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The Special Operations Executive (Soe) In Austria, 1940-1945, Gerald Steinacher

Department of History: Faculty Publications

In January 1941, Great Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) defined its policy on Austria with two objectives: (1) to assist in the disintegration of the Third Reich by fostering the soon to be expected all-out revolutionary and separatist uprising in Austria; and (2) to bring about the “restoration of Austria as a national unit” within the framework of a central European federation. In short, the hopes and aspirations of the SOE in the Austrian resistance against Nazi Germany were flying high. Five years later, in March 1946, Britain’s political representative in Vienna, William B. Mack, summarized the history of the …

Review Of "Understanding The Great War" By Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau And Annette Becker, Jennifer D. Keene

History Faculty Articles and Research

This is a review of Stéphane Audoin-Rouzeau and Annette Becker's "Understanding the Great War."

Zurich's Militia Records In The Fifteenth Century, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

Switzerland was involved in a civil war from 1440 to 1446. To defend itself, Zurich called out its militia. In the militia records from 1442, the entire structure of the force can be reconstructed. A list of over two thousand names of the militiamen is presented. This includes their occupations, area of residence, the weapons they carried, and where they stood in the Zurich battle formation.

Kitchener's Volunteers, Peter Brauer

The Gettysburg Historical Journal

The fourth of August 1914 was a day of jubilation throughout Britain. German armies, numbering in the millions, had overrun Belgian border stations the previous day and were advancing unchecked across the frontier. As the morning progressed, a buzz of enthusiasm began to grow. News placards throughout Britain broadcast the news of the German invasion to the eager public from every street corner. Those British in the big cities were first to hear. From London to Birmingham, Manchester to Cardiff, and Edinburgh to Belfast, people gathered to hear the news. By noon, Trafalgar Square was packed end to end with …

The Octofoil, January/February 2001, Ninth Infantry Division Association

The Octofoil

The Octofoil is the offical publication of the Ninth Infantry Division Association, Inc., an organization formed by the officers and men of the 9th Infantry Division in order to perpetuate the memory of fallen comrades, preserve the esprit de corps of the Division, promote peace and serve as an information bureau about the 9th Infantry Division. The Association is made up of 9th Infantry veterans from WWII and Vietnam, spouses, widows and lineal descendants.

Operational Research And The Royal Canadian Air Force Eastern Air Command's Search For Efficiency In Airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare, 1942-1945, Dean C. Ruffilli

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis analyses the contributions of operational research to the work of the Royal Canadian Air Force Eastern Air Command during the Second World War. The efforts of the handful of Canadian operational researchers in the Allied campaign against the German U-boat force, although having produced only modest results, did make a small but important contribution to the war which have been neglected by historians. The use of aircraft against submarines began during the First World War when both technologies were still in their infancy. Although initial results were poor, the handful of sinkings by aircraft demonstrated its potential as …

164th Infantry News: June 2000, 164th Infantry Association

164th Infantry Regiment Publications

June 2000 edition of the 164th Infantry News. A total of 24 pages, containing news articles, event notices, photographs, and personal memories from the veterans of the 164th Infantry Regiment.

Kosovo And The Current Myth Of Information Superiority, Timothy L. Thomas

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Moral Foundations Of Military Service, Martin L. Cook

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

The Qdr: Improve The Process To Improve The Product, David E. Snodgrass

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Why Were Chemical Weapons Not Used In World War Ii?, Jeffrey W. Legro

Political Science Faculty Publications

Chemical warfare had played an important enough role in World War I that there was widespread expectation of its use in World War II. Certainly, Germany's army and its chemists had no qualms about adding poison gas to the Third Reich's arsenal. When war began, however, many of the latest chemical warfare agents were not available in deliverable form. The early successes of conventional-war making, combined with an increasing shortage of raw material, led Germany to deemphasize gas warfare even apart from the fear of Allied retaliation that significantly influenced at least the armed forces.

