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19TH CENTURY HISTORY AND CONFLICT

The US Presidential election of 1852 pitted two former veterans of the Mexican-American War (1846–8), and because the platforms of the Democrat and Whig parties were watered down in an attempt to steal each other’s supporters, the election turned into a bitter contest of personal attacks rather than policy. The Whig Party candidate was Virginian Winfield Scott, hero and architect of the successful 1847 campaign to seize Mexico City, while the Democrat Party candidate was Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire, a general who served under Scott with a dubious war record. (Click image for complete article)

CLASSICAL MILITARY HISTORY: c.1000-BCE-500 CE

The most influential military theorist in East Asian history is Sunzi (more commonly Sun Tzu in the Wade-Giles transliteration), author of The Art of War, a title translated as bingfa in Chinese literature. Chinese history records numerous bingshi or “art of war” treatises written by different authors across the ages. Tradition maintains Sunzi lived between 544-496 BCE during the long-lived Zhou Dynasty’s (1046-256 BCE) Spring and Autumn period (c.770-475 BCE), a historical era described by Confucius in his Annals as a period of political fragmentation and cultural achievements. However, most modern scholars place his lifespan during the early part of the following “Warring States Period” (475-221 BCE) based on his writing style and references to Chinese warfare. (Click on image for complete article)

GENERAL OPEN FORUM

Interested in the Air War in Europe? Do you like old movies? Check this one out -

Made just a few years after the war, this movie highlights the struggles of leading a bomb group and of the bombing campaign against Germany. Nominated for 4 Academy Awards, it's a pretty dang good movie. A little over 2 hours in length. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the actual combat footage as America begins the bombing campaigns to destroy Germany's industrial base in preparation for invasion.  BTW, this story is based largely on real experiences with the 306th Bomb Group. Oh, and they…

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AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION 

The Battle of Gettysburg represented a pivotal moment in the Civil War. Over the course of three days, the conflict resulted in more than 50,000 estimated casualties, making it the bloodiest single battle of the war. Following a series of defensive successes in Virginia, General Lee aimed to secure a victory north of the Mason-Dixon line, intending to compel a negotiated end to the hostilities. However, his defeat at Gettysburg thwarted this objective. Subsequently, the beleaguered general retreated southward, accompanied by a wagon train of wounded soldiers heading towards the Potomac.  Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS

The Battle of the Somme, fought between July and November of 1916, was one of the costliest and most traumatic conflicts of World War I. Its significance in shaping the course of the war and the fate of Europe cannot be overstated. The primary objective of the battle was to alleviate the pressure on the French army at Verdun, which had been under relentless attack by the Germans since February of that year. But the battle became much more than that, and the fighting would last for months with no clear victor. Click image for full article

THE EASTERN FRONT 

The Battle of Stalingrad was a turning point in World War II, pitting the armies of Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union. It has become one of the most studied and remembered battles in history due to its significance in deciding the war in Europe. It began on 17 July 1942 and lasted until 2 February 1943 and caused an estimated 1.8 million casualties on both sides. 80% of all German casualties during World War II occurred on the Eastern Front, marking Soviet victory on the Eastern Front pivotal in defeating Nazi Germany in Europe.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS

The use of animals in warfare is an ancient practice, yet few individual animals have achieved the renown or impact of Sergeant Stubby, a stray Boston terrier who accompanied the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) during World War I. Sergeant Stubby exemplifies the pivotal and diverse roles that animals, particularly dogs, played in the conflict, serving not only as mascots and companions but as contributors to military operations.  (Click image for full article.)

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The Battle of Tinian, fought between 24 July and 1 August 1944, was central to the Marianas campaign, and critical in undermining Japanese defenses and enabling American forces to gain a strategic foothold. A prelude to victory, the capture of Saipan set the stage for the assault on Tinian, a mere three miles away. The proximity of Tinian to Saipan rendered it a pivotal target for U.S. forces. The island's terrain, relatively flat compared to its neighbors, was perfectly suited for airfield construction, particularly for the deployment of the cutting-edge B-29 bombers.  Click image or here for full article

WORLD WAR ONE AND THE INTERWAR YEARS 

World War One was one of the deadliest conflicts in human history. The war, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, resulted in an estimated nine million soldiers killed and 23 million wounded. Additionally, five million civilians died as a result of the fighting, hunger, and disease. Millions more died from genocide, and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic was also exacerbated by the movement of combatants during the war.   ☞ Click image or here for full article

BATTLE FOR THE SEAS 

The USS Indianapolis, a Portland-class heavy cruiser, was commissioned into the United States Navy in 1932. It bore witness to pivotal moments of World War II, playing a crucial role as a flagship across various operations within the Pacific Theater. Notable among its engagements were the Aleutian Islands campaign and the formidable Battle of Okinawa. Yet, despite its decorated service, the USS Indianapolis met a harrowing fate, culminating in one of the most heartbreaking naval tragedies in American military annals—the devastating sinking in July of 1945   ☞ Click image or here for full article

