Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Lawrence Freedman is the dean of strategic studies. He’s written books about the Falklands War, nuclear strategy, political-military relations, Kennedy’s foreign policy, the revolution of military affairs, and (my personal favorite) the history of strategy.
Freedman is now part of the father-son substack duo covering war and UK politics.
In part one of this far-reaching conversation, we discuss:
How the Falklands saved Thatcher’s premiership, making her the Iron Lady.
Why the great strategic decisions of history rarely have clear, pivotal moments.
Parallels between Putin, Xi, and the Argentine junta — what the Falklands campaign tells us about Ukraine, Taiwan, and the future of war.
How nuclear war went from being a “winnable” geopolitical contest to the apocalyptic dog that didn’t bark.
Cold War arms control treaties and what they can and can’t tell us about AI risks.
YOU SHOULD SIGN UP TO MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
chinatalk.substack.com
The podcast is also available in your favorite app, just search ChinaTalk!
Lawrence Freedman is the dean of strategic studies. He’s written books about the Falklands War, nuclear strategy, political-military relations, Kennedy’s foreign policy, the revolution of military affairs, and (my personal favorite) the history of strategy.
Freedman is now part of the father-son substack duo covering war and UK politics.
In part one of this far-reaching conversation, we discuss:
How the Falklands saved Thatcher’s premiership, making her the Iron Lady.
Why the great strategic decisions of history rarely have clear, pivotal moments.
Parallels between Putin, Xi, and the Argentine junta — what the Falklands campaign tells us about Ukraine, Taiwan, and the future of war.
How nuclear war went from being a “winnable” geopolitical contest to the apocalyptic dog that didn’t bark.
Cold War arms control treaties and what they can and can’t tell us about AI risks.
YOU SHOULD SIGN UP TO MY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
chinatalk.substack.com
The podcast is also available in your favorite app, just search ChinaTalk!
