The Dead Warrior Society

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society podcast, we explore the remarkable yet brief rise and fall of the Umayyad Caliphate in Al-Andalus. Once centered in the magnificent city of Córdoba, the Caliphate was hailed by contemporaries as the crown jewel of the early medieval world—rivalling imperial centers such as Rome, Alexandria, and Baghdad. Historians often describe it as a beacon of cultura...

In this first installment of our series on the Reconquest of Spain, we set the stage for one of the most defining struggles in European and World history—the fight to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula by the indigenous Catholic Hispanic-Roman peoples. We delve into who these people were before the invasion: a tapestry of Romanized Christian cultures rooted in centuries of Hispano-Roman tradition. Then...

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society, I discuss how I went from being a piss poor student who barely graduated high school to eventually getting a degree in History from an Ivy League University. Throughout my journey I made numerous errors but eventually I figured out an algorithm that worked well and helped me not only learn the material but absorb it and come up with new creative argumen...

In this episode, we explore 73 years of U.S. Army Special Forces from their inception in 1952 to modern-day operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. We start at the beginning, breaking down why the Green Berets were formed in the early Cold War era, initially as an elite unconventional warfare force. But as the threat of Soviet-sponsored communist insurgencies spread globally, the Green Berets shifted...

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, we take a hard look at the roots of Unconventional Warfare (UW) in the annals of American military history and what it really meant in the post–World War II era and how its legacy has been shaped, stretched, and sometimes distorted over time. Green Berets have long claimed the title of “masters of UW”, pointing to missions in Vietnam, Afghanista...

In this episode, I dive deep into the question: What exactly are Special Operations? To unpack this, I turn to one of the most influential voices on the subject—Admiral William H. McRaven (ret). Using his 1996 dissertation and his well-known book, Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice, I explore the six core principles McRaven outlines for successful special ope...

In this episode we discuss the legacy of Robert Rogers within the frame work of modern Special Operations. We also leverage his history to highlight and provide insight on the slow and depressing decay and inevitable death of modern U.S. Army Special Forces as more proficient, skilled, and well funded Special Operations Units or "Special Mission Units" outpace their peers and monopolize...

The Green Berets—once the undisputed masters of Unconventional Warfare—are now facing a crossroads. Once revered for their deep cultural fluency, guerrilla warfare expertise, and behind-the-lines operations, many in the defense community are now asking: What went wrong? While Special Forces continue to fly the UW banner, the hard truth is that other units—often leaner, better-resourced, and more a...

In this episode we briefly discuss the exfiltration out of Canada by the Rangers after the destruction of St. Francis. Unlike the other legs of the expedition, the exfil was an unmitigated disaster.  However, the meat of the episode is focused on answering two major questions every Rogers historian seeks to answer. Was the Raid on St. Francis a success or failure and was it a legitimate military o...

Welcome to this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, where we dive deep into the infamous Raid on St. Francis, led by Robert Rogers and his Rangers. While this event has been widely discussed in history, many accounts of the raid are riddled with inaccuracies and misinformation. In this episode, we explore how the common narrative is seriously flawed and take the time to scrutinize the his...

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, we dive into the incredible journey of Robert Rogers and his Ranger Task Force as they face unimaginable challenges during their mission across the wilderness of Lake Champlain, a treacherous spruce bog, and the St. Francis River en route to destroy the Abenaki Village of St. Francis. As they are relentlessly hunted by their French and Indian en...

In this Episode of the Dead Warrior Society, we examine the events leading up to the St. Francis Raid and the volunteers who joined the Ranger's ranks for the near suicide mission. We also take a look at the various controversies surrounding the raid, particularly the reasons why the English felt the need to mobilize and deploy some 190 Rangers and Soldiers to destroy the Abenaki strong hold...

In this episode we discuss the main fighting force of the French during the French and Indian War: The Abenaki. Often described as a peaceful people who were merely traders and recent Christian converts in the mid 17th century, the reality and truth of the matter is far more complex. The French used their religious fervor and propaganda to instill hatred in the hearts of the Abenaki against Englis...

In this episode, we dive deep into the complex history of the French and Indian War, framed within the larger context of the Seven Years' War. We break down the key players, strategies, and turning points of this critical conflict between colonial powers and how the theater of war in North America would determine which European Power would become dominant.  In the second half of the episode,...

Welcome to The Dead Warrior Society, where we explore the most pivotal moments in history through the lens of warfare, strategy, and leadership. In this episode, we delve into the Final Battle of Amphipolis (422 BCE) — a decisive clash between the Spartan general Brasidas and his Athenian counterpart Cleon. This battle not only marked the end of one of the most significant military engagements of...

In this episode of The Dead Warrior Society, we set the stage for a deep dive into one of history’s most intriguing military figures: Robert Rogers and his legendary Ranger Companies. Known for their brutal and effective use of asymmetrical warfare during the French and Indian War, Rogers and his men revolutionized the way small groups could fight larger, more organized forces. But before we jump...

In this video, we dive deep into the fascinating history of Robert Rogers and the formation of his legendary Ranging Companies just before the outbreak of the French and Indian War. Known for their ruthless effectiveness and unique style of warfare, these companies became a crucial part of British military operations during the conflict. We explore the harsh wilderness of North America, where many...

In this episode we explore the second half of Cleomenes I career as a King of Sparta in the late 6th and early 5th century. His blatant corruption and wild betrayal against Sparta play a part in his downfall but ultimately during this time his mental health declines rapidly and the king spirals into madness.

In this episode of the DWS podcast, we explore the military exploits of the Spartiate Brasidas. He was, without a doubt an absolute rebel and in some cases insubordinate. However, it was his rebellious nature that made him the most effective Spartan General to have ever lived.

In this episode we discuss Brasida's asymmetrical war against the Athenians in Northern Greece. The Spartan General's campaign is so effective, that he is able to bring the Athenians to the negotiating table to talk terms and agree to an armistice. Meanwhile, the King of Macedonia is seeking revenge against his near-peer enemy in the region and demands the help of Brasidas and his mercen...

In this episode we explore one of the most pervasive modern myths about Sparta and their educational system, Spartan Pederasty.

In this episode we discuss the secret group of Spartan youths known as the Krypteia: an elite cohort of students from the Agoge who would deploy into Messenia to hunt down and assassinate problematic Helots.

In the is episode we explore the checkered history of King Cleomenes I of Sparta. He was both ruthless and sick and more than willing to destroy both his enemies and allies to keep a chokehold on the Spartan throne.

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, we discuss who the people of Messenia were and why they went to War with the Spartans and how they became Helots.

In this episode of the Dead Warrior Society Podcast, we dive into how the Spartan's prepared their boys for war within the compulsory Spartan education system, the Agoge.