Presenting the first Perspectives in Military History Lecture of the 57th Season! This month we welcome Dr. Michael Neiberg, Chair of War Studies and Professor at the U.S. Army War College.

The best way to understand the crises in Europe today is through rigorous study of European history since at least 1914.This presentation uses the War College's "Historical Mindedness" methodology to better understand where Europe is today, where it might go in the future, and the options open to Americans as we relate to it. Ultimately, it asks whether Europe can truly be, as President George H. W. Bush, hoped, "Whole, Free, and at Peace" given the legacies of its complicated past.

The U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center is excited to present a special American Revolution lecture by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson. The lecture focuses on his book, “The Fate of the Day,” the second volume in his Revolution trilogy.

Dr. Robert F. Smith, Provost of Valley Forge Military College, delivers a lecture titled "Washingtonburg Arsenal and its Role in Military Manufacturing in the American Revolution" at the United States Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC).

The lecture explores the critical role played by the Washingtonburg Arsenal in providing munitions and artillery for the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Dr. Smith, a noted historian of the period, will draw upon his extensive research and his recently published book, Manufacturing Independence: Industrial Innovation in the American Revolution, to shed light on this often-overlooked aspect of the fight for American independence.

Presenting a lecture by Dr. Daniel Krebs, titled "From Trenton to Carlisle: Hessian Soldiers in American Hands, 1776-1778."

The American Revolution was a complex conflict involving soldiers from across Europe, including thousands of German troops hired by the British Crown. Dr. Krebs' lecture will delve into the often-overlooked experiences of these Hessian soldiers who were captured during the pivotal early years of the war.

Dr. Krebs is a leading expert on the American Revolution and his engaging presentation style and meticulous research promise an insightful and thought-provoking exploration of this fascinating chapter in American history.

Presenting the kick off of the 56th year of our annual Perspectives in Military History Lecture series with author Mr. Ted Aldrich. Mr. Aldrich will discuss his new book, The Partnership: George Marshall, Henry Stimson, and the Extraordinary Collaboration That Won World War II, that captures the insightful revelations regarding the major roles played by General George C. Marshall and Henry L. Stimson to prepare America for war and ensure the Allies’ victory in World War II.  

Ted Aldrich, a career-long New York-based commodity and trade finance banker, has had a lifelong passion for history. The book has received critical acclaim from historians such as Walter Isaacson, Kai Bird, and Evan Thomas, and his talk features engaging stories about the lives and partnership of Stimson, Marshall, and the Allied leaders they worked with, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and general officers Dwight D. Eisenhower, George S. Patton Jr, Douglas MacArthur, and Omar N. Bradley.

As the Commander of U.S. Central Command, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., USMC (Ret.), oversaw some of the most important — and controversial operations in modern U.S. military history. He had direct operational responsibility for the strikes on Qassem Soleimani and two successive leaders of ISIS, the many months of deterrence operations against Iran and its proxies, and the methodical drawdown in Iraq. He directed the noncombatant evacuation operation in Afghanistan, and our final withdrawal from that tortured country.

His book, The Melting Point has three themes which are as follows.

The first one is the importance of the primacy of civilian control of the military. The second theme is the uniqueness of being a combatant commander. Combatant commanders participate in the development of policy, although as junior partners. Finally, the third theme that McKenzie argues is that leaders matter, and the decisions they make have a profound effect on what happens on the battlefield. McKenzie provides a vivid portrait of leadership in action in one of the most volatile regions of the world.

Hailing from Birmingham, Alabama, General Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr. graduated from The Citadel in 1979 and was commissioned as a Marine Corps officer, beginning his notable military career as an infantry officer, which would ultimately lead to his appointment as Commander of United States Central Command (CENTCOM).

Who were the British soldiers who fought in the American Revolution? What sort of men filled the ranks of the regiments that fought for the King? Far from ruffians or conscripted criminals, the British army of the era was largely a force of career soldiers who had voluntarily enlisted after trying their hands at other trades. This talk will look at the demographics of a typical British regiment serving in America during the war, presenting the nationalities, ages, background and experience of the common soldiers that served in it. It will show the diversity of the army by detailing the careers of several individual soldiers. The real stories of these professional soldiers are sure to be surprising. 

Don N. Hagist is the managing editor of Journal of the American Revolution (http://allthingsliberty.com) and author of several books focusing on common soldiers during the American War for Independence, including These Distinguished Corps: British Grenadier and Light Infantry Battalions in the American Revolution (Helion: 2021), Noble Volunteers: the British Soldiers who Fought the American Revolution (Westholme, 2020), and The Revolution's Last Men: the Soldiers Behind the Photographs (Westholme Publishing, 2015).

During the 1930s, as Europe was teetering on the brink of crisis, Winston Churchill found himself out of government and with little political influence. In these years, his country home in Kent, England, “Chartwell”, became the center of his campaign against the rising threat of Nazi Germany. Churchill invited a diverse group of trusted advisors and informants, including Albert Einstein and T. E. Lawrence, to provide him with valuable intelligence and support as he tirelessly worked to sound the alarm about the looming threat of war.

Katherine Carter's book provides a fascinating account of the remarkable but little-known meetings that took place behind closed doors at Chartwell. From high-profile figures to political leaders, diplomats to spies, Carter reveals a fascinating cast of characters who each made their mark on Churchill's thinking and political strategy. With Chartwell as his base, Churchill was able to gather critical intelligence about Germany's preparations for war, ultimately positioning himself to have a significant impact on the course of history.

Author, historian, and veteran Michael S. McGurty discusses one of the last critical moments of the Revolutionary war based on his book "George Washington Versus the Continental Army: Showdown at the New Windsor Cantonment, 1782-1783 (2023).

Noted Civil War Historian and US Army War College Professor, Dr. Christian B. Keller, discusses his analysis of the failure of Confederate strategic leadership during the American Civil War based on his two books, "The Great Partnership (2019)" and "Southern Strategies: Why the Confederacy Failed (2021)."