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S8 Ep1224: H.W. Brands, Part Two: In 1941, the debate intensifies over the Lend-Lease Act, which Lindbergh argues supports British imperialism rather than democracy. Lindbergh testifies before Congress, asserting that air power makes the Western Hemisphere more defe
09/08/2026 | 37 mins.
H.W. Brands, Part Two: In 1941, the debate intensifies over the Lend-Lease Act, which Lindbergh argues supports British imperialism rather than democracy. Lindbergh testifies before Congress, asserting that air power makes the Western Hemisphere more defensible, contradicting Roosevelt's claims that technology has made America more vulnerable. Roosevelt declares an "unlimited national emergency," casting anti-interventionists as disloyal "copperheads" and "fifth columnists." The America First movement is effectively ruined following Lindbergh's Des Moines speech, in which he identifies "Jewish Americans" as a group pushing the U.S. toward war, leading to widespread accusations of anti-Semitism. The national debate ends abruptly with the attack on Pearl Harbor and Hitler's subsequent declaration of war. Although Roosevelt bars his chief critic from official military service, Lindbergh eventually flies combat missions surreptitiously as a civilian consultant in the Pacific. (2)
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S8 Ep1223: H.W. Brands, author of America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War, Part One: In April 1939, world-famous aviator Charles Lindbergh returns to the United States as global tensions escalate. Lindbergh, who moved to Europe following the "tri
09/08/2026 | 37 mins.
H.W. Brands, author of America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War, Part One: In April 1939, world-famous aviator Charles Lindbergh returns to the United States as global tensions escalate. Lindbergh, who moved to Europe following the "trial of the century" regarding his son's kidnapping, admires German technical proficiency but is deeply skeptical of British endurance. President Franklin Roosevelt attempts to co-opt Lindbergh into his administration to control his influence, but Lindbergh refuses, fiercely guarding his independence. When war erupts in Europe, Lindbergh uses his celebrity status to broadcast radio appeals for neutrality, believing American intervention would repeat the "mistake" of World War I. Meanwhile, Roosevelt maneuvers to modify the Neutrality Act and shift public opinion toward supporting Britain. Lindbergh views the fall of France as vindication for staying out of the conflict, while FDRuses the international emergency to justify a historic third term, a move Lindbergh fears will lead to a "presidency for life." (1)
S8 Ep1222: Anne Stevenson-Yang, author of Wild Ride: A Short History of the Opening and Closing of the Chinese Economy, provides an account of China's economic arc over five decades. The narrative begins in the mid-1980s, transitioning from a Maoist culture characte
09/08/2026 | 37 mins.
Anne Stevenson-Yang, author of Wild Ride: A Short History of the Opening and Closing of the Chinese Economy, provides an account of China's economic arc over five decades. The narrative begins in the mid-1980s, transitioning from a Maoist culture characterized by extreme poverty to a burgeoning export-led economy envisioned by Deng Xiaoping. This "miracle" was fueled by "red capitalism," where the children of political elites—the princelings—amassed massive wealth by controlling key economic nodes and resources. The central government sustained growth through aggressive interventions, including "golden projects" for state control and massive cash injections following the 1998 and 2008 financial crises. This led to an era of "ghost cities" and redundant infrastructure as the country became "drowned in cash." However, this expansion was built on unsustainable debt and unproductive assets. By 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent severe lockdowns shattered public trust and triggered a financial crisis in the real estate sector. Currently, the Chinese economy faces deflation and stagnation. Under Xi Jinping, the state has prioritized surveillance and national security over capitalistic freedom, marking the closing of the Chinese economic miracle. (1)
S8 Ep1216: William Taubman, Part Two: Taubman examines McNamara's "double life" during the Vietnam War under Lyndon Johnson. While acting as the public architect of escalation, including his role in securing the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution through omitted facts,
09/08/2026 | 37 mins.
William Taubman, Part Two: Taubman examines McNamara's "double life" during the Vietnam War under Lyndon Johnson. While acting as the public architect of escalation, including his role in securing the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Resolution through omitted facts, McNamara privately harbored deep doubts. By 1966, he secretly confessed to aides a desperate desire to bring troops home. His personal life was marked by a close, "opaque" friendship with Jackie Kennedy, who repeatedly begged him to "end the slaughter." Facing increasing pressure from anti-war protests and a fracturing relationship with Johnson, McNamara left the Pentagon to lead the World Bank. He redirected the bank's mission toward helping "the poorest of the poor," which Taubman characterizes as a form of "repentance" for Vietnam. In his later years, McNamara issued serial confessions regarding his mistakes, Agent Orange, and the war's devastating human cost. (2)
S8 Ep1215: William Taubman, author of McNamara at War: A New History, Part One: Taubman discusses Robert McNamara's early career and rise to power, beginning with his role as a World War II statistician on Guam. McNamara advised General Curtis LeMay on low-altitudee
09/08/2026 | 37 mins.
William Taubman, author of McNamara at War: A New History, Part One: Taubman discusses Robert McNamara's early career and rise to power, beginning with his role as a World War II statistician on Guam. McNamara advised General Curtis LeMay on low-altitude bombing tactics that led to the devastating Tokyo firebombing, a success he later considered a moral "stain." Taubman explores his psychological need to serve "strong men," a trait tracing back to his childhood with a cold father and a mother who relentlessly pushed him to excel. After becoming one of the "Whiz Kids" who modernized Ford Motor Company, McNamara was recruited by John F. Kennedy as Secretary of Defense. He quickly became the "star" of the cabinet, guiding the administration through the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Following JFK's assassination, McNamara immediately committed his loyalty to Lyndon Johnson, despite the friction between the Kennedy inner circle and the new president. (1)

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About The John Batchelor Show

The John Batchelor Show is a hard news-analysis radio program on current events, world history, global politics and natural sciences. Based in New York City for two decades, the show has travelled widely to report, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus to the Arabian Peninsula and East Asia.

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