Digital Commons Network^™

Don’T Let’S Be Beastly To The Germans: The British Occupation Of Germany, 1945–49, Michael C. Davies

Joint Force Quarterly

This book review assesses Daniel Cowling’s Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans: The British Occupation of Germany, 1945–49, a study of British efforts to govern and reconstruct Germany after World War II. Drawing on archival research and personal accounts, the book traces the British occupation from early planning and ideological debates through implementation, near collapse, recovery, and the eventual restoration of German sovereignty. The reviewer highlights Cowling’s attention to the tension between punishment and reconciliation, the difficulties of working with former Nazis, and the ways personal relationships and individual judgment influenced policy. Particular emphasis is placed on the …

From Sparta To Hostomel: The Enduring Role Of Joint Forcible Entry Operations, Jonathan Maxwell Cohen

Joint Force Quarterly

This article argues that joint forcible entry operations remain relevant despite the growing threat posed by antiaccess/area-denial networks. Using the Russian assault on Hostomel Airport during the opening phase of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine as a case study, the author contends that the operation failed not because forcible entry had become obsolete, but because Russian forces were unable to isolate and expand the lodgment, protect access for follow-on forces, and integrate maneuver and supporting fires effectively. The article traces the historical development of forcible entry from ancient amphibious operations through airborne and air assault doctrine, then applies lessons from …

Better In Pairs: Divide The Indo-Pacific Theater In Half, Tim Devine

Joint Force Quarterly

This article argues that the Department of Defense should reconsider the current geographic organization of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and create a second geographic combatant command in the region. The author contends that USINDOPACOM’s vast area of responsibility, expanding subordinate structure, growing operational demands, and increasing strategic competition with China are placing excessive strain on a single theater headquarters. Drawing on the U.S. experience in the Pacific during World War II, when separate commands under Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur divided responsibilities across the theater, the article presents a dual-command model as a historically proven way to improve span …

Ethical Leadership Development: Highlights From The Past And A Glimpse Of The Future, Elias Ursitti, Eric J. Weis, Donald P. Loren

Joint Force Quarterly

This article traces the development of ethical leadership in the U.S. military over the past century and argues that character, integrity, and ethical judgment remain essential to the profession of arms. Using the Eisenhower School’s centennial as a framework, the authors review how military ethics have adapted to changing forms of warfare, technology, law, civil-military relations, and social expectations from the interwar period through the post–Cold War era. They highlight recurring challenges involving civilian protection, command responsibility, nuclear weapons, counterinsurgency, autonomous systems, private military contractors, diversity and inclusion, toxic leadership, and the psychological effects of war. Looking ahead, the article …

Stop Talking To Yourself: Military Recruiting In The Modern Age, Richard R. Bell, Elizabeth Goldsmith, Robert Martinez, Donghyun Lee

Joint Force Quarterly

This article explores the Department of Defense’s military recruiting challenges and argues that outdated communication strategies are limiting its ability to connect with Generation Z. The authors contend that young people’s perceptions of military service are shaped by concerns about physical and psychological risk, separation from family and friends, career opportunities, and the military lifestyle, as well as by misinformation and selective information-sharing on digital platforms. At the same time, DOD has struggled to adapt its recruiting efforts to the new media environment and to communicate the benefits of service in ways that are relevant and credible to younger audiences. …

Considering The Utility Of Modern Blockade In A Protracted Conflict With China, Thomas A. Krasnicki

Joint Force Quarterly

This article evaluates the potential use of maritime blockade as part of a U.S. strategy for ending a protracted conflict with China. Drawing on historical examples from the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II, the author argues that blockade remains relevant because China depends heavily on seaborne energy imports and maritime trade. The article proposes a modernized approach that combines close and distant blockade operations to pressure China’s economy while reducing risk to U.S. and allied forces. Close blockade elements would focus on neutralizing Chinese shipping near contested waters, while distant blockade forces would help identify …

Cbrn Defense Readiness Reporting, Jeffrey A. French-Lujan, Taylor Harrington, Ron Fizer, Domah Diggs

Joint Force Quarterly

This article argues that the Department of Defense lacks a sufficiently standardized system for assessing and reporting chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear defense readiness across the joint force. Although the Defense Readiness Reporting System provides common measures for personnel, equipment, materiel condition, and training, current CBRN reporting requirements rely too heavily on subjective assessments and can overstate a unit’s actual ability to operate in a contaminated environment. Using the Marine Corps as a case study, the authors show how standardized training and equipment metrics can provide commanders with a more accurate picture of CBRN preparedness and operational risk. They contend …

