Military History Commons^™

Front Matter

The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing

No abstract provided.

Review Of: "Bloody Orkney? A Comparison Of The Perceptions Held By Sailors And The Reality Of Leisure And Recreational Opportunities At Scapa Flow During The First World War”, Mary-Beth Otten

Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal of Contemporary Connections

This review examines Ian Watson’s article, "Bloody Orkney? A comparison of the perceptions held by sailors and the reality of leisure and recreational opportunities at Scapa Flow during the First World War," published in The Mariner’s Mirror. Watson investigates the contrasting views of sailors stationed at Scapa Flow, a newly established naval base in the Orkney Islands, which, despite its strategic importance, was often seen as dull due to a lack of typical amenities. Through a rich array of primary sources, including letters and audio recordings, alongside secondary research, Watson describes how the Navy developed recreational activities to boost …

William T. Sherman And The Union's 'Hard War' Approach In 1864-1865, Lori L. Infanzon

GLI MA in American History Student Works

This research is a historiography of the extent to which Sherman's actions in 1864-1865 represented a significant shift to a 'hard war' approach utilized by the Union army. Upon review of contemporary accounts, scholarship from the World Wars period, and scholarship from the 1960s to the present, this paper concludes that the scope and scale of Sherman's actions in 1864-1865 represented a significant escalation in the usage of hard war tactics designed to secure Lincoln's election 1864, accelerate the ending of the war, and dramatically revolutionize Southern society.

Res Historica, Volume 4, Lynneth Miller Renberg Phd, Alpha Rho Epsilon Phi Alpha Theta

Res Historica

The 2025 journal of historical research by Anderson University students, Res Historica.

The editorial team for this edition of Res Historica was Dr. Lynneth Miller Renberg, Samuel Sanders, and Julia Ackerman. The cover art for this volume is an open access image.

Defying Conscription: The Social, Political, And Military Consequences Of Draft Evasion In The Union And Confederacy, Orlando R. Pagan

GLI MA in American History Student Works

This research paper examines draft evasion during the American Civil War as a reflection of deep social, economic, and political divides within the Union and Confederacy. It argues that draft resistance stemmed not from individual cowardice but structural inequalities and resentment among the poor and working class. Wealthy citizens could evade service through legal mechanisms like commutation fees, fueling the perception of the war as a “rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight.”

Drawing on primary and secondary sources from scholars like David Williams and Stephanie McCurry, the paper analyzes events such as the New York City Draft Riots …

Connecticut And The Civil War, Donald Patrick Scanlon

GLI MA in American History Student Works

Despite being one of the smallest states in the Union, Connecticut played a vital political, economic and military role in the outcome of The Civil War. When the Civil War is studied and the contributions of states are considered, the focus tends to be on the number of soldiers each state procured for the Union. While the number of combatants is critical to the outcome of war, there are additional issues to factor in, as war is not simply won by the side with the biggest army. Connecticut’s political, economic and military support were equal to that of other Union …

The Death Of General John Reynolds And The Crisis Of Union Command, July 1, 1863, Reid E. Kirby

GLI MA in American History Student Works

This paper evaluates the extent to which the death of Union Major General John Reynolds on the morning of the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg influenced subsequent events throughout that day. It explores several key questions, including how Reynolds' death affected the chain of command within the Army of the Potomac, how it impacted the course of the battle on that first day, and how the Union I and XI Corps were reorganized due to the sudden loss of such a high-ranking officer. Additionally, this paper highlights the experiences of the soldiers formerly under Reynolds' command during this …

Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 1860-1862 The Effects Of Military Occupation On Unionist And Secessionist Convictions, Riley P. Bogema

GLI MA in American History Student Works

Local histories of Civil War occupation provide a human face to the larger history of the American Civil War. The interactions between citizens and outside occupiers furnishes greater clarity and revelations on the human cost of conflict. It also presents greater evidence, either supportive or not, on broader arguments expressed in scholarly works on the Civil War. This work examines how prior attitudes towards the Unionism and secessionism were provoked during the process of military occupation. It argues that in the town of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the citizens’ allegiances and relationships were challenged by the occupation of both Union and Confederate …

Reporting On The Dark Continent: The Albert Chance Collection As An American Representation Of Africa, Devon Szczepkowicz

Student Publications

For Americans in the throes of World War II, the international world was a complex and uncertain place. The news media, which offered reports from the war fronts, helped to ground Americans in this world. Another source which supplemented these reports, and which has been overlooked in the historiography, was the letters of soldiers stationed abroad. In writing on their surroundings, soldiers acted as journalists, supplying their audiences with intimate insights into foreign locations. Albert Chance (1903-1990), stationed in North Africa and in Italy, was one such soldier. His letters from North Africa provide a glimpse into the ways in …

Book Review: Eyewitness To Wehrmacht Atrocities On The Eastern Front: A German Soldier’S Memoir Of War And Captivity, Timothy Heck

Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal

No abstract provided.

