On the 80th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Victor Davis Hanson reflects on how the short-lived German-Soviet treaty shaped the course of World War II — and what it revealed about the leadership styles of both Hitler and Stalin.

Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Pact That Shaped World War II

The Classicist is the weekly podcast of Victor Davis Hanson, scholar, writer, farmer. Tune in each week to hear VDH's unique perspective on the issues of the day.

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Politics

In the final Classicist of the year, Victor Davis Hanson takes a look back at the intellectual and political trends that defined 2020 — and predicts what they mean for the year to come.

E207. The Scars of 2020

Victor Davis Hanson describes the foreign policy challenges facing the incoming Biden Administration, analyzes the makeup of the incoming national security team, and prescribes a formula for the new president’s success in international affairs: change the rhetoric, not the policies.

E206. The Case for a Cynical Biden Foreign Policy

Victor Davis Hanson explains the concept of the “tragic hero” — a figure both uniquely suited to address the issues of his time but destined to be reviled — and explains why the label may apply to Donald Trump.

E205. History and the Tragic Hero

Victor Davis Hanson looks at Donald Trump’s transformation of the Republican Party, the shifting of the conservative coalition, the implications of sharply divided federal government, and the foreign policy challenges ahead.

E204. The Election and its Aftermath

What happened on Election Day — and what it means for the future.

Germany, the Soviet Union, and the Pact That Shaped World War II

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