Military History Commons^™

The Failure Of Westphalia: A Constructivist Examination Of Western And Middle Eastern Relations, Jayson Warren

Masters Theses

This thesis is not intended to be a dogmatic or pedantic endorsement of any one religion, ethic, or culture. To the contrary, it is the intent of the author to examine a number of competing ideas, philosophies, and belief systems in order to extrapolate their geopolitical implications and to pursue them to their logical (albeit sometimes inevitable) conclusions. Too often, any number of presuppositions at work within a given situation go overlooked and subsequently skew geopolitical analysis and resulting policy decisions. This thesis seeks to transcend mere opinion or speculation and achieve instead a framework of Constructivism for pragmatic comprehension …

Shakers - South Union, Kentucky (Mss 62), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 62. Diary of Shaker eldress Nancy E. Moore, and a journal, probably kept by Shaker eldress Lucy Shannon. The diary and journal record life in the Shaker colony at South Union, Kentucky, with Moore’s diary focused on the Civil War years 1863-1864.

The Disquieted Heart And The Lighted Path: Levar Burton’S Dedication Day Speech, Matthew D. Laroche

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

This Saturday past brought with it an electric sort of chill, the kind fueled by a driving breeze that lifts your jacket, steals past your socks and up your legs, worms its way through gaps in scarves and gloves, and leaves you feeling naked and afraid and alive in ways that no one else can see. The kind of wind that whisks away complicity and surety, leaving you with nothing but a burning compulsion to do something that will reignite your humanity, your belief in goodness, your claim to a kind life. For those who attended, the Dedication Day ceremony …

Ansel Brooks Smith, Letter Fragment, No Date Noted, No Location Noted, Ansel Brooks Smith Sr.

Ansel Brooks Smith, Sr. Letters

No abstract provided.

Sticking To His Plan: An Interview With Dedication Day Keynote Speaker Levar Burton, Anika N. Jensen

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

The week before Dedication Day I had the privilege of interviewing keynote speaker and Emmy Award-winning actor LeVar Burton, who has starred in Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Reading Rainbow. I knew this was the perfect opportunity to engage in a serious dialogue about race, as the most dramatic and consequential presidential elections had been decided just a week previous, and I was thrilled when Mr. Burton answered all of my questions with poise and understanding, charging head-on into difficult but immensely relevant topics. The messages he conveyed are powerful and will stick with me …

Something Must Be Done: The Construction And Dedication Of The Soldiers’ National Cemetery At Gettysburg, Hannah M. Christensen

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

Not only did the armies leave something of a state of chaos behind them after the battle of Gettysburg; they also left their dead buried poorly almost everywhere. Within days, the combination of rain and pigs rooting around the battlefield had exposed multiple skeletons and partially-decomposed bodies. The smell was horrendous, and residents and visitors alike were shocked by the state of the burials.

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Wolfgang Grossman Interview For The Veterans' Voices, Wolfgang H. W. Grossman, Jeniffer Seavey

Veterans' Voices

Wolfgang H. W. Grossman enlisted in the United States Army in 1969. He served at Fort Campbell, Fort Gordon, Fort Dix, Fort Bragg, and in Vietnam. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Medal, and more. He attained the rank of Specialist (E-5) and was discharged in 1978.

A People’S Journey, A Nation’S Past: The National Museum Of African American History And Culture, Danielle E. Jones

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

On September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture was opened to the public after almost two decades of planning and more than a century of fighting for a memorial for African Americans. Starting in 1915, when a group of United States Colored Troops sought a memorial for their fallen soldiers, African Americans have worked to have their history remembered on a national scale. A congressional commission for a museum dedicated to African Americans was signed in 1929 by Calvin Coolidge, but the stock market crash in October prevented the museum from being built. The memorial …

Sorgen, Vinton Grant, 1894-1968 (Sc 3073), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3073. Letter, 28 May 1918, of Grant Sorgen, stationed at Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville, Kentucky, to his family in Kenton, Ohio. He describes settling in at camp, receiving vaccinations, and the likelihood of moving to different quarters.

Boucher Family Papers (Sc 3071), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and typescript (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3071. Miscellaneous papers and photographs of the Boucher family of Allen County, Kentucky. Includes promissory notes, tax and other receipts, deeds, Civil War military passes and slave indentures.