D-DAY AND THE WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE 

The Warsaw Uprising stands as one of the more tragic events of World War II, exemplifying the extraordinary courage and resilience of the Polish Home Army and civilians under brutal German occupation. Not to be confused with the Jewish-only Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943, the Warsaw Uprising was launched on 1 August 1944, this valiant attempt to liberate Warsaw was both a testament to human spirit and a tragic tale of betrayal and loss.  ☞ Click image or here for full article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC 

The Battle of Guadalcanal was the earliest major ground battle of the Pacific War, fought between 7 August 1942, and 9 February 1943. It was a pivotal battle that saw the Allies, primarily the United States, take a crucial step towards victory in the Pacific Theater. The battle was the first offensive launched by the U.S. in the Pacific, and it was also the first time that the Japanese Imperial Army had been defeated on land. Additionally, the battle was a turning point in the war, and it marked the first stage of failure for the Japanese Empire.  Click image or here for full article

THE VIETNAM WAR: 1955-1975 

The Tet Offensive, launched by communist North Vietnamese forces on 31 January 1968, was a series of attacks meant to weaken the morale of South Vietnam and its allies, ultimately leading to a communist victory. The attacks were meant to take place simultaneously throughout the country, targeting major cities and military installations. Among the most notable of these attacks were the three battles that took place in Khe Sanh, Hue, and Saigon. These battles are remembered as some of the fiercest encounters of the entire war, with U.S. and South Vietnamese troops fighting hand-to-hand against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces.  Click Image or here for full article

MEDIEVAL MILITARY HISTORY

William Wallace evaded the iron grasp of English forces for years; however, the shadow of betrayal followed him as closely as his enemies. On the fateful day of 5 August 1305, it was John de Menteith, a Scottish knight pledged to King Edward, who turned the tide of fate against Wallace. In the darkness of pre-dawn at Robroyston, near Glasgow, Wallace was apprehended and ensnared by English soldiers—a moment of infamy marked by a Celtic cross monument today. The evidence of his international support was unveiled as letters from Haakon V of Norway, Philip IV of France, and John Balliol, asserting Wallace's role as a diplomat, were found in his possession.  (Click image for complete article.)

D-DAY AND THE WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE

World War II was one of the most devastating conflicts in human history, resulting in the loss of millions of lives and ravaging entire nations. The myriad of causes that led up to the war were both complex and multifaceted, originating from various economic, political, and ideological factors that contributed to the global climate of tension, aggression, and mistrust. In this essay, we will delve more deeply into the causes of World War II, exploring the intricate web of events and circumstances that ultimately led to one of the darkest chapters in human history. (Click image for complete article.)

EARLY 20TH CENTURY WAR AND CONFLICT

Roosevelt’s involvement with the Russo-Japanese War began with a close following of the battlefield developments. By January, 1905, Roosevelt was seen as a possible peace mediator. In diplomatic negotiations, Roosevelt kept telling his Harvard classmate, Baron Kaneko, that Japan should not make “exorbitant” demands as a price for peace. As neither belligerent wanted to be seen as asking for peace, Roosevelt maneuvered an invitation to intervene. While Roosevelt was vacationing in Colorado, French peace initiatives were spurned by Japan which distrusted France due to its alliance with Russia. Click on the image for the full article.

WAR IN FILM AND PROPAGANDA

HBO’s Band of Brothers, which debuted in 2001, stands as one of the seminal achievements in historical television. As the series approaches its 25th anniversary in 2026, its continued influence on audiences, scholars, and broader cultural discourse surrounding the Second World War remains remarkable. Next year, 2026, marks 25 years since the debut of HBO’s wildly successful 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers (2001). Following on the creative successes of their monumental hit Saving Private Ryan (1998), Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’ Band of Brothers helped accelerate the rejuvenated interest in history of the Second World War, and more specifically, 1944’s Allied landings at Normandy. Click Image for Full Article

WAR IN THE PACIFIC

The Battle of Peleliu was a pivotal moment in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Codenamed Operation Stalemate II, the battle was fought between the United States and Japan from 15 September to 27 November 1944. The objective was to capture the airfield on the small coral island, which was a part of a larger offensive campaign known as Operation Forager. However, the fierce resistance from the Japanese Army, which had developed new island-defense tactics and well-crafted fortifications, led to an extended battle. Click on the image for the full article.

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

The Battle of Antietam, fought on 17 September 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac, remains one of the most significant battles of the American Civil War. It was the first major engagement in the Eastern Theater of the war to take place on Union soil and resulted in the bloodiest single day in American history, with a combined total of 22,726 casualties. Click image for full article

D-DAY AND WAR IN WESTERN EUROPE

Operation Market Garden, one of the most ambitious military plans of World War II, was designed to bring the war on the Western Front to an end by the end of 1944. However, the operation turned out to be a costly failure that resulted in the loss of almost one-third of the British 1st Airborne Division, an American unit, and thousands of other Allied troops. The faulty planning, poor leadership, and unpreparedness led to the loss of thousands of troops, equipment, and supplies. The operation was too ambitious, and the risks that were taken were not justified. (Click image for complete article.)

