Podcast cover
The Free Press · History

School of War

In School of War, CBS News National Security Analyst and Free Press columnist Aaron MacLean sits down with secretaries of state, top military historians, war planners, and key political decision-makers to help understand the lessons of war. Tune in as School of War takes you to the front lines. Aaron MacLean is a former senior fellow at Hudson Institute. He has worked as a foreign policy advisor and legislative director to Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and spent seven years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Visit our Substack for episode transcripts Follow along on Instagram

Episodes

Episode cover

The Dangerous Pause in Iran, with Mark Montgomery

28 Jul 2026
40m
AI processed

The conflict with Iran, characterized by dueling blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, necessitates a shift from current passive strategies to more aggressive, integrated military operations. Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery argues that the U.S. must move beyond half-measures by implementing full-scale convoy operatio...

Episode cover

The Rise of the Navy SEALs, with Ben Milligan

24 Jul 2026
1h 1m
Episode cover

How Trump Decided to Go to War with Iran, with Jonathan Swan

21 Jul 2026
37m
AI processed

Donald Trump’s foreign policy operates through a transactional, situational framework rather than a coherent ideological doctrine. Trump views international relations as a series of one-on-one negotiations where leverage is determined by trade deficits and perceived national strength. His decision to engage in conflict...

Episode cover

‘The Odyssey’ and the Search for Historical Truth, with James Diggle and John Underhill

17 Jul 2026
1h 5m
AI processed

The search for the historical location of Odysseus’ home, Ithaca, reveals that the modern island of Ithaca contradicts Homer’s specific geographical descriptions. A decades-long interdisciplinary investigation involving classicist James Diggle and geoscientist John Underhill identifies the Paliki peninsula on Cephaloni...

Episode cover

America’s Iran Problem Isn’t Going Away, with Mike Doran

14 Jul 2026
52m
Episode cover

Lindsey Graham: The Last of the ‘Three Amigos’ with Vance Serchuk

13 Jul 2026
58m
Episode cover

How Choke Points Became Weapons of War, with Edward Fishman

10 Jul 2026
45m
AI processed

Economic chokepoints—such as the global reliance on the U.S. dollar, advanced semiconductors, and critical mineral supply chains—have replaced traditional naval blockades as the primary mechanism for projecting power in the 21st century. Edward Fishman, director of the Greenberg Center for Geoeconomics, argues that the...

Episode cover

Four Years Fighting Russia: An American Soldier’s Testimony

07 Jul 2026
1h 21m
Episode cover

The American Revolution Was a World War, with Richard Bell

03 Jul 2026
48m
Episode cover

One Battle of Hormuz After Another, with Sal Mercogliano

29 Jun 2026
42m
Episode cover

Why Chimpanzees Go to War, with John Mitani

26 Jun 2026
49m
Episode cover

From Teenage Soldier to Commander in Ukraine, with Mamuka Mamulashvili

23 Jun 2026
56m
Episode cover

Can Courage Save America? With Rye Barcott

19 Jun 2026
48m
Episode cover

Reading Trump’s Iran Deal So You Don’t Have To, with Mark Dubowitz

18 Jun 2026
54m
Episode cover

Auditing the Iran War, with Eliot Cohen

16 Jun 2026
45m
Episode cover

The Start-Up Spirit Behind America's Founding, with Arthur Herman

12 Jun 2026
49m
Episode cover

Why a Weakened Iran Remains Dangerous, with Behnam Ben Taleblu

09 Jun 2026
40m
Episode cover

The AI Arms Race: Can Our Intel Community Keep Up? With Anthony Vinci

05 Jun 2026
56m
Episode cover

The Iran War and a New World Order in Asia, with Rep. Michael Baumgartner

02 Jun 2026
39m
Episode cover

The Secret Mission to Save Europe’s Jews, with Matti Friedman

29 May 2026
56m
Page 2

Follow this podcast in Podwise

Sign in to get AI summaries, transcripts and mind maps for any episode, including new ones.

Open in Podwise