era at Icarus Fest 2025 in Rutherford, NJ.Panel 2 (the featured video above) brought together Max Blumenthal, Katie Halper, and Jeremy Loffredo to discuss the disastrous impact of Israel on the region and inside the United States with host Sabby Sabbs. Next, Judge Andrew Napolitano hosted Max Blumenthal, Aaron Maté, Christian Parenti and Anya Parampil for a wide ranging discussion of US empire in the second Trump term, from China to Venezuela, and the future of the antiwar movement in challenging its maximalist agenda.Earlier in the day in Panel 1 (below), Glenn Diesen, Wyatt Reed and Kit Klarenberg joined host Thaddeus Russell to discuss the Ukraine proxy war, the role of the UK in guiding it, and the historical resonance of the semi-official ideology of Russophobia in the West.Highlights include:• Wyatt's frontline reporting from Donbass revealing strong pro-Russian sentiment and the extensive destruction caused by Western-backed forces, challenging mainstream narratives.• Panelists' experiences of harsh repression, including smear campaigns, financial bans, and state harassment aimed at silencing dissent.• Glenn Diesen's analysis of enduring Western Russophobia as a strategic elite tool to prevent Eurasian unity and maintain maritime dominance.• Kit Klarenberg's account of British state repression targeting journalists and activists, illustrating authoritarian crackdowns on anti-war and pro-Palestine voices.• Discussion of limited public awareness of imperialist projects, contrasted with emerging grassroots resistance and skepticism in Europe and pockets of the US.• Audience questions address Nordstream sabotage, shifting Ukraine war dynamics, and prospects for diplomatic change.
"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a deep-dive into the Mongol Empire's rise, conquests, and civilizational impact, examining how Genghis Khan's brutal campaigns reshaped Eurasian politics and accelerated Western Europe's ascendancy. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (03:04) Polygamous Imperial Cycles and Genghis Khan's Genetic Legacy (05:43) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify (09:27) Genghis Khan as Totalitarian Figure and Step Empire Dynamics (15:25) Academic Debates About the Mongols - Left vs Military Historians (28:40) Major Mongol Military Campaigns - Badger's Mouth and Khwarezmid (33:27) Sponsors: NetSuite | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (46:14) Genghis Khan's Rise - Childhood, Unification of Mongols (56:59) Conquest of Northern China - 30 Million Dead (1:11:28) Destruction of Central Asia and the Islamic World (1:20:16) Conquest and Transformation of Russia (1:28:59) Mongol Empire Splits - Four Khanates and Kublai Khan (1:43:21) Pax Mongolica and Failed Invasions of Japan/Java (1:52:30) Fall of the Mongol Empire - Black Death and Ming Dynasty (2:06:52) Long-Term Impact - Europe's Rise Over Asia (2:11:42) Mongol Role in Spreading Black Death and Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“How could this owl, who was born in captivity, lived his whole life in a cage, how could he possibly survive? He's going to be dead in a few days. That's what everybody thought.” – Christine Mott In February 2023, a Eurasian eagle-owl named Flaco made headlines—and captured hearts—when he escaped from his small enclosure at the Central Park Zoo. Born in captivity and unable to fly or hunt, Flaco defied every expectation. In just weeks, he taught himself to soar across the Manhattan skyline, hunt for his own food, and live as freely as an owl could in a city of concrete and glass. For more than a year, New Yorkers spotted him perched in Central Park, on high-rises, even outside apartment windows—cheering him on as a symbol of resilience and freedom. Today's guest, attorney and lifelong animal advocate Christine Mott, has immortalized Flaco's story in her new children's book, Free Bird: Flaco the Owl's Dreams Take Flight. Told from Flaco's perspective, the book celebrates courage, hope, and the right of all animals to live free—without cages or confinement—while gently encouraging young readers to see captivity through an animal's eyes. This conversation is about Flaco's extraordinary journey, the lessons he left behind, and how one small owl sparked big changes for animals in New York and beyond. Links: https://lanternpm.org/book/free-bird/
