Usahec Military History Podcast

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.

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,

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 State

    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

April 22, 2021 – Mr. D.M. GiangrecoOn 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 US

  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

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

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

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 pod

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

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 abo

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 USAH

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 webs

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 USA