The John Batchelor Show

3. LONDINIUM 91 CE. Hollywood and Rome. Gaius and Germanicus concluded their meeting by critiquing Hollywood's portrayal of Roman decline, focusing on Gladiator 2. Gaius admitted he could not finish the film due to its historically inaccurate conclusion. The film's ultimate payoff—the removal of bad emperors and the return to the Republic—is viewed as fundamentally wrong. Gaius argued that empires do not revert to republics, as the republic was "aged out" and the empire was necessary, suggesting that Hollywood confuses the word "republic" with "democracy." Germanicus elaborated on this distortion, noting that societies frequently look back and shape the past into a "golden age" from which they have fallen. The founders of the American republic were informed by Rome and Greece, viewing Rome as a morality play detailing triumph, tragedy, and the ultimate loss of virtue. This tradition of distortion was reinforced by Gibbon's Decline and Fall, which packaged the later empire as corrupted by "barbarism and religion" to suit the ideals of the Enlightenment. This historical lens persists, leading to a simplistic modern conventional wisdom, especially prevalent in Hollywood media, that "republic is good, empire is bad." Hollywood fails to recognize that the imperial institution maintained many of the Republic's institutions and sensibilities. Furthermore, the media elite confuses the Roman imperial office with a "mafia don" or "banana republic dictatorship." The speakers concluded that while they see the world "as it is," American aspirations (like those reflected in Hollywood) see the world "as they want it to be." AGRIPPINA MINOR Retry

2. LONDINIUM 91 CE. Seven Warnings, Part II. The conversation continued with Germanicus detailing the remaining maxims, noting that the United States seems to follow this list of strategic errors as if it were a program. (5) Never think "it will never happen to us"—this belief stems from American exceptionalism, the idea that the US is superior because "democracy makes us smarter." The shameful US withdrawal from Afghanistan was cited as a major instance of this failure, especially when contrasted with the Soviet withdrawal, which was conducted with dignity and left a regime that lasted three more years. The US, believing itself to be the "gods of war" after World War II, relied on the myth of technological superiority, a mindset preserved even in the proxy war in Ukraine where elites underestimated Russia based on GDP. The danger of biased judgment (Maxim 4) was re-emphasized through the Korean War, where the US despised the Chinese, who ultimately defeated the US in a strategic campaign. The Chinese military adapted to American fire with unconventional tactics, overwhelming US lines, a capability the US disallowed because it viewed the enemy as a "lesser force." This mindset gives a gift to the enemy, allowing them to rely on US unpreparedness (e.g., letting Russians build vast fortifications in Ukraine). (6) Never follow a strategic course of action that makes your enemy stronger—this requires understanding the enemy's source of strength (like the morale and spirit of the Taliban), which the US often fails to attack. The speakers applied this warning to potential US intervention in Venezuela, which is being encouraged by the opposition. The strategy of using overwhelming air power and insufficient ground forces—bombing them into submission—will fail and only make the enemy stronger. Insufficient tactics like leadership decapitation, even if inspired by Israeli actions, will not succeed if the enemy army chooses to resist. The centurions noted that the Romans consistently avoided one mistake: forgiving the enemy.

1. LONDINIUM 91 CE. Seven Warnings, Part I. Gaius and Germanicus, joined by retired centurions, convened at the Friends of History Debating Society to discuss Germanicus's list of seven maxims detailing how empires, specifically the US, engage in self-harm or self-destruction. Gaius offered the example of the emperor deciding Nigeria needs attention due to the killing of Christians, asserting America has no interest whatsoever in this venture. He contrasted this unnecessary entanglement with Rome's historical method of handling threats in its self-interest. Rome, when it decided to win, completely wiped out resisting enemies, as demonstrated by the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE and the earlier obliteration of Sepphoris, the capital of Galilee, around 4 BCE. The Romans even renamed Judea to Palestine to deny the populace their historical identity. Germanicus then presented the first four maxims routinely ignored by US war fighters: (1) Never let a foreign power define your interests and objectives—this warning cited historical entanglement examples, including the British in two World Wars and modern manipulation by Ukraine, NATO countries, and Israel; (2) Never let initial success fool you into thinking you're winning—Germanicus noted that this "victory disease" affected the Japanese after Pearl Harbor and the US during the invasion of Iraq and the initial stages of the Ukraine war; (3) The failure chosen now is always better than the failure forced upon you later—this maxim addresses the destructive "stay the course" mentality, exemplified by the Vietnam War, driven by courtiers worried about reputation rather than effectiveness; (4) Judgment of the enemy should not be confirmed by internal biases—this bias leads to disastrous strategy, such as the initial belief that the Japanese could not fly effectively due to poor eyesight, viewing Pearl Harbor as a "freak." NERO

