Decisive Point Podcast

Latest Episodes
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-11 – COL Jonathan P. Klug – “The Joint Force and Lessons from 1971”
In 1971 Colonel Duane H. Smith analyzed the unified command structure, examined an existing proposal for change, and suggested improvements. He illustrated how this structure must account for the challenges of the contemporary strategic environment and ba
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-10 – Dr. W. Andrew Terrill – “Moscow in the Middle East”
In 1971 Dr. John R. Thomas documented the involvement of the Soviet Union in the Middle East from the start of the Cold War. Like its name and borders, the motivations for that country’s involvement in the region have changed. Russia today promulgates rel
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-09 – Dr. Robert Hamilton – “Soviet Reform–Surprisingly Prescient”
Writing in 1971, economist Dr. John P. Hardt assessed the trajectory of the Soviet economy arguing the need for reform and evaluating the willingness of key actors in the Soviet bureaucracy to support such policies. Fifty years later, Hardt was remarkably
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-08 – COL Jason P. Clark – “US Army Reforms in the Progressive Era”
A look back at F. Gunther Eyck’s assessment of reforms enacted under US Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson may reveal as much about the historiography of the early 1970s as it does about Stimson’s reform efforts themselves. Eyck’s 1971 evaluation, among th
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-07 – Dr. C. Anthony Pfaff and Julia L. E. Pfaff – “Academe and the Military”
Differences between the academic and military communities and the dysfunction that occurs when these communities comingle can have disastrous consequences for foreign policy. Donald Bletz, writing on the subject in 1971, details this dynamic as it related
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-06 – Dr. Michael Neiberg – “Coalition Warfare–Echoes from the Past”
The dilemmas posed by coalition warfare were a subject of academic interest in the inaugural issue of Parameters in 1971. Lieutenant Colonel James B. Agnew examined the unified command model pursued by the Allies during the First World War. Agnew’s assess
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-05 – Dr. Carol V. Evans – “Providing Stability and Deterrence- The US Army in INDOPACOM ”
Regaining the military advantage in the Indo-Pacific region requires renewed thinking about the US military footprint there, particularly the role of the US Army. The Army’s deterrence and partnering capabilities will be best utilized by engaging its long
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-04 – Dr. Leonard Wong and Dr. Stephen Gerras – “Veteran Disability Compensation and the Army Profession- Good Intentions Gone Awry”
Regaining the military advantage in the Indo-Pacific region requires renewed thinking about the US military footprint there, particularly the role of the US Army. The Army’s deterrence and partnering capabilities will be best utilized by engaging its long
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-03 – Dr. Christopher J. Bolan, COL Jerad I. Harper, and Dr. Joel R. Hillison – “Diverging Interests- US Strategy in the Middle East”
Today, two-thirds of soldiers depart the US Army with a disability rating. Unfortunately, some soldiers are exploiting a generous disability system overextended beyond its original purposes and potentially damaging trust in the military, jeopardizing Army
Decisive Point Podcast – Ep 2-02 – Dr. Andrew Bell – “Civilians, Urban Warfare, and US Doctrine”
The novel coronavirus is only the latest in a series of global crises with implications for the regional order in the Middle East. These changes and the diverging interests of actors in the region have implications for US strategy and provide an opportuni