USAHEC Military History Podcast

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).

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)."

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).

Presenting USAHEC's General Omar N. Bradley Memorial Lecture to kick off the Fall 2024 season of the Perspectives in Military History with Civial War historian D. Scott Hartwig. Mr. Harwig will discuss the Battle of Antietam and his book I Dread the Thought of the Place: The Battle of Antietam and the End of the Maryland Campaign.

While research has shown Latinos are highly patriotic, political rhetoric often questions their patriotism and residence in the United States. In his lecture, Dr. McGlynn will examine how Latina/Latino aspirations to demonstrate patriotism and belonging influences their experiences with military recruitment and service.

Supply and logistics are an integral component of military operations, which influences every aspect of military planning, operational art, and strategy. Among the many challenges faced by the fledgling Continental Army was establishing secure sources of supplies. That challenge came on top of developing effective and efficient lines of communication, creating functional and reliable transportation systems, finding reliable and secure logistical bases, and successfully managing what was often an ad-hoc and improvised supply and logistical system.  In his most recent book “Feeding Washington's Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778”, U.S. Army War College professor Dr. Ricardo Herrera outlines how this system catastrophically failed at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778. Dr. Herrera discusses the causes of this failure; and how Washington and his logisticians overcame it to enable the Continental Army to fight the British army to a standstill at Monmouth that spring.   

Although he took command of the Army of the Potomac only three days before the first shots were fired at Gettysburg, Union general George G. Meade guided his forces to victory in the Civil War's most pivotal battle. Commentators often dismiss Meade when discussing the great leaders of the Civil War. In this lecture historian, Kent Masterson Brown draws on an expansive archive to reappraise Meade's leadership during the Battle of Gettysburg. Using Meade's published and unpublished papers alongside diaries, letters, and memoirs of fellow officers and enlisted men, Brown highlights how Meade's rapid advance of the army to Gettysburg on July 1, his tactical control and coordination of the army in the desperate fighting on July 2, and his determination to hold his positions on July 3 insured victory.

Military expert Dr. Michael O'Hanlon examines America's major conflicts since the mid-1800s: the Civil War, the two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. O'Hanlon addresses profound questions. How successful has the United States been when it waged these wars? Were the wars avoidable? Did America's leaders know what they were getting into when they committed to war? And what lessons does history offer for future leaders contemplating war? —including the prospects for avoiding war in the first place.

America's World War II military was a force of good. While saving the world from Nazism, it also managed to unify a famously fractious American people. At least that is the story the U.S. Army put forward through wartime propaganda during WW2, and remains popular today.In this talk, historian and George Washington University associate professor Thomas Guglielmo offers a decidedly different view. This new perspective draws from more than a decade of extensive research and stitches together stories of race and the military; of high command and ordinary GIs; of African Americans, white Americans, Japanese Americans, and more, stories which have long been told separately. Guglielmo underscores not national unities, but racist divisions as a defining feature of America's World War II military and of the postwar world it helped to fashion.

Defeat is a possibility in almost any undertaking. Understanding how to turn failures into lessons learned is a key contributing skill to bringing about future success. In two of his recent books, Dr. David L. Preston, the General Mark W. Clark Distinguished Professor of History at The Citadel, provides a framework of how to draw constructive criticism out of defeat.Both “Braddock's Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution” and “The Other Face of Battle: America's Forgotten Wars and the Experience of Combat” analyze key takeaways hidden behind the immediate sting of failure, and the dangers of not dedicating time to bring those lessons to light.

This lecture was recorded at the open house for the USAHEC's newest exhibit, “Ka-Pow Boom! Understanding the Soldier Experience through Comic and Illustrative Art.” Writer, former military strategist, and U.S. Army veteran Steve Leonard delivered a presentation on his comic series “The Further Adventures of Doctrine Man” In his presentation discussed the origins and inspiration for the iconic comic strip, and the impact it's had on the U.S. Army.