The Legacy and Hidden History of the Graces' Style. The full set of fashion plates documenting this radical style revolution was rediscovered at the Morgan Library after being incorrectly cataloged. The true story of this fashion was radical and had been "concealed from the world." The three women, known as the Graces, became world-famous celebrities. Josephine (Rose), who missed Napoleon "terribly" after their divorce, died in 1814. Teresia, a woman "in charge of her own sexuality" with five different fathers to her nine surviving children, married a Belgian prince and died a true princess. She was visited by figures like the Duke of Wellington after Waterloo. Juliet maintained her identity as a "perpetual virgin," serving as the pure white symbol until her death. Despite Napoleon forcing a separation, Teresia and Josephine tried hard to continue seeing each other. 1807 JOSEPHINE

Cotton, Cameos, and Cashmere: The Accessories of Revolutionary Style. The Graces made cotton, previously worn by lower classes, the most fashionable and revolutionary fabric, often importing high-quality white muslin from India. Painters like David were fascinated by how the thin fabric revealed women's bodies, making the women appear artful and allowing them to move freely. When big skirts disappeared, the need to carry belongings led to the invention of the handbag as we know it, which instantly became the "it accessory." Other vital accessories included flat laced shoes and cashmere shawls. The long, rectangular cashmere shawls, first sent by Napoleon from Cairo to Josephine, were draped seductively around the slim dresses, becoming highly desirable for decades. Josephine (Rose) also invented the tiara by adapting Italian cameos to headbands. Juliet's rigorous all-white look became a powerful rallying symbol for the purity of revolutionary principles. 1805 Josephine

From Prison Garb to Neoclassical Chic: Style and Scandal in the Directory. During the Directory (circa 1795), Teresia (Madame Tallien) and Rose (not yet Josephine) held influential salons, using style to gain success in a world where women lacked financial empowerment. Their revolutionary fashion stemmed from the prison shift Teresia wore and the plain white cotton dresses worn by African American women in Martinique, Rose's home. This style—made often of diaphanous imported muslin—passed as neoclassicism but stunned observers due to the minimal amount of clothing worn. One famous wit observed that Teresia was "more expensively undressed" than anyone else. This radical departure from the previous "cage style" clothing, enforced by sumptuary laws and guilds, was made possible by the abolition of guilds and the collective trauma of the Terror. It was at Teresia's gathering that Napoleon, then a Corsican in shoddy clothes, became entranced by Rose (Josephine).

The Birth of Revolutionary French Fashion: Teresia, Rose, and Juliet. Professor Anne Higonnet's book Liberty, Equality, Fashion: The Women Who Styled the French Revolution examines how three women drove a style revolution separate from the concurrent violence. Teresia, famed as the most beautiful woman in Europe, emerged from prison (La Force) in 1794 and was hailed as the liberation from the Terror. Her prison shift replaced restrictive clothing (like whalebone corsets) and became the greatest Parisian chic, pioneering the flowing dress. Teresia had prompted the end of the Terror by sending a message to her imprisoned lover, Tallien, threatening death by guillotine. The other featured women are Rose (born in Martinique, later Josephine), who teamed up with Teresia after losing their money, and Juliet, who became an international celebrity by adopting an all-white style representing virginity and revolutionary purity. 1791 Josephine

