Military History Commons^™

“Crusades Against Bolshevism”?: International Dimensions Of The Russian Civil War In Four Countries, Maxwell R. Markwald

Student Scholarship

The Russian Civil War (1917-1922), fought between Bolshevik and anti-Bolshevik factions, was one of the most pivotal conflicts of the 20th century. It led directly to the rise of the world’s first socialist state, the Soviet Union, which for decades was at the forefront of the international communist movement and a major global power until its collapse in 1991, around 70 years after its founding. The victory of the Bolsheviks was not always a guaranteed outcome, however. In fact, to an outside observer in February of 1917, it would have appeared one of the less likely. The six months that …

‘Casar Public Lecture: 100 Days Of Trump: America, The Middle East, And Beyond’, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

The entire world is literally getting new updates about Trump's internal & external policies almost everyday now....can you imagine that we are still yet to reach 100 days?? USAID cuts, Chinese and Canadian Tariffs, DEI revokes, Gaza War, Ukraine War, the case of Iran, National Economic Emergency in the US, ICE arrests in the US & so much more to discuss.....Trump's policies impact the US as well as everywhere in the world, but what are the repercussions so far?

Speakers: From AUC: Dr. Sean Lee, Assistant Professor, Political Science Department - Amb. Dr.Alaa El-Hadidi , CASAR Adjunct Professor.

The panel …

American Collusion With The Republic Of South Africa During The Angolan Civil War (1975-1990), Stuart W. Ledbetter

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Between 1948 and 1994, the Republic of South Africa enacted one of the most brutal white supremacist regimes in recent history, known as Apartheid. Across the world, nations pressured South Africa to end its racist legislature through economic sanctions, limited diplomatic contact, and non-cooperation with the government. The United States was one such nation to decry Apartheid since it stood against American values of equality and freedom. This all changed when the Angolan Civil War broke out in 1975, and South Africa stood as the primary neighboring anti-communist interventionist in the conflict. This research explores exactly why and how the …

“I Was Just Doing My Job”: An Oral History Of Vietnam Veterans And The Impact Of Their Voices In Collective War Memory, Alyssa Morris

Masters Theses, 2020-current

This master's thesis explores how oral histories from Vietnam veterans provide vital counter-narratives to traditional, often impersonal, military histories. Inspired by the author's grandfather, a Vietnam veteran, the project collects and analyzes ten interviews conducted as part of the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project. The study emphasizes how oral history not only preserves overlooked personal stories but also restores humanity and empathy to historical understanding. Not only does this project highlight the findings of the interviews but also details the process the author went through before and during the interviews, accompanying that is advice on best practices and how …

Firearm Trauma Across Time: Investigating Civil War Gunshot Trauma And Their Impact On Modern Forensic Analysis, Morgan K. Reeder

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

This thesis will examine the ballistic trauma caused by Civil War-era firearms and ammunition. These weapons, each with distinct characteristics, had a profound impact on the nature of combat and the resulting injuries. By investigating how these firearms’ ammunition interacted with human bone structure, this research will offer a detailed analysis of the trauma these weapons produced.

This research intends to answer several key research questions. First, how did the different types of Civil War firearms affect skeletal remains? Second, what are the key characteristics of gunshot trauma caused by these firearms in terms of bone fracturing and fragmentation, and …

"Homesick For You:" An Archival Analysis Of Love Letters From World War Ii, Cambria B. Acheson

English (MA) Theses

In this project, I cherish and explore a collection of correspondence exchanged between a married couple during World War II. Applying an embodied research approach that incorporates archival, historical, and cultural studies, I analyze key elements of these letters with special attention for themes of love and family, valuing their insights to touching personal stories that nuance the dominant narratives of history. I contend for the preservation and discussion of these letters and similar artifacts, advocating for their lasting significance within both past and present contexts and their irreplaceable contributions to the cultivation of collective memory and empathy across generations.

