During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, tensions between the United States and Russia very nearly led to nuclear disaster. So what prevented the unthinkable from happening? Martin Sherwin says it had something to do with luck. And: Throughout this summer, states in the West have been sweating through an unprecedented heatwave. Philip Roessler has studied the impact of these rising temperatures on conflict zones around the world. He says climate change will soon become one of the main drivers of large scale political violence.

Later in the Show: Over the last few decades, China has burst onto the scene as one of the world’s most powerful countries - forcing the United States to take notice. Patrick Rhamey says as competition heats up between the two countries, the Biden administration should avoid treating China as the enemy. Plus: George Washington famously warned against the dangers of alliances in his Farewell Address. But Jason Davidson says despite Washington’s misgivings, America has relied on foreign alliances throughout its history.