Best Thinker Networks Podcasts (2025)

1
S8 Ep173: he Caudine Forks and the Dangers of Half-Measures — Gaius & Germanicus — Germanicus and Gaius center their discussion on the instructive Roman historical lesson of the Caudine Forks: a victor ... 14:20

Play Pause

5h ago14:20

14:20

he Caudine Forks and the Dangers of Half-Measures — Gaius & Germanicus — Germanicus and Gaius center their discussion on the instructive Roman historical lesson of the Caudine Forks: a victor must either completely annihilate the enemy or embrace them as genuine allies; choosing the treacherous middle path of ritual humiliation and subordination en…

1
S8 Ep173: The Three Archetypes of American Global Strategy — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus analyze the prospective American National Security Strategy for 2025–2026, framing it as a deliberate ... 22:36

5h ago22:36

22:36

The Three Archetypes of American Global Strategy — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus analyze the prospective American National Security Strategy for 2025–2026, framing it as a deliberate return to the "Trump corollary" of the Monroe Doctrine emphasizing hemispheric supremacy and regional sphere-of-influence arrangements. Germanicus categori…

1
S8 Ep173: The Courtiers' Pivot and the Failing Imperial Narrative — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus, in their metaphorical 91 AD Londinium dialogue, critique the Western foreign policy establishment ... 20:26

4h ago20:26

20:26

The Courtiers' Pivot and the Failing Imperial Narrative — Gaius & Germanicus — Gaius and Germanicus, in their metaphorical 91 AD Londinium dialogue, critique the Western foreign policy establishment, dismissively labeled "courtiers," regarding their systematic narrative repositioning on the Ukraine war as military circumstances deteriorate catastro…

1
S8 Ep172: None So Blind: The Legacy of the Amateur Spies: Colleague Charles Spicer discusses None So Blind, a rare book compiled by Christie and Conwell-Evans documenting their ignored warnings to the ... 8:00

6h ago8:00

8:00

None So Blind: The Legacy of the Amateur Spies: Colleague Charles Spicer discusses None So Blind, a rare book compiled by Christie and Conwell-Evans documenting their ignored warnings to the British government, tracing the later lives of the protagonists: Tennant died in 1962 leaving a memoir, Conwell-Evans lived modestly while advising prime minis…

1
S8 Ep172: Judgment at Nuremberg and Post-War Denial: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that at the Nuremberg trials, a broken Ribbentrop attempted to call Conwell-Evans and Tennant as witnesses to prove ... 11:40

4h ago11:40

11:40

Judgment at Nuremberg and Post-War Denial: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that at the Nuremberg trials, a broken Ribbentrop attempted to call Conwell-Evans and Tennant as witnesses to prove his pre-war peace efforts, while Göring remained defiant and Hess exhibited erratic behavior; discussing the "Ministries Trial" and the post-war tendency of …

1
S8 Ep172: 1940: The Fall of France and the Rise of Churchill: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that as the British Expeditionary Force retreated from Dunkirk in May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime ... 8:10

6h ago8:10

8:10

1940: The Fall of France and the Rise of Churchill: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that as the British Expeditionary Force retreated from Dunkirk in May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister and actively utilized intelligence from Christie and Vansittart; critiquing the 1940 book Guilty Men as a simplistic polemic that established the po…

1
S8 Ep172: The Phony War: Assassination Plots and Missed Chances: Colleague Charles Spicer details efforts to remove Hitler during the "Phony War," including a plan by diplomat Eric Kordt ... 9:40

6h ago9:40

9:40

The Phony War: Assassination Plots and Missed Chances: Colleague Charles Spicer details efforts to remove Hitler during the "Phony War," including a plan by diplomat Eric Kordt to assassinate Hitler that was inadvertently thwarted by Georg Elser's independent bombing of the Bürgerbräukeller; Graham Christie continued meeting with Hermann Göring, re…

1
S8 Ep172: The Tennant Mission and the Failure of Alliances: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that in the summer of 1939, Ernest Tennant undertook a final secret mission to Ribbentrop's Austrian castle ... 9:25

6h ago9:25

9:25

The Tennant Mission and the Failure of Alliances: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts that in the summer of 1939, Ernest Tennant undertook a final secret mission to Ribbentrop's Austrian castle, confirming that Hitler intended to attack Poland and wage a long war; while London believed this intelligence and pursued a pact with Poland, Chamberlain's d…

1
S8 Ep172: 1939: Diplomatic Disasters and Soviet Infiltration: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that by early 1939, relations deteriorated as Ribbentrop, now Foreign Minister, turned violently anti-British ... 10:15

