Theory 2 Action Podcast
Theory 2 Action Podcast
MM#409--Echoes of Victory: What VE Day Still Teaches Us 80 Years Later
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What can the pivotal moments of World War II teach us about our rapidly changing world today? Drawing from Victor Davis Hanson's masterful work "The Second World Wars," we explore how three unexpected events in 1941 transformed separate regional conflicts into a global catastrophe—and why similar world-altering shifts might be happening right now.
As we recently marked the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, this episode examines why remembering this history matters more than ever. VE Day represents not just military triumph, but the defense of democracy and freedom against tyranny. For those seeking deeper understanding, we recommend Herman Wouk's epic novels "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance," along with the landmark documentary series "The World at War"—works that capture both the sweeping historical events and deeply personal experiences of this transformative period.
Hanson's analysis reveals how technological shifts rapidly altered the course of the war, with aircraft carriers rendering battleships obsolete almost overnight. This serves as a powerful parallel to our current moment, as we face potentially world-changing developments: unprecedented political shifts in America, the election of the first American-born Pope, and an AI revolution that may require new ethical frameworks similar to how Pope Leo XIII addressed industrialization with Rerum Novarum in 1891. Are the winds of change gathering force again? This episode challenges us to learn from history's patterns so we can better navigate our increasingly uncertain future.
Key Points from the Episode:
• VE Day (May 8, 1945) marked Nazi Germany's defeat and remains relevant as a reminder of war's costs and democracy's value
• Herman Wouk's "The Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance" provide immersive understanding of WWII through personal stories and historical context
• "The World at War" documentary remains the gold standard for understanding the conflict through powerful storytelling and rare footage
• World War II demonstrates how quickly technological shifts can occur - battleships became obsolete as aircraft carriers dominated naval warfare
• Today's potential pivotal shifts include unprecedented US political changes, the first American-born Pope, and the AI revolution
• Historical patterns suggest we may be witnessing another period of rapid transformation similar to the world-altering events of 1941
Remember history so we are not blinded by those who misinterpret it, and honor the sacrifices made during World War II.
Other resources:
MM#257--Land Ho, The digital revolution is here
World at war documentary (watch the first 5 minutes)
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Welcome to the Theory to Action podcast, where we examine the timeless treasures of wisdom from the great books in less time, to help you take action immediately and ultimately to create and lead a flourishing life. Now here's your host, David Kaiser. Flourishing life Now.
Speaker 2:here's your host, david Kaiser. Hello, I am David, and welcome back to another Mojo Minute. As is usually our custom, let's get back on track and begin, as we usually do, with a quote. World War II, however, began traditionally enough in 1939-1940 in Europe as a series of border conflicts exclusively between European powers, including Britain. As is true of much of European history, aggressive states attacked their perceived weaker neighbors, usually through surprise and in reliance on greater preparation and armament. By the end of 1940, what had so far seemed to be familiar European infighting had achieved a Caesarian or Napoleonic scale. By the end of 1941, something quite cataclysmic followed. All the smaller conflicts compounded unexpectedly into a total global war in which the Axis powers of Germany, italy and Japan were soon materially outmatched, strategically unprepared and likely to lose in catastrophic fashion. Advances in Western technology and industrialization, when married with totalitarian zealotry and fully mobilized democratic states, also ensured that the expanded war would become lethal in a way never before seen. And that quote comes to us from the great Victor Davis Hanson and his monumental work the Second World Wars.
Speaker 2:Victor Davis Hanson is a renowned classicist, military historian and political commentator, known for his expertise in ancient warfare, leadership and politics as a professor, emeritus and Hoover Institution senior fellow. He has authored over 20 books, making complex historical topics certainly accessible and relevant. Hansen's works, like A War Like no Other and the Savior Generals, connect history to modern issues. They offer us actionable lessons on resilience, leadership and strategy, and his incredible and engaging storytelling, deep insights, make his books a must-read for all of us and those interested in history's impact on today's world.
Speaker 2:And because of last week, in the last week and a half, two weeks of late-breaking events, we almost missed the 80th anniversary of the victory in Europe. May 8, 1945 marked the end of the fighting in World War II in Europe and the defeat of Nazi Germany. Now you might ask why is the victory in Europe still important? Why is it still relevant Now? You must remember that that day was a moment of extreme relief, hope and beginning of rebuilding lives and nations. Ve Day, as it's called now, honors the sacrifices made by the soldiers, the civilians who fought for freedom and democracy, the civilians who fought for freedom and democracy, and it shaped our modern history, leading to global alliances like NATO and the flourishing of democracy in Western Europe. Today, ve Day serves as a reminder to all of us of the dramatic and deadly cost of war, of the dramatic and deadly cost of war, the value of peace and the importance of standing together against tyranny.
