History and Critical Analysis

The Kinetic Chain 1 Part 1: Alexander's Invisible Army 2 Part 2: Napoleon's Fatal Calculation 3 Part 3: The Railroad Revolution 4 Part 4: The Crimean Catastrophe 5 Part 5: Barbarossa and the Battle of the Gauges 6 Part 6: The Battle of the Bulge and the Tyranny of Fuel 7 Part 7: Wholesale Distribution and the American Way of 8 Part 8: The Pacific Logistics Challenge 9 Part 9: Victory Through Logistics 10 Part 10: Vietnam and the Tyranny of Terrain 11 Part 11: Giap's Bicycle Brigades 12 Part 12: The Ho Chi Minh Trail 13 Part 13: American Largesse in Vietnam 14 Part 14: The M16 Debacle and Logistics Failure 15 Part 15: The Falklands Logistics Miracle 16 Part 16: Desert Storm and the Logistics Miracle 17 Part 17: The Future of Contested Logistics ← Series Home Key Takeaways Network beats line: The Trail wasn't a road—it was 12,000+ miles of interconnected paths. Destroying any segment meant nothing; traffic rerouted within hours. Repair beats destruction: 300,000+ workers maintained the Trail. Bomb craters were filled within hours. Bridges rebuilt overnight. The system healed faster than it could be wounded. Minimal throughput is still enough: The Trail only needed to deliver ~200 tons per day to the South. This was a tiny fraction of American supply requirements—but sufficient for guerrilla war. Interdiction has limits: Despite 3 million tons of bombs, the Trail's capacity increased every year of the war. Technology couldn't solve a problem that was fundamentally about political will. The Road That Couldn’t Be Bombed In 1959, North Vietnam began constructing a supply route to the South. Initially, it was little more than jungle paths—the same trails porters had used against the French. ...

Key Takeaways No country industrialized through free trade: Britain, America, Germany, Japan, Korea—all used protection to build industries before competing globally. Rich countries preach what they don't practice: Countries that developed behind tariff walls now demand developing countries abandon protection. Free trade theory assumes what it needs to prove: Comparative advantage works if you accept current capabilities as given. But capabilities can be built—and protection can help. "Level playing field" isn't level: Forcing developing countries to compete immediately with established industries isn't fairness—it's locking in advantage. The Spice That Didn’t Stay Home Chilli peppers originated in the Americas. Before Columbus, no one in Europe, Africa, or Asia had ever tasted chilli. ...

Capitalism Unmasked 1 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 1: The Myth of the Free Market 2 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 2: The Shareholder Value Myth 3 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 3: The Trickle-Down Delusion 4 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 4: The Myth of the Lazy Poor 5 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 5: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Distrust 6 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 6: The Education Myth 7 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 7: The Myth of Natural Inequality 8 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 8: The Myth of Capital Flight 9 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 9: The Myth of the Rational Consumer 10 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 10: The Hidden Costs of 'Free' Markets 11 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 11: The Myth of the Self-Made Man 12 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 12: The Myth of Efficient Financial Markets 13 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 13: The Myth of Corporate Social Responsibility 14 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 14: The Myth of Growth 15 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 15: Development Institutions - Help or Hindrance? 16 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 16: The Myth of Immigration Harm 17 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 17: The Myth of Flexible Labor Markets 18 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 18: The Myth of Shareholder Primacy 19 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 19: The Myth of Technological Unemployment 20 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 20: The Privatization Illusion 21 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 21: The Myth of Patent Protection 22 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 22: The Myth of Government Debt Crisis 23 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 23: Finance - Economy's Brain or Parasite? ← Series Home What They Tell You Corporations are becoming more responsible. They’re committed to sustainability, diversity, and stakeholder value. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) shows that markets can solve social problems without government intervention. Consumers can vote with their wallets for ethical companies. Enlightened self-interest leads corporations to do good because it’s good for business. ...

The Invisible Army ← Series Home Key Takeaways America built everything from scratch: Ports, roads, airfields, bases�an entire infrastructure created to support a war that might only last a few years. The investment was staggering. Logistics consumed logistics: Much of the supply effort went to sustaining the supply system itself�building, maintaining, and protecting the infrastructure of supply. Comfort has costs: American soldiers lived better than any combat force in history�hot food, cold beer, air conditioning. This quality of life required enormous logistics overhead. More isn't always better: The most lavish logistics system ever deployed couldn't solve problems that weren't logistics problems. You can't supply your way to victory in a political war. Building the Machine When American combat forces arrived in Vietnam in 1965, they found almost nothing they could use. ...

The Kinetic Chain 1 Part 1: Alexander's Invisible Army 2 Part 2: Napoleon's Fatal Calculation 3 Part 3: The Railroad Revolution 4 Part 4: The Crimean Catastrophe 5 Part 5: Barbarossa and the Battle of the Gauges 6 Part 6: The Battle of the Bulge and the Tyranny of Fuel 7 Part 7: Wholesale Distribution and the American Way of 8 Part 8: The Pacific Logistics Challenge 9 Part 9: Victory Through Logistics 10 Part 10: Vietnam and the Tyranny of Terrain 11 Part 11: Giap's Bicycle Brigades 12 Part 12: The Ho Chi Minh Trail 13 Part 13: American Largesse in Vietnam 14 Part 14: The M16 Debacle and Logistics Failure 15 Part 15: The Falklands Logistics Miracle 16 Part 16: Desert Storm and the Logistics Miracle 17 Part 17: The Future of Contested Logistics ← Series Home Key Takeaways America built everything from scratch: Ports, roads, airfields, bases—an entire infrastructure created to support a war that might only last a few years. The investment was staggering. Logistics consumed logistics: Much of the supply effort went to sustaining the supply system itself—building, maintaining, and protecting the infrastructure of supply. Comfort has costs: American soldiers lived better than any combat force in history—hot food, cold beer, air conditioning. This quality of life required enormous logistics overhead. More isn't always better: The most lavish logistics system ever deployed couldn't solve problems that weren't logistics problems. You can't supply your way to victory in a political war. Building the Machine When American combat forces arrived in Vietnam in 1965, they found almost nothing they could use. ...

