Office Hours with Victor Davis Hanson: Sherman 

Every time I listen to the great VDH I learn so much, no one comes close to his brilliance and ability to clearly explain events.

VDH America's favorite farmer and most vital scholar

Victor Davis Hanson is a National Treasure. He should be required reading for many, especially at the High School and Undergraduate level.

When ever I have a hard time with our current situation here in 2023 I will find some Victor David Hanson to bring clarity to my thoughts.

This particular office hour discussing Sherman hit so close to home. I'm a farmer's daughter from Ohio who has lived in the South for 20+ years now. Everything VDH said about Sherman's troops from what was the western US at the time is so true. German/Scandinavian farmers, etc who knew how to work and were excellent marksmen wasn't something I'd really put much thought into. Just a fact of life at home. And the poor whites in the south who were treated worse than the slaves, those folks were indentured servants and the children of indentured servants. The world, this world we live in today, becomes a little bit clearer, even when talking about Sherman and the Civil War. I have really enjoyed these office hours with VDH. My first introduction to Pepperdine University. I look forward to the next one.

I've learned more from VDH than any university class I've ever attended. Cool, calm, collected, when offering his wise wisdom and most of all his common sense approach to history and solutions to current events!!

When this man speaks...YOU LISTEN!

History is the window of tomorrow's success. Victor Davis Hanson aids our knowledge. Thanks, Mr Hanson.

VDH is a true intellectual and knows the history without editing it. I am confused why 13,352 views and only 573 likes. It does not make sense. He is the one guy I always want make time to watch and I will listen to him. I hope his students digest his teaching and that they can objectively digest it.

Before she died my mother related some stories her 97 year old grandfather had told her about the Civil War. He was with the 23rd Missouri Volunteer Infantry which participated in Shermans March. He told her that the one aspect of the whole campaign that stuck in his mind was seeing the southern women picking grains of undigested corn from the piles of horse poop that were left as the Union troops advanced.

Oh cool! A new VDH video. Perfect! Thank for this series. I'm astonished at Dr Hanson's in depth analyses and how history continues to relate to today. Outstanding.

Another excellent video featuring Victor Davis Hanson. A very educational and thought provoking hour well spent.

These episodes are SO great! Educational, and riveting. Please keep them coming.

One of the greatest minds of our century. Dr. Hansen always provides a unique and detailed perspective on the subject in review. I find his interviews refreshing and extremely informative discussions.

Wow, what an invigorating dive into history. I thoroughly enjoyed the contrast to the current day insanity.

As a soldier in the U.S. Army from private to Lieutenant Colonel at retirement my success rested on what one of my commanders said. One commander said something that represents what I found successful. He said, "You keep doing what I want and if you get leaned on I will provide you overhead cover.". I appreciate this series as a validation of what I did in the Army. I stand in awe of the genius of VDH.

This was one of VDH best.

OUTSTANDING Yet another outstanding analysis of issues from VDH in this interview with Pete Peterson. Discussions of this type should be a standard form of presentation in schools and colleges. Victor's assessment of the current situation on Gaza, at 37:57, (whilst not strictly the subject of this discussion), is spot on. What we have to remember is that the concept of 'Proportionality' was pushed at us in the film The American President, (Michael Douglas, Annette Bening , Martin Sheen & Michael J. Fox), when we were treated to a discussion inside The Situation Room. The use of 'Proportionality'....as portrayed in this film is to justify an American response that is limited. Unfortunately what this did was to portray an image of America across the world that would act in a limited manner in dealing with an issue; namely that it would always pull its punches. Whilst this seemed sane and sensible within the context of the problem and response being discussed in The Situation Room, in the film, it was actually anything but. It sent a signal to the terrorists and enemies of the US that it would act with one arm tied behind its back in any form of conflict. Everything since then has brought chaos based upon this. One of the best examples of this was the response to the attacks on The Twin Towers on 9/11, where the bombing of the terrorists in the Tora Bora Mountains was not followed through as it should have been, thus allowing them to escape into Pakistan. The War in Iraq....the 20 year Debacle in Afghanistan.....reveal similar instances. Winston Churchill observed that, ".......One can always rely on the Americans to do the right thing; after they have exhausted all the other possibilities...." Churchill was correct, but the doctrine has not served America well.... James Hennighan Yorkshire, England

Pepperdine is a fine institution and VDH is their finest professor.