The Scarcity Value of Time: Impressionism and the Legacy of Julie Manet. Sebastian Smee discusses how Berthe Morisot's life is carried forward by her daughter, Julie Manet, who represents a "perfect representation of Berthe." Before Berthe succumbed to illness, she wrote a tender letter expressing how Julie had "never once not made me happy." Smee links the philosophy of Impressionism to Sigmund Freud's essay "On Transience," arguing that awareness of mortality should make people value the present moment more—a concept called "scarcity value in time." Impressionism is inherently an "art of transience" that captures fugitive effects. Morisot exemplified this philosophy by valuing the present moment's beauty, refusing to apply artificial meanings or permanence. Ironically, revolutionary Impressionism soon became "orthodox," though the next generation reacted against it, believing it lacked structure. Despite criticisms, Impressionism has lasted because audiences recognize the truth in valuing fugitive effects, and its greatest contribution was the liberation of color.

The Wedding, Manet's Decline, and the Posthumous Fight Over Morisot's Legacy. Sebastian Smee discusses how in the aftermath of the "terrible year," Édouard Manet painted Berthe Morisot several times in a series Smee considers one of the greatest records of intimacy in art history. Manet resolved the situation by setting Berthe up with his brother, Eugène Manet, who proved to be a good husband who supported Berthe's dedication to painting. Despite Édouard advising against it, Berthe joined the first Impressionist exhibition, demonstrating her "incredible audacity and independence." The sad aspect was Édouard Manet's decline: he suffered from syphilis and died in agony after a leg amputation. Following Berthe Morisot's death (she contracted an illness while tending to her sick daughter, Julie), Renoir, Degas, and Monet came together to stage a posthumous exhibition to honor her. The process was volatile because each painter felt a fierce, private relationship with her work. In the 20th century, Morisot was often overlooked by male critics who dismissed her domestic subject matter, though her peers viewed her art as innovative and brilliant.

Sincerity, Transience, and the Domestic Focus of Berthe Morisot's Art. Sebastian Smee discusses how the Impressionists' defining characteristic was plein air painting—painting outside directly in front of the subject. Berthe Morisot was highly innovative, concentrating on women at home doing ordinary, domestic activities. Her work was quick, often using only a few brushstrokes, conveying the impression of a moment glimpsed. Morisot was one of the most radical Impressionists in her style, frequently leaving large parts of the canvas bare to emphasize the feeling of something "quickly caught as if on the fly." Smee identifies her as a "real poet" of fugitive effects and threshold states, often painting adolescent girls at the "cusp of adulthood." Her acute awareness of life's transience and fragility was evident in her style.

May 1871: Bloody Week and Morisot's Transformation Into a Professional Artist. Sebastian Smee discusses how the Commune began to fall when French government forces returned to retake the city, resulting in Bloody Week in May 1871. The civil conflict was atrociously violent, with the Communards retreating street by street and systematically burning important Parisian buildings. The atmosphere was toxic, resulting in summary executions on a massive scale. Berthe Morisot and her family witnessed the smoke and were stunned by the devastation upon returning. The traumatic events had a profound effect on Morisot, intensifying her resolve to carve out a career as a professional painter—a radical decision for a woman of her background. In subsequent years, Morisot emerged from Manet's shadow, becoming more radical and innovative in her subject matter. 1870

The Siege, Starvation, and the Start of the Communard Revolt. Sebastian Smee discusses how during the Prussian siege of Paris, Parisians suffered terribly in the coldest winter on record. Radical Republicans grew furious at the moderate government's failure to defeat the Prussians. When the government surrendered and accepted severe conditions, the radicals decided to revolt. The revolutionaries, gathering in March 1871, seized cannons and established the Commune. The Communards were more libertarian than communist, aiming to democratize society. They were violent immediately, and the government forces retreated to Versailles. Paris found itself besieged again by French government forces directed by Adolphe Thiers.

