Aaron O’Connell, Associate Professor of History at the University of Texas at Austin, joins the show to talk about the “founding fathers” of 20th century geopolitical thought: Mahan, Mackinder, and Spykman. 
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Times 
  •    01:46 Introduction 
    •    02:20 From Marine to scholar to the NSC
    •    06:24 Alfred T. Mahan
    •    12:27 Choke points, decisive battle, and battleships
    •   15:45 Security through imperialism  
    •    18:08 Chinese Mahanians
    •    20:33 China’s crowded neighborhood
    •    21:27 Halford Mackinder
    •   28:56 Heartland rising  
    •    31:36 Inner and outer crescent
    •    33:01 Nicholas Spykman 
    •    37:55 The nature of power
    •    39:03 Containment
    •   42:11 The American role
    •    46:22 The path of partnerships

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