AMERICAN CIVIL WAR

The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on 19-20 September 1863, was a turning point in the American Civil War. The Union forces, under Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans, were defeated by the Confederate Army of Tennessee, led by Gen. Braxton Bragg, in what would become one of the bloodiest battles of the war in terms of casualties. This battle marked the end of the Union offensive, known as the Chickamauga Campaign, in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia. Click on the image for the full article.

WORLD WAR I AND THE INTERWAR YEARS

The Western Front, in the region today called Grand Est, saw the largest number of American soldiers in history fight in the Meuse–Argonne offensive. This epic confrontation was a critical battle in the final year of World War I, lasting from 26 September 1918 to 11 November 1918. This involved the largest contingent of American soldiers in any battle, with 1.2 million soldiers taking part. The American forces were joined by troops from France, while the other Allies, including Britain, Belgium, and France, also made significant contributions to major battles on the Western Front. (Click on the image for the full article.)

WAR ON THE EASTERN FRONT

The discourse amongst historians has revolved around identifying the turning points of World War II, spanning from 1941-42 to the spring of 1943. Winston Churchill considered the Battle of Kursk in 1943 following Stalingrad as the decisive moment. Richard Overy, on the other hand, believes that the years between 1942 and 1944 had several turning points, and specifically, 1943 and the Battle of Stalingrad. In his subsequent work, Overy acknowledges the significance of the Battle of Kursk that took place in July 1943 as the turning point of the War. (Click image for complete article.)

MODERN WAR AND CONFLICT

The Battle of Mogadishu, also known as the Black Hawk Down incident and in Somali as Maalintii Rangers ('Day of the Rangers'), was a significant conflict during Operation Gothic Serpent. It took place on 3-4 October 1993, in Mogadishu, Somalia, and saw United States forces, under the support of UNOSOM II, engage with the Somali National Alliance (SNA) and local militia from southern Mogadishu. (Click image for complete article)

WORLD WAR I

The First Battle of Ypres was a significant military engagement during World War I that occurred between 19 October and 22 November 1914. This battle was part of the wider First Battle of Flanders that occurred between the German, French, Belgian and British armies. It was fought from Arras in France to Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast, with the battles at Ypres marking the end of the Race to the Sea. In this phase, both sides attempted to advance beyond the northern flank of the enemy. (Click image for complete article)

BATTLE FOR THE SEAS

The Naval Battle of Leyte Gulf was the largest naval battle in World War II and one of the largest in history and a decisive victory for the Allies, and it had far-reaching implications for the course of the War in the Pacific. The battle demonstrated the superiority of Allied naval power and marked the end of Japan's naval dominance. It took place in the waters near the island of Leyte in the Philippines from 23 to 26 October 1944. The battle was fought between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Allied naval forces, mainly from the United States. (Click on image for complete article.)

WORLD WAR II IN NORTH AFRICA

The Axis forces had been continuously advancing since the start of the North African campaign in February 1941. The capture of Tobruk by the German-Italian forces in June 1942 resulted in the Axis armies being at the doorstep of the strategically important Suez Canal. However, this advancement stalled in July 1942 at the first Battle of El-Alamein where the British forces successfully blocked the Axis forces. This provided Britain with a much-needed breathing space to reinforce its North African front and prepare for an offensive. General Montgomery was put in charge of the British Eighth Army in August 1942 and was tasked with defeating the Axis forces. (Click image for complete article)

VIETNAM WAR: 1955-1975

Known in recent years before his death in 2018 as a 'maverick' politician, the late Arizona senator was a U.S. Navy pilot whose five-and-a-half year struggle as a POW in North Vietnam became legendary. John Sidney McCain III was born on 29 August 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone. Growing up in a military family, he was exposed to the navy life at an early age. McCain's father and grandfather were both four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy, and he followed their footsteps to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, where he graduated in 1958. His father John S. McCain Jr. reached the rank of admiral and served in World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. His grandfather, John S. McCain Sr. served in both World War I and II. (Click image for complete article)

UPCOMING EVENTS

LEYDEKKERS PHOTOGRAPHY

American Cemetery Normandy · Auschwitz Birkenau · The Bedford Boys · Belgium · Berchtesgaden and The Eagle's Nest · Buchenwald · Dieppe, France · Equipment · Finland · Germany · The Great War · Holland · The Holocaust · Hong Kong · Italy · Juno Beach · La Cambe German War Cemetery · Landsberg Prison · Militracks 2023 · Monte Cassino · Museums · Netherlands · Normandy 2023 · Normandy 2024 · Normandy, France · Omaha Beach · Operation Market Garden · Pointe du Hoc · Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam) · The Somme · Spottinger Cemetery · Treblinka · Vimy Ridge · War Museum Medemblik · Waterloo · World War II Veterans