The Republican Fire: Manet, Gambetta, and the War That Declared a French Republic. Sebastian Smee discusses how Édouard Manet's family wanted him to pursue law or the Navy, but he became a passionate, anti-autocratic Republican inspired by the 1848 uprisings. Manet established himself as an activist painter, creating works protesting Napoleon III's policies. Léon Gambetta became Manet's friend and the leading moderate Republican lawyer. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 began under Napoleon III, but the French were crushed. When Napoleon III surrendered and went into exile, a Republic was declared in Paris. The victory was bittersweet: Paris was immediately surrounded by Prussian troops, and the entire male population joined the National Guard. However, France was defeated, leading to a humiliating surrender in January 1871. The trauma was reflected subtly in the Impressionists' art.

Berthe Morisot and Édouard Manet: Art, Affection, and the Struggle Against Bourgeois Expectations. Sebastian Smee discusses how the Impressionists lived amidst the violence of the 1870 Franco-Prussian War. Berthe Morisot came from the wealthy haute bourgeoisie and, along with her sister Edma, became a serious painter, successfully exhibiting at the Salon. However, women of their background were expected to marry and give up painting. Berthe, still unmarried at 29 in 1869, was devoted to her art when she met Édouard Manet at the Louvre. Manet was captivated by Berthe and invited her to pose for The Balcony. Despite precautions, a mutual flirtation developed, though Manet was married to Suzanne, which stood as an impediment.

Paris 1874: The Artistic Revolt Against the Salon and the Birth of Impressionism. Sebastian Smee discusses how on April 15, 1874, an exhibition opened marking the birth of Impressionism. The group, including Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley, Cézanne, Degas, and Berthe Morisot, set up the show deliberately outside the established Salon. The Impressionists were frustrated by repeated Salon rejections and were in revolt; they wanted to paint contemporary life and fresh landscapes, rejecting the hierarchy and "made-up landscapes." The name Impressionism originated as an insult from a critic, inspired by Monet's painting, Impression, Sunrise. Critics found the paintings unstructured and lacking deep meaning. A crucial figure absent from the exhibition was Édouard Manet, considered the "father of Impressionism," who still believed success required Salon acceptance and saw the Impressionist show as a small, isolated "silo."

The "Genial and Aloof" Communicator: Reagan's Psychological Defense and Exquisite Political Timing. Max Boot discusses the late Reagan administration, his personality, and his legacy. Reagan was famously defined as "genial and aloof," and Boot argues that Reagan was "very hard to know," even by his wife Nancy and his closest aides, who felt part of him was "walled off." This aloofness originated in his childhood, where constant moving and hiding his father's alcoholism led him to erect a "mental wall." Reagan was comfortable with the title of "Great Communicator," recognizing the political power of his background by stating, "Some people say they can't understand how an actor can be president. I don't understand how anybody but an actor could be president." His most famous sayings include "Honey, I forgot to duck," "ash heap of history," and "There you go again." Regarding his legacy, Boot notes that the economic recovery was largely "salesmanship," with growth rates during the Reagan presidency similar to the Nixon administration, though Reagan's political timing was "exquisite." Boot credits Reagan as a "very lucky politician" who also "made his own luck," with much of the economic recovery due to Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker. An anecdote illustrating Reagan's modesty notes that when he first sat behind the Resolute desk, he was too tall to fit his knees underneath but did not complain, reflecting his unassuming and undemanding nature.

Reagan's Pragmatic Cold War Victory, Don Regan's Disastrous Tenure, and the Iran-Contra Near-Death Experience. Max Boot discusses how Ronald Reagan had no patience for communism, and in his first term, his policy toward the Soviet Union was somewhat unsuccessful, though it improved in 1985 with the ascension of Mikhail Gorbachev. Reagan's genius was recognizing that Gorbachev was a different communist leader he could "do business with," and they established a rapport that allowed them to constructively reduce nuclear armaments and peacefully end the Cold War. The transition into Reagan's second term saw a catastrophic personnel decision when Reagan allowed Jim Baker and Don Regan to swap jobs. Regan lacked political instincts and presided over problems that culminated in the Iran-Contra scandal. Reagan was highly exercised by American hostages seized by Hezbollah, and National Security Advisor Bud McFarlane suggested shipping weapons to supposed Iranian moderates in exchange for hostage releases, which was a fiasco. The scandal intensified when McFarlane's successor, John Poindexter, and Oliver North diverted the profits from the weapon sales to fund the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua. This incident could have led to impeachment, but Reagan's salvation was his reputation for being hands-off and disengaged. Reagan also faced criticism over a human rights double standard, speaking eloquently about violations behind the Iron Curtain but being less exercised about apartheid in South Africa.

