Militarism, Masculinity, and the Making of the American Warrior

About this episode

The episode discusses the intersection of militarism and masculinity in American culture with journalist Jasper Craven.

In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we are joined by investigative journalist Jasper Craven to discuss his new book, *God Forgives, Brothers Don’t: Inside the Violent, Hypermasculine World of America’s Military Schools*. The conversation ranges far beyond military academies to explore how the US military has become the defining institution of American manhood – and what that means for democracy, violence, and the soul of the nation.** Jasper’s journey into this subject began with a tip about a dysfunctional military school near Philadelphia, rife with abuse and corruption. That story opened a window onto a broad network of military education – from elite officer training at West Point to reform schools for troubled boys – all peddling the same promise: that rigid hierarchy, discipline, and violence can forge a real man. The military, Jasper argues, has filled a void left by the collapse of other pathways to meaning and middle‑class security. We trace the historical roots of America’s uneasy relationship with standing armies – the founders’ distrust of a professional military versus the lionisation of the revolutionary war veteran. That tension has been resolved…

People in this episode

Host: Nick Shepley

Guest: Jasper Craven

Topics covered

• militarism
• masculinity
• American military schools
• violence
• democracy
• cultural identity

Keywords

• militarism
• masculinity
• military schools
• American culture
• violence
• democracy
• Jasper Craven

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: God Forgives, Brothers Don’t: Inside the Violent, Hypermasculine World of America’s Military Schools

Places: Philadelphia, West Point

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