FEATURED ARTICLES, SEMINARS & LECTURES

THE EDGE OF HISTORY
Ancient, Classical and Medieval Military History: Popular History

PROF. BRIAN TODD CAREY'S OPEN SEMINARS & ARTICLES
Ancient Military History: c.3100-c.1000 BCE
Classical Military History: c.1000-BCE-500 CE
Medieval Military History: c.500-c.1500

EARLY MODERN ERA
Early Modern and Napoleonic Wars: 1500-1815

AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY PERIODS
Mexican-American War: 1846-1848
Revolutionary War: 1775-1783
War of 1812
All 18th and 19th Century Conflict

U.S. CIVIL WAR &  RECONSTRUCTION
U.S. Civil War: 1861-1865

WORLD WAR I & THE INTERWAR YEARS
World War I: 1914-1918
The Gathering Storm: 1919-1939

WORLD WAR II
North Africa and Italy
Battle for the Seas
China-Burma-India Theatre
D-Day and the European Theatre
Eastern Front
Holocaust, Shoah
Pacific Theatre

KOREA
Korean War: 1950-1953

VIETNAM, LAOS & CAMBODIA 
Vietnam War Era: 1955-1975

MODERN WAR & CONFLICT
Modern War and Conflict: 1976-Present

SEE ALSO
Aerial and Naval Warfare Throughout History
Book Forum and Reviews
The Home Front
War in Film and Propaganda