The Curious Case Of Japanese Denim, Aaron Francis Ward

Japanese Society and Culture

From its humble beginnings as wholly utilitarian workwear in the 19^th century, to its modern rise to high-fashion, the ubiquity of denim, particularly in the form of jeans, has had a fascinating journey in its little-over-150-year history (Beazley, 2015). Of note has been the recent rise in popularity of Japanese denim. Since the end of the Second World War, Japan seems to have had an insatiable demand for Americana (Marx, 2023). Yet, if considered in the sociohistorical context of Japanese-American relations, this ought to be highly improbable. The current paper examines the sociological nature of Japanese denim from semiotic …

By All Means Available: Memoirs Of A Life In Intelligence, Special Operations, And Strategy, Todd Greentree

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Todd Greentree examines By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations, and Strategy by Michael G. Vickers, who Greentree views as an exemplar of strategic leadership for current and future leaders.

Parameters Spring 2025, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Welcome to the Spring 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Russia, Ukraine, and NATO; Strategic Competition and Managing National Security; and Joint Sustainment Strategies), the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment, and a review essay.

Ukraine’S Not-So-Whole-Of-Society At War: Force Generation In Modern Developed Societies, Ilmari Käihkö, Jan Willem Honig

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

This article argues that Ukraine offers a cautionary tale regarding the two main modern models of force generation. Neither the professional high-tech war model, favored by Western militaries, nor the whole-of-society war approach, said to have saved Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, proved successful formulas for Ukraine. Considering that Ukraine is fighting for survival, with Russian forces inside the country, the failure of both models in action has serious implications for NATO member states as they deliberate their choices regarding future force generation.

Measuring Interoperability Within Nato: Adapted Off-The-Shelf Or Bespoke Solution?, John R. Deni, Matthew R. Macleod, Sarah E. Stewart, Katherine M. Banko, Adrian Jones

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

Despite decades of work on interoperability, NATO Allies cannot measure, assess, and build upon it fully and accurately. The lack of agreed formats or standards for collection, management, and the communication of findings have prevented the Allies from developing common interoperability measurement and assessment tools. Nonetheless, NATO could adopt extant standards, methodologies, processes, or tools to achieve its interoperability objectives. Testing this notion through use cases, the authors identify practical and conceptual hurdles to adopting an off-the-shelf solution. They conclude that the Alliance may need to create assessment standards, methodologies, processes, and tools from scratch, despite the difficulties of doing …

Stifled Voices: World War Ii From The Upper Peninsula, Elijah H. Croschere

HS 390 Primary Research Papers

Academic scholarship on World War II is primarily based around letters and correspondence between soldiers and their families. A large body of such correspondence exists for both the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan; yet, most scholarship on the state’s connection to World War II is centered around strictly the Lower Peninsula. This is especially strange when comparing the data on enlisted soldiers from both Peninsulas, as we find the percentage of the population who enlisted in the US Army from the Upper Peninsula is roughly double that of the percentage for Lower Peninsula enlistments. There are clear reasons as …

Civility War, Jonathan Speirs

Graphic Communication

Civility War is a poster series that examines contemporary civil conflicts in contemporary world history and the precedent it sets for American political polarization. The early 2010s marked the beginning of America’s current ascent to historical highs for incidences of politically-fueled violence in the forms of hate crimes and domestic terrorism. With the documentation of the effects of similar circumstances available today in the digital age, spreading awareness for the human cost of using violence for political aims is highly topical. This project also attempts to address the aversion university students have to publicly discussing political opinions, as less than …

"Virginia To Her Sons At Gettysburg:" An Analysis Of The Virginia Monument At Gettysburg, Ava Prickman

CAFE Symposium 2025

On June 8th, 1917, United States flags fell from the Virginia Monument at Gettysburg, revealing to the public eye for the first time the famous equestrian statue of Lee. But while battlefield monuments may appear stately and precise, behind every monument is a messy story where the message of the monument outweighs its historical accuracy. The story of the Virginia Monument, unveiled just months after U.S. involvement in WWI, is no exception as two monument commissions fought to control the narrative of the Civil War on the field of its bloodiest battle.