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Episode #379: “It's a different migration story,” reflects Amy Hardingson, speaking about her enduring connection to her Burmese heritage, a thread stretching across generations. Her great-grandmother, Hilda, embodied this love, embarking on the perilous Great Trek during World War II to India in 1941. A member of the Eurasian community in Burma, Hilda fled with her three-year-old daughter and seven-month-old son (Amy's grandfather). After losing her husband to malaria during the arduous journey, Hilda and her children were interned by the Japanese in a concentration camp for over a year. Their survival ultimately led them from war-ravaged Burma to the UK in 1947, initiating their family's diaspora story.Growing up mixed-race in the UK, Amy wrestled with a complex identity, often feeling her lived experience didn't conform to societal expectations. She faced intrusive questions and battled “mixed-race imposter-syndrome and anxiety.” Through researching Hilda's family tree, Amy unearthed a mixed heritage stretching back to the beginnings of British colonialism, a revelation that was incredibly healing and reshaped her self-understanding.Amy actively cultivates this rich connection for her daughter, Lucy, through cultural immersion like cooking authentic Burmese food and reading engaging bilingual books. Lucy, at nine, has also enthusiastically embraced this legacy by undertaking a “charity badge” for Girl Guides, choosing to fundraise for Better Burma following the coup. She raised £170, directly aiding 160 different families. This act gifted Lucy a powerful “sense of agency and direct living connection to her Burmese heritage,” says Amy, demonstrating “how every little bit of money helps.”Amy understands that embracing one's heritage, despite external pressures and historical erasures, is important. For her, “untangling that internalized racism is really important to help you to actually forge that sense of self and identity in a healthy and holistic way.” She believes this journey, like a delicate thread, can be repaired, strengthened, and woven into something new, showcasing an evolving identity across time.
Artificial intelligence has been a frequent topic on Sinica in recent years — but usually through the lens of the two countries that have produced the leading models and companies: the United States and China. We've covered generative AI, national strategies, governance frameworks, and the geopolitical implications of AI leadership.This webinar, broadcast on the morning of August 14, broadens that lens to explore how other countries — and especially Ukraine — are approaching AI in the public sector. Around the world, governments are experimenting with AI well beyond chatbots and text generation: China's “City Brain” optimizes traffic, energy use, and public safety; U.S. agencies are streamlining services and automating benefits processing; and elsewhere, smart grids, predictive infrastructure planning, and AI-enabled e-governance are reshaping public administration. These projects reveal both the promise and the complexity of bringing AI into government — along with valid concerns over privacy, fairness, and inclusiveness.We'll look at what lessons Ukraine might draw from U.S. and Chinese experiences, the opportunities and challenges of adapting these practices, and the strategic risks of sourcing AI solutions from different providers — especially in the context of Ukraine's eventual postwar reconstruction.Joining us are three distinguished guests:Dmytro Yefremov, Board Member of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists, with deep expertise in China's political and technological strategies and Ukraine's policy landscape.Wang Guan, Chairman of Learnable.ai in China, bringing extensive experience in AI applications for public administration and education.Karman Lucero, Associate Research Scholar and Senior Fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai China Center, whose work focuses on Chinese law, governance, and the regulation of emerging technologies.Thanks to the Ukrainian Platform for Contemporary China, the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists, and the Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill for organizing and sponsoring today's event. Special thanks to Vita Golod for putting together the panel and inviting me to moderate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett do a deep-dive into the Mongol Empire's rise, conquests, and civilizational impact, examining how Genghis Khan's brutal campaigns reshaped Eurasian politics and accelerated Western Europe's ascendancy. -- SPONSOR: ZCASH | SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | ORACLE The right technology reshapes politics and culture toward freedom and prosperity. Zcash—the "machinery of freedom"—delivers unstoppable private money through encryption. When your wealth is unseen, it's unseizable. Download Zashi wallet and follow @genzcash to learn more: https://x.com/genzcash Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen More than 42,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/102 - Download your free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (03:04) Polygamous Imperial Cycles and Genghis Khan's Genetic Legacy (05:43) Sponsors: ZCash | Shopify (09:27) Genghis Khan as Totalitarian Figure and Step Empire Dynamics (15:25) Academic Debates About the Mongols - Left vs Military Historians (28:40) Major Mongol Military Campaigns - Badger's Mouth and Khwarezmid (33:27) Sponsors: NetSuite | Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (46:14) Genghis Khan's Rise - Childhood, Unification of Mongols (56:59) Conquest of Northern China - 30 Million Dead (1:11:28) Destruction of Central Asia and the Islamic World (1:20:16) Conquest and Transformation of Russia (1:28:59) Mongol Empire Splits - Four Khanates and Kublai Khan (1:43:21) Pax Mongolica and Failed Invasions of Japan/Java (1:52:30) Fall of the Mongol Empire - Black Death and Ming Dynasty (2:06:52) Long-Term Impact - Europe's Rise Over Asia (2:11:42) Mongol Role in Spreading Black Death and Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Join me for a conversation with four fantastic panelists about nuclear safety and security issues brought on by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and more broadly on the state of nuclear security globally during this era of dramatic change.This program was made possible by the Ukrainian Platform for Contemporary China and the Center for Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.Nickolas Roth is Senior Director for Nuclear Materials Security at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI). Nickolas works at the intersection of arms control, risk reduction, and institutional resilience, and previously directed nuclear security work at the Stimson Center and contributed to Harvard's Project on Managing the Atom.Mariana Budjeryn is a Senior Research Associate with Managing the Atom at Harvard's Belfer Center and author of Inheriting the Bomb, a definitive study of Ukraine's post-Soviet disarmament and the limits of the Budapest Memorandum. Her scholarship grounds today's debates about guarantees, coercion, and nuclear restraint.Pan Yanliang is a Research Associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS). He studies the Russian and Chinese nuclear industries and the nuclear fuel cycle, and works on CNS engagement with Chinese counterparts—giving him a distinctive cross-regional vantage.Lily Wojtowicz is a Research Fellow at the Hertie School (Berlin) and a USIP–Minerva Peace & Security Scholar, whose work focuses on extended deterrence credibility, European security, and alliance adaptation under great-power rivalry.5:19 - The Gap Between Coercive Rhetoric and First-use Thresholds11:26 - The Implication of Ukraine's allies regarding weapons 17:26 - Golden Dome21:30 - China's Position on Nuclear Weapons29:25 - How Belarus Altered European Debates 31:13 - Civilian Nuclear Power 38:32 - North Korea's Support for Russia40:59 - Beijing on NATO and Asian Security43:09 - Europe's Reaction to Nuclear Risk45:44 - Nuclear Risk in the Russia-Ukraine War52:56 - Trump's Impact on Kremlin Nuclear Thinking1:01:52 - US-China Nuclear Relations1:04:49 - Ukraine's Nuclear DisarmamentSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
In The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World, Hal Brands illuminates the historical patterns we must understand in order to better navigate the geopolitical rivalries of the present.Hal Brands is the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. In his new book, he traces the arc from World War I to today's rivalries between the United States and China, and between NATO and Russia.In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses why the 20th and 21st centuries are the Eurasian (rather than the American) Era, how today's rivalries among great powers differ from those of the past, and what global business must pay attention to in navigating current geopolitical tensions.Key topics discussed: 01:28 | The 20th and 21st centuries as the Eurasian era05:32 | The “historic achievement” of the Cold War08:34 | How today's rivalries among great powers are different13:14 | The future of Eurasia15:59 | How global businesses can operate in a polarized geopolitical world20:13 | Reasons to be optimistic vs. pessimistic about the futureAdditional inspirations from Hal Brands:Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China, co-authored by Michael Beckley (W. W. Norton & Company, 2022)The Lessons of Tragedy: Statecraft and World Order, co-authored by Charles Edel (Yale University Press, 2019)The Twilight Struggle: What the Cold War Teaches Us about Great-Power Rivalry Today (Yale University Press, 2019)What Good Is Grand Strategy?: Power and Purpose in American Statecraft from Harry S. Truman to George W. Bush (Cornell University Press, 2014)
(Aug 6, 2025) Eurasian water milfoil is crowding out native species and ruining swimming and boating in water all over the North Country. In Lake George, it's now being treated with an herbicide, but dive crews are still pulling it out of the lake by hand. Also: A significant cluster of the invasive water chestnut plant has taken root in the St. Lawrence River near Ogdensburg.