UPDATES

Michael G. Stroud’s discussion was featured in EARLY MODERN AND NAPOLEONIC WARFARE: 1500-1815
Blanning's The Pursuit of Glory and Beginning of the French Revolution: Spot on or Missing the Mark?
Historian Tim Blanning in his work The Pursuit of Glory: Europe, 1648-1815, makes the argument that the true beginning of the French Revolution began on 17 August 1787 and not on 20 April 1792 as is generally accepted.  The basis for his argument is…
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Monday
Scott Lyons liked Michael G. Stroud's discussion Blanning's The Pursuit of Glory and Beginning of the French Revolution: Spot on or Missing the Mark? in EARLY MODERN AND NAPOLEONIC WARFARE: 1500-1815
Monday
Scott Lyons’s discussion was featured in War in the Pacific
"30 June-7 October 1943: The New Georgia Campaign: Strategic Objectives, Operations, and Outcomes" by Scott Lyons
30 June-7 October 1943: The New Georgia Campaign: Strategic Objectives, Operations, and Outcomes
The New Georgia Campaign (June–October 1943) in the Solomon Islands represents a pivotal series of engagements within the broader context of the Pacific…
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Monday
Michael G. Stroud posted a discussion in EARLY MODERN AND NAPOLEONIC WARFARE: 1500-1815
Blanning's The Pursuit of Glory and Beginning of the French Revolution: Spot on or Missing the Mark?
Historian Tim Blanning in his work The Pursuit of Glory: Europe, 1648-1815, makes the argument that the true beginning of the French Revolution began on 17 August 1787 and not on 20 April 1792 as is generally accepted.  The basis for his argument is…
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Monday
Jim Gallen posted a discussion in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Perilous Fight: America's Intrepid War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815 by Stephen Budiansky
Much of the cause of the War of 1812 arose out of maritime disputes: Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights.  “Perilous Fight” is an exhaustive study of America’s War with Britain on the high seas, 1812-1815.  Although the most significant aspects of the…
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Monday
Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's discussion "7 August 1942: Six Months of Green Hell: The Battle of Guadalcanal Begins" by Scott Lyons in War in the Pacific
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Randy Gann liked Jim Gallen's discussion A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Republic by Henry Mayer in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Monday
Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's discussion "9 August 1968: The Last Phase of the Tet Offensive; Looking Back at the Entire Campaign" by Scott Lyons in The Vietnam War: 1955-1975
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Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's discussion "1 July 1916 - 18 November 1916 - Battle of the Somme" by Scott Lyons in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
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Randy Gann liked Scott Lyons's discussion "1 - 3 July 1863: Harvest of Death: The Battle of Gettysburg" by Scott Lyons in U.S. Civil War: 1861-65 & Reconstruction
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Randy Gann liked Brian Todd Carey's discussion Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Monday
Randy Gann liked Benjamin J. Swenson's discussion The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words in The American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and 19th Century Conflict
Monday
Benjamin J. Swenson’s discussion was featured in The American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and 19th Century Conflict
The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words
The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words
The US Presidential election of 1852 pitted two former veterans of the Mexican-American War (1846–8), and because the platforms of the Democrat and Whig…
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Saturday
Scott Lyons liked Benjamin J. Swenson's discussion The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words in The American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and 19th Century Conflict
Saturday
Benjamin J. Swenson posted a discussion in The American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and 19th Century Conflict
The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words
The ‘Fainting General’ vs. General Apathy: The 1852 Presidential Election and War of Words
The US Presidential election of 1852 pitted two former veterans of the Mexican-American War (1846–8), and because the platforms of the Democrat and Whig…
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Saturday
Brian Todd Carey replied to Brian Todd Carey's discussion Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
"Thanks, Randy. "
Jun 22
Randall S. Wells Jr. replied to Brian Todd Carey's discussion Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
"Great article Brian! "
Jun 22
Jim Gallen’s discussion was featured in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Republic by Henry Mayer
As War History Network members know, war often originates in political realms and is fought by politicians as well as soldiers and sailors.  Patrick Henry is one politician inextricably entwined in the American Revolution.  His place in American…
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Jun 17
Scott Lyons liked Jim Gallen's discussion A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Republic by Henry Mayer in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Jun 17
Brian Todd Carey’s discussion was featured in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War
The most influential military theorist in East Asian history is Sunzi (more commonly Sun Tzu in the Wade-Giles transliteration), author of The Art of War, a title translated as bingfa in Chinese literature. Chinese history records numerous bingshi…
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Jun 17
Scott Lyons liked Brian Todd Carey's discussion Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Jun 17
Jim Gallen posted a discussion in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
A Son of Thunder: Patrick Henry and the American Republic by Henry Mayer
As War History Network members know, war often originates in political realms and is fought by politicians as well as soldiers and sailors.  Patrick Henry is one politician inextricably entwined in the American Revolution.  His place in American…
See More
Jun 16
Brian Todd Carey posted a discussion in Prof. Brian Todd Carey's Classical Military History, c.1000 BCE-500 CE
Focus on the Literature of War: Sunzi’s The Art of War
The most influential military theorist in East Asian history is Sunzi (more commonly Sun Tzu in the Wade-Giles transliteration), author of The Art of War, a title translated as bingfa in Chinese literature. Chinese history records numerous bingshi…
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Jun 15
Randy Gann liked Jim Gallen's discussion "8 February 1904 to 5 September 1905: Theodore Roosevelt and the Russo-Japanese War" by Jim Gallen in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
Jun 14
Jim Gallen’s discussion was featured in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
"8 February 1904 to 5 September 1905: Theodore Roosevelt and the Russo-Japanese War" by Jim Gallen
Theodore Roosevelt’s involvement in the peace talks which lead to the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War was a natural outgrowth of his experience and foreign policy.  Perhaps the most widely traveled U. S. President since John Quincy Adams,…
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Jun 14
Scott Lyons liked Jim Gallen's discussion "8 February 1904 to 5 September 1905: Theodore Roosevelt and the Russo-Japanese War" by Jim Gallen in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
Jun 14
Jim Gallen posted a discussion in World War I, and the Interwar Years: The Gathering Storm
"8 February 1904 to 5 September 1905: Theodore Roosevelt and the Russo-Japanese War" by Jim Gallen
Theodore Roosevelt’s involvement in the peace talks which lead to the conclusion of the Russo-Japanese War was a natural outgrowth of his experience and foreign policy.  Perhaps the most widely traveled U. S. President since John Quincy Adams,…
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Jun 13
Jim Gallen’s discussion was featured in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II by Arthur Herman
War histories usually focus on battles and strategies, generals and admirals, presidents and privates.  Occasionally there is mention of the Age of Total War, of the American superiority of resources that overwhelmed Germany and Japan, but where do…
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Jun 13
Scott Lyons liked Jim Gallen's discussion Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II by Arthur Herman in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Jun 13
Jim Gallen posted a discussion in The Reader's Corner: Talking About Books and Book Reviews
Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II by Arthur Herman
War histories usually focus on battles and strategies, generals and admirals, presidents and privates.  Occasionally there is mention of the Age of Total War, of the American superiority of resources that overwhelmed Germany and Japan, but where do…
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Jun 12
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BOOK REVIEWS

Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II

by Arthur Herman, author

Posted by Jim Gallen on 12 June 2025 at 10:15pm

War histories usually focus on battles and strategies, generals and admirals, presidents and privates. Occasionally there is mention of the Age of Total War, of the American superiority of resources that overwhelmed Germany and Japan, but where do all of those materials come from? ☞ The full review · All Book Reviews

NEW TITLES FOR 2025

America and the Mexican War of Independence: Insurgents, Patriots, and Brethren in Arms, 1810-1821

by Benjamin J. Swenson (Author)

Publisher: McFarland. Publication date: October 1, 2025. Softcover, 190 pages. ISBN 1476696802

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From the publisher, "In 1810, the Atlantic World was in turmoil. Revolution, pirates, proxy wars and clandestine operations ran rampant. Napoleon had invaded Spain, Louisiana Territory was in crisis, and Americans were preparing to declare war against the British."