In her award-winning novel “I Will Die In A Foreign Land”, author Kalani Pickhart offers an opportunity to connect with the human aspect of the conflict. The novel, winner of the 2022 New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award, lets readers experience the complex, and often intensely personal, circumstances leading up to the conflict through the stories of its main characters.

The harrowing experiences of Major Dick Winters and Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Spiers, along with their abilities to successfully lead solders, provide deep insights for anyone interested in leadership and small unit dynamics. Frederick explores the specific elements, personal and professional, which enabled Winters and Spiers to become legendary leaders.

 Lecture at the USAHEC with U.S. Army War College professor Dr. Kevin J. Weddle:In the late summer and fall of 1777, after two years of indecisive fighting on both sides, the outcome of the American War of Independence hung in the balance. Having successfully expelled the Americans from Canada in 1776, the British were determined to end the rebellion the following year and devised what they believed a war-winning strategy, sending General John Burgoyne south to rout the Americans and take Albany. When British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga with unexpected ease in July of 1777, it looked as if it was a matter of time before they would break the rebellion in the North. Less than three and a half months later, however, a combination of the Continental Army and Militia forces, commanded by Major General Horatio Gates and inspired by the heroics of Benedict Arnold, forced Burgoyne to surrender his entire army. The American victory stunned the world and changed the course of the war.

In the lecture Dr. Nolan will discusses the misconception that major battles determine clear-cut outcomes of wars, questioning the decisive power of even the most lopsided battles and debunking the concept of prodigies and geniuses of military strategy.

On September 14, 20022 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Pulitzer Prize nominated author Dr. Megan Kate Nelson. In this lecture, Dr. Nelson discussed the American Civil War by introducing the national conflict's impact on Indigenous peoples in the West and analyzing the strategic connections between the Civil War, Indian War, and western expansion. In highlighting the Civil War in the West, Dr. Nelson points attention to nine charismatic individuals who fought for regional control in the West in the midst of the larger military conflict.To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website https://ahec.armywarcollege.edu

In this lecture, Dr. Alan Allport of Syracuse University, discusses World War II's critical first years and how the United Kingdom's strategic and political decisions impacted the outcome of the war.

On June 22, 2022 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Georgetown University Professor, Dr. Matthew Kroenig. In this lecture, Dr.Kroenig provided an in-depth analysis of the return to great power competition and how the democratic system of the United States is advantageous compared to the autocratic systems of Russia and China.To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website https://ahec.armywarcollege.edu

April 20, 2022 – Robert D. KaplanOn April 20, 2022 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center inCarlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by the New York Times bestsellingauthor, Robert D. Kaplan. In this lecture, Mr. Kaplan provided a ground levelgeopolitical primer of great power competition and the state of Europe, theMiddle East, and Asia. He also described how second phase globalization isdifferent than the first and the relevance of imperialism in today's world. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

February 16, 2022 – Dr. Michael NeibergOn February 16, 2022 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Dr. Michael Neiberg of the U.S. Army War College based on his new book, “When France Fell: The Vichy Crisis and the Fate of the Anglo-American Alliance.”. In his lecture, Dr. Neiberg provides an in-depth analysis of the repercussions of the shocking six-week defeat of France by the Nazi regime in 1940. In panic and desperation, U.S. leaders chose to recognize the collaborationist Vichy government. Dr. Neiberg explores the resulting effects on the Anglo-American alliance, the relationships with other allies, and the prosecution of the war with Germany.To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

February 16, 2022 – Dr. Michael NeibergOn February 16, 2022 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Dr. Michael Neiberg of the U.S. Army War College based on his new book, “When France Fell: The Vichy Crisis and the Fate of the Anglo-American Alliance.”. In his lecture, Dr. Neiberg provides an in-depth analysis of the repercussions of the shocking six-week defeat of France by the Nazi regime in 1940. In panic and desperation, U.S. leaders chose to recognize the collaborationist Vichy government. Dr. Neiberg explores the resulting effects on the Anglo-American alliance, the relationships with other allies, and the prosecution of the war with Germany.To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