Speaker 2:Now, if you are too young to appreciate, or you haven't been taught the importance of VE Day in school because you went to government schools first, I'm sorry. And second, let me suggest that you begin to read. And one place I would steer you and tell you to start is because it works through all the complexities of the times and it is what I have long considered the American masterpiece, considered the American masterpiece. That is Herman Wauk's the Winds of War and its sequel, war and Remembrance, which are often considered the best novels about World War II. These books take you on an epic journey with the Henry family, blending personal drama with the larger sweep of history. Wauk does an incredible job, combining an emotional storytelling with vivid descriptions and detailed historical context. Certainly the characters feel real and relatable in the way he captures love and duty, and sacrifice and survival during such a pivotal time in world history is almost unforgettable. If you're looking for a deeply immersive and moving read, these novels are a must. They are both on Audible so you can cheat and knock them out during long commutes, and many folks who lived through that time say they captured the feelings and the mood on the ground of everyday life with incredible clarity the tough decisions made by the leaders, the not knowing, the fear, the amount of destruction that was hard to fathom and the drips and drabs of the news as it came in.
Speaker 2:I would also encourage you to watch the very best documentary ever produced on this subject. The World at War is widely considered one of the best ever made about World War II. It first aired in 1973. It's an incredible series that takes you on a deep dive into one of the darkest, most important times in our history. The narration is compelling by Sir Lawrence Olivier. It combines powerful storytelling, candid interviews with survivors and rare archival footage that brings the reality of war to life. Each episode will cover key moments from the rise of fascism to the aftermath of the war. It's deeply moving, it's educational and if you want to truly understand the complexities and the impact of that era, the world at war is a good place and an essential watch, because it too is a timeless masterpiece that still resonates today, for both the books the Winds of War and War and Remembrance.
Speaker 2:We did a podcast episode on that, mojo Minute 231. Put that in the show notes for you. And then we also covered the World at War documentary Mojo, minute 234. And maybe you're not sure that documentaries are your type of thing. Perhaps you think they really don't do anything for you. I'll also leave a link in the show notes for the opening 15 minutes of this documentary, the World at War, because it describes a massacre, not just of one or two people that you might think happens in war, not of a group of people, but of a whole town, a whole town. Think about that, let that sink in. Think about that, let that sink in. The town was a French town, abadour-zouglan. The massacre will capture you by the neck and insist that you watch and you will remember.
Speaker 2:Now back to our book of the day. This book, the Second World Wars by Victor Davis Hanson, gives us a fresh take on the war, exploring the air, the sea, the land, power, as well as production and leadership. As well as production and leadership. It explains why the Allies won, also highlights their industrial and logistical advantages over the Axis. The incredible analysis, antidotes and historical parallels that Hansen provides makes it extremely insightful. Most new readers find it fascinating. Seasoned World War II enthusiasts also find it refreshing. So much new information and new analysis. The book offers us valuable lessons on strategy, deterrence and especially miscalculation. That remains very, very relevant today. In fact, let's go back to the book, because this is a key nugget of wisdom.
Speaker 2:Going back to the book, three unexpected events explain why the border fights that have begun periodically and sometimes ended and started again between 1939 and 1941 were no longer seen as a series of separate wars, but had coalesced and became refined I'm sorry redefined as part of what we now know as World War II in the United States or as the Second World War in the Anglosphere. First, germany, without warning, invaded its partner, the Soviet Union, in June 22, 1941. The second, in addition to its long war with China, japan took on new enemies by conducting surprise attacks on the Pacific and Asian bases of Great Britain and the United States, december 7th and 8th 1941, and 3rd, both Germany and Italy then declared war against the Americans, December 11th 1941. Only these unforeseen developments in the single year of 1941 recalibrated prior regional conflicts in Europe and Asia into a continuous, now interconnected, global war that drew three powerful participants Japan, soviet Union and the United States into the two formidable alliances with a vast array of aircraft, carriers, sophisticated planes, artillery pieces and vehicles. The new worldwide fight was rebranded as one of Germany, italy and Japan against Britain, the Soviet Union, the United States and China, with smaller and weaker allied states on both sides. Thus the holistic idea of the Second World War was born.
Speaker 2:Three unexpected events changed everything, and they all happened within 12 months. They all happened within 12 months. Folks, may I suggest we might be on the cusp of another series of world-changing events. In the past six months we have had a change in US leadership for the US presidency which, by all standards and measures, 12 months before would have thought unthinkable. Frankly, just wasn't believable. Number two we have had an election of the first American pope, at least the first American-born pope, that is. So things seem to be in the air for change. The winds of change are rapidly blowing, as they say.