The Battle of Manila: Poisoned Victory in the Pacific War

by Nicholas Evan Sarantakes (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: 3 February 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 0199948852

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From the publisher: "In 1945 the United States and Japan fought the largest and most devastating land battle of their war in the Pacific, a month-long struggle for the city of Manila. The only urban fighting in the Pacific theater, the Battle of Manila was the third-bloodiest battle of World War II, behind Leningrad and Berlin."

From Trenton to Yorktown: Turning Points of the Revolutionary War

by John R. Maass (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: 11 February 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1472863755

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From the publisher: "For eight grueling years, American and British military forces struggled in a bloody war over colonial independence. This conflict also ensnared Native American warriors and the armies and navies of France, Spain, the Dutch Republic, and several German principalities."

Manfred von Richthofen: His Life and Times in Pictures

by Tim Hillier-Graves (Author)

Publisher: Air World. Publication date: 30 January 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1036100316

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From the publisher: "It is more than a hundred years since the First World War fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen was killed in combat on the Western Front. By then, due to a strange twist of fate, his name was becoming as well known in Britain, France and the USA as it was in Germany." 

Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation

by Bennett Parten (Author)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster. Publication date: 21 January 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1668034689

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From the publisher: "In the fall of 1864, Gen. William T. Sherman led his army through Atlanta, Georgia, burning buildings of military significance—and ultimately most of the city—along the way. From Atlanta, they marched across the state to the most important city at the time: Savannah." 

First Blood in Normandy: The Combat History of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen

by Hans Stober (Author)

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military. Publication date: 30 May 2025. Hardcover, 520 pages. ISBN-10 1399024043

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From the publisher: "This is the first book in a series that describes in detail the establishment and combat history of the 17th SS Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Gotz von Berlichingen”. By order of Adolf Hitler, this division was established in October 1943 in France and trained there until its first actions at the beginning of June 1944."

The Skeptic Isle

by Steven Casey (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: May 1, 2025. Hardcover, 384 pages. ISBN 9780197781876

Buy from the publisher

From the publisher: "Provides a significant new interpretation of how the British government sold every aspect of the Second World War, from morale to mobilization, rationing to civil defense, the football field to the battlefield. Shows the limits to the wartime consensus, not only inside Westminster and along Fleet Street, but also across the country, as many people questioned the official information they received."

Gettysburg

by Adam I. P. Smith (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: August 7, 2025. Hardcover, 332 pages. ISBN 9780199671274

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From the publisher: "The Great Battles Series. The story of the world's most important battles -- how they were fought, how they have been commemorated, and the long historical shadows that they have cast." 

Life in the Viking Great Army: Raiders, Traders, and Settlers

by Dawn Hadley (Author), Julian Richards (Author)

Publisher: Oxford University Press. Publication date: April 9, 2025. Hardcover, 432 pages. ISBN-10 147286946X

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From the publisher: "The Viking Great Army that landed in East Anglia in late 865 had a lasting impact on English society, culture, politics, and economy. The Viking Great Army landed in East Anglia in late 865 and over the following fifteen years it fought numerous battles in all four Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, made and broke peace treaties, and deposed or killed at least three Anglo-Saxon kings, replacing them with its own appointees."

Opening the Gates of Hell: Germany's Invasion of Russia, June-July 1941

by Richard Hargreaves (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: June 3, 2025. Hardcover, 488 pages. ISBN-10 147286946X

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From the publisher: "A unique account of the opening weeks of history's largest, most brutal conflict, told through the eyes of those who were there and based on original source material from across Europe. Opening the Gates of Hell is based on over a decade's research in archives and sites across Europe."

Gettysburg: The Tide Turns: An Oral History

by Bruce Chadwick (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: May 20, 2025. Hardcover, 272 pages. ISBN-10 1639368256

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From the publisher: "The definitive oral history of the battle that turned the tide of the Civil War that combines vivid first-hand accounts with rich historical narrative. In late June of 1863, one month after his victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, Virginia, General Robert E. Lee, head of the Army of Northern Virginia, invaded the North."

Korea: War Without End

by Richard Dannatt (Author), Robert Lyman (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: May 20, 2025. Hardcover, 352 pages. ISBN-10 1472869753

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From the publisher: "Korea: War Without End examines the stand-off between East and West in Korea that ultimately defined the second half of the 20th century. It provides a critical analysis of the lack of preparation by the West for war; the results of the North Korean invasion in June 1950; the counter-stroke by MacArthur in September ..."

Nightmare in the Pacific: The World War II Saga of Artie Shaw and His Navy Band

by Michael Doyle (Author)

Publisher: University of North Texas Press. Publication date: January 15, 2025. Hardcover, 288 pages. ISBN-10 1574419463

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From the publisher: "World War II loomed over the twentieth century, transforming every level of American society and international relationships and searing itself onto the psyche of an entire generation, including that of seven American presidents: John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush. "

Every Weapon I Had: A Vietnam Vet's Long Road to the Medal of Honor

by Paris Davis (Author)

Publisher: St. Martin's Press. Publication date: June 17, 2025. Hardcover, 256 pages. ISBN-10 1250387655

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From the publisher: "The story of a Green Beret commander's heroism during the Vietnam War, and the long fight to recognize his bravery. Every Weapon I Had is an inspiring tale of valor and sacrifice, set against the backdrop of major escalations in both the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement."