On February 6, 2020, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania welcomed USAHEC Senior Historian Dr. Michael Lynch as he presented his talk on Edward M. Almond. Lt. Gen. Edward M. Almond was one of the more controversial leaders in U.S. Army history, but his story is more nuanced than the legends indicate. He commanded the 92nd Infantry Division—one of only two complete African American divisions formed during World War II—and led it through two years of training. He did so in a time when both the Army and American society were segregated, which presented training and stationing challenges. Almond lived by the adage that “units don't fail, leaders do,” but when the 92nd performed poorly in Italy in February 1945, he asserted that it was due to their inferiority as a race. The Almond legends highlight his shortcomings as a leader, but don't address the maltreatment of all African American Soldiers by a separate but unequal society, and how those cultural mores affected Almond's perspective. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

On September 16, 2021 at 6:30PM EST, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania welcomed Prof. Amy Gaudion, of Penn State Dickinson Law, as she presented her lecture, Shifting the Oversight Lens on Cyberspace Operations. In this lecture, Prof. Gaudion examines the recent expansion of the U.S. government's cyber authorities, to engage in both offensive and defensive measures, and explains how that expansion has coincided with a weakening and dispersion of congressional oversight mechanisms. Professor Gaudion proposes alternative mechanisms for plugging the gaps in the oversight structure and for ensuring appropriate limits on the use of cyber capabilities, considering their potential for unintended escalation, catastrophic effects, harm to third-parties, damage to diplomatic relationships, and the development of reciprocal state actions at odds with the goal of creating international norms in cyberspace.To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

On August 19, 2021 at 6:30PM EST, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania welcomed Dr. Peter Campbell, of Baylor University, as he presented his lecture, Statecraft and Cyberspace: Is the Best Cyber-Defense a Good Cyber-Offense? In this lecture, Dr. Campbell discusses the clear advantages of defensive over offensive cyber tactics and strategy, and how the power of the defense applies in cyberspace. According to Dr. Campbell, advocates of the cyber-offense do not appreciate the dangers of an offensive cyber strategy while underestimating the tactical, strategic, and political advantages of cyber-defense. These defensive insights can help the U.S. to develop a defensive cyber strategy, leveraging vital public/private partnerships for protection of critical infrastructure both at home and abroad. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

  August 19, 2020 – Dr. Andrew Marble On August 19, 2020 the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, presented a lecture by Dr. Andrew Marble of Brown University based on his new book, Boy on the Bridge: The Story of John Shalikashvili's American Success. In his lecture, Dr. Marble tells the story of John Shalikashvili, the son of immigrants who fled Europe to the safety of the United States after World War II. Despite his underprivileged upbringing, Shalikashvili clawed his way to a Bachelor's degree before being drafted into the Army and attending Officer Candidate School. Shalikashvili's empathetic and collaborative approach to leadership impressed his colleagues, subordinates, and leadership alike. He demonstrated his expertise in military affairs through his ability to handle conflict, his humility, and his ability to work well with others. He rose rapidly in rank, eventually serving as the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe for NATO and then as the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. In his lecture, Dr. Andrew Marble studies Shalikashvili's leadership style through the lens of Shalikashvili's family struggles, his career as a junior officer, and how he broke the chains of poverty to achieve the highest position in the American Armed Forces. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

  November 18, 2015 - Gayle Lemmon In 2010, the United States Army created Cultural Support Teams (CTS), a secret pilot program to insert women alongside Special Operations Soldiers battling in Afghanistan. The women of the CSTs put themselves in the line of fire to build relationships with the women of both the Afghan mountains and the tough streets of the Afghanistan cities. In November 2015, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center (USAHEC) in Carlisle, PA presented a lecture by Gayle Lemmon, author and Senior Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, based on her book, Ashley's War. Lemon discussed the complexities of war, as well as the stories of the war in Afghanistan through the eyes of the members of the CST team. Her talk also covered why the Army believed women could play a unique role on the Specials Ops teams. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

    August 21, 2013-Dr. Conrad Crane Though the Korean War was a limited conflict, there were many operational and technological temptations to expand it. America's allies feared the United States would again resort to atomic bombs as they did against Japan, and Communist enemies propagated elaborate accusations about the employment of biological warfare. Political and military leaders certainly considered using such weapons, though the reasons they never did are varied and complex. Dr. Conrad Crane describes the practical and ethical reasoning behind strategic leaders' decisions, particularly emphasizing the pressures they faced in a limited war with the potential to be much worse. He also discusses the research process to investigate such decision-making and the special difficulties involved in dealing with classified sources about weapons of mass destruction. The lecture is a detective story with twists and turns and more than a little luck involved. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers,researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please vist our website at www.usahec.org.  

April 22, 2021 – Mr. D.M. Giangreco On April 22, 2021 at 6:30PM EST, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania welcomed author and scholar Mr. D.M. Giangreco as he presented his lecture, Berlin 1945: The Halt on the Elbe and the Redeployment to the Pacific. In this lecture, Mr. Giangreco discusses the steep increase in U.S. losses during the "casualty surge" of 1944-45 and its relationship to "the Berlin decision" to halt the U.S. Army’s drive into Germany instead of allowing them to push on to the German capital. Manpower needs for the planned invasion of Japan and the complex redeployment to the Pacific Theater principally drove this decision and had implications for the decision to use the atomic bomb. Mr. Giangreco highlights the ethical discussions and reasoning behind these strategic decisions, their long-lasting impact, and historical significance. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

  February 18, 2021 – Dr. David Danks On February 18, 2021, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in coordination with the Army Heritage Center Foundation, welcomed Dr. David Danks, who presented a live-streamed lecture via ZOOM that explored the critically important topic of military applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the ethical questions that arise with the idea of “responsible AI." In this talk, Dr. Danks provided a short history of military AI ethics discussions and looked carefully at the nature of “responsible AI,” with a particular focus on military uses. He argued that we should focus on the processes and practices that we use to design, develop, and deploy AI-enabled systems, rather than fine-grained technical details of the systems themselves. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.  

March 11, 2021 – Dr. Reed Bonadonna On March 11, 2021, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania welcomed author and scholar Dr. Reed Bonadonna to present his lecture, How to Think Like an Officer: The Officer as Visionary. In this lecture, Dr. Bonadonna argued that the military officer corps functions as a collective repository of knowledge of the nature of armed conflict, causes and consequences, and of peace and victory. An officers’ education and experience, combined with reflection, can equip them for visionary thought, a form of thinking that can enhance their role as a serving officer and as a citizen. He discussed a variety of facets of this topic, including careful consideration of the past and future, death and the officer, the "ethical turn," the problem of political engagement, the officer's dreams, and peace and conflict studies. He also examined the ways in which history and literature provided examples of the officer-as-visionary. To learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.    

May 7, 2020 - Dr. Thomas Bruscino On May 7, 2020, at 6:30 PM EST, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania live-streamed a lecture entitled Developing Strategists, Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Interwar Army War College by U.S. Army War College Associate Professor Dr. Thomas Bruscino. The lecture is based on a paper written by Dr. Bruscino in conjunction with the USAHEC Historical Services Division. General of the Army Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, did not achieve his position or victory in World War II by accident. The overwhelming majority of senior leaders who led the United States to victory in World War II relied on world-class education and mentorship at the U.S. Army War College. Making extensive use of the Army War College’s archival records at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Dr. Bruscino’s lecture will describe the U.S. Army War College during Eisenhower’s tenure as a student in the 1927-1928 school year. He will offer insights into professional military education at the strategic level, interwar military reform, and the professional experiences of most of the senior leaders of World War II. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

April 15, 2020 - Dr. Cristian Keller On April 15, 2020, at 6:30PM, the USAHEC welcomed Dr. Christian Keller of the U.S. Army War College to give a lecture based on his latest book, The Great Partnership: Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and the Fate of the Confederacy. The unique relationship between Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson is one mired in legend, controversy, and misconception.  These great chieftains’ command styles, friendship, and even their faith, formed the Army of Northern Virginia into a fighting machine that almost won the Civil War in the Eastern Theater.   Dr. Keller’s talk cut through the folklore surrounding the two leaders and examine why and how their collaboration was contextually one of immense strategic importance for the seceded South. His presentation challenges how we think about Confederate strategic decision-making and the value of personal relationships among senior leaders responsible for organizational survival. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

March 4, 2020 - Mr. Martin King “They’ve got us surrounded – the poor b********!” was the defiant refrain among the cold and miserable 101st Airborne Division Soldiers valiantly defending the city of Bastogne in December 1945.  Both the German and American Soldiers lost terrible casualties, but the Americans held out against Hitler’s final push west until reinforcements arrived, a crucial part of the victory in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. On March 4, 2020, at 7:15 PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hosted Emmy Award winning British military historian, author, and lecturer Martin King.  Referred to as the “greatest living expert” on the Battle of the Bulge, King presented his newest book, The Battle of the Bulge:  The Allies’ Greatest Conflict on the Western Front, and will provide a comprehensive historical and distinctly personal account of the largest, deadliest, and arguably the greatest battle in U.S. military history. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

August 23, 2019 - Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs The Hello Girls is the untold story of how America’s first female Soldiers helped win World War I, earned the vote, and fought the U.S. Army for recognition. In 1918, the U.S. Army Signal Corps sent 223 women to France. They were masters of the latest technology: the telephone switchboard. General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces, demanded female “wire experts,” when he discovered that inexperienced doughboys were unable to keep him connected with troops under fire. Without communications for even an hour, the Army would collapse. While suffragettes picketed the White House and President Woodrow Wilson struggled to persuade a segregationist Congress to give women of all races the vote, these competent and courageous young women swore the Army’s oath. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

November 7, 2019 - Mr. Peter Stark In the waning and bleak months of 1753, a young and naive George Washington trekked through the Ohio frontier on behalf of the British Crown to forge a diplomatic relationship with the French and Native Americans. Washington knew this mission was a considerable honor and an opportunity for advancement to a full commission in the British Army. On Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 7:15 p.m., New York Times Best Selling author Mr. Peter Stark presented a lecture based on his newest work, Young Washington: How Wilderness and War Forged America’s Founding Father. Stark discussed how Washington’s experiences in the Ohio Territory dealing with ill-supplied militia troops, adverse weather, and intense combat forged this young officer into the future father of a great nation. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

October 16, 2019 - Superintendent Brandon Bies, Manassas National Battlefield Park Amid the stink of blood, the moans of wounded, and the detritus of battle, a Civil War battlefield surgeon sawed through the shattered remnant of a Soldier’s leg.  As he tossed the removed appendage into the nearby pit of other discarded limbs, another victim of the Battle of Second Manassas was placed on his grizzly operating table.  On Wednesday, October 16, 2019, at 7:15 PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hosted Superintendent Brandon Bies of the Manassas National Battlefield Park to present a talk entitled “Broken Lives and Shattered Bones: Discovering a Field Hospital at Manassas Battlefield.” Brandon Bies discusses the 2015 excavation of a Civil War “Limb Pit” discovered on the grounds of the Second Battle of Bull Run.  The archaeological find sheds new light on how battlefield surgery took place during the American Civil War. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

