Podcasts about Soviet Union

The "Madman Theory" was Richard Nixon's foreign policy strategy during the Vietnam War era, where he deliberately cultivated an image of being unpredictable and irrational—hinting he might escalate to nuclear extremes—to intimidate adversaries like North Vietnam and the Soviet Union into concessions. Nixon instructed aides like Henry Kissinger to spread rumors that he was volatile enough to "go crazy" and use drastic measures, hoping fear of his supposed madness would deter aggression and force negotiations without actual escalation. Nixon's Madman Theory was relatively ineffective in coercing North Vietnam because Hanoi correctly gambled that the U.S. would not use nuclear force against a non-nuclear state—like North Vietnam—due to the massive domestic and international backlash, the high risk of Soviet/Chinese escalation, and the global nuclear taboo. But what if Nixon had used it against an actual nuclear power? That could have happened if history had only played out a little differently. JFK won his presidential election in 1960 against Nixon by a few thousand votes in key counties, and many suspected voter fraud. What if Nixon had won? And what if he used the Madman Doctrine against the Soviets in the Cuban Missile Crisis? In today’s episode, were’ joined by Harvy Simon, who wrote a book of alternate history called “The Madman Theory” that imagines exactly that scenario. The book focuses on how President Nixon handles the Cuban Missile Crisis. True to the "Madman" strategy, Nixon maneuvers the U.S., the Soviet Union, and the world to the brink of nuclear war, believing his reputation for unpredictability will force Nikita Khrushchev to back down. We explore the dangers of deliberately appearing irrational and unstable to an adversary—especially in the nuclear age—significantly increases the risk of miscalculation, accidental escalation, or the adversary failing to understand the bluff, thereby triggering an actual catastrophic conflict. Harvey Simon --- I’m the author of The Madman Theory, which posits that Richard Nixon won the 1960 election against Kennedy. In particular, it focuses on the Cuban missile crisis, and what would have happened differently with Nixon as president.My book is being reissued with a newly added foreword examining how Nixon’s madman theory has been taken up by President Trump.If you'd be interested in a show about what would likely have happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis if Kennedy hadn't won--some scholars doubt the outcome was legitimate--I'd be happy to talk with you about my analysis, and, more generally, how counterfactuals can improve our understanding of history.I'm a former national security analyst with Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and have also worked as a journalist. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION: THE CULT OF YOUTH AND ANARCHY Colleague Professor Sean McMeekin. This segment covers the chaos of the mid-1960s Cultural Revolution. Mao mobilized a "cult of youth" to destroy the "old"—teachers, books, and cultural heritage—in a bid to purge rivals and reinvigorate the revolution. McMeekin describes this as the "nihilistic side" of communism carried to its logical conclusion: the destruction of civilization itself to build a blank slate. The Red Guards unleashed anarchy that the party could barely control, attacking foreign embassies and even targeting the Soviet Union, which Mao utilized as a convenient enemy alongside the United States. This period allowed Mao to "punch above his weight" geopolitically, despite the domestic ruin. The violence and indoctrination of the young set a grim precedent, specifically inspiring the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia to arm children against their elders. NUMBER 6

 FROM REVOLUTION TO QUANTUM TUNNELING Colleague Professor Paul Halpern. This segment introduces the parallel early lives of physicists George Gamow and Fred Hoyle. Halpern describes Gamow's youth in revolutionary Russia, noting the irony that his father once taught Leon Trotsky. Gamow studied under Alexander Friedmann, who applied general relativity to an expanding universe model likened to a balloon. Following Friedmann'suntimely death, Gamow pivoted to quantum physics, discovering quantum tunneling—a process vital for stellar fusion. The discussion covers Gamow's motorcycle adventures at the Niels Bohr Institute and his eventual escape from the Soviet Union to avoid Marxist-Leninist political intrusion into science. NUMBER 1 1942

Dr Campbell Costello's work as a vet has taken him out of his family's station in North Queensland to places as far flung as Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Patagonia.He's acted as the official vet for a sled race in Alaska, for epic horse races in Mongolia and Argentina, and he has run a cattle station in the former Soviet Union.But after a family tragedy, Dr Costello got his pilot's licence so he could service Australian communities and stations in the country's most remote corners.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, the executive producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores animals, adventure, veterinarians, animal welfare, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, the Andes, Central Asia, horses, dogs, flying, getting your pilot's licence, learning to fly, outback Australia, top end, Northern territory, Queensland, travel, travel for work, death of a parent, farm accidents, grief, loss, love, family, Middle East, South America, far flung places, places less travelled, vet mental health, podcasts for kids, kids who love animals.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

POTSDAM, STALIN, AND THE COLD WAR Colleague Evan Thomas. At the Potsdam Conference, President Truman initially excluded Henry Stimson from meetings, favoring Jimmy Byrnes, who wanted to use the bomb to intimidate the Soviet Union. Truman wrote in his diary that the bomb would hit a purely military target, a claim Thomassuggests was a form of denial regarding the inevitable civilian deaths. Stimson urged Truman to trust the Soviets and share the weapon to prevent an arms race, but the administration ultimately chose to use the bomb as diplomatic leverage, foreshadowing the onset of the Cold War. NUMBER 5 1945 OKINAWA

SHIGENORI TOGO AND THE JAPANESE WAR COUNCIL Colleague Evan Thomas. Thomas profiles Shigenori Togo, the Japanese Foreign Minister and the only civilian on the Supreme War Council advocating for surrender. Togonavigated a dangerous political landscape defined by the "stomach game" of indirect communication and the threat of assassination by military extremists. The discussion explores the Japanese military's adherence to the "47 Ronin" code of honor through death and their preparation for a "final battle" involving 28 million civilians. While the military hoped to bleed the Americans to gain better terms, Togo attempted a desperate and ultimately failed diplomatic outreach to the Soviet Union. NUMBER 3 1945 OKINAWA

From Ashes to Ascent “A Story of Strength, Survival, and Unshakeable Hope”: Volume I Born to Fight and Win! by Amy Granit https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Ascent-Strength-Survival-Unshakeable/dp/1326371096 VOLUME I “Born to Fight and Win!”A child of war. A mother's pain. A daughter's courage. Volume I of From Ashes to Ascent reveals Mara's earliest years—years shaped by the shadows of World War II and the unforgiving realities of a devastated Soviet Union. Born as bombs fell and fathers disappeared, Mara grows up in poverty-stricken barracks, surrounded by hunger, cold, and cruelty. Her mother, broken by grief and loss, becomes both caregiver and tormentor—leaving Mara to navigate a childhood marked by fear, confusion, and emotional isolation. Yet beneath her frail exterior lives a fighter. Whether standing up to her mother's violence, facing the brutal cold of Kazakhstan winters, or carving out moments of joy amid deprivation, Mara discovers her inner strength long before she understands its meaning. In this gripping and emotional first volume, Amy Granit paints a vivid portrait of a girl growing up in a world where survival is an act of defiance—and hope is a victory in itself. Themes: • Post-war trauma • Childhood resilience • Soviet history & village life • Abuse, healing, and identity • The will to rise above one's circumstances

In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with historian and bestselling author Giles Milton for a deep historical conversation about the Second World War, the alliance with Stalin, and the decisions that shaped the post-war world.We explore how Winston Churchill came to ally with Joseph Stalin after Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union, despite viewing communism as a murderous and authoritarian system. Giles explains the extraordinary political reversal of 1941, the moral compromises involved, and why Churchill saw the alliance as a necessary pact with the devil.The discussion moves through the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Lend-Lease, the meetings at Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdam, and the immense role American industrial power played in defeating Hitler. We examine how Stalin manipulated his allies, outmanoeuvred Roosevelt, and secured control of Eastern Europe, laying the foundations for the Cold War.We also discuss the betrayal of Poland, the division of Germany, the origins of the Iron Curtain, and Churchill's secret plans to confront the Soviet Union after the war, revealing how fragile the wartime alliance truly was.A fascinating conversation about power, war, pragmatism, and how the alliance that defeated Nazism reshaped the world that followed.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters00:00 Introduction of Giles Milton and The Stalin Affair04:50 Churchill's Anti-Communist Stance and Political U-Turn10:46 The Lend-Lease Program and American Aid22:28 Stalin's Tactics and the Winter Turning Point26:54 The Tehran Conference and Churchill's Meeting with Stalin33:34 The Yalta Conference and Post-War Planning53:43 The Potsdam Conference and the Cold War59:48 Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech and the End of the Alliance1:03:45 Operation Unthinkable and Churchill's Final Strategy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guests: Captain James Fanell (USN Ret.) and Bradley Thayer. To counter China's conventional superiority, the authors recommend "war fighting proliferation," supporting nuclear capabilities for allies like Japan and South Korea. They advocate for "political warfare" rather than armed conflict, aiming to isolate the CCP economically and diplomatically. By cutting off investment and exploiting Xi Jinping's current economic weaknesses, they propose a strategy to delegitimize the regime and trigger internal change similar to the Soviet Union's collapse.