The Raider: A New England Runaway, the Chinese Communists, and the Birth of U.S. Marine Special Forces in World War II

by Stephen R. Platt (Author)

Publisher: Knopf. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 544 pages. ISBN-10 0525658017

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From the publisher: "The extraordinary life of forgotten World War II hero Evans Carlson, commander of America’s first special forces, secret confidant of FDR, and one of the most controversial officers in the history of the Marine Corps, who dedicated his life to bridging the cultural divide between the United States and China"

The Traitor of Arnhem: The Untold Story of WWII's Greatest Betrayal and the Moment that Changed History Forever

by Robert Verkaik (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: February 4, 2025. Hardcover, 400 pages. ISBN-10 1639368272

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From the publisher: "Revealing the hidden role of the Cambridge Spies during this Allied defeat, The Traitor of Arnhem relates for the first time the startling betrayal that changed the course of World War II. The end of World War II is in sight."

The Killing Season: The Autumn of 1914, Ypres, and the Afternoon That Cost Germany a War

by Robert Cowley (Author)

Publisher: Random House. Publication date: February 18, 2025. Hardcover, 704 pages. ISBN-10 1400068525

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From the publisher: "The final months of 1914 were the bloodiest interval in a famously bloody war, a killing season. They ended with the First Battle of Ypres, a struggle in West Flanders, Belgium, whose importance has been too long overlooked—until now."

Scorched Earth: A Global History of World War II

by Paul Thomas Chamberlin (Author)

Publisher: Basic Books. Publication date: May 6, 2025. Hardcover, 672 pages. ISBN-10 1541619269

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From the publisher: "In Scorched Earth, historian Paul Thomas Chamberlin dispatches the myth of World War II as a good war. Instead, he depicts the conflict as it truly was: a massive battle beset by vicious racial atrocities, fought between rival empires across huge stretches of Asia and Europe."

Shots Heard Round the World: America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War

by John Ferling (Author)

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing. Publication date: April 1, 2025. Hardcover, 560 pages. ISBN-10 163973015X

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From the publisher: "In April 1775, British troops marched to Lexington, where an armed group of Yankees awaited them. Despite an order to disperse, shots rang out. Militiamen were killed. The British continued marching, only to find even greater trouble in Concord and all the way down the road back to Boston."

Paris Undercover: A Wartime Story of Courage, Friendship, and Betrayal

by Matthew Goodman (Author)

Publisher: Ballantine Books. Publication date: February 4, 2025. Hardcover, 448 pages. ISBN-10 0593358929

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From the publisher: "Etta Shiber and Kate Bonnefous are the unlikeliest of heroines: two seemingly ordinary women, an American widow and an English divorcée, living quietly together in Paris. Yet during the Nazi occupation, these two friends find themselves unexpectedly plunged into the whirlwind of history."

The Price of Victory: A Naval History of Britain: 1815–1945

by N. A. M. Rodger (Author)

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 976 pages. ISBN 0393292223

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From the publisher: "Across two acclaimed volumes, preeminent naval historian N. A. M. Rodger has traced the progress of naval warfare in Britain from the seventh century through to Trafalgar, combining decades of scholarship with original insights and analysis."

The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America

by Kostya Kennedy (Author)

Publisher: St. Martin's press. Publication date: March 25, 2025. Hardcover, 304 pages. ISBN-10 125034137X

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From the publisher: "On April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops, which would seek to crush their nascent revolt."

Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants' War

by Lyndal Roper (Author)

Publisher: Basic Books. Publication date: February 11, 2025. Hardcover, 544 pages. ISBN-10 154164705X

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From the publisher: "The German Peasants’ War was the greatest popular uprising in Western Europe before the French Revolution. In 1524 and 1525, it swept across Germany with astonishing speed as well over a hundred thousand people massed in armed bands to demand a new and more egalitarian order. "

Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and A Forever Promise Forged in World War II

by Robert M. Edsel (Author), Bret Witter

Publisher: Harper Horizon. Publication date: April 29, 2025. Hardcover, 496 pages. ISBN-10 140033781X

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From the publisher: "Set during the horrors of World War II, Remember Us by Robert Edsel—#1 New York Times bestselling author of The Monuments Men—opens in Limburg, a small, rural province at the southern tip of the Netherlands. In the pre-dawn hours of May 10, 1940, Hitler’s forces rolled through the city, shattering more than 100 years of peace in the Netherlands."