In The Shadow Of The Twentieth: Maine Regiments At Gettysburg, Savannah A. Labbe

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

On my first of many tours of the Gettysburg Battlefield,my tour guide was thrilled to learn that my family is from Maine. He made sure to show us the monument to the Twentieth Maine and talk about their valiant stand at Little Round Top. Joshua Chamberlain and his Twentieth Maine regiment have become known as the heroes of Little Round Top and are what most would readily identify when asked about Maine’s role in the Battle of Gettysburg. One might think that Maine’s only contribution to the battle was Chamberlain’s charge. However, Maine units played a larger role in the …

Research And Study Of Fashion And Costume History Spanning From Ancient Egypt To Modern Day, Kaitlyn E. Dennis Miss

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Through a generous donation to Morehead State University, research has been conducted on thousands of slides containing images of artwork and artifacts of historical significance. These images span from Egyptian hieroglyphs to the inaugural dress of every first lady of the United States. The slides are in the process of being recorded and catalogued for future use by students in hopes of furthering academic comprehension and awareness of the influence of fashion and costume history through the ages. Special thanks to the family of Gretel Geist Rutledge, faculty mentor Denise Watkins, as well as the Department of Music, Theatre, and …

Imperial Correlations Between The German Kaiserreich In Eastern Europe And The Third Reich In Eastern Europe, Laura Guebert

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This project is an examination of correlations between imperial enterprises of the Second German Empire and the Nazi Reich through the lenses of global and imperial critiques. The two primary case studies are the German Ober Ost and Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe, particularly the General Government. This research draws heavily on certain themes and theories developed by leading historians of modern German and Eastern European history, including Timothy Snyder, Alexander Watson, Ben Kiernan, Shelley Baranowski, and Peter Fritzsche. By understanding the shared trends of empire and genocide, it is my aim to bring the actions of the National Socialists out of …

“Get Tough Stay Tough: Shaping The Canadian Corps, 1914-1918 (Book Review)” By Kenneth Radley, Brian Douglas Tennyson

Canadian Military History

Review of Get Tough Stay Tough: Shaping the Canadian Corps, 1914-1918 by Kenneth Radley

“The Shadow Of Torture: Debating Us Transgressions In Military Interventions, 1899-2008 (Book Review)” By Katrin Dauenhauer & “America In The Philippines, 1899-1902. The First Torture Scandal (Book Review)” By Christopher J. Einolf, Frank Schumacher

Canadian Military History

Review of Torpedo: Inventing the Military-Industrial Complex in the United States and Great Britain by Katherine C. Epstein

Review of The Shadow of Torture: Debating US Transgressions in Military Interventions, 1899-2008 by Katrin Dauenhauer

“Torpedo: Inventing The Military-Industrial Complex In The United States And Great Britain (Book Review)” By Katherine C. Epstein, Russell Isinger

Canadian Military History

Review of Torpedo: Inventing the Military-Industrial Complex in the United States and Great Britain by Katherine C. Epstein

“War In The Modern World, 1990-2014 (Book Review)” By Jeremy Black, Quentin Holbert

Canadian Military History

Review of War in the Modern World, 1990-2014 by Jeremy Black

“Soldiers For Sale: German “Mercenaries” With The British In Canada During The American Revolution, 1776-83 (Book Review)” By Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy, Kyle Falcon

Canadian Military History

Review of Soldiers for Sale: German “Mercenaries” with the British in Canada during the American Revolution, 1776-83 by Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy

“Worth Fighting For: Canada’S Tradition Of War Resistance From 1812 To The War On Terror (Book Review)” By Lara Campbell, Michael Dawson, And Catherine Gidney, Tim Cook

Canadian Military History

Review of Worth Fighting For: Canada’s Tradition of War Resistance from 1812 to the War on Terror by Lara Campbell, Michael Dawson, and Catherine Gidney

“Get Tough Stay Tough: Shaping The Canadian Corps, 1914-1918 (Book Review)” By Kenneth Radley, Chris Buckham

Canadian Military History

Review of Get Tough Stay Tough: Shaping the Canadian Corps, 1914-1918 by Kenneth Radley

“Battleground Africa: Cold War In The Congo, 1960–1965 (Book Review)” By Lise Namikas, Brian Bertosa

Canadian Military History

Review of Battleground Africa: Cold War in the Congo, 1960–1965 by Lise Namikas

“Privateering: Patriots And Profits In The War Of 1812 (Book Review)” By Faye M. Kert, Gordon Bannerman

Canadian Military History

Review of Privateering: Patriots and Profits in the War of 1812 by Faye M. Kert

“Forgotten Trials Of The Holocaust (Book Review)” By Michael J. Bazyler And Frank M. Tuerkheimer, Katelyn Arac