September 18, 2019 - Mr. Rick Atkinson In mid-January 1777, Lord Cornwallis of the invincible British Army retreated from the New Jersey countryside after two years of epic struggle against up-start American rebels. From the bloodshed on Lexington Common to the defeats at Trenton and Princeton, the American Revolution raged throughout the new United States. On Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 7:15PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center welcomed Historian and Pulitzer Prize Winner Mr. Rick Atkinson to present the General of the Army Omar Nelson Bradley Memorial Lecture. He discussed the first book in his Revolution Trilogy, entitled The British Are Coming. Atkinson combines personal stories with the savage narrative of the first twenty-one brutal months of the Revolutionary War to give a new perspective on the fight for independence. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

August 21, 2019 - Dr. Edwin E. Moïse On the night of August 4, 1964, two American warships clashed with torpedo boats in the dark waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. The “attack” rapidly pushed President Lyndon Johnson to escalate the tensions between the United States and the communist government of North Vietnam. On Wednesday, August 21, 2019, at 7:15 PM, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, hosted Dr. Edwin Moïse of Clemson University to present a talk based on the new edition of his book, Tonkin Gulf and the Escalation of the Vietnam War. Looking at the most current evidence and personal interviews, Dr. Edwin Moïse asks, was there really an attack in the first place? Was the escalation based on mistaken intelligence, or was it an excuse for increased American participation in the war? For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

August 1, 2019 - Mr. James A. Hessler On July 2, 1863, the once serene orchard of local Gettysburg farmer Joseph Sherfy was bathed in the blood that forever changed its name to the “Peach Orchard.” Under the blazing sun and screaming shells that afternoon, the Confederate veterans of Lieutenant General James Longstreet charged Major General Daniel Sickles' III Corps troops to occupy the critical high ground of the Peach Orchard. In this lecture, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, PA hosts award-winning author James A. Hessler to speak about his latest book, co-written with Britt C. Isenberg, Gettysburg's Peach Orchard: Longstreet, Sickles, and the Bloody Fight for the “Commanding Ground” Along the Emmitsburg Road. Mr. Hessler discusses the critical importance of occupying the high ground at the Peach Orchard and the influence of that action on the tactical decisions of commanders throughout the famed Battle of Gettysburg. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

July 17, 2019 - Mr. Jared Frederick Along the steep cliffs and thick, mazelike hedgerows of Normandy, American Soldiers broke Hitler's “Fortress Europe” and flooded France with a new sense of freedom. The American public was glued to their newspapers and radios, awaiting updates from intrepid war correspondents covering the invasion from the front lines. In this lecture, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center welcomes acclaimed local historian and Penn State Altoona Professor Jared Frederick, author of Dispatches of D-Day: A People's History of the Normandy Invasion to discuss, in vivid detail, the reality of Operation Overlord. Frederick will tell the story of D-Day, not from the perspective of historians or politicians, but rather through the voices of those who were there. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

May 15, 2019 - Dr. Robert F. Jefferson, Jr. From the blood soaked earth of the American Civil War to the booby-trapped jungle pathways of Vietnam and beyond, 89 African American Soldiers have earned the highest military accolade in the land – the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the sweltering jungles of Vietnam, 18-year-old Private Milton Olive III of the 503rd Infantry Regiment selflessly threw his body over a grenade tossed into the middle of his platoon. His actions earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor and echo the heroism of the first African American recipient almost 100 years earlier. During the American Civil War, Sgt. William Carney sustained severe wounds, picked up his fallen regimental colors and rallied the men to the top of Fort Wagner, proclaiming "Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!" In this lecture, Dr. Robert F. Jefferson Jr, author of Brothers in Valor: Battlefield Stories of the 89 African Americans Awarded the Medal of Honor, talks about the role of African Americans in the history of the U.S. Armed Forces. From the teeth of World War II tank battles to the sands of Iraq and Afghanistan, African American service members have challenged the ideals of service, sacrifice, and patriotism. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