Second Front: Anglo-American Rivalry and the Hidden Story of the Normandy Campaign

by Marc Milner (Author)

Publisher: Yale University Press. Publication date: May 13, 2025. Hardcover, 688 pages. ISBN-10 030027887X

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From the publisher: "In June 1944, an Allied army of British, American, and Canadian troops sought to open up a Second Front in Normandy. But they were not only fighting to bring the Second World War to an end. After decades of Anglo-American struggle for dominance, they were also contending with one another—to determine who would ascend to global hegemony once Hitler’s armies fell."

Bagration 1944: The Great Soviet Offensive

by Prit Buttar (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: March 11, 2025. Hardcover, 480 pages. ISBN-10 1472863518

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From the publisher: "Throughout the war on the Eastern Front, there were two consistent trends. The Red Army battled to learn how to fight and win, while involved in a struggle for its very survival. But by 1944 it had a leadership that was able to wield it with lethal effect and with far more effective equipment than before."

Ring of Fire: A New History of the World at War: 1914

by Alexandra Churchill (Author), Nicolai Eberholst (Author)

Publisher: Pegasus Books. Publication date: August 12, 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 1639369279

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From the publisher: "The dramatic story of 1914—the start of World War I—presenting an expansive, dynamic history of the start of this truly global conflict. Most countries did not know what they were getting into during the precarious days of 1914."

Crescent Dawn: The Rise of the Ottoman Empire and the Making of the Modern Age

by Si Sheppard (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: February 25, 2025. Hardcover, 528 pages. ISBN-10 1472851463

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From the publisher: "A groundbreaking new history of the wars of the Ottoman Expansion, a truly global conflagration that crisscrossed three continents and ultimately defined the borders and future of a modern Europe. The determined attempt to thwart Ottoman dominance was fought across five theaters from the Balkans to the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, from Persia to Russia."

Lincoln's Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War

by Michael Vorenberg (Author)

Publisher: Knopf. Publication date: March 18, 2025. Hardcover, 480 pages. ISBN-10 1524733172

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From the publisher: "We set out on the James River, March 25, 1865, aboard the paddle steamboat River Queen. President Lincoln is on his way to General Grant’s headquarters at City Point, Virginia, and he’s decided he won’t return to Washington until he’s witnessed, or perhaps even orchestrated, the end of the Civil War."

Devil’s Fire, Southern Cross: The Conclusion of the Guadalcanal-Solomons Campaign, October 1943-February 1944

by Jeffrey Cox (Author)

Publisher: Osprey Publishing. Publication date: June 3, 2025. Hardcover, 488 pages. ISBN-10 1472864484

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From the publisher: "This page-turning history examines the closing months of the vital campaign which ultimately determined the successful conclusion of the Pacific War for the Allies. But it had not been a smooth process. The campaign continued in fits and starts with both the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy making crucial errors."

Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America

by Scott Ellsworth (Author)

Publisher: Dutton. Publication date: July 15, 2025. Hardcover, 336 pages. ISBN-10 0593475615

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From the publisher: "Told with a page-turning pace, New York Times bestselling author and historian Scott Ellsworth has written the most compelling new book about the Civil War in years. Focusing on the last, desperate months of the war, when the outcome was far from certain, Midnight on the Potomac is a story of titanic battles, political upheaval, and the long-forgotten Confederate terror war against the loyal citizens of the North."

No More Napoleons: How Britain Managed Europe from Waterloo to World War One

by Andrew Lambert (Author)

Publisher: Yale University Press. Publication date: June 24, 2025. Hardcover, 512 pages. ISBN-10 0300275552

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From the publisher: "At the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars, a fragile peace emerged in Europe. The continent’s borders were redrawn, and the French Empire, once a significant threat to British security, was for now cut down to size. But after decades of ceaseless conflict, Britain’s economy was beset by a crippling debt."

The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780

by Rick Atkinson (Author)

Publisher: Crown. Publication date: April 29, 2025. Hardcover, 880 pages. ISBN-10 0593799186

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From the publisher: "The first twenty-one months of the American Revolution—which began at Lexington and ended at Princeton—was the story of a ragged group of militiamen and soldiers fighting to forge a new nation. By the winter of 1777, the exhausted Continental Army could claim only that it had escaped annihilation by the world’s most formidable fighting force."

The Knights Templar: History & Mystery

by Tony McMahon

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military. Publication date: January 30, 2025. Hardcover, 232 pages. ISBN-10 1036113485

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From the publisher: "The Knights Templar have fascinated us for centuries. They were holy warriors who fought with incredible bravery in the Crusades but were then destroyed by their own side. In battle they were the bravest knights – first on the battlefield and the last to quit.'

Martin Bormann: Hitler’s Executioner

by Volker Koop (Author)

Publisher: Frontline Books. Publication date: January 31, 2025. Softcover, 248 pages. ISBN-10 1526797518

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From the publisher: "Born on 17 June 1900, Martin Ludwig Bormann became one of the most powerful and most feared men in the Third Reich. An obsessive bureaucrat, it was Bormann who helped steer Hitler’s apparatus of terror so effectively that he became the clandestine ruler of Nazi Germany."