Carlos Eire of Yale University discusses his experiences as one of the 14,600 children airlifted to the U.S. from Cuba between 1960-1962 and the U.S. misunderstanding and misrepresentation of Cuba's condition under Castro that motivated Eire to write his memoirs—arguing that Cuba continues to labor under severe human rights violations. To appreciate and comprehend the benefits of freedom, students need to know what it's like to live without freedom—or worse, in conditions of harsh repression, even genocide. To help teachers teach students about life without freedom, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center and the National Liberty Museum, assembled some of the world's leading analysts—and witnesses—of countries without freedom. The conference helped teachers define totalitarianism while examining the history of the idea of freedom.

To listen to this lecture, scroll to "When Repression Masquerades as Social Justice: Confessions of a Cuban Boy" under "Speakers and Topics." Audio and video options are available.

Chinese activist Wei Jingsheng discusses his own experiences as a political prisoner in China and the mistakes the West makes in its perception of modern-day China as a relatively "free" country—when, in fact, it remains a country of severe oppression, with freedom for few. Students grow up in a free society; it is the only kind of society they really know. To appreciate and comprehend the benefits of freedom, students need to know what it's like to live without freedom—or worse, in conditions of harsh repression, even genocide. To help teachers teach students about life without freedom, FPRI's Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education, in cooperation with the National Constitution Center and the National Liberty Museum, assembled some of the world's leading analysts—and witnesses—of countries without freedom. The conference helped teachers define totalitarianism while examining the history of the idea of freedom.

The lecture is conducted in Mandarin with an English translator. Audio and video options are available. To listen to this lecture, scroll to "China: The Cultural Revolution and Beyond" under "Speakers and Topics."

Williamson Murray of the Institute for Defense Analyses reviews the history of Western warfare, from classical times to the present day. This lecture was conducted for "Teaching Military History, Why and How: A History Institute for Teachers," held on September 29–30, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education and the Cantigny First Division Foundation, and held at the Cantigny First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL.

Audio and video options are available.

Martin van Creveld of Hebrew University examines the intimate relationship between warfare and technological development—including the essential change in the nature of war that the development of nuclear weapons brought about (a new warfare in which victory did not ensure survival) and the U.S.'s emphasis on technological superiority in warfare (regardless of the effectiveness of this approach). This lecture was conducted for "Teaching Military History, Why and How: A History Institute for Teachers," held on September 29–30, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education and the Cantigny First Division Foundation, and held at the Cantigny First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL.

Audio and video options are available.

Anthony Codevilla of Boston University explores the definitions of war and diplomacy and the relationship between the two, as tools of statecraft. This lecture was conducted for "Teaching Military History, Why and How: A History Institute for Teachers," held on September 29–30, 2007. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s Marvin Wachman Fund for International Education and the Cantigny First Division Foundation, and held at the Cantigny First Division Museum in Wheaton, IL.

Audio and video options are available.

A four-member panel of academic experts discusses the significance of the 2008 Olympics and the contact between the West and China that it invites and represents. This lecture was conducted for "China's Encounter with the West: A History Institute for Teachers," held on March 1-2, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Asia Program, and held at UTC.

Audio and video options are available.

Jacques deLisle of the University of Pennsylvania explores legal interactions between the West and China from the 19th century onwards. This lecture was conducted for "China's Encounter with the West: A History Institute for Teachers," held on March 1-2, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Asia Program, and held at UTC.

Audio and video options are available.

Warren I. Cohen of the University of Maryland discusses the rise of U.S. and Chinese power on the international stage. He emphasizes the fact that China's rise is not the region's first assumption of prominence on the global level—and that the original Chinese empire was, as were Western empires, based on conquest and racism. He notes that China will likely wield its power in opposition to the U.S., just as the U.S. has opposed other global powers in the past—and that the economic future of China is still in doubt. This lecture was conducted for "China's Encounter with the West: A History Institute for Teachers," held on March 1-2, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Asia Program, and held at UTC.

Audio and video options are available.

Lucien Ellington of the University of Tennessee and Paul Dickler of the Foreign Research Policy Institute discuss aspects of China's relationship with the West. They focus on the economic dynamism of China, and end with a question-and-answer session. This lecture was conducted for "China's Encounter with the West: A History Institute for Teachers," held on March 1-2, 2008. The event was sponsored by the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Wachman Center and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Asia Program, and held at UTC.

Audio and video options are available.