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Military Historians are People, Too! A Podcast with Brian & Bill
Today's guest is the affable and beardless Michael S. Neiberg. Mike holds the Chair of War Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, PA. Before moving to the Army War College full time, he served there as the Harold K. Johnson Visiting Professor. From 2005 to 2011, Mike was Professor of History and the Co-Director of the Center for the Study of War and Society at the University of Southern Mississippi. He spent the first seven years of his career in the Department of History at the United States Air Force Academy. A native of Pittsburgh, Mike attended “that school up north,” the University of Michigan, as an undergrad, and he completed his MA and PhD in History at Carnegie Mellon. Mike is a prolific scholar. He has authored more than a dozen books, including When France Fell: The Vichy Crisis and the Fate of the Anglo-American Alliance (Harvard 2021), The Treaty of Versailles: A Concise History (Oxford, 2018), The Path to War: How the First World War Created Modern America (Oxford, 2017), Potsdam: The End of World War II and the Remaking of Europe (Basic Books, 2015) which won the Harry Truman Prize, The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944 (Basic Books, 2012) which won the Madigan Award, Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of War in 1914 (Harvard, 2011), The Second Battle of the Marne (Indiana University Press, 2008) which won the Tomlinson Prize for best English-language book on World War I, and Fighting the Great War: A Global History (Harvard University Press, 2005) which won the Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award in 2006. In addition, Mike has published numerous articles and essays in edited volumes and he has presented his work all over the world. Mike's work has been supported by the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, the Harry Truman Presidential Library, The Spencer Foundation, among many others. He is a frequent speaker at museums and universities across the United States and beyond, and he appears frequently on television (C-SPAN), radio. And - wait for it! - podcasts! Mike is a writing machine and he is always on the go. We are happy that he was able to be with us. You can follow Mike on Twitter at @MichaelNeiberg. Join us for a chat about teaching, choosing a research topic, uses of history, and Pittsburgh toilets (yes, you read correctly)! Rec. 02/25/2022
From the Schlieffen Plan to Verdun, the critical years of 1914-1916 set the stage for major upheavals in 1917. For expert analysis of this period, we sat down with Dr. Michael Neiberg, author of Fighting the Great War and Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I, to discuss the strategy and major events of the Western Front and how 1914-1916 influenced the post-war peace.
Date of Recording: 29 Oct 2018 Description: Liddell Hart himself said that war was always a matter of doing evil in the hopes that good may come of it. This talk will explore the good that he and others hoped they might be able to forge from the evils of 1914-1918. It will focus largely on the new role of the United States, examining America's newly-found power, its attempt to base the peace on principles rather than diplomatic dealing, and its fundamental lack of understanding of the problems the war had unleashed. It will end with a case study on America's surprising and long-forgotten role in the Syria crisis of 1919. Biography: Michael S Neiberg is Chair of War Studies at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where he teaches history, strategy, and international relations to American and international security professionals. His published work specialises on the First and Second World Wars in a global context. The Wall Street Journal named his Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I one of the five best books ever written about that war. In October 2016 Oxford University Press published his Path to War, a history of American responses to the Great War in Europe, 1914-1917 and in July 2017 Oxford published his Concise History of the Treaty of Versailles. This year he was awarded the Médaille d'Or du Rayonnement Culturel from Renaissance Française, an organisation founded by French President Raymond Poincaré in 1915 to keep French culture alive during the First World War.
In the inaugural podcast of Arguing History, historians Michael S. Neiberg and Brian Neumann address the question of Americas decision in 1917 to declare war against Germany. Together they discuss the factors involved in it, such as Germanys wartime provocations and the economic impact the war was having upon the nation. Yet it was more than just a product of the events of the conflict, as it came at a time when the role of the United States in the world was being redefined by its emergence as a major economic and financial power on the international scene. How Americans perceived this also played a role both in the decision to go to war, even though there was no consensus as to how the nation should respond to the consequences of their choice once they made it. Michael S. Neiberg is the Stimson Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2014). Brian Neumann is an historian with the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the lead editor of the centers series of pamphlets on the war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the inaugural podcast of Arguing History, historians Michael S. Neiberg and Brian Neumann address the question of Americas decision in 1917 to declare war against Germany. Together they discuss the factors involved in it, such as Germanys wartime provocations and the economic impact the war was having upon the nation. Yet it was more than just a product of the events of the conflict, as it came at a time when the role of the United States in the world was being redefined by its emergence as a major economic and financial power on the international scene. How Americans perceived this also played a role both in the decision to go to war, even though there was no consensus as to how the nation should respond to the consequences of their choice once they made it. Michael S. Neiberg is the Stimson Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2014). Brian Neumann is an historian with the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the lead editor of the centers series of pamphlets on the war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the inaugural podcast of Arguing History, historians Michael S. Neiberg and Brian Neumann address the question of Americas decision in 1917 to declare war against Germany. Together they discuss the factors involved in it, such as Germanys wartime provocations and the economic impact the war was having upon the nation. Yet it was more than just a product of the events of the conflict, as it came at a time when the role of the United States in the world was being redefined by its emergence as a major economic and financial power on the international scene. How Americans perceived this also played a role both in the decision to go to war, even though there was no consensus as to how the nation should respond to the consequences of their choice once they made it. Michael S. Neiberg is the Stimson Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2014). Brian Neumann is an historian with the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the lead editor of the centers series of pamphlets