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No animal is so entangled in human history as the horse. The thread starts in prehistory, with a slight, shy animal, hunted for food. Domesticating the horse allowed early humans to settle the vast Eurasian steppe; later, their horses enabled new forms of warfare, encouraged long-distance trade routes, and ended up acquiring deep cultural and religious significance. Over time, horses came to power mighty empires in Iran, Afghanistan, China, India, and, later, Russia. Genghis Khan and the thirteenth-century Mongols offer the most famous example, but from ancient Assyria and Persia, to the seventeenth-century Mughals, to the high noon of colonialism in the early twentieth century, horse breeding was indispensable to conquest and statecraft. Scholar of Asian history David Chaffetz tells the story of how the horse made rulers, raiders, and traders interchangeable, providing a novel explanation for the turbulent history of the “Silk Road,” which might be better called the Horse Road. Drawing on recent research in fields including genetics and forensic archeology, Chaffetz presents a lively history of the great horse empires that shaped civilization. David Chaffetz is an independent scholar with a lifelong passion for Middle Eastern and Inner Asian history. His 1981 book, several times republished, A Journey through Afghanistan, earned praise from Owen Lattimore, the then doyen of Inner Asian studies in America and the UK. He is a regular contributor to the Asian Review of Books, and has written for the South China Morning Post and the Nikkei Asian Review. His most recent book, Three Asian Divas, describes the important role of elite women entertainers in the transmission of traditional Asian culture. Morteza Hajizadeh is a Ph.D. graduate in English from the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His research interests are Cultural Studies; Critical Theory; Environmental History; Medieval (Intellectual) History; Gothic Studies; 18th and 19th Century British Literature. YouTube channel. Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies
Contemporary, commonly-accepted understandings of the history of Chinese state formation see the nomadic pastoralists of the Eurasian steppe as peripheral appendages to a centralized, agriculturalist empire. In his work, Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene argues against what he calls “the Sinocentric paradigm” in favor of an interpretation of nomadic pastoralism as the origin of the premodern state. In this interview, we discuss the conquest theory of state formation, how mobility is essential to state control, and how nomadic state origins can be found globally beyond the Eurasian steppe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Contemporary, commonly-accepted understandings of the history of Chinese state formation see the nomadic pastoralists of the Eurasian steppe as peripheral appendages to a centralized, agriculturalist empire. In his work, Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene argues against what he calls “the Sinocentric paradigm” in favor of an interpretation of nomadic pastoralism as the origin of the premodern state. In this interview, we discuss the conquest theory of state formation, how mobility is essential to state control, and how nomadic state origins can be found globally beyond the Eurasian steppe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Contemporary, commonly-accepted understandings of the history of Chinese state formation see the nomadic pastoralists of the Eurasian steppe as peripheral appendages to a centralized, agriculturalist empire. In his work, Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene argues against what he calls “the Sinocentric paradigm” in favor of an interpretation of nomadic pastoralism as the origin of the premodern state. In this interview, we discuss the conquest theory of state formation, how mobility is essential to state control, and how nomadic state origins can be found globally beyond the Eurasian steppe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/chinese-studies
Contemporary, commonly-accepted understandings of the history of Chinese state formation see the nomadic pastoralists of the Eurasian steppe as peripheral appendages to a centralized, agriculturalist empire. In his work, Lhamsuren Munkh-Erdene argues against what he calls “the Sinocentric paradigm” in favor of an interpretation of nomadic pastoralism as the origin of the premodern state. In this interview, we discuss the conquest theory of state formation, how mobility is essential to state control, and how nomadic state origins can be found globally beyond the Eurasian steppe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Episode 109 of Breaking History, Matt Ehret and Ghost unpack the global chessboard with a focus on Russia's tightening alliances and the crumbling credibility of the G7. The hosts examine how Western powers have tried, and failed, to isolate Russia economically and diplomatically, particularly through sanctions and attempts to cap oil revenues. Instead, they reveal how these moves have backfired, accelerating cooperation among BRICS nations and expanding Eurasian integration. Matt and Ghost also break down the flawed narratives surrounding Putin, the Western media's selective memory about WWII alliances, and the deep history of U.S. collusion with Nazi-aligned forces post-1945. They argue that the rules-based order is imploding under the weight of its own hypocrisy, and that Russia's current positioning is not only strategic, but part of a broader rebellion against a unipolar global regime. Packed with historical references and geopolitical insight, this episode delivers a sharp analysis of the shifting world order.
