For the Ages: A History Podcast

Secretary of defense and friend and ally to two presidents, Robert S. McNamara was one of the most controversial men in American history for his role in the Vietnam War. Beyond his time at Harvard Law, his service during World War II, and his leadership of the Ford Motor Company and the World Bank, he is inevitably remembered for his fierce escalation of an unpopular and arguably unwinnable war. Authors Philip and William Taubman join David M. Rubenstein to provide a window into McNamara’s mind, including his relationship with the Kennedy family and the evolution of his views on Vietnam.
Recorded on January 16, 2026

The American Revolution was three wars rolled into one: a fight for independence, a civil conflict, and a struggle between nations. In this conversation with David M. Rubenstein, bestselling author Geoffrey Ward examines the many sides of the war through the stories of not just the Founding Fathers, but the soldiers, women, Loyalists, and others whose lives—and country—were forever changed by the movement. 
Recorded on December 12, 2025

The teenagers who made up the US Naval Academy class of 1940 arrived in Annapolis as boys on the eve of Hitler’s aggression and graduated as Europe collapsed, only to find themselves thrust into every major front of World War II, from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay and Normandy. Renowned military historian Craig Symonds joins David M. Rubenstein to discuss the young men’s sacrifice, loss, and extraordinary coming-of-age in history’s deadliest conflict.
Recorded on November 24, 2025

History may be written by the victors, but it is illustrated by its painters, and perhaps few so famously or evocatively as John Trumbull—American Revolution army officer, spy, artist. In this conversation with David M. Rubenstein, Richard Brookhiser, Trumbull biographer and senior editor at National Review, delves into Trumbull’s tumultuous life.
Recorded on November 14, 2025

Covering 2.2 million acres, Yellowstone National Park is a geographic behemoth and, as the birthplace of America’s national park system, a cultural giant as well. But since its official establishment in 1872, the bucolic lands have been the source of frequent conflict: between Native Americans and Europeans, and tourism and environmental conservation. In this episode, prizewinning author Randall K. Wilson explores the complex history of the park, from its geological roots to its role in our understanding of the environment and our nation as a whole.
Recorded on August 25, 2025