Hoover Daily Report | August 15, 2025

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.

 

Hoover Daily Report | August 15, 2025

Episode Transcript

>> Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Friday,August 15, 2025.

>> Speaker 2 (00:07):
Today, on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in
the Pacific, Peter Robinsonspeaks with two distinguished
historians about the US Decisionto drop atomic bombs on Japan.
Condoleezza Rice speaks with Brett Baerabout how her life experiences have
fostered her love of America and
what she sees as the nation'srole in the world today.

(00:28):
And Michael McFaul shares hisassessment of what success and
failure could look like at today'sTrump Putin summit in Alaska.

>> Speaker 1 (00:35):
From Pearl harbor to Hiroshima,
two historians on how America fought andwon the Pacific in World War II August 15,
2025 marks the 80th anniversary ofthe 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 andIan Toll to examine the most

(00:59):
contested decision of World War IIthe 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-1945a fanatical no surrender ethos,
mass civilian suffering across Asia,Allied casualty forecasts for

(01:21):
an invasion and and the timing ofthe Soviet entry into the war.
Horn and Toll probe the evidence and
the arguments on both sides ofthe decision to employ atomic weaponry and
place this decision in the context ofthe broader Pacific Theater campaign.
The discussion concludes by contemplatinghow to teach this history through people,
decisions andconsequences to generations for

(01:43):
whom World War II is fastfading from living memory.

>> Speaker 2 (01:46):
Condoleezza Rice to Brett Baer In America we keep striving.
The case forAmerica is not that America is perfect,
said Hoover Institution directorCondoleezza Rice in an exclusive interview
with Brett Baer of the Fox News Channel.
The case for America is We keep striving.
In this discussion, Rice tells Baerthe story of how she was able to

(02:07):
rise to prominence in an era where JimCrow laws prohibited millions from a fair
shot at the American dream, and why shegrew to love her country despite that.
The former Stanford Provost,national Security Advisor and
secretary of state also discussesthe difficulties she faced in helping run
a nation with hundreds of conflictingviews, the role America must play in

(02:27):
international politics amid today'sgeopolitical challenges, and
why millions across the globe stillstrive for American citizenship.

>> Speaker 1 (02:36):
A former U.S. ambassador to Russia on the Trump Putin Summit for
NPR Morning Edition, reporter MichelleMartin interviewed senior fellow and
former U.S.ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul and
about the diplomatic dynamics ahead oftoday's U.S. russia summit in Alaska.
I hope it will be a successful meeting.
I hope it'll be a step towardsending this horrific war,
this barbaric invasion that Putin launchedthree and a half years ago, said McFaul.

(03:01):
While noting his uncertainty aboutPresident Trump's strategy heading into
these negotiations, McFaul said he hopesthe president and his team will find
out if Putin is serious about negotiatingan end to Russia's Ukraine invasion.
McFaul says that success today wouldinvolve setting up a future meeting
with President.
Zelensky, Putin and Trump,>> Speaker 2: Hoover experts illuminate

(03:21):
challenges confronting us at 2025 summerboard meeting Senior Hoover Scholars
spoke alongside some rising stars andhonored guest speakers and
brought a wide range of insights tothe Hoover Institution's 2025 Summer Board
of Overseers meeting held July 8th to10th, 2025 on the Stanford campus.
On a range of topics from China's economicperformance and the rising US Federal debt

(03:45):
to the future of higher education,guests heard how Hoover is developing new
research based insights into the issuesthat will shape America's future.
Hoover also welcomed a Senior Advisor tothe White House on Artificial Intelligence
and heard from Senior Fellow Joshua D.
Rao about the challenging fiscal positionof the United States federal government.

(04:05):
In one talk,Senior Fellow H.R McMaster and
Hoover Institution Director CondoleezzaRice shared perspectives on the vital and
timely work of the Hoover Institution amidmounting global and domestic challenges.
Later, recently appointed DistinguishedVisiting Fellow Zohar Palti and
Senior Fellow Stephen Kotkin spoke tosupporters about Israel's current security

(04:27):
situation and lessons Learned fromthe October 7, 2023 terror attacks.
Hoover Institution equips diplomats and national security officials
with insights to confront sharedchallenges at international seminar from
June 22 to June 28, Hoover Fellows leddozens of mid career diplomats and
national security practitionersin engrossing discussions about

(04:50):
the future of the US Led globalsecurity order, international trade and
how technological advancements willimpact global foreign relations.
Co hosted by Hoover Senior Fellow H.R.mcMaster and
National Security Visiting Fellow NadiaShadlow, the Hoover Institution's
fourth annual international seminar hosted38 professionals from nations including

(05:11):
Norway, France, Finland, Turkey, Sweden,Australia, Singapore, uk, Italy,
Canada, South Korea, Georgia, Lithuania,Estonia, Poland, Venezuela and Nigeria.
This gathering will help policymakers fromUS Allies and strategic partners develop
common understanding of the problems andopportunities our countries are facing,
McMaster said, and our discussions willgenerate ideas about how we can work

(05:35):
together to solve those problems andcapitalize on opportunities.

>> Speaker 2 (05:40):
Featured Research Initiative Huntington Program
on Strengthening US India Relations thepartnership between the United States and
India will define freedom Security andProsperity in the 21st century.
Led by Senior Fellow Shumit Ganguly andResearch Fellow Dinsha Mistry,
the the goal of the Huntington Program onStrengthening US India Relations at Hoover

(06:01):
is to generate, identify andadvance policy relevant scholarship and
connections that will furtherthis critical partnership.

>> Speaker 1 (06:09):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Friday, August 15, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you research,analysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment tosustaining the safeguards of the American

(06:31):
way of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HDR.