on the war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the inaugural podcast of Arguing History, historians Michael S. Neiberg and Brian Neumann address the question of Americas decision in 1917 to declare war against Germany. Together they discuss the factors involved in it, such as Germanys wartime provocations and the economic impact the war was having upon the nation. Yet it was more than just a product of the events of the conflict, as it came at a time when the role of the United States in the world was being redefined by its emergence as a major economic and financial power on the international scene. How Americans perceived this also played a role both in the decision to go to war, even though there was no consensus as to how the nation should respond to the consequences of their choice once they made it. Michael S. Neiberg is the Stimson Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2014). Brian Neumann is an historian with the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the lead editor of the centers series of pamphlets on the war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the inaugural podcast of Arguing History, historians Michael S. Neiberg and Brian Neumann address the question of Americas decision in 1917 to declare war against Germany. Together they discuss the factors involved in it, such as Germanys wartime provocations and the economic impact the war was having upon the nation. Yet it was more than just a product of the events of the conflict, as it came at a time when the role of the United States in the world was being redefined by its emergence as a major economic and financial power on the international scene. How Americans perceived this also played a role both in the decision to go to war, even though there was no consensus as to how the nation should respond to the consequences of their choice once they made it. Michael S. Neiberg is the Stimson Chair of the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College and the author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2014). Brian Neumann is an historian with the U.S. Army Center for Military History and the lead editor of the centers series of pamphlets on the war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I, we are pleased to feature Michael Neiberg on his latest book, analyzing how Americans moved from ambivalence toward the war in Europe to belligerence and beyond. He examines the social, political, and financial forces at work and the role of public opinion and popular culture, showing how all these factors contributed to the pivot toward war. His most recent books include: Potsdam: The End of World War II and the Remaking of Europe (Basic Books, 2015); The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944 (Basic Books, 2012); and Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of War in 1914 (Harvard University Press, 2011).
As we commemorate the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into World War I, we are pleased to feature Michael Neiberg on his latest book, analyzing how Americans moved from ambivalence toward the war in Europe to belligerence and beyond. He examines the social, political, and financial forces at work and the role of public opinion and popular culture, showing how all these factors contributed to the pivot toward war. His most recent books include: Potsdam: The End of World War II and the Remaking of Europe (Basic Books, 2015); The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944 (Basic Books, 2012); and Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of War in 1914 (Harvard University Press, 2011).
April 6, 2017, marks the hundred year anniversary of the US declaration of war on Germany. Following more than two and a half years of neutrality, the United States mobilized for war on a scale the nation had never before seen. More than two million Americans were to serve in the US armed forces during World War I. Once American combat power arrived in Europe, it tipped the military balance against Germany, frustrating Germany's Spring Offensive of 1918 and resulting ultimately in the German surrender of November of that year. In commemoration of the centennial of America's entry into World War I, the Institute of World Politics and the Center for Military and Diplomatic History are hosting three of the world's leading historians of the war: Michael S. Neiberg, Edward Lengel, and John H. Maurer. MICHAEL S. NEIBERG is the inaugural Chair of War Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the United States Army War College. His published work specializes on the First and Second World Wars, notably the American and French experiences. His most recent book on the First World War is Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I(Harvard University Press, 2011). The Wall Street Journal recently named it one of the five best books ever written about the war. In October, 2012 Basic Books published his The Blood of Free Men, a history of the liberation of Paris in 1944. In May, 2015 Basic published his Potsdam: The End of World War II and the Remaking of Europe. In October, Oxford University Press published his Path to War, a history of American responses to the Great War, 1914-1917. EDWARD LENGEL is Chief Historian of the White House Historical Association, located in historic Decatur House on Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. Before beginning work there in the fall of 2016, he directed the Washington Papers project for many years. A military historian, he is the author of several books, including General George Washington: A Military Life; To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918; First Entrepreneur: How George Washington Built His-and the Nation's-Prosperity; and the Army Historical Foundation award-winning Thunder and Flames: Americans in the Crucible of Combat, 1917-1918. He is also a regular contributor to magazines including Military History and Military History Quarterly, and appears often on television and radio including NPR and the History Channel. JOHN H. MAURER is the Alfred Thayer Mahan Professor of Sea Power and Grand Strategy at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He is a graduate of Yale University and holds an M.A.L.D. and Ph.D. in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. He is the author or editor of books examining the outbreak of the First World War, military interventions in the developing world, naval rivalries and arms control between the two world wars, and a study about Winston Churchill's views on British foreign policy and grand strategy. He also serves as a senior research fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, on the Editorial Board of Orbis: A Journal of World Affairs, and Associate Editor of Diplomacy and Statecraft. In recognition for his service and contribution to professional military education, he has received both the U.S. Navy's Meritorious Civilian Service Award and Superior Civilian Service Award. JOHN J. TIERNEY, JR. is the Walter Kohler Professor of International Relations at the Institute of World Politics. He was the Special Assistant and Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency from 1981-1993. He has served as Executive Director of the Congressional Caucus on National Defense and the National Security Research Group, U.S. House of Representatives; Chairman, Politics Department, Catholic University; and Professor of International Relations, University of Virginia and The Johns Hopkins University.