The one-sided trade agreement that Donald Trump imposed on the EU illustrates how the US empire exploits its "allies" in Europe as vassals to benefit the American oil/gas industry, Big Tech corporations, and the military-industrial complex. This did not start with Trump, but he has accelerated the vassalization of the European Union. Political economist Ben Norton explains. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpf6ZeABP1I Topics 0:00 Intro 1:04 US empire doesn't have allies, only vassals 2:14 US-EU trade deal & tariffs 5:19 China defended itself in trade war 6:19 Ursula von der Leyen on US energy 7:28 (CLIP) Trump on US-EU trade deal 7:54 USA benefits 8:15 (CLIP) Trump: "the biggest of all the deals" 8:28 Europe gets nothing 9:11 (CLIP) US makes no concessions to EU 9:57 (CLIP) Trump on US fossil fuel exports 10:20 US gets everything, EU gets nothing 11:02 Vassalization of Europe 12:27 BRICS expansion 13:22 NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte 14:03 (CLIP) NATO chief calls Trump "daddy" 14:17 Trump addresses "daddy" comment 14:42 (CLIP) Trump: I'm NATO's "daddy" 15:03 Trump leaks humiliating text messages 16:26 Failure of EU "strategic autonomy" 17:18 NATO demands military spending at 5% of GDP 18:42 US military-industrial complex benefits 20:14 Paying imperial tribute 20:48 Replacing welfare state with warfare state 21:44 EU spending on education 22:08 EU spending on healthcare 22:33 Trump & MAGA take off the mask 23:26 VP JD Vance attacks Europe 23:40 Kissinger: "to be America's friend is fatal" 24:20 Trump boasts of ending Nord Stream 25:39 (CLIP) Trump: "I ended Nord Stream 2" 25:59 US targets European infrastructure 26:26 (CLIP) Trump: US wants to sell oil/gas 26:53 US attacks European "allies" 27:27 Sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines 28:05 Who blew up Nord Stream? 29:20 West opposed UN investigation 30:06 Polish official said US blew up Nord Stream 30:47 Historical amnesia 31:17 Why Germany wanted Nord Stream 32:34 (CLIP) Trump: Europe must buy US oil/gas 32:48 Trump pressured Angela Merkel on Russia 33:15 (CLIP) Trump: Europe must cut Russia ties 34:12 Trump sanctioned Nord Stream 34:55 USA seeks to divide Europe & Russia 35:39 Biden threatened Nord Stream 36:02 (CLIP) Biden: We will end Nord Stream 36:36 Bipartisan vassalage 37:30 US energy exports to Europe 38:08 EU imports of oil 39:25 EU imports of natural gas 39:56 EU imports of LNG 40:45 Climate change catastrophe 41:20 Germany re-opens coal plants 42:00 Germany's pro-war "Greens" 43:19 US imperial strategy: divide Europe 44:56 Imperialist Mackinder's heartland theory 45:28 US fears of Europe-Russia alliance 46:23 NATO's goal: keep US on top 47:24 Deindustrialization of Europe 47:59 EU attacks top trading partner China 48:40 Why are EU leaders Atlanticists? 49:01 EU leaders are literally crying 49:26 EU elites invest in US financial assets 51:57 US Big Tech corporations 52:35 Comprador bourgeoisie 53:48 Western oligarchies 55:00 US empire fears Eurasian integration 56:15 Trump tries to divide Russia & China 56:33 Europe is at a geopolitical crossroads 58:36 Outro
PREVIEW: DETERRENCE: COLLEAGUE PETER HUESSY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR DETERRENCE STUDIES OUTLINES THE OVERWHELMING NUKE MISSILE THREAT OF THE EURASIAN BAD ACTORS. MORE NOVEMBER 1951
In this episode, Johnny Mac shares five heartwarming stories: the opening of the world's largest time capsule from 1975 in Nebraska, the recapture of a runaway wallaby in New York, a bullied teenager escorted to prom by over a thousand motorcycle riders, a Danish family's bond with a wild Eurasian crow, and a man incorporating his father's ashes into his guitar fretboard. These stories highlight cherished memories, unexpected reunions, acts of kindness, and special family bonds.To become a premium subscriber (no ads and no feed drops) visit caloroga.com/plus. For Apple users, hit the banner on your Apple podcasts app which seays UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING. For Spotify or other players, visit caloroga.com/plus. You also get 25+ other shows on the network ad-free!
World War II endures in the popular imagination as a heroic struggle between good and evil, with villainous Hitler driving its events. But Hitler was not in power when the conflict erupted in Asia—and he was certainly dead before it ended. His armies did not fight in multiple theaters, his empire did not span the Eurasian continent, and he did not inherit any of the spoils of war. That central role belonged to Joseph Stalin. The Second World War was not Hitler's war; it was Stalin's war. Drawing on ambitious new research in Soviet, European, and US archives, Stalin's War: A New History of World War II (Basic Books, 2021) by award winning historian, Sean McMeekin, Professor of History at Bard College, revolutionizes our understanding of this global conflict by moving its epicenter to the east. Hitler's genocidal ambition may have helped unleash Armageddon, but as McMeekin shows, the war which emerged in Europe in September 1939 was the one Stalin wanted, not Hitler. So, too, did the Pacific war of 1941–1945 fulfill Stalin's goal of unleashing a devastating war of attrition between Japan and the “Anglo-Saxon” capitalist powers he viewed as his ultimate adversary. McMeekin also reveals the extent to which Soviet Communism was rescued by the US and Britain's self-defeating strategic moves, beginning with Lend-Lease aid, as American and British supply boards agreed almost blindly to every Soviet demand. Stalin's war machine, McMeekin shows, was substantially reliant on American materiél from warplanes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, fuel, ammunition, and explosives, to industrial inputs and technology transfer, to the foodstuffs which fed the Red Army. This unreciprocated American generosity gave Stalin's armies the mobile striking power to conquer most of Eurasia, from Berlin to Beijing, for Communism. A groundbreaking reassessment of the Second World War, Stalin's War is revisionist history at its very best: breaking down old paradigms and narratives and bringing to the fore new understandings of the historical process. All from a historian who has the best claim to be the closest, modern-day American equivalent of A. J. P. Taylor. Charles Coutinho Ph. D. of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
World War II endures in the popular imagination as a heroic struggle between good and evil, with villainous Hitler driving its events. But Hitler was not in power when the conflict erupted in Asia—and he was certainly dead before it ended. His armies did not fight in multiple theaters, his empire did not span the Eurasian continent, and he did not inherit any of the spoils of war. That central role belonged to Joseph Stalin. The Second World War was not Hitler's war; it was Stalin's war. Drawing on ambitious new research in Soviet, European, and US archives, Stalin's War: A New History of World War II (Basic Books, 2021) by award winning historian, Sean McMeekin, Professor of History at Bard College, revolutionizes our understanding of this global conflict by moving its epicenter to the east. Hitler's genocidal ambition may have helped unleash Armageddon, but as McMeekin shows, the war which emerged in Europe in September 1939 was the one Stalin wanted, not Hitler. So, too, did the Pacific war of 1941–1945 fulfill Stalin's goal of unleashing a devastating war of attrition between Japan and the “Anglo-Saxon” capitalist powers he viewed as his ultimate adversary. McMeekin also reveals the extent to which Soviet Communism was rescued by the US and Britain's self-defeating strategic moves, beginning with Lend-Lease aid, as American and British supply boards agreed almost blindly to every Soviet demand. Stalin's war machine, McMeekin shows, was substantially reliant on American materiél from warplanes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, fuel, ammunition, and explosives, to industrial inputs and technology transfer, to the foodstuffs which fed the Red Army. This unreciprocated American generosity gave Stalin's armies the mobile striking power to conquer most of Eurasia, from Berlin to Beijing, for Communism. A groundbreaking reassessment of the Second World War, Stalin's War is revisionist history at its very best: breaking down old paradigms and narratives and bringing to the fore new understandings of the historical process. All from a historian who has the best claim to be the closest, modern-day American equivalent of A. J. P. Taylor. Charles Coutinho Ph. D. of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history