"Troublesome Medicine Man": Representations Of The Sword Bearer Incident In Newspaper Coverage, Cara Sue Swaim

History Undergraduate Honors Theses

Newspaper coverage of Native Americans during the nineteenth century had an “artistic bias,” or a tendency to emphasize action, danger, and treachery as a part of the “Indian formula.” This meant that vast amounts of journalistic zeal was spent on instances of conflict and tension between tribes, within tribes, between tribes and white settlers, or between tribes and the U.S. military, while times of peace and instances of cooperation received miniscule amounts of attention. This was largely motivated by a desire to justify American western expansion and the need to “civilize” Native groups. This “Indian formula” was also applied in …

The Adirondack Frontier: Reclaiming A Vital Role In Shaping The Nation, Peter Nelson

Master's Theses

The traditional version of Adirondack history from the revolutionary period to the middle of the nineteenth century, which portrays the region as unexplored primeval wilderness, is nineteenth-century romantic mythology. It ignores thousands of years of Indigenous habitation and misrepresents early Euro-American activity in the region as well. In fact, from the earliest days of colonial exploration of North America until the middle of the 19th-Century, New York's Adirondack region was a dynamic American frontier, as important in shaping the destiny of the nation as the Northwest Territory or, later, the West. Activities in the Adirondack frontier contributed to the decimation …

A Forgotten Incident In A Forgotten War: The Military, Political, And Social Effects Of The No Gun Ri Incident Of The Korean War, Gabriel Robert Evans

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In late July 1950, a company from the 2nd Battalion 7th Cavalry Regiment fired on a refugee caravan near the village of No Gun Ri, resulting in the deaths of many Korean civilians. The story of No Gun Ri was published by Associated Press reporters on September 30, 1999, prompting Army investigators within the Clinton Administration to spend nearly two years verifying the AP’s claims. While the Inspector General’s No Gun Ri Review confirmed that U.S. troops had killed Korean civilians, it was not a conclusive report. This thesis analyzes the No Gun Ri Incident and the Clinton Administration’s efforts …

Those Magnificent Men In Their Fighting Machines: An Investigation Into The Lives Of Wwi Tankmen, Lucas C. Campbell

Master's Theses

This thesis will look at the immense backlog of war diaries, journals, personal letters, government documentation, and oral histories left behind by British tank crewmen of the First World War. The purpose of this investigation is mainly to uncover the reasons that individuals were chosen for transferal into the Royal Tank Regiment, where they were transferred from, what their training consisted of before their deployment, and their combat history once they were sent into the battlefields on the Western Front. The goal of this project is to gauge the reaction to the emergence of this crucially important technology on a …

The Shift Of Western Power In The Anglo-American Relationship As Examined Through The Military Events Of World War Ii, Zaina A. Nait Omar

All Theses

How did the authority within the Anglo-American Alliance begin to shift toward the American domination that ruled the second half of the twentieth century? By examining the events of World War II, this thesis restructures the typical timeline with which historians have approached the dynamic of authority in the Anglo-American Relationship. Many historians claim that America was the perceived senior partner by 1941; however, this thesis demonstrates that by examining things from a military lens, that date must change. The British continued to operate under the intention of maintaining their global authority through 1945 and even into 1946. The thesis …

Historical Preservation, Edgar Chavez Sosa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Museums and archives alike, provide a public service to anyone who holds a yearning of knowledge. This public service can help aid this thirst for knowledge, art, and fulfillment of the many characteristics that make us human. People from all walks of life can attend a museum, or archive. Whether in a military museum, or an archive the mission remains the same. Historical preservation is what is being done behind closed doors. Whether you are looking for a certain document, book, or more information on a certain artifact. It all involves some sort of historical preservation. That being said, its …

The Value Of Holidays In World War I America, Laura Kathleen Neis

War, Diplomacy, and Society (MA) Theses

World War I affected what people valued, which in turn impacted American celebrations of the Fourth of July and Christmas. These two holidays became patriotic ways to demonstrate unswerving loyalty to the U.S. government, with charitable pursuits, parties, and even meals altered due to the need for victory. These holidays impacted the war in turn by bolstering morale on the homefront and overseas, and strengthening Americans’ emotional connection to the war.

