In this installment of the "America at 250" series on U.S. national security, leading historians Victor Davis Hanson and Joseph Loconte offer a distinctive look at World Wars I and II—revealing how these epic armed struggles were also fierce ideological battles marking the opening chapter in an ongoing clash between totalitarianism and freedom. Hosted by the School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University on Tuesday, October 12, 2026, this conversation moves beyond military strategy to explore the undergirding ideas and America's pivotal role in both global conflicts.