Executive Summary, William T. Eliason

Joint Force Quarterly

This executive summary introduces Joint Force Quarterly 115 against a backdrop of ongoing global conflict, strategic competition, and an approaching U.S. presidential election. William T. Eliason emphasizes the importance of aligning national interests, strategy, policy, and the instruments of national power while recognizing the difficulty of deterring war, ending conflict, and adapting to changing security conditions. The issue features articles on Arctic security, military health systems, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear readiness, contested logistics in the Pacific, blockade strategy in a potential conflict with China, and military recruiting. It also highlights joint professional military education, including the annual Secretary of …

Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 115, 4th Quarter 2024, National Defense University Press

Joint Force Quarterly

This JFQ issue highlights a range of military and security issues, including Arctic defense, health system impacts, and military readiness, while celebrating the achievements of joint professional military education and student essays on national security topics.

Full Issue

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

The First Latinx Graduation, Maria Nevarro

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Mi Historia Cómo Latina, Jovanna Herrera

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

What Being Bilingual Is To Me, Alexa Martinez

CouRaGeouS Cuentos: A Journal of Counternarratives

No abstract provided.

Good Samaritans: Applications Of Social Christianity By Southern Baptists During The Early Twentieth Century, Alyson Marie Fagan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the early twentieth century, the Social Gospel movement sought to spur Christians to serve their neighbors through social and political reform, often through ecumenical groups. However, Southern Baptists remained distant from this movement because they were weary of the liberal Christianity expressed by Social Gospel leaders that appeared to replace the power of the Gospel with acts of service. Instead, the Southern Baptist Convention formally addressed social reforms and civic engagement by creating the Social Service Commission and Committee on Civic Righteousness. These groups expressed the need to reform the home and advocated civic engagement while remaining true to …

Foundational American Faith And Support For Zionism, The Yishuv And The Haganah, 1945-1948: Ein Brera!, Tara K. Simpson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Modern-day Israel’s history includes countless examples of conflict, courage, endurance, and victory. The reconstitution of the Jewish nation in the Holy Land had no guarantee or certainty of success. In May 1948, five openly hostile Arab nations stood ready to invade Israel. This dissertation breaks down how by an incredible turn of events that includes a critical group of American Zionists and volunteer Haganah members, the fledgling Jewish nation was able to defend its land and people. A vital component to the strength and endurance of the Jewish people and the Haganah, a defensive force, was made possible because of …

Collaborative Professional Development Featuring Innovative Curriculum Materials, Cory Callahan

The Councilor: A National Journal of the Social Studies

Here I synthesize two research investigations (Callahan, 2018, 2019) that comprise a continuing line of inquiry into the potential of innovative curriculum materials and sustained collaboration as a professional development program to help in-service teachers understand and implement a complex model of social studies instruction. This article features an original innovative curriculum material and specifically explores the question: To what degree can a collaborative professional development program featuring innovative curriculum materials help social studies teachers understand and implement a powerful social studies approach? Findings suggest the professional development program and its innovative curriculum materials helped teachers promote substantive pedagogical thinking …

Democracy Can Be Dangerous Work: The Story Of Youthbuilders Civic Education Program 1938-1948, Jessica Shiller

Democracy & Education

This article describes the work of a civic education program in New York City schools called Youthbuilders, which existed from 1938 to 1948. Youthbuilders' aim was to engage youth in civic education projects and teach them about their place in a democracy and worked with them to support racial and social equality. Shortly after World War II, they were attacked by a conservative Catholic organization that was working to eliminate groups associated with so-called Communist beliefs like social justice and racial equality. Youthbuilders shut their doors by 1948. The story is one that helps us understand the fragility of working …

Friar Jack, The Science-Fiction Apologist: Exploring “The Friar Of Oxford” By William Lindsay Gresham, G. Connor Salter, Sørina Higgins

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

Few Inklings scholars have explored William Lindsay Gresham’s life outside of the fact that he was married to Joy Davidman. His poem “The Friar of Oxford,” published here for the first time, shows a surprising level of engagement with C.S. Lewis’s ideas, combining war imagery with references to the Ransom Cycle and a “mushroom cloud” reference that may show he explored one of Lewis’s literary influences. The poem’s contents add to existing Gresham-Inklings scholarship, and show Gresham accomplishing the same goals that the Inklings and their associates like Dorothy L. Sayers accomplished in their “escapist” or mythopoeic works.

The Literary Role Of History In The Fiction Of J.R.R. Tolkien, By Nicholas Birns, María Fernández Portaencasa

Mythlore: A Journal of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and Mythopoeic Literature

No abstract provided.

Pura Vida: Reflections From Costa Rica, Lisette Gonzalez, Carolina Hernandez, Natalia Zevallos, Ailani Anglin, Isabela Jimenez, Melissa Johnson, Isabella Madrid, Xion Nelson, Alexia Pineda, Delaney Rendon, Chaylah Williams, Angel Vilchis

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

The First-Gen Voices Journal is proud to feature a special volume dedicated to the transformative experiences of first-generation college students on the recent Study Abroad Social Justice Immersion Trip to Costa Rica. Through this journey, participants gained a deeper grasp of activism and community building while engaging with social justice concerns on a worldwide scale. This volume will demonstrate the tenacity, enthusiasm, and vision of first-generation college students dedicated to societal change.

This issue features embedded film content. Experience the unique blend of text and film by clicking on the front cover image.

La Vida Rica, Angel Vilchis

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

Through a first-person perspective, we travel along to Costa Rica with LMU’s First To Go students. Utilizing a long format, home video style, the goal is to communicate the authentic experiences that occurred during the trip. It’s one thing to be a young adult getting the chance to explore new parts of the world, but it’s a different privilege to get to do it with others that you can connect with. So much so that in the couple months preceding the trip, I found myself dealing with that post-trip depression. However, in that state, I found the beauty of being …

On My Heart, Chaylah Williams

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

I never thought that when I would start traveling internationally that it would be alone I always imagined it with my family, but never did I imagine traveling to really interact with the communities either I always thought of traveling as leisure. I guess I could say this impression was not implemented when OI started traveling as I started to notice how I didn’t want to do touristy things and I really just wanted to be. To be there to be present to be aware and I think that is what I enjoyed the most about my trip to Costa …

A Worthwhile Perspective, Delaney Rendon

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

Opening your mind to a new wide perspective can shed light onto the knowledge and culture that another country can show you. There is much beauty in Costa Rica but also struggles that need to be shared.

“Feel The Rain On Your Skin”, Alexia "Lexie" Pineda

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

In the face of immense social and global crises, from genocides to overlapping racial, political, and environmental struggles, 19 students chose connection and healing through artistry. This shared experience in Costa Rica was a transformative journey aimed at reigniting hope, compassion, and responsibility.

Leading With Love, Xion Nelson

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

The travel experience to Costa Rica, how love is important in these travel experiences. Community is something to be thankful for, being able to learn to protect your communities.

Cries Of Injustice, Isabella Madrid

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

The injustices that occur in Costa Rica, the life that Costa Rica is filled with. Testimonies and tragedies that inspire and stick with you.

Costa Rican Culture Of Love, Melissa Johnson

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

This collection of photographs explores how the collectivist and vibrant culture of Costa Rica manifests as a profound sense of love, shared among humans, animals, and the land. This project celebrates the spirit of Costa Rica as a whole, where human connection, respect for the environment, and a genuine sense of community intertwine.

A Story To Tell: My Unforgettable Experience, Isabela Jimenez

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

A personal reflection about an unforgettable, eye-opening experience in Costa Rica. Meeting locals in different destinations, learning new lessons.

Global Parallels: A Reflection On Civil Rights And Ethical Consumerism In Costa Rica, Anonymous

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

This reflection on the First to Go trip to Costa Rica examines the civil rights issues faced in the country. In particular, it highlights the significant parallels with the United States, especially concerning immigrant communities. During our time there we specifically talked about the exploitation of immigrant labor on pineapple plantations by corporations like Del Monte. This trip underscored my understanding of ethical consumerism and a new approach to mindful purchasing.

What Is A "Pure Life"?, Ailani Anglin

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience

A personal reflection about encountering new experiences in Costa Rica. The comparision between living in Costa Rica and the U.S, how fortunate we are to have many opportunities in this country.