The Wrath Of Poseidon: The Influence Of Water On Strategy And Tactics Of Ancient Greek Warfare, Ben Nietzel

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

This paper is a historical look at the influence of geography on people. Water had a great influence on the tactics and strategies of Greek armies. Books and journal articles were utilized in looking at how water issues influenced the decisions of commanders and the outcomes of battles. Water was a major influence on the tactics and strategies of the Ancient Greeks. It played out in issues of transportation, defense, and the supply. Water concerns permeated every aspect of the Greek warfare, showing itself influential in the outcomes of battles and wars. This paper seeks to show how the commanders …

Buying For The Cold War: Influences On Air Force Procurement, 1945-1956, William Cline

History Theses & Dissertations

Military planning and buying changed dramatically after World War II as more attention and resources were applied toward the development of a strategy that made air power the center of strategic thinking. Nevertheless, when by 1947, aircraft production dropped so low as to threaten the viability of the aircraft industry, President Truman formed the President's Air Policy Commission, which spawned a cooperative effort between government and industry.

The relationship between government officials, particularly in the military, and industry executives became so close in the next decade that the health of the aircraft industry became linked with that of the military. …

Henri Iv As Military Commander, Terence W. Loveridge

History Theses & Dissertations

Henri IV won the throne of France as a feat of arms in a time of great social, religious, economic and military transformation. Militarily, Henri has generally been regarded as a gallant, opportunistic and lucky cavalry commander whose remarkable sense of timing and flexible personal principles enabled him to play a major role in the ending of the Wars of Religion in France. Current debate over the "Military Revolution" of the sixteenth century and the "Revolution in Military Affairs" of the twentieth has renewed interest in both the characters and the techniques of warfare in transformation.

New approaches to military …

Leadership - Lessons From The Battlefield (Gettysburg), C. William Pollard

C. William Pollard Papers

In these conference notes from the CSA/CEO Conference at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA, Pollard applies lessons from the battle of Gettysburg to the topic of leadership.

Abraham Lincoln: Strategist Of Union Victory, Rolando Avila

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Military strategy can be divided into two major categories. First, national strategy which shapes and defines a nation's political goals. Second, operational strategy which is the instrument for achieving those goals. Most studies of Abraham Lincoln's military strategy during the American Civil War are too narrow in focus, because they mainly look at operational strategy. But operational strategy can not be truly understood or judged unless there is a firm understanding of national strategy, for which operational strategy is a mere tool. As a national strategist, Lincoln was largely responsible for Union victory.

An Analysis Of The Success And Failure Of The Collection And Interpretation Of American Intelligence, 1942-1989, Alexander Michael Gibby

History Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate several types of American intelligence collectors. These collectors include human, airborne, shipborne, satellite, and signals. The time frame for this study will begin with the American involvement in the Second World War, commencing with Operation Torch in 1942, and end with the conclusion of the Cold War, marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The case-study format of the paper allows the author to focus on several important areas of intelligence collection, rather than dividing analysis over a great array of topics. The significance of the thesis to contemporary …

William Lowther Jackson And The Civil War In West Virginia's Mountains, Ronald V. Hardway

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

On the eve of the American Civil War one of the most prominent politicians and businessmen in western Virginia was Judge William Lowther Jackson of Parkersburg, Wood County. Jackson, a native of Harrison County and a member of one of the wealthiest and most politically powerful dans in northwestern Virginia, represented his region In the Virginia Assembly for three consecutive terms in the 1850s. He served as Second Auditor for the State of Virginia and directed the Virginia Literary Fund for public education. He had been lieutenant governor of the state during the administration of Governor Henry A. Wise. He …

London's Air Defense During The First World War: The Scene From The Ground, Dale Edward Hatfield

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

As a result of the first flight across the English Channel in 1909, England faced a new threat to its national security. Despite this early warning she was quite unprepared to face the challenge presented by the German air services during the First World War. England’s air defense consisted of anti-aircraft guns on the ground and planes in the skies. Both of these methods of are defense, however, were lacking in quantity and quality during the early years of the war.