Key Takeaways Markets don't solve every problem: Scurvy killed more sailors than combat. Market forces didn't solve it. Government action did. States create knowledge: Basic research, public health discoveries, and infrastructure innovation often require state action because private returns are too low. Bureaucracy can work: The image of government as inherently incompetent ignores examples like the British Navy's health reforms—boring, effective, life-saving. The entrepreneur mythology obscures state contribution: Many celebrated innovations rest on government-funded research, government-created markets, and government-enforced standards. Why British Sailors Were Called “Limeys” In the age of sail, scurvy was a nightmare. On long voyages, sailors would develop bleeding gums, loose teeth, reopened wounds, and eventually die. ...

Capitalism Unmasked 1 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 1: The Myth of the Free Market 2 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 2: The Shareholder Value Myth 3 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 3: The Trickle-Down Delusion 4 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 4: The Myth of the Lazy Poor 5 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 5: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Distrust 6 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 6: The Education Myth 7 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 7: The Myth of Natural Inequality 8 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 8: The Myth of Capital Flight 9 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 9: The Myth of the Rational Consumer 10 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 10: The Hidden Costs of 'Free' Markets 11 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 11: The Myth of the Self-Made Man 12 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 12: The Myth of Efficient Financial Markets 13 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 13: The Myth of Corporate Social Responsibility 14 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 14: The Myth of Growth 15 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 15: Development Institutions - Help or Hindrance? 16 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 16: The Myth of Immigration Harm 17 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 17: The Myth of Flexible Labor Markets 18 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 18: The Myth of Shareholder Primacy 19 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 19: The Myth of Technological Unemployment 20 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 20: The Privatization Illusion 21 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 21: The Myth of Patent Protection 22 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 22: The Myth of Government Debt Crisis 23 Capitalism Unmasked - Part 23: Finance - Economy's Brain or Parasite? ← Series Home What They Tell You Economic growth is essential for prosperity. More growth means more jobs, higher living standards, and the ability to solve problems. GDP growth is the best measure of progress. Without growth, economies stagnate, unemployment rises, and societies become unstable. Growth allows us to have more without taking from others. ...

The Invisible Army ← Series Home Key Takeaways Logistics includes specifications: The wrong gunpowder (changed for cost reasons) caused catastrophic jamming. Logistics isn't just moving supplies—it's ensuring supplies are correct. Field conditions differ from tests: The M16 worked in controlled environments. In Vietnam's heat and humidity, without proper cleaning supplies, it failed constantly. Bureaucracy can kill: Decisions made in Washington offices—about powder, cleaning kits, training—resulted in soldiers dying when their weapons failed. Soldiers adapt, systems resist: Troops developed workarounds while the system denied problems existed. Institutional momentum fought admitting failure. The Weapon That Wouldn’t Fire In the jungles of Vietnam, the most terrifying sound for an American soldier was click. ...

The Kinetic Chain 1 Part 1: Alexander's Invisible Army 2 Part 2: Napoleon's Fatal Calculation 3 Part 3: The Railroad Revolution 4 Part 4: The Crimean Catastrophe 5 Part 5: Barbarossa and the Battle of the Gauges 6 Part 6: The Battle of the Bulge and the Tyranny of Fuel 7 Part 7: Wholesale Distribution and the American Way of 8 Part 8: The Pacific Logistics Challenge 9 Part 9: Victory Through Logistics 10 Part 10: Vietnam and the Tyranny of Terrain 11 Part 11: Giap's Bicycle Brigades 12 Part 12: The Ho Chi Minh Trail 13 Part 13: American Largesse in Vietnam 14 Part 14: The M16 Debacle and Logistics Failure 15 Part 15: The Falklands Logistics Miracle 16 Part 16: Desert Storm and the Logistics Miracle 17 Part 17: The Future of Contested Logistics ← Series Home Key Takeaways Logistics includes specifications: The wrong gunpowder (changed for cost reasons) caused catastrophic jamming. Logistics isn't just moving supplies—it's ensuring supplies are correct. Field conditions differ from tests: The M16 worked in controlled environments. In Vietnam's heat and humidity, without proper cleaning supplies, it failed constantly. Bureaucracy can kill: Decisions made in Washington offices—about powder, cleaning kits, training—resulted in soldiers dying when their weapons failed. Soldiers adapt, systems resist: Troops developed workarounds while the system denied problems existed. Institutional momentum fought admitting failure. The Weapon That Wouldn’t Fire In the jungles of Vietnam, the most terrifying sound for an American soldier was click. ...

Key Takeaways The first global economy was mercantilist: European expansion was driven by monopoly, not free trade. Companies sought exclusive control, not open competition. Violence was central: The spice trade wasn't peaceful exchange. It was conquest, forced labor, and the destruction of alternative sources. States and corporations merged: The Dutch and British East India Companies were proto-governments—with armies, courts, and sovereign powers. Mercantilism worked (for some): Dismissed as primitive economics, mercantilism built the wealth that enabled later development. The critique came from those who had already benefited. When Spices Were Worth More Than Gold Pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves—today these are cheap commodities, bought without thought. ...