Canadian Military History

Review of Forgotten Trials of the Holocaust by Michael J. Bazyler and Frank M. Tuerkheimer

“Such Want Of Gentlemanly Conduct:” The General Court Martial Of Lieutenant John De Hertel, Eamonn O'Keeffe

Canadian Military History

Analysis of the newly discovered general court martial of Canadian Fencibles Lieutenant John de Hertel offers a remarkable glimpse into the workings of War of 1812-era military justice. After exploring the backgrounds of the principal actors, this article employs witness testimony to vividly reconstruct the fateful altercation between Lieutenants Peach and de Hertel on 22 May 1815 at Fort York in modernday Toronto. Subsequent attempts at conciliation, the trial itself, and de Hertel’s vitriolic defence are examined in detail, followed by concluding reflections on the insight gained through study of this affair and the potential of courts martial as historical …

“Pusser Grub? My God But It Was Awful!” Feeding The Fleet During The Second World War, Sandy Gow

Canadian Military History

When Canada declared war on Germany in September 1939 the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR), and Royal Canadian Naval Reserve (RCNR) consisted of perhaps 3,000 officers and men. The RCN was manning six destroyers and seven smaller craft out of Halifax and Esquimalt. While the men of the RCNR had seagoing experience through the merchant navy and the fishing fleets, only a limited number of men from the RCNVR had managed to spend any time in RCN vessels. No reservist from either category that had any significant prewar training or experience in food supply or …

Point/Counterpoint: The Gettysburg Battlefield Marathon, Jeffrey L. Lauck, Matthew D. Laroche

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

Jeff: On November 6, the small town of Gettysburg will be swarmed by runners during the first ever Gettysburg Battlefield Marathon. The event has provoked heated discussion from many in the Civil War community, bringing up many questions regarding the use of our most hallowed grounds for recreational use. In this post, Matt and I will engage in a back and forth conversation about the concerns and advantages of the race. I’d like to begin by noting that the views that we each express in this piece may not necessarily be our own and that we may merely be …

Mcgrath, Wallace, 1844-1909 (Sc 3064), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full text transcriptions (click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3064. Three letters of Wallace McGrath to George D. Freeman, Columbus, Ohio, written in December 1861-February 1862 while serving with with the 15th Ohio Infantry near Bowling Green, Kentucky. He describes recent and anticipated marches, visiting Mammoth Cave, his duties as a clerk, and the difficulty of making a photograph to send to George. He also writes of the escort of Confederate General Felix Zollicoffer’s body through the area, noting that his own commanding General and staff “took dinner with Genl Hindman of the Rebels.”

The Moment We’Ve All Been Waiting For: Lee’S Gettysburg Headquarters Opens, Savannah Rose

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

On October 28, 2016, the doors of the Mary Thompson house located on Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg opened before a crowd of over one thousand Civil War Trust members and Civil War enthusiasts. In 2013, the Civil War Trust purchased a portion of land on Seminary Ridge, land covered with a motel, a brewery, a restaurant, and the Mary Thompson house, which some know as the headquarters of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Since purchasing the land the Civil War Trust, in partnership with other organizations, has worked to restore the Thompson property to its 1863 appearance by tearing down …

Grave’S Anatomy: Abolitionists, Body Snatchers, And The Demise Of Winchester Medical College, Kaylyn L. Sawyer

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

A census in 1890 listed Chris Baker’s occupation as “Anatomical Man.” While the title sounds like that one of today’s superheroes, the nineteenth century existence of this vocation kept people from lingering around medical colleges after dark. By day, Chris Baker worked as a janitor for the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. By night, he had the darker task of obtaining corpses for the school. He was a “resurrectionist,” and he was not alone in his eerie nocturnal task of preying on the powerless and recently interred with a shovel, bag, and cart close at hand. Until legislation governing …

The Evolution Of The Military Dog Tag: From The Civil War To Present Day, Savannah A. Labbe

The Gettysburg Compiler: On the Front Lines of History

In doing research for my previous post on the U.S. Christian Commission, I came across an intriguing artifact: a Civil War era identification tag, or dog tag. When I picture a military dog tag I see a metal rectangle suspended from a necklace, like those worn by today’s soldiers. One doesn’t usually associate dog tags with the Civil War, which is why I was interested to find one. However, it is not surprising that the basic human fear of dying unknown, of robbing one’s family of closure and certainty, was present during the Civil War just as it is today. …