December marks both the birth and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Adam and Cameron are spending the month focusing on Soviet economists and thinkers. This week: Leon Trotsky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. 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

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literary-studies

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union (University of Toronto Press, 2025) offers a first-ever glimpse into the mysterious and long-ignored world and work of Soviet spies- and counterspies-turned-writers. Once out of active service, many former spies have turned to writing spy fiction. They drop the dagger and pick up the pen. Some are very successful, like James Bond's creator Ian Fleming or the novelists John Le Carré and Graham Greene. Their Soviet counterparts have rarely been afforded the same attention or examination. Drawing on materials from KGB archives and Soviet publications long out of print, KGB Literati offers the first-ever account of spy fiction written, frequently with institutional support, by Soviet intelligence and counterintelligence officers. Spy fiction can give insights into the operational workings of clandestine agencies and the personal dimensions of secret service work. By analysing the literary output of KGB spies and counterspies, the book shows that for the KGB, this type of intervention into Soviet popular culture was a crucial component of their overall counterintelligence strategy. These texts played an instrumental role in the Soviet state's efforts to neutralize and counter Western cultural influences on the Soviet population. Dr. Filip Kovacevic's research is of great relevance today, given that a large segment of the Russian ruling elite is still composed of former KGB officers, including Russian president Vladimir Putin. KGB Literati illuminates the deep-seated KGB myths, values, aspirations, and fears that continue to have a profound impact on the foreign and domestic policies of the Russian Federation. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda's interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Trevor Loudon Reports – Drawing on historical communist doctrine - from Lenin's strategic zigzags to Dugin's Foundations of Geopolitics—the hosts explain how Russia amplifies domestic divisions on both left and right. Figures like Tucker Carlson are cited for deflecting criticism from Putin by highlighting real U.S. problems, mirroring the Soviet-era use of Western dissenters. Gussack stresses that ideology...

On today's episode we discuss internal border delimitation in the early Soviet Union. Our discussion covers a wide geography - from Central Asia to the South Caucasus to the Ukrainian-Russia borderlands. How did internal borders get delimited after the establishment of Soviet power in the 1920s and 30s? What role did borders play in nation building? And how do economic factors shape the border delimitation process?Our guest today is Stephan Rindlisbacher author of the book Borders in Red: Managing Diversity in the Early Soviet Unionhttps://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501780585/borders-in-red/Stephan Rindlisbacher (European University Viadrina Frankfurt, Oder) is a researcher specializing in Eurasian history. In his ongoing projects, he focuses on the early Soviet state's national policies and their regional implementation. This includes Ukraine, the South Caucasus and Central Asia.

In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine Soviet communism from czarist origins through Stalin's totalitarian brutality to collapse and explore how Marxist ideology created history's most psychologically destructive regime. -- SPONSOR: SHOPIFY⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shopify.com/cognitive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00:00) Introduction (00:03:38) French Thinkers on Russia & America (00:15:52) Sponsor: Shopify (00:21:00) Czarist Russia - Nobility & Serfdom (00:26:37) Underground Revolutionary Networks (00:33:00) World War I - Russia's Breaking Point (00:44:00) The Russian Revolutions of 1917 (00:47:24) Lenin Seizes Power (00:51:00) Russian Civil War (01:09:00) Stalin vs Trotsky (01:11:38) Stalin's Rise to Power (01:26:09) Stalin's Economic Plans & Brutal Conditions (01:52:33) Stalin's Mass Purges & Genocides (01:54:09) Holodomor - Ukrainian Famine (02:01:36) The Gulag System (02:08:09) World War II - Eastern Front (02:14:12) Post-War Soviet Empire & Iron Curtain (02:20:27) The Cold War (02:30:00) Gorbachev & The Collapse (1989-1991) (02:38:00) Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trevor Loudon Reports – Drawing on historical communist doctrine - from Lenin's strategic zigzags to Dugin's Foundations of Geopolitics—the hosts explain how Russia amplifies domestic divisions on both left and right. Figures like Tucker Carlson are cited for deflecting criticism from Putin by highlighting real U.S. problems, mirroring the Soviet-era use of Western dissenters. Gussack stresses that ideology...

Hear from Keren how the Rebbe personally cared for her family after they left the Soviet Union and how she eventually discovered the beauty of Judaism.

In this episode, Dr. Mike Armour examines what he sees as a major miscalculation at the heart of the Trump Administration's proposed peace plan for the Russia‑Ukraine war. Drawing on years of firsthand experience in both nations, he challenges a prevailing assumption in the U.S. negotiating strategy. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he managed widespread humanitarian efforts in both Russia and Ukraine. His organization's largest operations center was located in Donbas, the primary battlefield of the war. On the eve of Russia's 2022 invasion, he used this podcast to predict that Ukraine would mount a fierce and unexpectedly effective resistance, contrary to global expectations of a rapid Russian victory. Time proved that prediction correct. Now, as new peace proposals circulate among world leaders, he warns that another flawed assumption may once again lead policymakers astray. Some of their peace proposals seem to be guided by a belief that Russian‑speaking Ukrainians are naturally aligned with Moscow. In this episode Dr. Armour explains why this assumption is not only inaccurate, but dangerously misleading. He uses this development as a case study in strategic blind spots—how leaders, even at the highest levels, can make consequential decisions based on incomplete or oversimplified assumptions that later prove costly. A PDF transcript of this episode is available at https://www.upsizeyourleadership/transcripts/2511-flawed-assumption.pdf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Episode 454 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with author, futurist, and U.S. foreign policy expert Jamie Metzl about the aims and objectives of the 2025 National Security Strategy and its implications for American prosperity and power in the 21st century. Jamie and Demetri spend the first hour of this conversation digging into the Trump administration's 2025 National Security Strategy and the story that the administration is trying to tell to the American people and to itself about America's place in the world, where it went astray, and what needs to be done on a strategic planning level in order to "Make America Great Again." From there, Metzl and Kofinas debate whether the strategy amounts to a "containment" of China or something closer to a 19th-century balance-of-power where the largest and most powerful countries—namely the United States, Russia, and China—will be granted the freedom to operate with impunity within their own spheres of influence, dealing a final death blow to the international rules-based liberal order that the United States sought to universalize after the fall of the Soviet Union more than three decades ago. The second hour is a wide-ranging tour through what this strategy might look like in practice, from the Western Hemisphere and Venezuela to Europe and Ukraine, and what "power politics" means when so much of modern conflict is fought through influence campaigns, institutional sabotage, and cyber operations rather than through the use of conventional arms and occupations. The two also explore the dangerous vacuum created when a superpower can no longer clearly articulate what it stands for—at home or abroad—and how that confusion can lead to a cascade of unintended consequences that further destabilize the international system, resulting in a new form of total war. Subscribe to our premium content—including our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports—by visiting HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you'd like to join the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community—with benefits like Q&A calls with guests, exclusive research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners—you can also sign up on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed today's episode of Hidden Forces, please support the show by: Subscribing on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Stitcher, SoundCloud, CastBox, or via our RSS Feed Writing us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Joining our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and support the podcast at https://hiddenforces.io. Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 12/15/2025

Day 1,397.Today, as three days of talks in Miami between the US, Ukraine and Russia fail to produce anything of substance, we report how Emmanuel Macron may pick up the diplomatic baton with a potential phone call this week with Vladimir Putin. We report the breaking news of a car bombing in Moscow that has killed another senior Russian General and of another Ukrainian strike against Russian energy facilities in the Caspian Sea. And later, you'll hear a report from our last trip to Ukraine when we visited a prosthetics factory in Odesa where, among work to support victims of this war, I met a fellow Afghanistan veteran, only this chap had been fighting for the Soviet Union.ContributorsDominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.With thanks to video producer Jack LeatherVideo version of our report on the prosthetics factory in Odesa:https://youtu.be/m-vZshCP4nYSIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST' WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It's free for everyone, including non-subscribers.CONTENT REFERENCED:Steve Rosenberg's actual question to Putin:https://x.com/BBCSteveR/status/2002328372253503933?s=20Russian TV's interaction with the fake Steve Rosenberg:https://x.com/BBCSteveR/status/2002804837486850215?s=20Russia is Losing – Time for Putin's 2026 Hybrid Escalationhttps://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/russia-losing-time-putins-2026-hybrid-escalationReuters: US intelligence indicates Putin's war aims in Ukraine are unchanged:https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/us-intelligence-indicates-putins-war-aims-ukraine-are-unchanged-2025-12-19/Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatestEmail: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textToday, we begin a multipart series on the Cold War, a battle of ideologies between the United States and the Soviet Union.Support the show