VDH a American treasure. Learn so much .

VDH’s deep learning, insights and understanding are a revelation, which opens eyes. He is a treasure whose work should be taught in every classroom.

I would have loved to have VDH as a professor when I was a college student many years ago.

I wish these would never end! Thank you so much for putting these together. Vdh is an American treasure

The Man is a Titan

Listening to this series for the second time. VDH is worth the time. 😅

Thank you Victor for sharing your great knowledge and insights, as well as your continuous effort to fight global Antisemitism.

I was always impressed with General Sherman's habit of walking around the camp at night, sitting and talking with the men beside their fires. The men loved him for this and it's a great lesson that I try to use with my employees. I'll jump in and do their job on the construction site because I want them to know that I won't ask them to do anything that I won't do. It's helpful for the spirit of the crew.

I looked for this video after the Patton video, and was disappointed that it didn't show up. Well, of course not: it hadn't been done or uploaded yet. This is a pleasant, unexpected surprise.

Thank you! Another great lesson in History. VDH is not only a great historian, and a teacher, but a great thinker. His insights are truly enlightening.

thank you for this interview. brimming with relevance.

This is excellent, more please more!

I have read everything by VDH! One of the very few scholars that understand the full scope of war. I learn so much from VDH and get a comprehensive view of the events he’s teaching. Thank you for this!

I have a lot of respect for VDH. Having said that I have real problem with Sherman pedestal. Sherman did not face an Army, He brought war and terror to a civilian population.

Fascinating! I didn’t want it to end. VDH has an exceptional perspective on every topic. I thoroughly enjoyed this edition of “Office Hours”. Thank you, Pepperdine, for sharing the excellent mind of VDH with all of us.

Please do a lecture on General Lee

Fascinating and so full of information, as usual. Thank you.

VDH- incomparable. such insight from past to present.

A brilliant mind. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

I would like Victor Davis Hanson to become the President of the United States ...

VDH as a guest? I will watch! Them’s the rules.

Really enjoying this series. These sit downs are fascinating. I stumbled upon the book in my local library recently and read the prologue. I have since added it to my book list!

Brilliant man

Excellent discussion. I appreciate DVH mentioned the War in Israel . Everything he said was insightful and valuable to know.

I could listen to VDH talk all day….

So many valuable insights that are applicable to so many times. Truly amazing and thrilling. A clear stance on war is something I have struggled to articulate. Indeed, if you are anti war what the hell do you do with evil? Appease? Capitulate? And does evil next door get a pass because it isn't at your door? I say, 'No.' But it really helps to flesh out all these perplexing, difficult questions with people who have lived the 'reality' of war and evil and struggled with the same questions. VDH brings history to life and that is potent!

Can listen to Dr.Hanson all day.

VDH is a National Treasure- facts will hurt feelings but natural reality and sciences won’t care only prevail eventually.

Lincoln's primary motivation was not about ending slavery. In August 1862, Lincoln stated: "If I could save the union without freeing any slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that." The northern elite owned the mills and factories that depended on the souths cotton and agriculture. Every bale of captured cotton went north. Like the motivating reason to invade Iraq was 911, so too was freeing the slaves used as motivation to invade the South but not until the war was well under way. Must remember the North had slaves also.

When Dr. Hanson talks about Sherman and how swiftly and decisively he could move his army, it reminds me of Julius Ceasar. He could March his troops 50 miles a day and was constantly sending letters to Rome to report to the senate, and they were freaked out about his swiftness. And, of course, he outmanuvered anyone he came up against.

I never knew how correct Sherman was when he took the war to the people that supported the war effort.

Listen to VDH and Sowell for a year and it will equal a four year degree in Liberal Arts.

When will the 4th part of this series be issued? So far the series is fantastic and informative.

Fascinating discourse.

National Treasure of a man .

Thank you

A 5 star video.

Excellent. And I'm a Southerner!

love Victor Hanson; so appreciate his educated clarity

Wow, this man is brilliant! all should listen!

Excellent. Thank you.

It's interesting how history tends to remember wealthy people......

Thank you for doing these. Listening to these are "Storytime" for me.

I was reading an article a while ago where the author shows that it was a myth that the South had no middle class, contrary to what Hanson says here. It doesn't make sense that it wouldn't have a middle class.

This was great and spoke to the exact reason why I study the classics. History especially. Great written works throughout history show snapshots of human nature. The good and the bad. Heroic ideals to aspire towards, and the hubris, other mistakes to avoid.. if used in the right way, it can help us aim our life, our actions in a better direction. Towards success and excellence. Helping us while helping those around us.

Appreciate the analogies between Hamas/IDF and Confederates/Sherman.

If VDH is speaking I am listening. Read his books and has common American horse sense.

Excellent !!

Round III?

I enjoy VDH, I am likely the only person to say this, but belive Sherman committed some war crimes on his March to the sea.

Sherman has always been my favorite General, and my Virginia ancestors lost that War, rightly so.

VDH 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

If only liberals surrendered their arrogance for one hour to listen to this video, it might deflate their sense of untouchability enough to provide a moment of clarity and reflection.

👏👏👏👏👏🙏🏼🇺🇸👮‍♀️🇺🇸🙏🏼🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️🤍💙that’s a history lesson 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇮🇱🇺🇸

My dad was a captain and officer in World War II and then he stayed in until 1963 and retired from the army National Guard. So at the beginning of the desert storm war, I asked him what he would do and he actually told me he would nuke Saddam Hussein, and that sort of set me back, because I thought he was a reasonable person which he was and then I got to thinking that’s what an army is for to put a stop to the madness just like during World War II which he witnessed the nuclear bombs and Hiroshima and Nagasaki put into the madness, so that’s what he was familiar with

🙏✌👍

I love VDH, but the idea that succession was somehow wrong is utterly antithetical to what our founders believed. The people who seceded from Britain supported states rights to secede.

Dean Peterson, what is the title of the book you are holding?

Thank you for the interview. I looked up the 'Soul of Battle' on Amazon and the hardcover is listed for $101. Any chance the price will come down soon ?

I love Victor Davis Hanson, but I'm skeptical of his assertion that the vast majority of Confederate soldiers were either poor whites or "plantation grandees." Most of them were small farmers themselves and not slaveholders. On the other hand, I could be convinced otherwise if the evidence showed it. Comparing the Confederacy to Hamas is wildly unapropos and unpersuasive. However, nothing I have said should be taken to mean that succession was a good idea, that slavery was anything but an intolerable injustice that had to be abolished, or that the outcome of the war should have been otherwise.

Great interview. However, VDH should reconsider using the people of the Crimea as his example of the need for disproportionality in warfare. The mainly Russophone people of Crimea didn't start the military conflict in Ukraine. They peacefully voted to leave Ukraine shortly before Ukraine voted for independence. It was the Kyiv government that used force of arms to submit them to the control of Kyiv. Later, in 2014, as Obama acknowledged, the US helped sponsor a violent and unconstitutional regime change that led immediately to passage of legislation abolishing Russophone minority rights in Ukraine, including Crimea. VDH is an impressive scholar of warfare, but he isn't well acquainted with the Former Soviet Union.

Wish VDH had kept his comments to Sherman. His glorification of Israel in this context was… odd.

overall a good talk but the comparison to the current Israeli-Palestinian fight does not seem correct. he just got done talking about the fact that Sherman pillaged the plantations but did not slaughter the civilians and from the reporting it seems like a lot of civilians are being killed in Gaza. Plus of course in the south the men were gone fighting and all that was left was civilians. whereas in Gaza, the fighters are most likely hiding among the civilians. so again a poor comparison.

The Hamas terrorists were disproportionate in their murdering of Israelis. Why should the IDF be disproportionate in Gaza?

Sherman could have ended the war by capturing or defeating the Army of Tennessee. Instead he terrorized innocent Americans, burned property and captured cotton.

Sherman hated the plantation class. Almost as much as MAGA hates the uniparty.

Why do you say white, but you cannot say black?