Surprisingly, the Fourth of July became an international holiday which emphasized the United States’ historical ties to France, and the shared values between the United States and Great Britain. …

Defined Places, Contested Memories: An Analysis Of Historical Memory In La Ascensión, Chihuahua, Mexico, Joel Gonzalez Parra

The Agora

La Ascensión, a town in Chihuahua, Mexico, was founded between 1871 and 1872 and represents a unique case of Mexican repatriation after the Mexican-American War. Its settlers underwent a double relocation, first from Doña Ana, New Mexico, in 1850 and again after the Mesilla Riot of 1871. While the Mexican government saw the town’s formation as a strategic emigration to modernize and defend the frontier, historical memory has largely overshadowed this foundational event, favoring the town’s role in the Mexican Revolution of 1910. This paper argues that broader historical narratives and political violence have obscured the town’s original settlers in …

Thompson’S Rifle Battalion: The Original Unit Of The Army Of The United Colonies (Now The United States Regular Army), John A. Bonin

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

©2025 John A. Bonin

Although 1775 is indisputably the birth year of the US Army, two events occurred on June 14 of that year to which the Army can credit its birthday. One is the adoption by the Continental Congress of the collective militia forces from several colonies outside Boston to form a Continental Army, of which Congress appointed George Washington the commander in chief on June 15, 1775. In addition, the US Regular Army officially dates its beginning to June 14, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress directed 10 companies of expert riflemen to be raised immediately in Pennsylvania, …

To The Shores Of Tripoli: America’S First Crusade To Cement Her Sovereignty, I. B. Landry

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The First Barbary War, also known as the Tripolitan War, is the conflict that set the tone for American sovereignty. The results of this research show that the Tripolitan War was about more than simply America’s right to exercise trade freely in the Mediterranean and North Africa. This was, in a sense, the litmus test for the new nation that would prove to be challenging to its Christian values. It can be concluded that Thomas Jefferson sanctioned the Augustinian campaign to not only benefit America, but all parties wishing to operate in the Mediterranean freely.

After Tours: The Battle Of The River Berre, Paul Aitchison

Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History

The Battle of the River Berre, occurring in the years after the Battle of Tours, has not seen the same amount of scholarship as that defining battle of the century in Europe. The Umayyad Caliphate in Iberian continue to conduct military operations on the east side of the Pyrenees, controlling Narbonne and most of the province of Septimania, south of Aquitaine and west of Lombardy in the years after. The expansion of the Caliphate had continued almost unabated since 632 CE, controlling Arabia, Persia, the Near East, the Levant, Egypt, North Africa, and finally, the Iberian Peninsula. This astonishing expansion …

In Victory And In Infamy: An Examination Of America’S Revolutionary Struggle Through The Parallel Careers Of Colonel Peter Gansevoort And Major General Benedict Arnold, Wyatt Golden

Senior Honors Theses

The parallel careers of Peter Gansevoort and Benedict Arnold in Washington’s Continental Army during the American Revolution highlight the important role played by Washington’s junior officers in the success of the Revolutionary effort, while emphasizing the personal relationships forged in the crucible of that war. As their commands intersected in the crucial campaign seasons of 1776, 1777, and 1780, Gansevoort and Arnold developed a close personal relationship as each individually, with the aid of the other, played key roles in the retreats, victories, and betrayals that defined each of those respective campaigns. By examining Gansevoort’s largely forgotten career, an entirely …