World War II endures in the popular imagination as a heroic struggle between good and evil, with villainous Hitler driving its events. But Hitler was not in power when the conflict erupted in Asia—and he was certainly dead before it ended. His armies did not fight in multiple theaters, his empire did not span the Eurasian continent, and he did not inherit any of the spoils of war. That central role belonged to Joseph Stalin. The Second World War was not Hitler's war; it was Stalin's war. Drawing on ambitious new research in Soviet, European, and US archives, Stalin's War: A New History of World War II (Basic Books, 2021) by award winning historian, Sean McMeekin, Professor of History at Bard College, revolutionizes our understanding of this global conflict by moving its epicenter to the east. Hitler's genocidal ambition may have helped unleash Armageddon, but as McMeekin shows, the war which emerged in Europe in September 1939 was the one Stalin wanted, not Hitler. So, too, did the Pacific war of 1941–1945 fulfill Stalin's goal of unleashing a devastating war of attrition between Japan and the “Anglo-Saxon” capitalist powers he viewed as his ultimate adversary. McMeekin also reveals the extent to which Soviet Communism was rescued by the US and Britain's self-defeating strategic moves, beginning with Lend-Lease aid, as American and British supply boards agreed almost blindly to every Soviet demand. Stalin's war machine, McMeekin shows, was substantially reliant on American materiél from warplanes, tanks, trucks, jeeps, motorcycles, fuel, ammunition, and explosives, to industrial inputs and technology transfer, to the foodstuffs which fed the Red Army. This unreciprocated American generosity gave Stalin's armies the mobile striking power to conquer most of Eurasia, from Berlin to Beijing, for Communism. A groundbreaking reassessment of the Second World War, Stalin's War is revisionist history at its very best: breaking down old paradigms and narratives and bringing to the fore new understandings of the historical process. All from a historian who has the best claim to be the closest, modern-day American equivalent of A. J. P. Taylor. Charles Coutinho Ph. D. of the Royal Historical Society, received his doctorate from New York University. His area of specialization is 19th and 20th-century European, American diplomatic and political history. He has written for Chatham House's International Affairs, the Institute of Historical Research's Reviews in History and the University of Rouen's online periodical Cercles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/german-studies
In this episode of Breaking History, Matt Ehret and Ghost explore how the Western political and financial elite have gaslit the public into believing in a moral high ground that doesn't exist. They contrast this with the rise of Eurasian cooperation, highlighting how Russia, China, and parts of the Global South are pursuing multipolar strategies based on real infrastructure, mutual benefit, and national sovereignty. The hosts dig into France's recent declaration to reintroduce conscription and what it signals about NATO's desperation, alongside the fading credibility of the UN and EU. Meanwhile, they examine how countries like Indonesia, India, and Saudi Arabia are quietly shifting toward BRICS and the Belt and Road Initiative, rejecting IMF austerity in favor of development-driven partnerships. Also discussed is the spiritual dimension of this geopolitical divide: the West's moral decay versus the East's emphasis on cultural and civilizational revival. The episode closes with reflections on how controlled revolutions, color movements, and financial sabotage are tools of empire, and why rejecting false dialectics is the first step toward real sovereignty. This is a sharp, global analysis of a world at the tipping point.
IRAN: THE EURASIAN RESPONSE, ROB SATLOFF, AND MALCOLM HOENLEIN 15TH CENTURY
Show schedule 17 June 2025: Good evening. The show begins in the ever escalating Eurasian wars. 1951 KOREAN WAR CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 #Ukraine: War powers. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @mccauslj @cbsnews @dickinsoncol 9:15-9:30 #Ukraine: Will Europe arm its own? Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @mccauslj @cbsnews @dickinsoncol 9:30-9:45 Oceania: 50 years of Pacific Mission Airways in Micronesia. Cleo Paskal, Amos Collins 9:45-10:00 Oceania: 50 years of Pacific Mission Airways in Micronesia. Cleo Paskal, Amos Collins SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 PRC trade: Alan Tonelson and Gordon Chang 10:15-10:30 G-7: Absent Russia and China. Rebecca Grant and Gordon Chang 10:30-10:45 North Korea arsenal and ROK: President Lee. Greg Scarlatoiu, and Gordon Chang 10:45-11:00 PRC and biowar: Arrested. Sean Lin and Gordon Chang THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 Russia: Navalny's sacrifice. Juliana Pilon, Civitas Institute 11:15-11:30 Russia: Navalny's sacrifice. Juliana Pilon, Civitas Institute 11:30-11:45 Iran: From the North Korean arsenal. Bruce Bechtol 11:45-12:00 Iran: From the North Korean arsenal. Bruce Bechtol FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 France: Heatwave and AC, and haying. Simon Constable 12:15-12:30 UK: Starmer the Trump whisperer. Simon Constable 12:30-12:45 NASA: Ted Cruz defends the Senate NASA budget. Bob Zimmerman behindtheblack.com 12:45-1:00 AM Mars: Unsolved. Bob Zimmerman behindtheblack.com