In 1989, Boris Yeltsin walked into a Houston supermarket — and walked out ready to end an empire. What he saw in Texas that day would shake the foundations of the Soviet Union. * Hi Red Elvis fans! Today we're sharing an episode from the Very Special Episodes podcast. Follow Dana Schwartz down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday. Special thanks to composer Evan Mack for letting us play a clip of “Make Your Move,” from his original opera Yeltsin in Texas. Learn more at evanmack.com. And thanks to Yelena Biberman for sharing her story. Check out her excellent podcast How to Kill a Superpower.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd examines the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, the uneven political fallout, and why some stories break through while others—often more consequential—don’t. The discussion then turns to public health, RFK Jr.’s corrosive influence on vaccine trust, and how misinformation is putting kids at risk just as measles cases surge. Todd closes by unpacking the growing civil war within MAGA world, where influencers—not elected officials—are driving the GOP agenda, competing for clicks with ever more extreme claims, and exposing deep cracks in Trump’s coalition. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to review the fallout from the dissolution of the Soviet Union and why that story’s ending hasn’t been written yet. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and gives his college football roundup. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 3:15 We all know the broad strokes of the Epstein story 4:00 With enough money you can buy your way out of bad character 5:30 Justice department is slow walking the release of the Epstein files 6:00 Releases have a lot of Bill Clinton, very little Trump 6:45 DOJ will frontload releases that embarrass Democrats 8:00 People were willing to look the other way on Epstein 8:45 Character should matter & Epstein ties should be a demerit 10:30 Many people don’t know about or believe many of Trump’s outrages 11:15 The Epstein story breaks through, many consequential stories don’t 12:30 HHS touts accomplishments, but has done tremendous damage 13:45 2000 confirmed cases of measles, about to lose measles-free status 15:15 RFK Jr. is an incredibly low character individual 16:00 Removing food dyes is the only good work MAHA is doing 17:30 No scientific study links vaccines to autism 18:15 Covid vaccine was touted as a shield 19:15 People exploited poor Covid vaccine communication 19:45 MRNA vaccines are a technological marvel 20:15 Cutting funding for MRNA research is a terrible own goal 21:30 RFK Jr is causing less people to take vaccines, putting kids at risk 22:45 Massive infighting has begun amongst the MAGA influencers 24:15 GOP is captured by influencers the ways Dems were captured by “groups” 26:15 Some MAGA influencers have crazy beliefs and conspiracy theories 27:15 Republicans forced to entertain the crazy beliefs of their influencers 29:15 GOP politicians are taking their cues from their influencer base 30:15 Dems are starting to break free from influence of the groups 31:00 Biden’s poor handling of the border was to satiate the groups 31:30 MAGA influencers are conducting a circular firing squad 32:30 MAGA influencers try to out-crazy each other for clicks 35:00 The MAGA coalition is cracking 41:00 ToddCast Time Machine – December 26, 1991 41:30 Soviet Union officially dissolves, ending the Cold War 42:15 Collapse of the Soviet Union is still unresolved 43:30 It felt like history had chosen a winner, but it was just the first act 44:00 The west felt like the liberal democrats had won 45:15 The US treated the Soviet Union like a failed state, not a fallen empire 46:30 Democracy hasn’t taken hold in many former Soviet states 47:45 Democracy has never landed in Russia due to structural reasons 48:45 Fall of the USSR created oligarchs, but not a middle class 49:45 The Russian people equated oligarchy with democracy 51:30 Russians lost a sense of identity, made them vulnerable to a dictator 52:15 Eastern Europe fears Russia & wanted in on NATO 53:45 Ukraine had the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal, gave it up 54:45 Ukraine should have received NATO membership for giving up nukes 55:30 We’re repeating the 1920’s & 30’s in the U.S. & in Europe 57:15 Russia becoming a democracy seems fanciful, but in time it’s possible 58:45 This period feels unstable, but could be bumps in the road 59:15 Ask Chuck 59:30 Why has the U.S. and Europe had a bond, & thoughts on losing it? 1:04:00 Do you think congress will try to limit the pardon power post-Trump? 1:10:00 What does the GOP look like if it loses in 2028? 1:13:30 What was it like working with Topps for your trading card? 1:24:30 College football roundupSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd examines the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, the uneven political fallout, and why some stories break through while others—often more consequential—don’t. The discussion then turns to public health, RFK Jr.’s corrosive influence on vaccine trust, and how misinformation is putting kids at risk just as measles cases surge. Todd closes by unpacking the growing civil war within MAGA world, where influencers—not elected officials—are driving the GOP agenda, competing for clicks with ever more extreme claims, and exposing deep cracks in Trump’s coalition. Then, chief Washington correspondent for Puck News, Leigh Ann Caldwell joins Chuck to unpack how Washington looks different when covered from outside the constraints of legacy media—and why independent journalism may be better suited to capture the dysfunction of Trump’s second term. Caldwell reflects on the groupthink and reaction-driven coverage that defined Trump’s first presidency, the erosion of Congress’s authority in Trump 2.0, and the deep personal animus now defining relationships on Capitol Hill. Together, she and Chuck examine how social media has shaped a younger generation of staffers, why Speaker Mike Johnson may be remembered as one of the weakest in history, and how Congress has willingly made itself irrelevant in the face of executive power. The conversation also digs into healthcare politics, looming shutdown risks, and why Republicans remain unable to act without Trump’s approval—even as he digs in against ACA subsidies out of lingering grievance toward Obama. Caldwell and Todd explore the brewing chaos inside the GOP, from mass retirements and redistricting fights to the staggering cost of House races and the nonstop fundraising grind. The episode closes with a candid assessment of party leadership heading into 2026, why a third Trump impeachment would be a mistake, and why covering Congress—rather than the White House—may now offer the clearest window into where American politics is headed. Finally, Chuck hops into the ToddCast Time Machine to review the fallout from the dissolution of the Soviet Union and why that story’s ending hasn’t been written yet. He also answers listeners’ questions in the “Ask Chuck” segment and gives his college football roundup. Get your wardrobe sorted and your gift list handled with Quince. Don't wait! Go to https://Quince.com/CHUCK for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! Go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Got injured in an accident? You could be one click away from a claim worth millions. Just visit https://www.forthepeople.com/TODDCAST to start your claim now with Morgan & Morgan without leaving your couch. Remember, it's free unless you win! Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:45 We all know the broad strokes of the Epstein story 05:30 With enough money you can buy your way out of bad character 07:00 Justice department is slow walking the release of the Epstein files 07:30 Releases have a lot of Bill Clinton, very little Trump 08:15 DOJ will frontload releases that embarrass Democrats 09:30 People were willing to look the other way on Epstein 10:15 Character should matter & Epstein ties should be a demerit 12:00 Many people don’t know about or believe many of Trump’s outrages 12:45 The Epstein story breaks through, many consequential stories don’t 14:00 HHS touts accomplishments, but has done tremendous damage 15:15 2000 confirmed cases of measles, about to lose measles-free status 16:45 RFK Jr. is an incredibly low character individual 17:30 Removing food dyes is the only good work MAHA is doing 19:00 No scientific study links vaccines to autism 19:45 Covid vaccine was touted as a shield 20:45 People exploited poor Covid vaccine communication 21:15 MRNA vaccines are a technological marvel 21:45 Cutting funding for MRNA research is a terrible own goal 23:00 RFK Jr is causing less people to take vaccines, putting kids at risk 24:15 Massive infighting has begun amongst the MAGA influencers 25:45 GOP is captured by influencers the ways Dems were captured by “groups” 27:45 Some MAGA influencers have crazy beliefs and conspiracy theories 28:45 Republicans forced to entertain the crazy beliefs of their influencers 30:45 GOP politicians are taking their cues from their influencer base 31:45 Dems are starting to break free from influence of the groups 32:30 Biden’s poor handling of the border was to satiate the groups 33:00 MAGA influencers are conducting a circular firing squad 34:00 MAGA influencers try to out-crazy each other for clicks 36:30 The MAGA coalition is cracking 42:30 Leigh Ann Caldwell joins the Chuck ToddCast 44:00 Covering politics as independent media vs legacy media 47:15 There was little ability for original thought doing network news 48:15 Legacy media gets stuck in groupthink 50:00 People blame the Gingrich years for our current political dysfunction 51:30 Covering Trump’s 1st term was asking for reactions to Trump 52:00 Congress has handed away their authority in Trump 2.0 52:45 The personal animus between the two parties is very real 54:00 Young staffers had their politics formed by social media 56:00 Mike Johnson will go down as one of the weakest speakers ever 57:00 Johnson has willingly made congress irrelevant 58:45 Are we underplaying the chances of a January shutdown? 1:00:00 With premiums set to rise, why couldn’t Dems corner the GOP? 1:00:45 Dems know healthcare is good politics for them 1:01:45 Trump is digging in rather than caving on ACA subsidies 1:03:30 Trump doesn’t want to prop up the ACA because Obama passed it 1:04:30 Lots of Republicans have “Obama Derangement Syndrome” 1:06:00 The framework of the ACA came from the Heritage Foundation 1:06:30 Trump comes close to advocating for single payer healthcare 1:08:45 Republicans can’t do anything on healthcare without Trump 1:09:45 Trump is done with congress, thinks he can do everything via EO 1:11:45 Trump lied and claimed military bonuses came from tariff revenue 1:12:45 If SCOTUS takes tariff power from Trump, will he go to congress? 1:13:45 Congress unlikely to hand tariff authority to Trump 1:14:45 Republican bracing for another 20 retirement announcements 1:16:15 Texas & California members are mad about redistricting 1:18:00 House races will likely cost $60 million in 2026 1:19:30 Members of congress spend 50% of their time fundraising 1:22:00 Democrats would be stupid to try to impeach Trump a third time 1:23:30 Which congressional leaders will still be in place in 2027? 1:25:00 Johnson won’t be speaker in a new congress 1:26:00 Jim Jordan is the quiet favorite to be the house GOP leader 1:27:30 It’d be shocking if Chuck Schumer ran again 1:29:00 DSCC botched their oppo release on Graham Platner 1:31:15 There are doubts about Jeffries, but unlikely to be challenged 1:33:00 Schumer & Jeffries botched the NYC mayors race 1:34:45 Does John Thune have support in the senate? 1:37:30 Covering the hill is a better beat than the White House 1:42:00 Chuck’s thoughts on interview with Leigh Ann Caldwell 1:42:30 ToddCast Time Machine - December 26, 1991 1:43:00 Soviet Union officially dissolves, ending the Cold War 1:43:45 Collapse of the Soviet Union is still unresolved 1:45:00 It felt like history had chosen a winner, but it was just the first act 1:45:30 The west felt like the liberal democrats had won 1:46:45 The US treated the Soviet Union like a failed state, not a fallen empire 1:48:00 Democracy hasn’t taken hold in many former Soviet states 1:49:15 Democracy has never landed in Russia due to structural reasons 1:50:15 Fall of the USSR created oligarchs, but not a middle class 1:51:15 The Russian people equated oligarchy with democracy 1:53:00 Russians lost a sense of identity, made them vulnerable to a dictator 1:53:45 Eastern Europe fears Russia & wanted in on NATO 1:55:15 Ukraine had the world’s third largest nuclear arsenal, gave it up 1:56:15 Ukraine should have received NATO membership for giving up nukes 1:57:00 We’re repeating the 1920’s & 30’s in the U.S. & in Europe 1:58:45 Russia becoming a democracy seems fanciful, but in time it’s possible 2:00:15 This period feels unstable, but could be bumps in the road 2:00:45 Ask Chuck 2:01:00 Why has the U.S. and Europe had a bond, & thoughts on losing it? 2:05:30 Do you think congress will try to limit the pardon power post-Trump? 2:11:30 What does the GOP look like if it loses in 2028? 2:15:00 What was it like working with Topps for your trading card? 2:26:00 College football roundupSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BUY GOLD HERE: https://firstnationalbullion.com/schedule-consult/ Avoid CBDCs and work with Mark Gonzales! HELP SUPPORT US AS WE DOCUMENT HISTORY HERE: https://gogetfunding.com/help-keep-wam-alive/# Josh Sigurdson talks with Mark Gonzales about the potential of a Federal Reserve and Treasury merger where the market would never again signal that the government is spending too much. We've theorized the possibility of a Fed/Treasury merger for over a decade now and it could very well become a reality as major players from both are talking about making it official. One of the ways we will see a total technocratic takeover of the economy would be the public sector buying up the private sector. The Federal Reserve is private, though it works with the government's restrictive Legal Tender Laws. While a private Federal Reserve is a concern as it works outside of the constitution, a public one also opens the door as a shadow entity doing unconstitutional things in collaboration with the public as a semi public, semi private entity. As we talked about before, the Federal Reserve claimed they would not create a central bank digital currency, but it's very possible that the Treasury will as the state becomes the monopoly in everything under the guise of getting rid of the big bad corporations. This of course is just a misdirect as all of the goals of the WEF will occur anyways. Much like other major industries, it will appear as though Trump's administration is bringing down the establishment when in reality, he's moving the deck chairs on the Titanic. This was a major policy of the Soviet Union and it's exactly how technocrats since the 1910s said they claim power over the populace. Then there are many major economic questions to be asked which Mark Gonzales asks and answers in this video. He talks about some serious consequences that could arise in 2026 as the Fed continues to cut interest rates. We could be witnessing the end of the dollar as we know it and the shift away from the west coded into the Fed's messaging. Stay tuned for more from WAM! BUY TICKETS HERE! https://anarchapulco.com/ Use Code WAM & Save 10%! Get Your SUPER-SUPPLIMENTS HERE: https://vni.life/wam Use Code WAM15 & Save 15%! Life changing formulas you can't find anywhere else! GET HEIRLOOM SEEDS & NON GMO SURVIVAL FOOD HERE: https://heavensharvest.com/ USE Code WAM to save 25% plus free shipping! Get local, healthy, pasture raised meat delivered to your door here: https://wildpastures.com/promos/save-20-for-life/bonus15?oid=6&affid=321 USE THE LINK & get 20% off for life and $15 off your first box! DITCH YOUR DOCTOR! https://www.livelongerformula.com/wam Get a natural health practitioner and work with Christian Yordanov! Mention WAM and get a FREE masterclass! You will ALSO get a FREE metabolic function assessment! GET YOUR APRICOT SEEDS at the life-saving Richardson Nutritional Center HERE: https://rncstore.com/r?id=bg8qc1 Use code JOSH to save money! SIGN UP FOR HOMESTEADING COURSES NOW: https://freedomfarmers.com/link/17150/ Get Prepared & Start The Move Towards Real Independence With Curtis Stone's Courses! GET YOUR WAV WATCH HERE: https://buy.wavwatch.com/WAM Use Code WAM to save $100 and purchase amazing healing frequency technology! GET ORGANIC CHAGA MUSHROOMS HERE: https://alaskachaga.com/wam Use code WAM to save money! See shop for a wide range of products! GET AMAZING MEAT STICKS HERE: https://4db671-1e.myshopify.com/discount/WAM?rfsn=8425577.918561&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=8425577.918561 USE CODE WAM TO SAVE MONEY! GET YOUR FREEDOM KELLY KETTLE KIT HERE: https://patriotprepared.com/shop/freedom-kettle/ Use Code WAM and enjoy many solutions for the outdoors in the face of the impending reset! PayPal: ancientwonderstelevision@gmail.com FIND OUR CoinTree page here: https://cointr.ee/joshsigurdson PURCHASE MERECHANDISE HERE: https://world-alternative-media.creator-spring.com/ JOIN US on SubscribeStar here: https://www.subscribestar.com/world-alternative-media For subscriber only content! Pledge here! Just a dollar a month can help us alive! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2652072&ty=h&u=2652072 BITCOIN ADDRESS: 18d1WEnYYhBRgZVbeyLr6UfiJhrQygcgNU World Alternative Media 2025

Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture The [CB] is losing control of the economy, they wanted a crash instead Trump has turned it around and the economy is growing very quickly. The D’s are trying to convince the people that the economy is worse than what Trump is letting on, this will fail.Watch gold, silver and Bitcoin. The [DS] tried to gain control the military by having the seditious 6 tell the military not to obey, Trump gives them a dividend check to show he cares about them. The Epstein files were released, it all points to the Clinton’s and the D’s. The entire plan backfired on the [DS], boomerang. Every step of the way they are feeling the pain. The [DS] wants war and Trump is fighting against those countries who are suppose to be our allies. He will get peace in the end. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent BODIES Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren with a Devastating Reminder After She Claims Trump is Setting the Stage for the Next Economic Crash  Senator Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren (D-MA) made a poor decision trying to school Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this week, and it spectacularly backfired. https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/2000915011154112623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2000915011154112623%7Ctwgr%5E4c8d9bec902c32b0cd01ee05619255f6315a3493%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftreasury-secretary-scott-bessent-bodies-elizabeth-pocahontas-warren%2F  substantial increase in private credit which is outside of the regulated banking system — that tells me that the regulated system is too constrained.” https://twitter.com/SenWarren/status/2001375798947885283?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001375798947885283%7Ctwgr%5E4c8d9bec902c32b0cd01ee05619255f6315a3493%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftreasury-secretary-scott-bessent-bodies-elizabeth-pocahontas-warren%2F https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/2002138930410324028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002138930410324028%7Ctwgr%5E4c8d9bec902c32b0cd01ee05619255f6315a3493%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Ftreasury-secretary-scott-bessent-bodies-elizabeth-pocahontas-warren%2F  Administration. Over-regulation is not the solution to what ails the American banking system. Rigorous, responsible supervision is. The initial report on the 2023 debacle by former Vice Chairman for Supervision, Michael Barr, was an exercise in obfuscation and sophistry. The American people deserve supervisors who are not asleep at the wheel, and the incoming Chairman of the Federal Reserve should undertake a thorough investigation of the systemic and oversight failures that led to that disaster. Source: thegaetwaypundit.com Trump announces that they've sold $1.3 BILLION worth of Gold Cards within Days Political/Rights https://twitter.com/RepJamesComer/status/2002011743254380602?s=20 More than a dozen politically exposed people and government officials’ names appear in the hundreds of thousands of pages of Jeffrey Epstein files made public Friday, sources said. And Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ discovered more than 1,200 victims and their families during the exhaustive review, explaining the process behind determining which files could be released in a letter to Congress exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital. https://twitter.com/Badhombre/status/2002388917618610413?s=20   home in New York to solicit money for her campaign and the DCCC. FBI was warned that Jeffrey Epstein was into child porn — but ignored it for 10 years, docs show   A former employee of late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein alerted the FBI that he was interested in “child pornography” and that he threatened to “burn her house down” decades before Epstein became an international fixation — but feds apparently did nothing. Source: nypost.com   If there was every anything about Trump, it would have been released before he reached the bottom of the escalator in 2015, the Comey FBI would have leaked it, and the Dems would have brought it up at some point while Biden was in office. But none of that happened. Why? Because Epstein leads to the Dems, and people like myself have been trying to warn the world about it for 10+ years.  https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2002408563193368834?s=20  and it worked brilliantly. Could you imagine if in Trump's first term he released all this stuff about Epstein? The public would not have believed it, and the Dems/MSM would have claimed it was all politically motivated and fabricated by Trump. The only way this Epstein disclosure was going to work, was to get the public to beg for it. So that's what Trump did. https://twitter.com/MikeBenzCyber/status/2002450017647301084?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2002530633394934144?s=20   partner with Wolfe via the TerraMar project, which is also connected to the Clintons and the Clinton Foundation. What is Nathan Wolfe known for? Searching for bat coronaviruses in Ukraine via USAID Project PREDICT, via his biolab company, Metabiota, which was funded via Rosemont Seneca, which is partially owned by Hunter Biden. Russia accused Wolfe and his biolab company of creating genome-specific biological weapons in Ukraine. This situation has been addressed by RFK Jr. and Tulsi multiple times, and has been a major topic at the UN for over 3 years now. So Epstein had an interest in eugenics and he had financial/social connections to virologists who were making genome-specific biological weapons via USAID grants in Ukraine. Nathan Wolfe even directly thanked Epstein in his 2011 book “The Viral Storm: The Dawn of the New Pandemic Age” where Wolfe predicted the COVID pandemic 8 years before it happened… So what am I getting at? I think Epstein had plans to engage in ethnic cleansing/population control/genocide via biological weapon, and I think he had something to do with Covid. Epstein is at the epicenter of the Deep State empire. He was essentially a real life James Bond villain. The timing could not be worse. He and Hillary are in the middle of trying to fight subpoenas to testify in person to the House Oversight Committee on the Epstein matter and what they might know. They want to submit sworn statements. Republican Committee Chair James Comer (KY-1) wants to be able to question and cross-examine them in person.  DOGE Geopolitical U.S. Snatches Venezuela Oil Tanker in Dark‑Hour Strike on Narco‑Terror Funding In a stealth operation carried out before dawn on Dec. 20, the U.S. Coast Guard—working alongside the Department of War—seized an oil tanker last seen in the terrorist state of Venezuela. The United States accused the ship's operators of moving sanctioned crude to fuel narco‑terror activity. Officials issued a stark warning to traffickers: “We will find you, and we will stop you. https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/2002481990755627050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002481990755627050%7Ctwgr%5E0acb5b51ea0ddfb03f7a0e25a375c9245159ce68%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Ft%2Fassets%2Fhtml%2Ftweet-5.html2002481990755627050 https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/2002504193924342003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002504193924342003%7Ctwgr%5E1410e2476c70f24b31810862ee2f8e034c77bc3e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Ft%2Fassets%2Fhtml%2Ftweet-5.html2002504193924342003  conduct maritime interdiction operations — through OPERATION SOUTHERN SPEAR — to dismantle illicit criminal networks. Violence, drugs, and chaos will not control the Western Hemisphere. Source: breitbart.com U.S. imposes sanctions on family and associates of Venezuela’s Maduro and his wife The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on family members and associates of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, as Washington ratchets up pressure on the Venezuelan president. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that it had imposed sanctions on seven people it said were tied to Maduro and his wife. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused them of “propping up Nicolás Maduro’s rogue narcostate.” “ Source: cbc.ca War/Peace Zelenskyy Announces Eastern Ukraine Citizens Will Not Be Allowed to Vote in Elections Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to hold elections if there is a ceasefire.  However, eastern Ukraine citizens, those currently living in the Donbas region, who are supportive of Russia, will not be permitted to vote. This creates a rather bizarre official hypocrisy within the Zelenskyy regime.  The official position of Zelenskyy is that Eastern Ukraine will never be accepted as a part of the Russian federation. Zelenskyy has recently noted, with EU leadership support, that his government will never recognize Eastern Ukraine as part of the Russian federation.  However, this same region, approximately 20% of Ukraine, will not be permitted to participate in his controlled election. Essentially, any Ukraine resident who does not support Zelenskyy will not be permitted to vote in any election, if any election is ever permitted.  Additionally, Zelenskyy notes that “there is the practice of voting abroad,” however, any region not controlled by Zelenskyy cannot submit votes. Source: zerohedge.com A Lie And Propaganda’: Gabbard Fact-Checks Reuters’ Russia Scaremongering In Real Time    Reuters posted an anonymously-sourced story pushing the idea that Russia is bent on reconstituting the Soviet Union. Before the metaphorical ink had dried, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard pounced, condemning the story as “a lie and propaganda” on behalf of “warmongers” seeking to derail President Trump’s drive to end the long and bloody Ukraine war.   Reuters vaguely attributed the purported US intelligence conclusions about Russia to “six sources familiar with US intelligence.”    https://twitter.com/DNIGabbard/status/2002484806978834862?s=20  narrative to block President Trump's peace effort, and fomenting hysteria and fear among the people to get them to support the escalation of war, which is what NATO and the EU really want in order to pull the United States military directly into war with Russia. The truth is the US intelligence community has briefed policymakers, including the Democrat HPSCI member quoted by Reuters, that US Intelligence assesses that Russia seeks to avoid a larger war with NATO. It also assesses that, as the last few years have shown, Russia's battlefield performance indicates it does not currently have the capability to conquer and occupy all of Ukraine, let alone Europe. https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard/status/2002503405156151648?s=20   invade/conquer Europe (in order to gin up support for their pro-war policies). The truth is that ‘US intelligence' assesses that Russia does not even have the capability to conquer and occupy Ukraine, what to speak of ‘invading and occupying' Europe.   Source: zerohedge.com WATCH: US CENTCOM Releases Footage from Operation Hawkeye Strikes Against 70+ ISIS Targets  US Central Command released footage from Operation Hawkeye strikes against ISIS militants and facilities on Friday night. “Tonight, U.S. and Jordanian forces struck 70+ ISIS targets in Syria with 100+ precision munitions. Peace through strength,” CENTCOM said on X. This is one of 10 operations conducted in Syria and Iraq since the December 13 ambush in Syria, which left multiple American service members injured and two soldiers and a civilian interpreter killed. Twenty-three terrorist operatives have been killed or detained, according to CENTCOM. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue terrorists who seek to harm Americans and our partners across the region,” CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said. TAMPA, Fla.- Following the attack on U.S. and partner forces last Saturday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commenced Operation Hawkeye Strike at 4 pm ET against ISIS in Syria, Dec. 19, at the Commander in Chief's direction. Source: thegatewaypundit.com   of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A. DONALD J. TRUMP PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Medical/False Flags [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/2002717078722052256?s=20  reclassify serious crimes as less severe “intermediate offenses” that are not publicly reported. https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/2002421989886075083?s=20 BREAKING: HUD Sec. Scott Turner CONFIRMS major investigation into Boston for anti-white public housing discrimination“They were using discriminatory housing policies in their city! We found a quote on their website that said they will integrate ‘racial equity at every level of city government.'”“They put race above reality. They put race above merit and need. Our job at HUD is to enforce and uphold the fair housing – and they were evading and encouraging landlords and property owners to evade the Fair Housing Act!”“They have been put on NOTICE. We uphold and enforce this law.” https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2002091915819253766?s=20  weaponized against Minnesota!” GOOD. IT’S CALLED ACCOUNTABILITY, TIM. “They’re threatening us with this. And this is what happens when you have a floundering presidency, and it is about those ballrooms and everything else. Now we’re back on transgender folks. And these are healthcare providers providing the best guidance to parents and children to get their care.” “It’s on every front! It’s CDLs, it’s transportation money, it’s money across the board that they have weaponized!” He should be worried. https://twitter.com/AAGDhillon/status/2002596210620969230?s=20 https://twitter.com/ScottAdamsSays/status/2002531244131991931?s=20 https://twitter.com/cb_doge/status/2001646253655097726?s=20 https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2002203857955549464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2002203857955549464%7Ctwgr%5E7d1378774cdcbdfe43552d1c5b5ef213bd4f721f%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Ft%2Fassets%2Fhtml%2Ftweet-5.html2002203857955549464 President Trump's Plan Democrats Have Devised a Plan to Compete With Turning Point USA for Young Voters and it's Going to be a Disaster Democrats have decided that they need to have their own version of Turning Point USA in order to appeal to young voters and what they have come up with is the most Democrat thing ever. It's going to be a total disaster. It's called the ‘DNC National Youth Coordinated Table'. It's not a grassroots group, it's completely fabricated. And you can just imagine how meetings of this group are going to go, with mini-groups within the group fighting for dominance and power. Newsweek reported on this: Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2002577300802711720?s=20 DOJ Appeals Controversial Ruling That Disqualified Trump-Appointed U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, Resulting in the Dismissal of Charges Against Letitia James and James Comey The Department of Justice has formally appealed a controversial ruling that disqualified Interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, a decision that directly led to the dismissal of federal charges against James Comey and Letitia James. According to a Notice of Appeal filed on December 19, the Trump-led DOJ is asking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to overturn a lower-court ruling that declared Halligan's appointment unconstitutional and voided every prosecutorial action she took while in office. Source: thegatewaypundit.com JUST IN: DOJ Wins Motion to Unseal Documents on Investigation into Trump Shooter Thomas Crooks The Department of Justice announced that it successfully moved to unseal documents related to the investigation into would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks.  “The Department of Justice received court approval to disclose to Congress documents gathered as part of the FBI's investigation of Thomas Crooks and his attempt to assassinate President Trump,” the Western District of Pennsylvania announced on X. A copy of the motion and order can be found here. Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/AAGDhillon/status/2002596363138445539?s=20 Justice Department Sues Four States Including Georgia After Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Sides With Democrats in Failure to Produce Voter Rolls https://twitter.com/AAGDhillon/status/2001775020566286614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2001775020566286614%7Ctwgr%5Ee92dad24c2453e3b35c6a465ec1523cafbc35499%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegatewaypundit.com%2F2025%2F12%2Fjustice-department-sues-four-states-including-georgia-after%2F Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/MAGAVoice/status/2001992915850260516?s=20 https://twitter.com/MarkPaoletta/status/2002483634251461079?s=20   memorial to President John F. Kennedy and now additionally honors President Donald J. Trump, who has brought America back and saved the Trump-Kennedy Center. The Board's action is permissible under the statute and no legislation is necessary. The Board’s action does nothing to change the statutory title. Instead, the Board has–in line with longstanding Executive Branch practice–designated a new name. For example, The Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer, within the Office of Management & Budget, is designated by statute as the “Office of Electronic Government.” But it's long gone by the name “Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer” in official, public, and internal communications. Similarly, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is designated by statute as the “Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.” But since the beginning, the agency has long gone by the name Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or CFPB in all official communications, correspondence with the Hill, titles and signage on its buildings. The “United States Institute of Peace” was established by statute but was renamed by the Department of State as the “Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace.” The Department of War was established as the “Department of Defense” by statute in 1947. Earlier this year, President Trump authorized the use of the name “Department of War” and the name is now etched on the Pentagon's building and in official correspondence and public communications. It is entirely fitting for the Board of Trustees to vote to add President Trump to the title so that this Center is now named The Donald J. Trump And The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. President Trump has provided superb leadership at every level to save the Kennedy Center from financial ruin and wokeness, and to bring our national treasure to new heights! Thank you, @kencen Board of Trustees for honoring President Trump. I have been going to the Kennedy Center for decades and have never seen such energy and excitement as I did at the Christmas tree lighting and Noel performance. The Golden Age is here!   AND ORDER. As your next Governor, Bruce will continue to fight hard to Grow the Economy, Cut Taxes, and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, Strengthen our Military/Veterans, Advance Election Integrity, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment!   Bruce Blakeman is a FANTASTIC guy, will win the big November Election and, without hesitation, has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Governor of the ONCE GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK (IT CAN BE GREAT AGAIN!). BRUCE BLAKEMAN WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!  (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");