This thesis will trace the evolution of England’s air defense on the ground from the prewar years to the …

Ordinary Children Extraordinary Legacies: Childhood During The American Civil War, Deborah S. Holder

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

War heroes do not have to wear uniforms, display meritorious medals for bravery and sacrifice, or voluntarily fight for their country in military regiments. The real heroes are all people touched by conflict. The strategy of war positions the powerful against the powerless, thereby creating an absurd imbalance within society. Hence, ordinary citizens become heroes not by decision but by circumstance; had they a choice, they most certainly would not choose to participate in war. Joseph Heller once said about his war novel: "Catch-22 says that people in power have a right to do to us anything we can't stop …

The International Legal Implications Of "Non-Lethal" Weapons, David P. Fidler

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Hanover Courthouse: The Union's Tactical Victory And Strategic Failure, Jerry Joseph Coggeshall

History Theses & Dissertations

The Battle of Hanover Courthouse was the high water mark of the Union's Peninsular Campaign: the battle was a decisive Federal victory, but disjointed leadership by the Union high command squandered the ensuing strategic opportunities. This research project will evaluate the complex strategic situation which developed in the area of Hanover Courthouse as the Union high command attempted to reinforce the Army of the Potomac in its drive on Richmond in May of 1862.

The goal of this study will be to expose the strategic opportunities which were lost to the Union at Hanover Courthouse as a result of disjointed …

The Octofoil, January/February 1999, Ninth Infantry Division Association

The Octofoil

The Octofoil is the offical publication of the Ninth Infantry Division Association, Inc., an organization formed by the officers and men of the 9th Infantry Division in order to perpetuate the memory of fallen comrades, preserve the esprit de corps of the Division, promote peace and serve as an information bureau about the 9th Infantry Division. The Association is made up of 9th Infantry veterans from WWII and Vietnam, spouses, widows and lineal descendants.

The Swabian War Of 1499: 500 Years Since Switzerland's Last War Of Independence, Albert Winkler

Faculty Publications

At the end of the fifteenth century, Emperor Maximilian I of the Germany Empire was trying to unite his country. He also tried to force the Swiss Confederation to become closer members of the empire. This lead to the Swabian War of 1499. In a series of battles and campaigns, the Swiss were successful in defeating the famous Swabian Landsknechte who had learned to fight in the Swiss manner. As an outcome of the war, the Swiss Confederation were even more independent of the German Empire.

William Mahone And The Confederate Command Style During The Siege Of Petersburg, 1864-1865, David Kenneth Reed

History Theses & Dissertations

William Mahone exemplified the audacity and adaptability acquired by southern commanders during the last year of the American Civil War. Mahone's contribution to Confederate military operations during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, from 1864-1865 played an important role in the Confederacy's survival. During the siege, he was one of Lee's most trusted and capable lieutenants. The findings of this study show that Mahone's emergence as a superior divisional commander came about mainly because of his knowledge of the terrain surrounding Petersburg.

This thesis discusses the way Mahone extended the life of the Confederacy. Four of Mahone's engagements during the siege …

164th Infantry News: September 1998, 164th Infantry Association

164th Infantry Regiment Publications

September 1998 edition of the 164th Infantry News. A total of 24 pages, containing news articles, event notices, photographs, and personal memories from the veterans of the 164th Infantry Regiment.

Adams County In "The Splendid Little War," April Through August 1898, Timothy H. Smith

Adams County History

The Spanish American War lasted less than four months (April 25 to August 13, 1898). For the entire war, American casualties totaled less than 2,000 men, among them 345 killed or mortally wounded. Many more, however, died of disease (about 2000). Over the years, the war has been remembered as an event in which American interests and yellow journalism led to a conflict where the outcome was never in doubt. The nation of Spain, embroiled in internal dispute and civil unrest, was ripe for the picking and could do little to organize a defense of her colonies against a nation …

Adams County History 1998

Adams County History

No abstract provided.

The U.S. Army And Irregular Warfare, John M. Gates

All Faculty Books

No abstract provided.

Worrying About The Civil War, Edward L. Ayers

History Faculty Publications

There is no animosity in any of these historical or practical interpretations of the Civil War. It is clear that the North fought for purposes entirely good--for Union and the end of slavery--but Confederate soldiers also win respect for their bravery, their devotion, and their struggle against long odds. They seem to have been playing historical roles for which they are not to blame. The reenactors, the books in stores, and the battlefield tours generally avoid talking about the cause of the war, focusing instead on the common bravery and hardships of soldiers North and South.