Key Battles of American History

In this episode, James interviews retired U. S. Navy Admiral William Fallon, former commander of U. S. Central Command (CENTCOM), about his recently published book Decisions, Discord, and Diplomacy: From Cairo to Kabul." In the interview, Fallon gives an overview of U. S. involvement in the Middle East from the 1980s to the present, including on his own involvement in actions that include the Lebanese Civil War, Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort, the 9/11 attacks on the U. S., and the subsequent U. S. wars against Iraq and Afghanistan. Fallon concludes with his own reflections on America's military campaigns in this volatile corner of the globe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James and Sean discuss the 2011 film War Horse, in which a young Englishman struggles to be reunited with his beloved horse, who has been sent to the Western Front and has experienced several trying experiences there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the oldest film they have reviewed to date. Wings (1927) is a silent epic that follows two young American men from a small town who become fighter pilots in the First World War, tracing their rivalry, friendship, and romantic entanglements as they are transformed by combat. Renowned for its groundbreaking aerial photography and large-scale battle sequences, the film presents air warfare with unprecedented realism. Beneath the spectacle, Wings underscores the personal sacrifice and emotional devastation wrought by modern war.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sean and James review the 1999 film The Trench. The Trench follows a group of young British soldiers during the tense hours leading up to the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, focusing on their fears, friendships, and fragile hopes as they wait in the trenches. Rather than depicting large-scale combat, the film emphasizes psychological strain, class divisions, and the emotional toll of anticipation. When the long-awaited order finally comes, the human cost of industrial warfare is made starkly clear.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.