The Finest Hour: How the Assassination Attempt Secured Reaganomics and the Rise of the Baker-Deaver Troika.Max Boot discusses how on March 30, 1981, just 69 days into his administration, Ronald Reagan was shot after giving a speech in Washington and came very close to death. Boot describes the event as Reagan's "finest hour," as Reagan behaved heroically, maintaining his composure and humor, famously joking with doctors, "I hope you're all Republicans," and telling Nancy, "Honey, I forgot to duck." The immediate political benefit was a huge boost in popularity and a massive increase in the prospects for his first budget, which included tax and spending cuts (Reaganomics). Reagan's great strength was convincing people to see the world as he wished it to be, persuading himself that dramatically cutting taxes and raising defense spending would eliminate the budget deficit, though this proved incorrect as budget deficits grew. Reagan was a "great leader but a poor manager," requiring highly capable people to manage for him, particularly Jim Baker. Boot considers appointing Jim Baker as White House Chief of Staff Reagan's most important decision, creating the Troika structure with James Baker, Ed Meese, and Mike Deaver. Another significant first-term achievement was Reagan's appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court in August 1981, fulfilling a campaign promise to appoint a woman.

Presidential Ambition and the 1980 Victory: From Farm Hand Friendship to the "There You Go Again" Knockout. Max Boot discusses Ronald Reagan running for president, first challenging incumbent Gerald Ford in the 1976 Republican primaries. Reagan narrowly lost the New Hampshire primary to Ford by about a thousand votes, but won the hearts of the convention with a graceful and moving speech delivered in defeat. After Ford lost to Jimmy Carter, Reagan spent the years between 1976 and 1980 returning to his "first love": radio. Despite his 1976 loss and his age (69), Reagan decided to run again in 1980, driven by personal ambition. Reagan loved going to his ranch outside Santa Barbara on weekends, where he enjoyed physical labor and preferred associating with ranch hands, former California state policemen Dennis LeBlanc and Barney Barnett, over the magnates with whom he was often photographed. The 1980 campaign was initially managed by John Sears, but Reagan fired him on the day of the New Hampshire primary, and Nancy brought in Bill Casey as campaign chairman. Casey was later implicated in the alleged "October surprise," and Boot found strong evidence this "probably happened," though the culpability rested with Casey, not Reagan. The campaign remained close through the summer, but the gap opened up weeks before Election Day primarily because of the late October debate, where Reagan delivered the famous rhetorical knockout blow, "There you go again," winning him the debate and the election.

The Road to Goldwater: Ronald Reagan's Conservative Conversion via General Electric and His Confrontational Governorship. Max Boot discusses how Ronald Reagan found great success in television, hosting the General Electric Theater and earning substantial income while mixing with corporate leadership in the 1950s and early 1960s. Reagan transitioned politically from being an avid New Dealer and FDR supporter to supporting the early Republican conservative movement, particularly Barry Goldwater. Boot argues that Reagan changed, not the Democratic Party, as his transformation began in World War II when he resented paying income taxes at a 90% rate. His political shift was completed in the 1950s during his time as a spokesman for General Electric, where he used long train rides to read conservative literature. In 1964, Reagan's debut on the national political stage came when the Goldwater campaign bought half an hour of air time for Reagan to deliver "A Time for Choosing," which became known simply as "the speech." In 1966, Reagan decided to run for governor against incumbent Pat Brown. During his tenure, particularly the People's Park demonstrations in 1969, Reagan adopted a confrontational stance, using hardline rhetoric and giving student radicals the confrontation they desired, though this approach was politically successful. Reagan was a devoted supporter of Richard Nixon, even backing him during Watergate, though Nixon held little respect for Reagan. Reagan ran hard for the presidency in 1976 and 1980.