Send us a textUnwrap a present filled with laughter as our special holiday podcast brings together some of comedy's most brilliant minds sharing their hilarious, heartwarming, and occasionally cringe-worthy Christmas experiences.Greg Schwem kicks things off with the evolution of his family's improvised Christmas carol tradition, where party guests receive personalized verses set to "Up on the Housetop" – a tradition born from alcohol and creativity that became an eagerly anticipated annual event. Meanwhile, Kermit Apio transports us to Hawaii, where Santa mysteriously arrives via yellow cab with a garbage bag full of presents in broad daylight, challenging everything we thought we knew about Christmas logistics while demonstrating children's remarkable ability to overlook inconsistencies when gifts are involved.The emotional highlight comes from Yakov Smirnoff, who recounts his family's first Christmas in America after escaping the Soviet Union. Having grown up with "New Year's trees" and "Father Frost" in a country where religious holidays were banned, Yakov was overwhelmed when neighbors in his Bronx apartment building showed up at his door with furniture, food, clothing, and appliances he didn't even recognize. "In this most wonderful nation on earth, there's a little bit of real Santa Claus in every American," he reflects.Gift-giving disasters abound as Tim Bedore shares his catastrophic decision to give his girlfriend an urn (which he didn't recognize as such) in front of her entire family, while Steve Bruner warns against giving appliances as Christmas presents. Larry Brown offers a different perspective on holiday disappointment, recounting how bombing his Tonight Show audition just before Christmas 1984 led to "probably the worst Christmas of my life."Whether you're celebrating with family, working through the holidays, or just needing a laugh to counter seasonal stress, these comedians' perspectives remind us that behind perfect holiday imagery, real celebrations are often messy, unexpected, and make the best stories for years to come. Pour some eggnog, find a comfortable spot, and let these comedy professionals unwrap the holiday season in ways that will have you laughing into the new year.Support the show www.StandupComedyPodcastNetwork.com Website....check it out, podcast, jokes, blogs, and More!"NEW" Video Podcast: Tag Team Talent Podcast on Spotify & YouTube Podcast Quality List: https://www.millionpodcasts.com/heritage-podcasts/ Please Write a Review: in-depth walk-through for leaving a review.Interested in Standup Comedy? Check out my books on Amazon..."20 Questions Answered about Being a Standup Comic""Be a Standup Comic...or just look like one"