As we close in on the centennial of the First World War, no doubt there will be a flood of new interpretations and “hidden histories” of the conflict. Many books will certainly promise much, but in the end deliver little. Fortunately this is not the case with Michael Neiberg‘s latest book Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2011). In this important new view of the opening months of the war, Neiberg offers a fresh look at the July Crisis, how it was perceived across Europe, and the first two months of the war. Rather than focusing on the same old voices of the European literati and political elites, Neiberg shows us how the average person considered the march to war. In the process he reveals a number of startling insights that challenge the war’s standard historical orthodoxy, revealing that many of our assumptions about the collective and individual responses to the July Crisis are based on misperception and poor assumptions. Rather than a continent primed for war through a network of military alliances, unfettered military bureaucracies, and a cultural predisposition that viewed war as the great test of nations and men, he reveals a society that genuinely believed peace was possible until the very last moment, and which only accepted war as a last alternative, and which would be defensive in nature. This insight and so many others earn Dance of the Furies the label of “revisionist history” in the best possible sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we close in on the centennial of the First World War, no doubt there will be a flood of new interpretations and “hidden histories” of the conflict. Many books will certainly promise much, but in the end deliver little. Fortunately this is not the case with Michael Neiberg‘s latest book Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2011). In this important new view of the opening months of the war, Neiberg offers a fresh look at the July Crisis, how it was perceived across Europe, and the first two months of the war. Rather than focusing on the same old voices of the European literati and political elites, Neiberg shows us how the average person considered the march to war. In the process he reveals a number of startling insights that challenge the war’s standard historical orthodoxy, revealing that many of our assumptions about the collective and individual responses to the July Crisis are based on misperception and poor assumptions. Rather than a continent primed for war through a network of military alliances, unfettered military bureaucracies, and a cultural predisposition that viewed war as the great test of nations and men, he reveals a society that genuinely believed peace was possible until the very last moment, and which only accepted war as a last alternative, and which would be defensive in nature. This insight and so many others earn Dance of the Furies the label of “revisionist history” in the best possible sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we close in on the centennial of the First World War, no doubt there will be a flood of new interpretations and “hidden histories” of the conflict. Many books will certainly promise much, but in the end deliver little. Fortunately this is not the case with Michael Neiberg‘s latest book Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2011). In this important new view of the opening months of the war, Neiberg offers a fresh look at the July Crisis, how it was perceived across Europe, and the first two months of the war. Rather than focusing on the same old voices of the European literati and political elites, Neiberg shows us how the average person considered the march to war. In the process he reveals a number of startling insights that challenge the war’s standard historical orthodoxy, revealing that many of our assumptions about the collective and individual responses to the July Crisis are based on misperception and poor assumptions. Rather than a continent primed for war through a network of military alliances, unfettered military bureaucracies, and a cultural predisposition that viewed war as the great test of nations and men, he reveals a society that genuinely believed peace was possible until the very last moment, and which only accepted war as a last alternative, and which would be defensive in nature. This insight and so many others earn Dance of the Furies the label of “revisionist history” in the best possible sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As we close in on the centennial of the First World War, no doubt there will be a flood of new interpretations and “hidden histories” of the conflict. Many books will certainly promise much, but in the end deliver little. Fortunately this is not the case with Michael Neiberg‘s latest book Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (Harvard University Press, 2011). In this important new view of the opening months of the war, Neiberg offers a fresh look at the July Crisis, how it was perceived across Europe, and the first two months of the war. Rather than focusing on the same old voices of the European literati and political elites, Neiberg shows us how the average person considered the march to war. In the process he reveals a number of startling insights that challenge the war’s standard historical orthodoxy, revealing that many of our assumptions about the collective and individual responses to the July Crisis are based on misperception and poor assumptions. Rather than a continent primed for war through a network of military alliances, unfettered military bureaucracies, and a cultural predisposition that viewed war as the great test of nations and men, he reveals a society that genuinely believed peace was possible until the very last moment, and which only accepted war as a last alternative, and which would be defensive in nature. This insight and so many others earn Dance of the Furies the label of “revisionist history” in the best possible sense. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices