Digital Commons Network^™

The Devil In The Details: The Malleus Maleficarum And Its Relationship To Regional Witchcraft Beliefs In Metz And The Corresponding Trials, Morgan Gubser

University Honors Theses

This thesis will explore witch trials in Lorraine, France, in the mid- to late-1400s, with a strong focus on trials conducted in or in reference to the city of Metz. The sixteenth century saw the period of the "great witch trials", which is often studied by those publishing in Witchcraft Studies, but a renewed scholarly focus is now being placed on the time before these great trials. By understanding these smaller outbreaks of trials that occurred in Lorraine before the sixteenth century we might hope to understand why so many trials tore through the region a century later. This thesis …

Book Review: Witness To Neptune’S Inferno: The Pacific War Diary Of Lieutenant Commander Lloyd M. Mustin, Uss Atlanta (Cl 51), Jonathan Klug

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: David F. Winkler

Reviewed by Colonel Jonathan Klug (US Army), PhD, associate dean, associate professor, and Admiral William F. Halsey Chair of Naval Studies, US Army War College

Colonel Jonathan Klug (PhD), the US Army War College’s Admiral William F. Halsey Chair of Naval Studies, identifies David F. Winkler’s contribution to the field with this book. Klug writes, “Winkler adds tremendous value to [Lloyd M.] Mustin’s comments by placing them into their proper historical context and providing insight into the development of a mid-career naval officer into a strategic leader.” Klug also notes that “this book would be especially …

Book Review: How The Army Made Britain A Global Power: 1688–1815, James D. Scudieri

Parameters Bookshelf – Online Book Reviews

Author: Jeremy Black

Reviewed by Dr. James D. Scudieri, senior research historian, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College

Senior research historian Dr. James D. Scudieri provides a detailed outline of Jeremy Black’s history of the British Army from 1688 to 1815, highlighting the author’s “theme that the British Army made the empire as much as the Royal Navy—through projecting Landpower.” Scudieri also notes the book’s value to American readers, writing, “American security professionals will see parallel insights from this small regular army within a parliamentary system” and that the “US Army’s evolution in a republic that centers the military …

Disobedient Daughters, Disobedient Wives: How Women Pushed Against Restrictive Norms In Early Modern Japan, Drew Mcclellan '25

Student Research

This essay examines the shifting roles and restrictions placed on Japanese women from the Classical period through the Edo period, focusing on how women both conformed to and resisted societal expectations. It uses primary sources like the Onna Daigaku ( Greater Learning for Women) and Tadano Makuzu's Solitary Thoughts to highlight the tension between prescribed ideals of feminine virtue and the lived experiences of women, particularly during times of peace and war. The essay also discusses the ways women found and wielded power through family structures, their education, and participation in warfare, as well as how they challenged restrictive norms …

Personal Legacies Of The American Empire: Witnessing The Rise Of A Western Power In The Philippines, Christian S. Condo Gilkes '25

Student Research

This historical study examines the Philippine-American War through the personal experiences of four individuals: David Fagen, a Black-American soldier who joined the Filipino resistance; Datu Ali, a Moro chieftain; George W. Suriley, an American soldier; and Apolinario Mabini, an advisor to Aguinaldo and a Filipino revolutionary. The paper explores the complex motivations, beliefs, and perspectives of individuals on both sides of the conflict, shedding light on the human cost of American imperialism and the diverse reactions to the United States' expansion into the Philippines. It further examines the racial and social dynamics within the U.S. military and the experiences of …

Air Supremacy, The Enabler Of Close Air Support Operations – An Evaluation Of Past, Present, And Future Air Campaigns., Owen Topolnicki

Senior Honors Theses

The achievement of gaining aerial supremacy, or lack thereof, is the hinge upon which Close Air Support (CAS) swings. The attainment of it enables CAS specialist aircraft, not unlike the Ju-87 Stuka or A-10 Thunderbolt II, to be exceptionally effective in their operating environment. While the lack of it, forces aircrews to pioneer new solutions either in the form of multi-role aircraft (capable of self-defense), or other innovative solutions similar to unmanned aerial systems (UAS’s), as aptly seen in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Thus, the ability of an air force to gain air supremacy and to do so quickly, …

Joshua As A Hymn Of Glory: An Analysis And Comparison Of Ancient Near Eastern Texts, Richard D. Jarvis Iii

Studia Antiqua

A knowledgeable reader of the Hebrew Bible understands that there are two conflicting conquest narratives contained in the books of Joshua and Judges. This paper seeks to reframe Joshua 5–11 in a genre other than the traditional interpretation of a conquest narrative. These chapters of Joshua, as compared with Merneptah’s Victory Stele and the annals of Adad-Nārārī II, fit thematically into an entirely different genre from ancient Near Eastern literature: hymns of glory. Using four char- acteristics inspired by the work of Susan Hollis—propagandistic royal ideology, divine empowerment or call, utter destruction of enemies, and will of the deity accomplished—to …

Aquila And Predator: The Failure And Momentum Of Drone Technologies In The U.S., 1970-2015, Michael Rasak

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This article examines the technological and intellectual histories of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) development in the U.S. from the 1970s until 2015. Borrowing from the field of science and technology studies, the author argues that although early drone development demonstrated a significant degree of heterogeneity (i.e., interpretive flexibility), the spectacular failure in 1987 of one program in particular—the Aquila Remotely Piloted Vehicle—thereafter contributed to a significant restricting of UAS potentialities. Aquila’s demise prompted a Congressional directive in 1988 to consolidate the disparate UAS development efforts within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) under one joint program, ushering in a means …

The Grateful Dead: An Imperfect Symbol Of The Hippie Movement, Vanessa Sharfe

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The emergence of the band, the Grateful Dead, took San Francisco by storm in the 1960s as the hippie counterculture movement increased in popularity in the United States. The Grateful Dead’s career spanned thirty years from 1965 to the passing of their lead singer, Jerry Garcia in 1995. My work will focus on the political and social context of the 1960s and 1970s because the time period was shaped by major political issues and events that influenced the ideologies of the various protest movements such the Free Speech Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, and controversial topics such as the Hell’s …

Soldiers In The Sideshows: The 409th Infantry Regiment In World War Ii, Nicholas Garrett

Master's Theses

In the European Theater of World War II certain battlefields or campaigns such as Operation Overlord, Operation Market Garden, and the Battle of the Bulge are core aspects of American memory. However, the men of the 409^th Infantry Regiment of the 103^rd Infantry Division do not fall into this image. This unit fought as part of the U.S. Seventh Army across eastern France through the Vosges Mountains, defended against the German Operation Nordwind and broke through the Siegfried Line into southeastern Germany. Though the 409^th represents a small portion of the men of the 103^rd, …

The First World War Letters Of H.J.C. Peirs: A Case Study Of The Creation And Growth Of A Collaborative, Pedagogy-Driven Digital History Project, Amy E. Lucadamo, R.C. Miessler, Ian A. Isherwood

All Musselman Library Staff Works

This chapter concerns the development of a First World War Digital Humanities project at a small US liberal arts college. The project, based on a manuscript collection of documents, photographs, artefacts, and nearly 300 letters (primarily written between 1915 and 1919), was designed from the beginning to be truly collaborative, featuring the creative and scholarly work of undergraduate students, a faculty member, a librarian, and an archivist to tell a unique story from the Western Front. What initially began as a project to digitally preserve and promote primary source materials for a wider audience adapted and changed over the course …

The Successes Of Rotuman Women In The Modern World, Alan Howard, Makereta Mua

Pacific Studies

Inspired by Ester Boserup’s 1970 thesis regarding the role of indigenous economies in promoting the success of women in the modern economies, this article explores aspects of Rotuman culture that have led to the considerable success of Rotuman women in various contemporary occupations. Our analysis is based on multiple sources implicating the socialization of women that promote a self-confidence conducive to accomplishments. This article also includes reflections by seventeen interviewees on the sources of their success

Understanding The Performance And Perception Of Odawa Warfare, 1615–1700, Eric P. Morningstar

Masters Theses

This research employs the ethnohistorical method to explore how the Odawa people perceived and carried out warfare from 1615 to 1700. While historians have examined the Odawa, these Native peoples have frequently not been the central focus in the secondary literature. Many primary sources also offer a vague answer as to how the Odawa conceived and carried out warfare. This study aims to clarify historiographical inconsistencies by quantitatively analyzing a database, constructed by the author, of specific primary references to known hostilities between the Odawa, other Native groups, and Europeans. The analysis includes specific variables germane to hostilities such as …

Antillia, Kelsie Ogden

English Undergraduate Honors Theses

History, Mythology, and Fantasy are all considered to hold different ideas surrounding truth. More often than not, it is harder to draw this line than one might think. Through this thesis, an argument is made surrounding the legendary island Antillia and where this mythical island falls into more categories than one. Through the carefully crafted journal writings of the Viking, Ragnar, and the wondrous diary entries of Medieval widow, Ivette, the search for this island comes to a head. What waits upon this island, however, is a cure to the very essence of these two characters and others like them– …

Lilac Divinity: The Socio-Religious Transformation Of The Capetian Monarchy, Michael Earth Anderson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study considers an alternative explanation for the ascendancy of the Capetian monarchy during the High Middle Ages. Through a broad consideration of notable kings across a large time period, I argue that the kings of France knowingly participated in a process of spiritual and cultural embellishment that traditional, comparative models have failed to properly assess. The paper begins with a short introduction and is followed by a consideration of how the Middle Ages have been framed historiographically. The next section offers a historiographical overview of feudalism to contextualize persistent issues in the field. The remaining sections consist largely of …

Viking And Native North American Interactions: The Spread Of Disease In The Norse Discovery Of North America, Sarah N. Haughawout

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This paper evaluates the potential for spread of disease in the Norse and Native North American interactions around 1000 CE. At this time, the Vikings were expanding their territory in search of land and natural resources following the Viking Raids in mainland Europe. They traveled to Iceland, then Greenland, and finally the eastern coast of northern Canada. Norse explorers faced numerous obstacles on their journeys, but they still prospered in North America for a time. The Vikings hunted the land and sea mammals, used the land, and found ways to thrive while having hostile relations and contact with the Native …

Limitation For Liberty: A Commentary On Federalism And The Tenth Amendment, Riley Banker

Senior Honors Theses

The concept of Federalism is essential to the very survival of the United States. However, recent decisions by the Supreme Court have illustrated attempts by the federal government to expand its authority and undermine the balance of power created by Federalism. This thesis will explore the concept of Federalism to demonstrate how it can best be protected. First, this thesis will address the origins of Federalism. Second, it will show how the principles of Federalism are manifested within the founding documents of the United States. Finally, this thesis will analyze current events including Supreme Court cases to demonstrate a concerning …

Roman History In Sibylline Oracle 13: A Palestinian Jewish Perspective On Emperors, Usurpers, And Saviors During The Third Century Ce (Part Two: From Decius To Odenath Of Palmyra), Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

Sibylline Oracle 13 is a remarkable historical document that contains a unique perspective on the poorly documented period of Roman history known as the “Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 CE), which began with the assassination of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander (222-235 CE), the last ruler of the Severan dynasty. This turbulent era was marked by nearly fifty years of civil wars, barbarian invasions, rebellions, and approximately twenty-six claimants to the throne. Although the end of this turmoil under Diocletian (284-305 CE) is well known, we have little information about much of this century, particularly its first decades. The …

Communication In War: How Harper's Weekly Reported On Andersonville From 1864 To 1865, Pamela Budinger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The unifying theme of this thesis is human communication in war, specifically the American Civil War. History can be seen as studies of past communications and the actions that preceded and followed such communications. Scholars of the Civil War era are limited with regard to their source material compared to scholars that might be studying the twentieth century, or today. Today’s historians can tap a plethora of media that hold traces of human communication: videotape, television, tape recordings, letters, and other forms of written communication. Not all of these are available to scholars studying the Civil War. This thesis adopts …

Treaty Wars And Executive Unilateralism: With A Case Study Of The Korean War, Jack James Warner

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the expansion of presidential power during the Cold War through the lens of International Treaty Organizations (ITOs), using the Korean War as a case study. ITOs enabled US presidents, beginning with Truman, to engage in military conflicts devoid of the traditionally required congressional approval, thereby transforming the nature of American diplomacy and elevating executive authority. By leveraging US obligations to the United Nations treaty, Truman set a precedent for unilateral military action under the aegis of international peacekeeping. Politicians attempted to restrict the president's authority to wage war in Korea, culminating in the introduction of the Bricker …

Liberty To The Captive: The Two Definitions Of Equality In The Abolitionist Movement, Justin Searls

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The matter of the debate on equality’s definition between black Christian ministers and white Christian ministers is an understudied topic of discourse that merits attention in the historical profession. In recent years, there has been discussion surrounding the general racial divide within abolitionism. However, the religious perspective on this matter has received little to no attention. How did black ministers and white ministers address the question of emancipation and enfranchisement for African Americans in the abolitionist movement from the 1830s through the Civil War and beyond? There is a significant disparity in the discussion of equal rights for African Americans …

An Analysis Of The Second Battle Of Fort Fisher, Tanner Port

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

In the closing stages of the American Civil War, the Union seizure of Fort Fisher (guarding Wilmington, North Carolina) in January 1865 was a key operation sealing the defeat of the Confederacy. The operation is worthy of study by modern military officers, as it was a prime example of the coordination of land and naval forces in an amphibious operation.

Yet Further South: The Brazilian Confederados Through The Lens Of Historiography, Christian Mumpower

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

As the American Civil War drew to a close, Confederate soldiers began to desert at an ever higher rate. Among the deserters, some ambitious souls who could not fathom living under a restored Union began to look beyond the borders of the United States for refuge and were soon joined in their endeavor by several high-ranking officials and military officers. Many of these expatriates soon found themselves in the equatorial Empire of Brazil, where they were allowed to perpetuate their plantation way of life. These Confederados, as the locals referred to them, unknowingly facilitated a massive scientific and cultural exchange …

Korea: The Enduring Policy Blindspot, Justin Malzac, Rene A. Mahomed

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

The threat posed by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a neglected and under prioritized problem across the US government, requiring a dramatic change of approach. Most proposals for Goldwater-Nichols reform focus on geography, either increasing or decreasing the number of geographic commands. Based on our personal experience as Joint military planners at strategic-level headquarters, we argue that the change needs to go further, focusing on global national security problems instead of geography. This article’s analysis and conclusions will provoke conversation across the national security enterprise about how the United States competes with multiple global threats.

Parameters Winter 2024-25, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Winter 2024–25 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Security Cooperation, and Historical Studies), and the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment.

The American Way Of Studying War: What Is It Good For?, Michael P. Ferguson

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Academic military historians, government institutions, and defense practitioners have unique purposes for advancing the study of war that influence the way they consume and produce history. Although there is substantial scholarship covering how the discipline of military history has changed since the late nineteenth century, the literature surrounding why it changes and how it is used is less plentiful. Using primary and secondary sources to contextualize debates between historians, this study traces major developments in military historiography, considers the US Army’s relationship with its history, and explores potential connections between a history’s purpose and its use for military professionals.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Integrating Humanities Into Cybersecurity Education: Enhancing Ethical, Historical, And Sociopolitical Understanding In Technical Training, Joseph Frusci

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

The increasing complexity of cybersecurity challenges necessitates a holistic educational approach that integrates both technical skills and humanistic perspectives. This article examines the importance of infusing humanities disciplines such as history, ethics, political science, sociology, law, and anthropology—into cybersecurity education. Through a pilot course developed for Staten Island Technical High School, aligned with the New York State K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards, students were introduced to an interdisciplinary curriculum that combined technical cybersecurity training with historical analysis, ethical reasoning, and sociopolitical context. The results of pre- and post-course assessments demonstrated significant improvements in critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and …

Obedience, Courage, And Loyalty: The 81st “Wildcat” Division During World War I, Harold Allen Skinner Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

When the United States entered the First World War in April 1917, the United States Army was rated on par with the armies of Portugal and Belgium. Yet by November 1918, the United States had organized and deployed a two million-man-strong American Expeditionary Force (AEF) to Europe. The speed at which the US Army deployed twenty-nine divisions into the Western Front upended European strategic calculations and hastened the collapse of the Central Powers coalition in late 1918. Yet, the story of the AEF has been marginalized in American historiography, a historical vacuum filled instead by Euro-centric historians who minimized the …

Battle Of Antietam: Why Sixteen Regiments Suffered Over 50% Casualties, Michael D. Debarto

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Battle of Antietam saw some of the most terrible fighting of the war. Nearly 23,000 men were killed or wounded that day and of the over 400 regiments that were engaged, sixteen of them entered the battle with over 250 men but ended the day with over 50% casualties. The primary reasons for these sixteen to have suffered such terrible losses are: 1) five of the regiments had the unfortunate luck of halting on a piece of high ground becoming the target of every enemy regiment and artillery battery within range, 2) thirteen regiments adhered to accepted doctrine but …