Casar Public Lecture: Will Trump End The Ukraine War?, The Prince Alwaleed Center For American Studies And Research Casar

Performances, Events, and Presentations

Trump wants to become the world’s Peace Maker, the Master of the Art of Making Deals. He promised to end this war in 24 hours. Yet the real question is whether Putin wants to end the war, or whether he is ready for a deal ? If so, then what kind of a deal? Could it be that Putin might have a different deal in mind than the deal Trump is willing to offer?? So what happens then??? The lecture deliberated about the possible answers to this very question from several perspectives, analyzing the impact on Egypt, the region & …

A Pragmatic Legacy: Charles Wilson’S Politics And The Battle For His Archival Heritage, Jordan Coleman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Congressman Charlie Wilson served Texas and the United States with distinction throughout his political career, leaving a profound impact on East Texas and the global stage. Known for his progressive policies in the Texas Legislature and his influential role in U.S. foreign policy during his tenure in Congress, Wilson’s pragmatic political career and legacy is preserved in the Charlie Wilson Congressional Papers collection at the East Texas Research Center (ETRC). Despite its historical significance, the collection faced decades of delayed processing, disorganization, and neglect of archival best practices. This public history thesis confronts these challenges by detailing the efforts to …

Making Waves: Comfort Women Justice Movements Across Generations, Julia A. Jacobellis

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Between 1932 and 1945 an estimated 200,000 women across the globe were coerced into becoming comfort women for the Japanese military. As comfort women they were forced to prostitute themselves to soldiers, and endured physical, psychological and emotional torture. While comfort stations were liberated in 1945 with the end of World War II, the Japanese government has yet to formally apologize for their treatment of comfort women, and has failed to meet the demands of survivors and their families who seek reconciliation and justice. The global leaders of these movements for reconciliation are institutions and organizations in South Korea, China, …

The Future Of Stealth Military Doctrine, Theodoros G. Kostis

Joint Force Quarterly

In this article, Theodoros G. Kostis examines the evolution and future trajectory of stealth technology in military operations. Traditionally, stealth doctrine has focused on reducing radar cross-section (RCS) to evade detection, as seen in fifth-generation aircraft like the F-22 and F-35. However, these platforms face limitations against modern integrated air defense systems. To address this, future stealth strategies will integrate artificial intelligence (AI), swarm tactics, and miniaturization of platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones. Kostis proposes the SiVSMD (Stand-In Variable Speed Multiple-Domain) Offensive Concept, which uses AI-driven, small, flexible platforms to penetrate heavily defended areas with …

Weapons In Space: Technology, Politics, And The Rise And Fall Of The Strategic Defense Initiative, Todd W. Pennington

Joint Force Quarterly

Aaron Bateman's Weapons in Space: Technology, Politics, and the Rise and Fall of the Strategic Defense Initiative provides a comprehensive history of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), revealing its technological, political, and international complexities through newly declassified records. Bateman explores SDI’s origins, rooted in President Reagan’s vision to neutralize nuclear threats, and examines the challenges posed by its reliance on space-based technologies that blurred the line between missile defense and offensive space weapons. The book details the entanglement of SDI with arms control efforts, European allies’ concerns over space militarization, and logistical hurdles like the reliance on NASA’s shuttle program. …

The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, And The 21st Century’S Greatest Dilemma, Peter Khooshabeh, Robert Underwood

Joint Force Quarterly

Mustafa Suleyman’s The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the 21st Century’s Greatest Dilemma explores the transformative and disruptive impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and synthetic biology (SynBio), highlighting their potential benefits and existential risks. Suleyman, a co-founder of Google DeepMind, examines the "containment problem"—how to manage the unforeseen consequences of these rapidly advancing technologies. He underscores the democratization of power these technologies enable, their global accessibility, and their potential to create profound societal changes. While Suleyman argues that reinforcing nation-states is essential for containment, the book raises questions about whether international cooperation might be a more viable solution. Suleyman presents …