6h ago10:15

10:15

1939: Diplomatic Disasters and Soviet Infiltration: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that by early 1939, relations deteriorated as Ribbentrop, now Foreign Minister, turned violently anti-British following his social failures in London, characterizing British Ambassador Neville Henderson as a disastrous "arch-appeaser" who refused to upset the Nazi…

1
S8 Ep172: The Oster Conspiracy and the Resilience of the Fellowship: Colleague Charles Spicer discusses the 1938 crisis, focusing on the "Oster Conspiracy," a credible German plot to arrest Hitler that ... 6:45

6h ago6:45

6:45

The Oster Conspiracy and the Resilience of the Fellowship: Colleague Charles Spicer discusses the 1938 crisis, focusing on the "Oster Conspiracy," a credible German plot to arrest Hitler that was undermined by Prime Minister Chamberlain's appeasement visits; despite the shock of Kristallnacht, the Anglo-German Fellowship remained a crucial channel …

1
S8 Ep172: 1938: Accurate Warnings and the May Crisis: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that in early 1938, as Vansittart was sidelined, Christie continued to extract "spookily accurate" war plans from ... 11:05

6h ago11:05

11:05

1938: Accurate Warnings and the May Crisis: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that in early 1938, as Vansittart was sidelined, Christie continued to extract "spookily accurate" war plans from Göring, providing London with a clear map of Hitler's intentions; introducing the Kordt brothers, diplomats in the German embassy who served as vital conduits…

1
S8 Ep172: Halifax at the Berghof and Soviet Paranoia: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that by late 1937, the Anglo-German Fellowship was infiltrated by spies including Soviet mole Kim Philby, fueling ... 10:05

6h ago10:05

10:05

Halifax at the Berghof and Soviet Paranoia: Colleague Charles Spicer explains that by late 1937, the Anglo-German Fellowship was infiltrated by spies including Soviet mole Kim Philby, fueling Stalin's fear of an Anglo-German alliance; the narrative focuses on Lord Halifax's visit to the Berghof, where he famously mistook Hitler for a footman, and d…

1
S8 Ep172: The Coronation Party and Intelligence Channels: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts how during the coronation of King George VI in May 1937, the Ribbentrops hosted a disastrously overcrowded embassy ... 9:35

5h ago9:35

9:35

The Coronation Party and Intelligence Channels: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts how during the coronation of King George VI in May 1937, the Ribbentrops hosted a disastrously overcrowded embassy party that alienated the British elite; distinguishing between genuine Nazi sympathizers in the Fellowship and those like Lord Lothian who began to harbo…

1
S8 Ep172: Ribbentrop in London: Gaffes and Alienation: Colleague Charles Spicer describes Ribbentrop's arrival in London as Ambassador with a cynical mandate from Hitler to neutralize Britain diplomatically ... 6:05

5h ago6:05

6:05

Ribbentrop in London: Gaffes and Alienation: Colleague Charles Spicer describes Ribbentrop's arrival in London as Ambassador with a cynical mandate from Hitler to neutralize Britain diplomatically, characterizing his tenure as a social disaster marked by gaffes such as giving the Nazi salute to the King; his wife Anneliese is depicted as thin-skinn…

1
S8 Ep172: Coffee with Hitler: Lloyd George at the Berghof: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts the pivotal September 1936 meeting between David Lloyd George and Hitler at the Berghof, facilitated by Conwell ... 11:45

5h ago11:45

11:45

Coffee with Hitler: Lloyd George at the Berghof: Colleague Charles Spicer recounts the pivotal September 1936 meeting between David Lloyd George and Hitler at the Berghof, facilitated by Conwell-Evans, where Hitler was delighted to meet the "man who won the war"; Spicer argues that Lloyd George was not merely naive but attempting a strategic play t…

1
S8 Ep172: The Rhineland Crisis and the Olympic Charm Offensive: Colleague Charles Spicer details the 1936 Rhineland crisis, where Graham Christie provided London with accurate advance warning of Hitler ... 7:45

5h ago7:45

7:45

The Rhineland Crisis and the Olympic Charm Offensive: Colleague Charles Spicer details the 1936 Rhineland crisis, where Graham Christie provided London with accurate advance warning of Hitler's move, only to have the intelligence ignored due to public pacifism; the narrative shifts to the 1936 Olympics, a high point of Nazi deception where even the…

1
S8 Ep172: Graham Christie and the Specter of Militarism: Colleague Charles Spicer profiles Graham Christie, a decorated WWI aviator and engineer whose background allowed him to befriend Hermann Göring ... 12:00