May 18, 2019 - Mr. Jack Kennard In this lecture based on his book, D-Day Journal: The Untold Story of a U.S. Ranger on Omaha Beach, Mr. Kennard uses his father's journal to present D-Day from the view of 22-year-old Lieutenant Frank L. Kennard. The lecture follows the first person perspective from the 2nd Ranger Battalion and also features data from oral histories of four other men. Despite losing most of his equipment and half his men, Lt. Kennard and the remaining Soldiers made their objective at Pointe du Hoc and achieved their mission to take out the big German guns overlooking the Normandy beaches on that famous day. Author John Kennard was a commissioned Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Armor Corps and served in Germany until he was promoted to Captain and deployed to Vietnam in 1970. His own military experience enhances his ability to re-tell his father's story using Lt. Kennard's personal letters and journal which recounts his experience not just on the day of the battle, but the training before and the thoughts after. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

May 2, 2019 - Mr. J.D. Dickey In late 1864, Major General William Tecumseh Sherman brought his brand of “hard war” to the Georgia countryside between Atlanta and Savannah. The campaign decimated the agricultural and economic heart of the Confederacy and relied on Sherman's leadership. Known as “Uncle Billy” to his Soldiers, Sherman was a man of contradictions facing the contest of internal Army politics, fighting on the enemy's soil, and coming to terms with the total war he brought to the people of the South. In this lecture, author J.D. Dickey speaks about his latest book, Rising in Flames: Sherman's March and the Fight for a New Nation. Dickey will talk about the pressures and challenges Sherman faced, his experiences in the Western Theater, and ultimately how the Atlanta and Savannah Campaigns helped to secure his infamous reputation well into the current century. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

April 17, 2019 - Mr. James M. Scott “I shall return!” General Douglas MacArthur spoke those words into the dreary darkness in 1942 when he fled the Japanese invasion of the Philippine islands. Almost three years later, as U.S. forces worked to secure a route to invade the Japanese home islands, MacArthur made good on his promise. Standing in his way was a Japanese force bent on fighting to the death to prevent the Americans from retaking the Philippines. In this lecture, renowned author and Pulitzer Prize finalist, Mr. James M. Scott, presents a talk based on his newest book, Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila. Mr. Scott discusses the 29-day battle and the U.S. military's brutal struggle against the “Tiger of Malaya,” General Tomoyuki Yamashita. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

March 27, 2019 - Mr. Steven Zaloga Late in January 1945, through the snowy forests and farms of the Ardennes, the cream of Hitler's remaining army struggled through a muddy retreat, defeated in the final offensive the Wehrmacht attempted during World War II. The stubborn American victory over Hitler's “Autumn Mist” attack was by no means a foregone conclusion when the German command launched the attack a month earlier. Actions by the U. S. Army's 1st, 2nd, and 99th divisions from the very start of the offensive stymied the push of the 12th SS Panzer Division on the roads to the essential port of Antwerp. In this lecture, Mr. Steven Zaloga presents a talk based on his newest book, Smashing Hitler's Panzers: The Defeat of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division during the Battle of The Bulge. Mr. Zaloga argues that the defeat of the 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division in the opening hours and days of the offensive were essential to the over-all failure of the German Ardennes Campaign. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.

November 28, 2018 - Dr. Mark Bowden On the morning of January 31, 1968, the North Vietnamese launched an ambitious series of attacks across South Vietnam in what would become known as the infamous Tet Offensive. One crucial goal of the attack was to capture the ancient city of Hue, resulting in one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam war. As the battle approached conclusion, the American goal shifted from victory to an evacuation policy. In this lecture, the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center hosts best-selling author Dr. Mark Bowden as he speaks about his latest book, Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam. Dr. Bowden discusses what he so vividly describes as the all-encompassing "storm of war" and the brutal reality that doing everything right was no guarantee of survival. For video of the USHAEC's podcasts, or to learn more about the USAHEC, find education support for teachers, researchers, and soldiers, or to find more programs at the USAHEC, please visit our website at www.usahec.org.