China’S Use Of Armed Coercion: To Win Without Fighting, Ian Forsyth

Joint Force Quarterly

China’s Use of Armed Coercion, edited by James A. Siebens, examines how China employs military and paramilitary forces to coerce and signal without triggering war, offering valuable insights for policymakers and military strategists. The book analyzes over 200 coercive operations (2000–2021) and highlights China’s ability to frame its actions as defensive while advancing its regional ambitions through intimidation, direct deterrence, and coercion. Case studies, such as sovereignty disputes with the Philippines and India, underscore how China’s military actions are calibrated to avoid outright conflict but maximize psychological and political pressure. The book also explores China’s integration of military and …

Polybian Warfare: The First Punic War As A Case Study In Strategic Competition And Joint Warfighting, Casey B. Baker

Joint Force Quarterly

The First Punic War (264–241 BCE) between Rome and Carthage offers timeless lessons on strategic competition and joint warfare, particularly relevant for modern military strategy. This 23-year conflict highlights the challenges of long-term rivalries, where adaptability, alliances, and mastery of new domains like maritime power were critical to success. Rome’s transformation from a land power to a dominant naval force demonstrates the importance of technological innovation, such as the corvus boarding device, and the ability to sustain costly investments in new capabilities. Carthage’s reliance on mercenaries like Spartan general Xanthippus showcases both the advantages and risks of external support, while …

It’S The Chain That Broke It: The Strategic Supply Chains Underpinning National Security, Gregory M. Tomlin

Joint Force Quarterly

Strategic supply chain vulnerabilities threaten the Department of Defense’s (DOD) ability to maintain readiness and protect national security. Global supply chains, often dependent on multiple subcontractor tiers, are highly prone to disruptions from geopolitical events, foreign interference, cybersecurity risks, and shortages of critical materials, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and in delays like those affecting F-35 production. To address these challenges, the DOD must adopt "strategic supply chains" as a core concept in its doctrine, emphasizing continuous risk assessment and safeguards like multisourcing, supply chain nerve centers, and contingency planning. Updating key policies and doctrines, such as Joint Publications …

Bullets, Bandages, And Fairy Dust: Improving Dmo Health Services Support With Wargaming, Debra D. Buckland-Coffey, Robert P. Gerbracht, Kengo Nishida, William R. Gureck

Joint Force Quarterly

Health services support is a critical yet often overlooked component of distributed maritime operations (DMO) and expeditionary advanced base operations (EABO). In exercises and wargames, medical logistics are frequently “fairy dusted”—assumed to function without realistic planning—despite the immense challenges of managing high casualty rates, complex supply chains, and limited evacuation timelines in contested environments like the Indo-Pacific. This article highlights the need for better integration of health services into wargames and exercises, emphasizing the importance of realistic scenarios, multilateral cooperation, and investment in modeling tools. By addressing these gaps, military planners can improve readiness, reduce risks, and better prepare for …

Updating The Tacs/Aags For Large-Scale Combat Operations, Matthew Neuenswander

Joint Force Quarterly

The Theater Air Control System (TACS) and Army Air-Ground System (AAGS) have been critical frameworks for coordinating air and ground operations between the U.S. Army and Air Force since the Vietnam War. Designed to synchronize air support, airspace control, and joint fires, the system has evolved to meet changing military strategies, including today’s shift from counterinsurgency to large-scale combat operations. However, challenges persist, such as gaps in airspace management, fires integration, and resource allocation, particularly with the Air Force’s downsizing of Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) personnel. Conflicting priorities, coalition partner limitations, and new Army structures like the Multi-Domain Task …

Determining Political Objectives, Milan Vego

Joint Force Quarterly

Political objectives are the backbone of national and coalition security strategies, shaping the direction and outcomes of conflicts. Defined by political leaders with input from military advisors, these objectives must strike a balance between goals, resources, and methods to be achievable. However, the process is often complicated by competing priorities, biases, and the need to adapt to changing conditions. History has shown the dangers of mismatched resources, flawed intelligence, and unrealistic ambitions, as seen in conflicts like the Russo-Japanese War, Gulf War, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Clear and well-defined objectives—whether focused on defense, conquest, or diplomacy—are essential for success. Achieving …