Michael's story begins with his birth in 1935 in Yugoslavia in what is today Serbia.  His town was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II.  Following the war, Russian soldiers rounded up his family and other families in his town and placed them in starvation camps.  Learn about post-World War II life under the conditions of Communist Russia and the Soviet Union and how one child and his family escaped life behind the Iron Curtain and survived to become American citizens.Our library of shows can be found at www.veteranscornerradio.comJoin us on Facebook at the page Veterans Corner RadioYou can contact our host Joe Muhlberger at joseph.muhlberger@gmail.com

In August 1961, the Soviet Union began building a wall between East and West Berlin. Weeks after construction began, the Scotland international women's hockey team were invited to play against West Germany. They travelled by plane and coach, getting stopped at Checkpoint Charlie, before arriving for the match at the Olympic Hockey Stadium in West Berlin. Although they didn't win, Valerie Crombie has been speaking to Megan Jones about the significance of taking part and about the memento she got to keep. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive and testimony. Sporting Witness is for those fascinated by sporting history. We take you to the events that have shaped the sports world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes, you become a fan in the stands as we take you back in time to examine memorable victories and agonising defeats from all over the world. You'll hear from people who have achieved sporting immortality, or those who were there as incredible sporting moments unfolded.Recent episodes explore the forgotten football Women's World Cup, the plasterer who fought a boxing legend, international football's biggest ever beating and the man who swam the Amazon river. We look at the lives of some of the most famous F1 drivers, tennis players and athletes as well as people who've had ground-breaking impact in their chosen sporting field, including: the most decorated Paralympian, the woman who was the number 1 squash player in the world for nine years, and the first figure skater to wear a hijab. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the tennis player who escaped the Nazis, how a man finally beat a horse in a race, and how the FIFA computer game was created.(Photo: The team at Turnhouse Airport, now known as Edinburgh Airport, in 1961. Credit: Scottish Hockey).

This is the final episode of the Sarah Paine lecture series, and it's probably my favorite one. Sarah gives a “tour of the arguments” on what ultimately led to the Soviet Union's collapse, diving into the role of the US, the Sino-Soviet border conflict, the oil bust, ethnic rebellions and even the Roman Catholic Church. As she points out, this is all particularly interesting as we find ourselves potentially at the beginning of another Cold War.As we wrap up this lecture series, I want to take a moment to thank Sarah for doing this with me. It has been such a pleasure.If you want more of her scholarship, I highly recommend checking out the books she's written. You can find them here.Watch on YouTube; read the transcript.Sponsors* Labelbox can get you the training data you need, no matter the domain. Their Alignerr network includes the STEM PhDs and coding experts you'd expect, but it also has experienced cinematographers and talented voice actors to help train frontier video and audio models. Learn more at labelbox.com/dwarkesh.* Sardine doesn't just assess customer risk for banking & retail. Their AI risk management platform is also extremely good at detecting fraudulent job applications, which I've found useful for my own hiring process. If you need help with hiring risk—or any other type of fraud prevention—go to sardine.ai/dwarkesh.* Gemini's Nano Banana Pro helped us make many of the visuals in this episode. For example, we used it to turn dense tables into clear charts so that'd it be easier to quickly understand the trends that Sarah discusses. You can try Nano Banana Pro now in the Gemini app. Go to gemini.google.com.Timestamps(00:00:00) – Did Reagan single-handedly win the Cold War?(00:15:53) – Eastern Bloc uprisings & oil crisis(00:30:37) – Gorbachev's mistakes(00:37:33) – German unification and NATO expansion(00:48:31) – The Gulf War and the Cold War endgame(00:56:10) – How central planning survived so long(01:14:46) – Sarah's life in the USSR in 1988 Get full access to Dwarkesh Podcast at www.dwarkesh.com/subscribe

Recently, people have been thinking about trits. And I don't mean the Costa Rican ice cream sandwich. Meaning ternary or base three compute. A three-value logic scheme different from the two-value binary logic we are so familiar with. A few months ago, it made the rounds when news broke that Huawei patented a ternary computing circuit that can do AI. Ternary logic has been explored for a long time. Most famously during the 1960s in the Soviet Union with the SETUN computer. Trits have certain inherent benefits over bits. At least theoretically. In today's video, a highly requested topic. We explore ternary computing.

As the USA and Soviet Union race for supremacy in the 1960s, Premier Khrushchev sizes up his rival, President John F Kennedy. Presenters Max Kennedy and Nina Khrushcheva, relatives of the superpower leaders, explore their rise to power - one wealthy, smooth-talking and Harvard educated, the other a hardened Soviet war leader from a peasant family. As they prepare to meet for the first and only time as world leaders, the stakes could not be higher: they are fierce rivals in the race to build ever more devastating missiles. This is the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Nina Khrushcheva is the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushchev and Max Kennedy is the nephew of President John F Kennedy, and the son of Robert F Kennedy. To hear more episodes, search for The Bomb, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

According to Chinese Communist official Xi Zhongxun, his first revolutionary act was an attempt to poison one of his school's administrators when he was 14. He was faithful to the revolution, and the Chinese Communist Party, until his death at age 88 in 2002. In between those ages was a remarkable life. He fought Nationalists and Japanese. He was a right-hand man to both Zhou Enlai in the 1950s, and Hu Yaobang in the 1980s. As the Party administrator responsible for dealing with religious groups, he negotiated with the Dalai Lama–and would show off the wristwatch that the Dalai Lama gave him. But Xi also spent sixteen years in house arrest, internal exile, under suspicion, or at least out of power, from 1962 to 1978. “In the early 1990s, Xi even boasted to a Western historian that although Deng Xiaoping had suffered at the hands of the party on three occasions, he had been persecuted five times.” All this would make Xi Zhongxun fascinating simply as a psychological study of a Communist functionary who, despite everything, remained devoted to the system that oppressed him. But Xi Zhongxun was also the father of Xi Jinping, now effectively the dictator of China. If we are to understand the younger Xi, argues my guest Joseph Torigian, then we must understand his father.Joseph Torigian is an associate professor in the School of International Service at American University in Washington, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and a center associate of the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan. He was previously on the podcast to discuss his book Prestige, Manipulation, and Coercion: Elite Power Struggles in the Soviet Union and China after Stalin and Mao, a conversation that was published on May 23, 2022. His latest book is The Party's Interests Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping was released with Stanford University Press in June 2025. It was a Financial Times Book of the Summer and an Economist Best Book of the Year So Far.00:00 — Introduction02:19 — Overview of Xi Zhongxun's Life07:15 — Early Life and Revolutionary Beginnings11:44 — Growing Up as a Peasant in Shaanxi15:02 — Path to the Communist Base Areas19:21 — The United Front Work24:10 — Work with Ethnic Minorities26:00 — The 1935 Arrest by Fellow Communists27:56 — Patronage and Party Relationships30:51 — The Northwest Bureau and China's Territorial Expansion33:43 — Personal Life and Family36:37 — The 1962 Purge41:50 — Sixteen Years of Persecution44:37 — Why Bring Him Back?46:53 — Deng Xiaoping's Distrust50:55 — Grudges and Party History52:33 — Xi Jinping and His Father's Legacy59:17 — Conclusion

Jeff was joined Kenny Petersen, one of the owners of Allen and Petersen. They discuss his cooking and home appliance business, which has been in business 58 years, the time he spent in Moscow, Russia in 1990 and 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, what it was like living in Russia at that time, why he started getting involved in trying to solve the homelessness problem in Anchorage, the Good Neighbor Fund he started and what it does, some of the successes he has had with it, and how his model could be scaled to help more people. 

