Category: World Wars
-
Keegan on British and Southern Memory of War
The other day, I watched a talk by the late John Keegan on World War I, given at the Cambridge Public Library in 1999. He spent a good deal of time trying to answer why the war was still important to the British, covering the overwhelming number monuments and the yearly commemorations. Among several anecdotes,…
-
The Importance of American Sea Power
I hesitate to write this, as it may seem I am endorsing a candidate. I am not. I think both President Obama and Governor Romney are correct on the issue of America’s navy, but in different ways. I will explain further below, but first we need to be on the same page concerning sea power.…
-
My Favorite Newsweek Cover
With the demise of the print version of Newsweek, it is worth discussing my favorite cover. Anyone looking through old news magazines before and during World War II can look no further than Newsweek for dramatic, relevant covers and reporting on the war. Browsing the covers of Time or Life will give the impression there…
-
Movie Review: War Horse
Steven Spielberg’s War Horse is a different type of war movie that focuses on animals instead of people. The following are some thoughts with no plot spoilers. The most important aspect is the main character–the horse. Although there are people in the movie, the horse gets the most screen time. The movie works hard to…
-
A Closer Look at Churchill’s Battle of the Bulge Quote
The Battle of the Bulge Monument at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College prominently displays a quote from Winston Churchill (1874-1965), “This is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war, and will, I believe be regarded as an ever famous American victory.” Although inspiring, this is not the full quote or the full…
-
Battle of the Bulge Monument at Valley Forge Military Academy
For over a year now, I passed a sign for the Battle of the Bulge Monument on my way to work. I have yet to find anyone at work who visited it, but ironically, I never visited either. This past Friday, on the 67th anniversary of the start of the battle, I decided to check…
-
Finding Douglas Haig in Edinburgh Castle
On hilltop towering over much of Edinburgh, Scotland, is the city’s castle. The location is rich with military history, as the Scots and English fought over the castle and destroyed it on several occasions. Today, the castle acts as a large museum covering a wide range of Scottish history. Within it is the National War…
-
Luxembourg’s Golden Lady, a World War I Monument
Today is Armistice Day. In America, we refer to it as Veteran’s Day and honor the living. We have since 1954. After World War II (1939-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953), it was difficult for Americans to honor veterans only from one war. However, many in Europe still continue with their flavor of Armistice Day…
-
Scotland’s Monuments to Her Fallen Sons in the Great War
While my wife and I were in Scotland recently, we were enamored with tales of Picts, Vikings, Highlanders, and Jacobites, but we could not help but also notice the seemingly endless World War I monuments strung throughout virtually every village in Scotland. Even as far north as the Orkney Islands, I saw several monuments in…
-
Churchill’s Earliest Warning About Hitler
Throughout the 1930’s, Winston Churchill spoke out concerning German rearmament, Britain’s lack of comparable military strength, and Adolf Hitler. Churchill spent most of the decade a mere Member of Parliament and not a member of the British Cabinet. By July of 1939, the British newspapers would demand overwhelmingly that Churchill be made a member of…
-
These Men Beat Hitler
Years ago, my mom sent me an 8×11 photo of Churchill, FDR, and Stalin at the Yalta Conference. She knows my love for history and she envisioned me hanging this on my wall at work. I did. The photo has followed me from job to job in my career. I am astonished at the amount…
-
Churchill’s Efforts to Feed Germany after the Great War
Reprinted by permission of Finest Hour, Number 145, Winter 2009-10, The Churchill Centre and Museum at the Cabinet War Rooms, London (www.winstonchurchill.org). Text copyright © Scott Manning 2010. With America’s entry into the First World War in 1917, the Allies finally had enough ships and manpower to implement a full naval blockade on Germany. The…