The Tragic Mind: Fear, Fate, And The Burden Of Power, Thomas F. Lynch Iii

Joint Force Quarterly

This review explores Robert D. Kaplan’s The Tragic Mind: Fear, Fate, and the Burden of Power, a reflective and philosophical departure from his earlier geographically focused works. Drawing from decades of war reporting and inspired by thinkers from ancient Greece to modern Europe, Kaplan argues that effective leadership—especially in matters of war and foreign policy—requires a “tragic sensibility.” He contends that decisions about the use of force often involve choosing between lesser evils, and must be guided by humility, historical awareness, and a clear understanding of unintended consequences. Kaplan critiques recent U.S. military interventions and praises President George H.W. …

War In Ukraine: Conflict, Strategy, And The Return Of A Fractured World; The War For Ukraine: Strategy And Adaptation Under Fire; A Call To Action: Lessons From Ukraine For The Future Force, Frank Hoffman

Joint Force Quarterly

This review examines three pivotal books—War in Ukraine, The War for Ukraine, and A Call to Action—that collectively offer a comprehensive analysis of Ukraine’s ongoing conflict and its broader military and strategic implications. Drawing parallels to the U.S. Army’s transformation post-Yom Kippur War, the review highlights Ukraine’s decentralized command model and adaptive warfare as crucial advantages over Russia’s rigid, artillery-centric doctrine. Contributions from military experts, including Lieutenant Colonel Jay Bradley and Colonel Jamon Junius, delve into Ukraine’s effective use of mission command and modernized targeting systems, despite technological limitations and residual Soviet influence. Each book serves …

Winning Without Fighting: Irregular Warfare And Strategic Competition In The 21st Century, Joseph J. Collins

Joint Force Quarterly

Winning Without Fighting offers a timely and compelling framework for strategic competition in the modern era, especially against authoritarian states like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Written by four seasoned scholar-practitioners, the book redefines irregular warfare as a comprehensive, non-violent competition for influence and legitimacy. Emphasizing tools like information, diplomacy, economics, and national resilience, the authors argue that the United States must evolve its strategic culture—rooted in binary war/peace thinking—toward one that embraces continuous, multi-domain competition. Drawing on Cold War lessons, they advocate for renewed investments in statecraft capabilities such as regional expertise and alliance coordination. The book concludes …

Movement And Maneuver At Leyte, October 1944, Michael M. Trimble, Douglas W. Burkman, Michael L. Simmons

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the enduring principles of warfare—particularly movement and maneuver—through a detailed analysis of Operation King II, the U.S. amphibious assault on Leyte in October 1944, which marked the beginning of the Philippines' liberation during World War II. The study situates the operation within the broader context of global war, emphasizing the evolution of U.S. and Japanese strategies in the Pacific theater. It highlights how coordinated, multidomain operations—across land, sea, and air—enabled U.S. forces to seize key terrain and deliver a decisive blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Despite challenges stemming from divided …

Both Joint And Not: Medical Support At Okinawa, 1945, Sanders Marble

Joint Force Quarterly

In 1945, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps invaded Okinawa. Heavy casualties were projected, and medical planning was thorough and multi-layered. Medical support was as joint as anything the period could offer, although quite different from today. In a dispersed, low-bandwidth environment, planners did not try to increase "jointness" but had services work in parallel and opted to reduce overlap.

This article looks at the medical planning and how medical support unfolded. Medical care was good, as good as possible in the period. Medical and surgical patients received plenty of care, but psychological patients could receive less care, although …

Toward A 21st-Century Medical Offset Strategy, George A. Barbee, Benjamin J. Ingram

Joint Force Quarterly

In an era of multidomain threats and global instability, the U.S. military must develop a 21st-century medical offset strategy to maintain combat effectiveness and strategic superiority. This article proposes medical offset strategies—far-forward intervention, technological innovation, and international partnerships—as a transformative framework to achieve medical overmatch. These strategies aim to save lives, enhance combat power, and sustain military operations amid high-intensity, large-scale combat scenarios. Far-forward intervention ensures timely critical care on the battlefield; technological innovation integrates AI, autonomous systems, and new treatments to extend reach and efficiency; and allied coordination enhances interoperability and collective medical capacity. The article underscores that inaction …

