Today, on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII in the Pacific, Peter Robinson speaks with two distinguished historians about the US decision to drop atomic bombs on Japan; Condoleezza Rice speaks with Bret Baier about how her life experiences have fostered her love of America, and what she sees as the nation’s role in the world today; and Michael McFaul shares his assessment of what success, and failure, could look like at today’s Trump-Putin summit in Alaska.
Revitalizing History
August 15, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the surrender of Imperial Japan to Allied forces in the Pacific, ending World War II. For the latest Uncommon Knowledge, Distinguished Policy Fellow Peter M. Robinson sits down with Jonathan Horn and Ian Toll to examine the most contested decision of World War II: the use of atomic weapons against Japan. Building from the brutal endgame—Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Curtis LeMay’s incendiary raids—the conversation explores what leaders actually faced in mid-1945: a fanatical no-surrender ethos, mass civilian suffering across Asia, Allied casualty forecasts for an invasion, and the timing of the Soviet entry into the war. Horn and Toll probe the evidence and the arguments on both sides of the decision to employ atomic weaponry and place this decision in the context of the broader Pacific Theater campaign. The discussion concludes by contemplating how to teach this history—through people, decisions, and consequences—to generations for whom WWII is fast fading from living memory. Watch or listen here.
International Affairs
“The case for America is not that America is perfect,” said Hoover Institution Director Condoleezza Rice in an exclusive interview with Bret Baier of the Fox News channel. “The case for America is we keep striving.” In this discussion, Rice tells Baier the story of how she was able to rise to prominence in an era where Jim Crow laws prohibited millions from a fair shot at the American dream, and why she grew to love her country despite that. The former Stanford provost, national security advisor, and secretary of state also discusses the difficulties she faced in helping run a nation with hundreds of conflicting views, the role America must play in international politics amid today’s geopolitical challenges, and why millions across the globe still strive for American citizenship. Watch or listen here.
For NPR Morning Edition, reporter Michel Martin interviewed Senior Fellow and former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the diplomatic dynamics ahead of today’s US-Russia summit in Alaska. “I hope it will be a successful meeting. I hope it’ll be a step towards ending this horrific war, this barbaric invasion that Putin launched three and a half years ago,” said McFaul. While noting his uncertainty about President Trump’s strategy heading into these negotiations, McFaul said he hopes the president and his team will find out if Putin is serious about negotiating an end to Russia’s Ukraine invasion. McFaul says that success today would involve setting up a future “meeting with President Zelenskyy, Putin, and Trump.” Listen or read more here.
Hoover Institution News
Senior Hoover scholars spoke alongside some rising stars and honored guest speakers and brought a wide range of insights to the Hoover Institution’s 2025 Summer Board of Overseers meeting, held July 8–10, 2025 on the Stanford campus. On a range of topics, from China’s economic performance and the rising US federal debt to the future of higher education, guests heard how Hoover is developing new research-based insights into the issues that will shape America’s future. Hoover also welcomed a senior advisor to the White House on artificial intelligence, and heard from Senior Fellow Joshua D. Rauh about the challenging fiscal position of the United States federal government. In one talk, Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster and Hoover Institution Director Condoleezza Rice shared perspectives on the vital and timely work of the Hoover Institution amid mounting global and domestic challenges. Later, recently appointed Distinguished Visiting Fellow Zohar Palti and Senior Fellow Stephen Kotkin spoke to supporters about Israel’s current security situation and lessons learned from the October 7, 2023, terror attacks. Read more here.
From June 22 to June 28, Hoover fellows led dozens of mid-career diplomats and national security practitioners in engrossing discussions about the future of the US-led global security order, international trade, and how technological advancements will impact global foreign relations. Cohosted by Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster and National Security Visiting Fellow Nadia Schadlow, the Hoover Institution’s fourth annual International Seminar hosted thirty-eight professionals from nations including Norway, France, Finland, Türkiye, Sweden, Australia, Singapore, UK, Italy, Canada, South Korea, Georgia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Venezuela, and Nigeria. “This gathering will help policymakers from US allies and strategic partners develop common understanding of the problems and opportunities our countries are facing,” McMaster said. “And our discussions will generate ideas about how we can work together to solve those problems and capitalize on opportunities.” Read more here.
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