8 May 1945: Victory in Europe Day, the day after the armistice between the Allied powers and Nazi Germany goes into effect. Almost 5 years long, World War 2 in Europe destroyed millions of lives, burned ancient cities to cinders, displaced populations, and permanently changed the world order.How, then, did it come to end? How did the Allies defeat the Nazis, and why did the war end when it did? What issues led the world from war to Cold War in only a few years, turning supposed allies against one another?Jeff discusses VE Day and its legacy with historian John Moser, answering these questions and helping to set the stage for the rest of the 20th Century in Europe and the rest of the world.Read Ian Kershaw's book. mentioned in the episode: https://a.co/d/echNXaLRead the text of the Yalta agreement: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/the-yalta-conference/Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea
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42:53
The Challenges of Creating an American Grand Strategy
What is 'grand strategy' and how does it differ from strategy? What does grand strategy mean to a nation, its leaders and people? How is such a thing developed and revised over time? And why is it so difficult for America to create and settle on such a thing?Business and military strategy authority Dr. John Hillen discusses these topics with Jeff today, digging into what challenges America faces in the world, and the challenges we face at home as we work to determine our own national grand strategy.Read John's book on Strategic Management - https://a.co/d/cmBwY5LHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea
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39:08
No Fun Anymore: What's Happened to the NBA?
Why have NBA ratings dropped by half over the last decade? How has the game changed in recent years and what does the proliferation of legalized sports betting have to do with it? Jeff takes a break this week from questions of history and politics and looks at a slice of our public life with author and journalist Oliver Lee Bateman and addresses these weighty issues.Or is there more to it? Is the creep of the HR department mindset to standardize, systematize, and optimize everything having an impact on one of our beloved sports?Read Oliver's article on the topic, from RealClearBooks: https://tinyurl.com/4umhyujf#nba #sportsbettingHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea
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46:19
Lexington & Concord at 250 Years: Stories from the American Revolution
On 19 April 1775, the American War for Independence began at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Take a step back in time this week to learn some of the forgotten stories of important and interesting individuals who were part of America’s revolution, of which the war, according to John Adams, was only a part.Download a free copy of the American Revolution documents reader: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/american-revolution/View the documents reader’s contents online: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/collections/the-american-revolution/Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea
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43:18
Do the Democrats Have an Ideology Problem?
The 2024 elections left the Democrats in crisis, soul-searching over why they not only lost the White House, but also multiple down-ballot races, as well. Are we entering an era of party realignment? How is the leadership of the DNC grappling with these losses, and what do they see as the reasons behind them? What has their public response been, so far, to Trump’s return to the White House? And what might all this mean for upcoming elections?Jeff is joined this week by author and columnist JT Young to discuss this important development in American politics.You can get JT’s book here: https://a.co/d/97HVoQQRead JT’s article on this topic: https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5123096-democrats-ideological-shift/Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea
The American Idea explores America's Founding principles and their effect on American history and government. Through thoughtful conversations with renowned academics and public figures from across the country, we examine the history and political thought behind our country’s greatest documents and debates, as well as contemporary issues, American popular culture, and political statesmanship. The podcast is a production of the Ashbrook Center and hosted by Jeff Sikkenga.
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