Developing Alternative Manning Strategies To Maintain The Combat Effectiveness Of The Joint Force, Shawn M. Cook, Andrew Hall, Todd Spanton

Joint Force Quarterly

The U.S. military is confronting a recruitment crisis stemming from a declining pool of eligible and willing recruits, largely due to deteriorating physical and mental fitness across the population and waning societal confidence in the military. This article explores strategic alternatives to address the shortfall in military manpower. It evaluates three core approaches: enhancing the fitness and mental health of potential recruits, adapting recruitment standards to align with current population capabilities, and restructuring to a smaller but technologically augmented force. The authors argue that while improving population fitness is costly and yields uncertain long-term results, and adapting standards risks reduced …

Protecting Ace: Air Defense And Agile Combat Employment, Ian D. Richardson

Joint Force Quarterly

The U.S. Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept was created to counter anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) threats through dispersed, short-duration operations. While ACE enhances survivability and complicates adversary targeting, it lacks sufficient ground-based air defense against long-range missile and drone threats. This article identifies a critical gap in ACE's protection strategy and proposes integrating Army maneuver short-range air defense (M-SHORAD) units, particularly from multidomain task forces (MDTFs), to provide mobile, layered air defense for ACE sites. This approach aligns with ACE’s need for flexibility and rapid mobility. Three potential solutions are explored: expanding Air Force air defense capabilities, improving joint …

Defusing Weaponized Interdependence: A New Approach To Measuring Country Reliability, Michael F. Harsch, Shaun Lee

Joint Force Quarterly

Eisenhower School faculty members Michael Harsch and Shaun Lee have developed an interesting analysis method for assessing the willingness of one nation to partner with another. This article explores how growing geopolitical risks are challenging the way countries manage global trade and supply chains. Relying solely on economic efficiency and comparative advantage is no longer enough to protect critical industries from disruption. At the same time, bringing all supply chains back to the United States is often too expensive or unrealistic due to limited domestic resources and infrastructure. As a solution, the authors highlight friend-shoring—working with trusted partner countries—as a …

Solving The Crisis: A Partnership Approach For Safe, Affordable Military Housing, Michael Kittrell, Michael Borders

Joint Force Quarterly

This article examines the critical housing shortage at Cannon Air Force Base (CAFB) and proposes a collaborative, community-driven approach to solving the crisis. It highlights the structural issues behind the shortage—ranging from military retention challenges to nationwide housing market pressures—and details the strategic formation of the “House Hunters” team to develop innovative, interim solutions. The authors advocate for leveraging intergovernmental partnerships and public-private initiatives, such as apartment leases and university collaborations, to address dormitory deficits ahead of delayed military construction. The article calls for bold policy changes and agile financing strategies to ensure safe, affordable housing for military personnel in …

America Needs Bold, Visionary, And Strategic Joint Force Leaders, James W. Browning

Joint Force Quarterly

Suggesting we look at how we teach leadership to the joint force, James Browning asserts that we must produce future leaders who are both bold and visionary. Today’s dangerous world demands joint force, DOD, and industrial-based leaders capable of shaping events rather than reacting to them. An effective visionary strategic joint force leader and thinker requires continuous learning, growth, and enhanced cognitive and social horsepower. Developing and executing robust PME curricula and learning programs incorporating these recommendations will prepare joint force leaders to lead effectively at the senior level and have the courage and confidence to make the bold decisions …

Obstacles To Integrating Deterrence, Jeffrey A. Larsen, James J. Wirtz

Joint Force Quarterly

This article calls for a strategic shift in how the United States addresses today’s security threats—ranging from peer nuclear adversaries to disruptive emerging technologies. Emphasizing that integrated deterrence must extend beyond the military, the authors advocate for a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach. They argue that success hinges on developing a national strategy, designating senior leadership, fostering interagency and allied collaboration, and engaging the public through education. There are considerable challenges, but they are not insurmountable.