Speaker 2:So what is the third domino to fall in this rapidly changing world order? We're not sure. Could china, losing half of the world's trade world trade that is upset the world order and reset it back some 30 years? Is Israel signing another three to four peace deals with quickly becoming friendly nations throughout the Middle East and isolating Iran to the point that the mullahs lose power and a dynamic sense of changes in circumstances that were set in stone since 1979, do they begin to fall apart? Does the AI revolution, the artificial revolution, does it require this first American pope to begin to lay out for mankind the limitations of technology on mankind, similar to his namesake, leo XIII and his infamous document Rerum Novarum? You might remember and you might not.
Speaker 2:Rerum Novarum was issued in 1991. It's one of the Catholic Church's most groundbreaking encyclicals. It addressed the rights and conditions of labor in the wake of a rapidly industrializing world. That industrial revolution was causing all kind of havoc through Europe and was spreading to the rest of the world and was spreading to the rest of the world. The document marks a pivotal moment in the church's engagement with modern social and economic issues, offering a compassionate yet forward-thinking framework for balancing the needs of workers and employers. Are we at such another moment, a pivotal moment in world history? We walked through the pivotal US elections, over those six episodes and we talked through all of those changes.
Speaker 2:But this is on the world stage. This is on the world stage and in 1891, pope Leo XIII condemned the exploitation of laborers and he called for just wages, the right to private property and to fair working conditions. At the same time, he advocated for harmony between the classes and emphasized the importance of moral and spiritual values in economic life. So, rerum Novarum, laid the foundation for modern Catholic social teaching, which we will unpack over the weeks and months and years to come, I'm sure, from this microphone, but the document remains a timeless guide for addressing the challenges of social justice, inequality and, most importantly, human dignity in this rapidly evolving world. So will we have another Pope, this first American-born pope, begin that conversation with the world, as this new AI revolution is confronting us Roughly two years ago we talked about it on this podcast, mojo, minute 257.
Speaker 2:We said back then land ho, the digital revolution has been spotted and, folks, we are at the land. Now Our boat has run aground, we can step off and be on ground, be on land. So unexpected events are happening rapidly. And to put things in perspective about how rapidly our world can change, let's hearken back to remembering World War II and the opening of this podcast and those rapidly changing years and that year of 1941, with just one last nugget from Victor Davis Hanson's wonderful book. Going back to that book Aircraft carriers proved critical naval assets at the very beginning of the Pacific War.
Speaker 2:They rapidly ensured the obsolescence of the battleship. Ensured the obsolescence of the battleship, which was to all but disappear as a decisive asset by the end of the war. The vast majority of ship losses in World War II were to torpedoes or bombs launched from submarines, planes and destroyers. In comparison, few ships sank due to the thundering broadsides of behemoth battleships or heavy cruisers. Naval and occasionally land-based air power turned the great sea battles the fighting near Singapore, the chase of the Bismarck, the Coral Sea Midway, the fight over the Marianas, leyte Gulf and Okinawa mostly into contest of carrier-based aircraft attacking with impunity any enemy ships except like kind. During the entire war, only two light carriers and one fleet carrier, the HMS Glorious, were destroyed by surface ships.
Speaker 2:Article 155 meant that tactical air superiority over the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Pacific was far easier for the Allies to achieve than their enemies. Neither the Russians, the Germans nor the Italians deployed aircraft carriers. Their respective modest surface fleets were hampered by ineffective air cover. That absence hurt the Craig's Marine far more than it did the Soviet military. The Soviet Union remained primarily an infantry power with a land-based air force without obligations abroad, but with two allies in the European theater with large carrier forces. Axis carriers and naval air pilots were exclusively Japanese, but by the war's ends they were dwarfed by the huge production totals of the Anglo-Americans dwarfed by the huge production totals of the Anglo-Americans.
Speaker 2:Apparently, germany had always believed that its future wars would be confined to the continent and thus naval air power would be less important, and that the seas of the Baltic and Atlantic were not conducive for air operations. For air operations. German Admiral Raeder, in lunatic fashion, early on, summed up the German appraisal of the carriers as only quote gasoline tankers. Reflect on that quote for a moment. The battleship so, thought of as absolutely instrumental in any war, proved.
Speaker 2:What did Hansen say about it? Absolessence, just a fancy, dancy word for outdated behind the times, fallen into disuse. Fallen into disuse. So you can see the winds of war changing rapidly in 1941. Will those same winds of war rapidly change our lives? Will the drone wars rapidly change our world? That's something to think about. But in today's Mojo Minute let us remember Victory in Europe Day some 80 years ago, last week. Let us cherish history. Let us learn how we can learn from history so we are not blinded by those who can't understand it or misinterpret it. And finally, let us again remember. Remember the sacrifice, remember the heartache, remember the lessons and, most importantly, remember.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us. We hope you enjoyed this Theory to Action podcast. Be sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademycom, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast, as well as other great resources. Until next time, keep getting your mojo on.