5h ago12:00

12:00

Graham Christie and the Specter of Militarism: Colleague Charles Spicer profiles Graham Christie, a decorated WWI aviator and engineer whose background allowed him to befriend Hermann Göring, operating as an agent for Robert Vansittart, the anti-appeasement head of the Foreign Office, forming a "private detective agency" to gather intelligence; whi…

1
S8 Ep172: Commercial Interests and the Anglo-German Fellowship: Colleague Charles Spicer explores the founding of the Anglo-German Fellowship in 1935, headquartered at the Metropole Hotel, explaining that ... 5:55

6h ago5:55

5:55

Commercial Interests and the Anglo-German Fellowship: Colleague Charles Spicer explores the founding of the Anglo-German Fellowship in 1935, headquartered at the Metropole Hotel, explaining that it attracted major financial and media interests such as Unilever, which sought to protect vast assets in Germany and avoid war; while the Fellowship is of…

1
S8 Ep172: Founding the Fellowship: Amateur Spies and the Quest for Peace: Colleague Charles Spicer introduces Ernest Tennant, a British WWI veteran deeply traumatized by the loss of his peers, who established ... 11:55

6h ago11:55

11:55

Founding the Fellowship: Amateur Spies and the Quest for Peace: Colleague Charles Spicer introduces Ernest Tennant, a British WWI veteran deeply traumatized by the loss of his peers, who established a connection with Joachim von Ribbentrop, then an Anglophile, to bridge the gap between London and Berlin, leading to the creation of the Anglo-German …

1
S8 Ep172: Establishing the Capital and the Rise of Political Division — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington selected the Potomac River as the location for the new national capital, believing it would economically ... 11:30

5h ago11:30

11:30

Establishing the Capital and the Rise of Political Division — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington selected the Potomac River as the location for the new national capital, believing it would economically connect Western and Eastern commercial interests, despite claims of obvious self-interest regarding Mount Vernon's proximity. As Washington worked del…

1
S8 Ep172: Echoes of Civil War and Hidden Histories in the South — Nathaniel Philbrick — Retracing Washington's Southern route reveals prophetic historical connections to the future American Civil War ... 13:11

6h ago13:11

13:11

Echoes of Civil War and Hidden Histories in the South — Nathaniel Philbrick — Retracing Washington's Southernroute reveals prophetic historical connections to the future American Civil War, as many mansions and estates Washington visited were subsequently destroyed during General Sherman's March through the South. Philbrickdocuments Washington's di…

1
S8 Ep172: The Arduous Southern Tour and Charleston's Splendor — Nathaniel Philbrick — In 1791, Washington undertook a grueling three-month, 2,000-mile tour of the American South over "impassable" roads ... 9:01

5h ago9:01

9:01

The Arduous Southern Tour and Charleston's Splendor — Nathaniel Philbrick — In 1791, Washington undertook a grueling three-month, 2,000-mile tour of the American South over "impassable" roads designed to unite the fragmented southern states with the federal government. This journey into "terra incognita" required construction of a custom carriage a…

1
S8 Ep172: Sailing to Rhode Island and the Storms of Politics — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington sailed to Newport, Rhode Island in August 1790 to embrace the state after it finally ratified the Constitution ... 13:20

5h ago13:20

13:20

Sailing to Rhode Island and the Storms of Politics — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington sailed to Newport, Rhode Island in August 1790 to embrace the state after it finally ratified the Constitution, completing the original union of thirteen states. Philbrick recounts his own terrifying contemporary experience with a tornado while retracing this hist…

1
S8 Ep172: The Secret Tour of Long Island's Spy Ring — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington's tour of Long Island in April 1790 is characterized as a secretive journey implemented with a deliberate "press blackout ... 9:36

7h ago9:36

9:36

The Secret Tour of Long Island's Spy Ring — Nathaniel Philbrick — Washington's tour of Long Island in April 1790 is characterized as a secretive journey implemented with a deliberate "press blackout," likely designed to quietly thank members of the Culper Spy Ring who had conducted intelligence operations during the Revolutionary War. Unlike his ex…

1
S8 Ep172: Power Dynamics in Boston and the Paradox of Slavery — Nathaniel Philbrick — In Boston, Washington asserted the supreme constitutional authority of the presidency over state governors by refusing ... 15:35

7h ago15:35

15:35

Power Dynamics in Boston and the Paradox of Slavery — Nathaniel Philbrick — In Boston, Washington asserted the supreme constitutional authority of the presidency over state governors by refusing John Hancock's dinner invitation until Hancock paid his respects by visiting Washington first, establishing hierarchical political precedent. Despite this …