Russian journalist in exile Mikhail Zygar traces an information system so sealed even Gorbachev couldn't get the facts in The Dark Side of the Earth: Russia's Short-Lived Victory Over Totalitarianism. He draws a straight psychological line from late-Soviet overload to our current tech-firehose, arguing humans don't change much; institutions do (and the Soviet Union didn't have many worthy of the name). Plus: a quote-counting tour through Chris Whipple's Vanity Fair Susie Wiles interviews: "an alcoholic's personality," "conspiracy theorist," "ketamine user," "right-wing absolute zealot." Produced by Corey Wara Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Instagram Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GIST INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow The Gist List at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pesca⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Profundities | Mike Pesca | Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠

How did the Soviet Union infiltrate so many of Britain's institutions? Investigative journalist Tim Tate dives into the dark underbelly of British-Soviet relations—uncovering a world where the Kremlin's influence had already seeped into the heart of Britain's highest echelons of power long before Oleg Gordievsky ever arrived. In conversation with spy writer Charlie Higson, Tim also reveals a shocking paradox: Gordievsky's intelligence eased Cold War tensions, but after his exposure paranoia was sent spiraling out of control on both sides of the Iron Curtain.Have you got a spy story you would like us to tell? Email your ideas to thespywho@wondery.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike shares his compelling personal journey of growing up in the former Soviet Union and immigrating to the U.S., offering a vital perspective on the dangers of socialism and communism as these terms resurface in modern politics. He also unveils his "three rules" for finding and underwriting great deals in the current volatile market, explaining how he targets positive spreads and deep discounts on construction costs.

Trevor Loudon Reports – Anyone who tells you Russia has become a conservative, Christian, anti-woke country is either a useful idiot or an active agent. This is not America First. This is America Last. The broadcast stands as one of the most heavily documented warnings ever aired about the continuing communist war against the United States – delivered in plain language, backed by unassailable...

Mikhail Zygar is a renowned Russian dissident journalist living in exile in the USA. He was the founding editor-in-chief of independent news channel TV Rain in Russia. He publicly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and fled into exile days later. Despite persistent death threats, he continues to write fearlessly about his homeland. In November 2025 he joined Intelligence Squared to discuss the fall of the Soviet Union and why that period can help explain the failure of democracy in today's Russia. His new book, The Dark Side of The Earth, draws on hundreds of interviews – from key players including Mikhail Gorbachev to ordinary men and women – to build a rich and nuanced account of the collapse of the USSR. It is the personal story of a child of the Soviet Union, a testament to those who believed democracy was possible in Russia, and an indictment of the cynical leaders who ultimately seized power. Zygar shed light on questions such as how did the end of the Soviet Union set the stage for Putin's rise? And what happens when leaders and citizens lose faith in their ideals? In this conversation, Zygar discussed the path from communism to Putinism, the dangers of cynicism and what Russia's political history can teach us in the West about our politics too. --- If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the murky relationship between British intelligence, the Labour government, and the "gentleman capitalists" of the post-war era.Why was Harold Wilson, the most electorally successful British Prime Minister of the 20th century, targeted by paranoid elements within MI5 as a potential Soviet spy? We delve into Wilson's time at the Board of Trade in the late 1940s, where he forged controversial deals with the Soviet Union to secure timber for Britain's reconstruction.From the rise of corrupt tycoons like Robert Maxwell (who began as an intelligence officer in occupied Germany) to the class war between the "modernizing" Labour government and the "grouse moor" establishment, this episode uncovers the seeds of the plot to overthrow Wilson in the 1960s. It's a story of Cold War intrigue, antisemitism within the British elite, and the clash between a new technological Britain and the old school tie.Key Topics:The Plot Against Wilson: Why MI5 officers like Peter Wright suspected the PM was a KGB agent.The Timber Deals: How Wilson negotiated with Stalin's deputies to rebuild Britain.Robert Maxwell: The origins of a media mogul in the intelligence world of post-war Berlin.Class Conflict: The "Chapocracy" vs. Wilson's white heat of technology.Books Mentioned:Smear! Wilson and the Secret State by Stephen Dorril and Robin RamsayThinking the Twentieth Century by Tony JudtSpycatcher by Peter WrightExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mikhail Zygar is a renowned Russian dissident journalist living in exile in the USA. He was the founding editor-in-chief of independent news channel TV Rain in Russia. He publicly condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and fled into exile days later. Despite persistent death threats, he continues to write fearlessly about his homeland. In November 2025 he joined Intelligence Squared to discuss the fall of the Soviet Union and why that period can help explain the failure of democracy in today's Russia. His new book, The Dark Side of The Earth, draws on hundreds of interviews – from key players including Mikhail Gorbachev to ordinary men and women – to build a rich and nuanced account of the collapse of the USSR. It is the personal story of a child of the Soviet Union, a testament to those who believed democracy was possible in Russia, and an indictment of the cynical leaders who ultimately seized power. Zygar shed light on questions such as how did the end of the Soviet Union set the stage for Putin's rise? And what happens when leaders and citizens lose faith in their ideals? In this conversation, Zygar discussed the path from communism to Putinism, the dangers of cynicism and what Russia's political history can teach us in the West about our politics too. --- This is the first instalment of a two-part episode. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we unpack the education experiences of students from the former Soviet Union who have migrated to Canada. My guests are Sarfaroz Niyozov, Stephen Bahry and Max Antony-Newman. For the past few years, they have been working on a research project that has explored the experiences of the high school children with post-Soviet backgrounds in the Greater Toronto Area. The research project strives to improve the education experiences of this under-researched, often misunderstood group of Canadian youth, their parents, and communities who come from the countries of the former Soviet Union. Sarfaroz Niyozov is an Associate Professor in Curriculum, Teaching and Learning at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, where Stephen Bahry is a sessional lecturer. Max Antony-Newman is a lecturer in education at the university of Glasgow. Various articles from their research project will soon published. You can follow the link to their project website to find them. -- freshedpodcast.com/niyozov-bahry-antony-newman/ -- Get in touch! Twitter: @FreshEdpodcast Facebook: FreshEd Email: info@freshedpodcast.com

Foreign Minister Togo and the Japanese Supreme War Council: Colleague Evan Thomas highlights Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo as the sole civilian in Japan's "Big Six" council advocating surrender against military leaders demanding a "final battle," noting that facing assassination risks, Togo maneuvered the complex "stomach game" of Japanese politics, hoping unsuccessfully that the Soviet Union would mediate a peace settlement. 1933 TOKYO

The world is on the brink of nuclear war. How can the Soviet Union and the USA prevent it? Hosts Nina Khrushcheva and Max Kennedy, relatives of the superpower leaders President John F Kennedy and Premier Nikita Khrushchev, tell the personal and political history of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Together Nina and Max explore what drove JFK and Khrushchev during the darkest days of October 1962. And when the crisis moves beyond their control, as a U-2 spy plane is shot down over Cuba, how do they avoid global catastrophe?  To hear more, search for The Bomb, wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

 Can the promise of economic progress ever justify conquest, coercion, and control over other people's lives? Economist William Easterly joins EconTalk's Russ Roberts to argue no--and to rethink what "development" really means in theory, in history, and in our politics today. Drawing on his new book, Violent Saviors: The West's Conquest of the Rest, Easterly explores how colonial powers and later regimes like the Soviet Union claimed to increase people's material well-being while stripping them of freedom, dignity, and any say in their own fate. Russ and Easterly dig into the idea of agency--the ability of people to choose for themselves--through the lens of Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Kant, Frederick Douglass, and modern debates over foreign aid, autocrats, and technocratic "solutions" imposed from afar.

The Courtiers' Pivot and the Failing Imperial Narrative — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus, in their metaphorical 91 AD Londinium dialogue, critique the Western foreign policy establishment, dismissively labeled "courtiers," regarding their systematic narrative repositioning on the Ukraine war as military circumstances deteriorate catastrophically. Germanicus argues that these elite advisors prioritize preservation of institutional status and access to executive power over accountability and honest assessment; as the military situation turns decisively against Ukraine, these courtiers seamlessly pivot from predicting Ukrainian victory to blaming European allies for failing to "step up" with additional military commitment. Germanicus draws historical parallels to the fall of the Soviet Union, noting that elites systematically rewrite their past positions retrospectively to claim they foresaw inevitable geopolitical collapses, a psychological mechanism enabling survival without disgrace or professional consequences. Gaius and Germanicuscontrast successful empires possessing unified narratives aligned with coherent strategy against the current Americanapproach, characterized as "predatory opportunism" driven by electoral manipulation requirements. Germanicuscontends that strategic failures in Ukraine—where population and material resources mathematically determine victory—expose the U.S. as a "weak and venal empire" relying upon a "pastiche" of propagandistic lies rather than the solid convergence of vision that characterized American dominance during World War II. 1918 UKRAINE