What is Military History?

You do not need to write these down• The story of how we’ve maintained our

security and how we can come to do so in the future. – McManus

• It is the story of how societies form their institutions for their collective security and how those institutions operate in peace and war. – U.S. Army Center of Military History

What is Military History?

Military History Covers:

• Battles, strategies and tactics of war (science)

• Functions/Divisions of the military

• Political Policies (foreign/domestic) of the country

• Effects of the military on economic, social norms.

Who are Military Historians?

Examples throughout history:

Sun Tzu - The Art of War

• Lived in China; 6th Century BC

• One man or collection of men?

• 1st Political Scientist???

Who are Military Historians?

Niccolo Machiavelli – The Prince/The Art of War

• Italian Political Philosopher

• Political Scientist• Works mistaken for

tactics manual• The Prince – pub’d. after

death; intended for rulers

Will the REAL Machiavelli please stand up???

Who are Military Historians?

Karl Von Clausewitz – 17th Cen; On War

• Prussian Major-General

• Military Strategy book• Influential in military

theory

NOT the guy from Malcolm In The Middle

Who are Military Historians?

Barbara Tuchman (1912-1989)

• Focus: 20th Century Warfare

• Style: Narrative History• Books: The Guns of

August; The Zimmerman Telegram

Who are Military Historians?

Sir John Keegan – Current; Several titles

• English Military Historian (14th-21st century warfare)

• Books: Six Armies in Normandy; The History of Warfare; BBC Lectures War and Our World

Why Study Military History???

Why hello handsome…

Why Study Military History?

The military is a great matter of the state.

It is the ground of death and life,

The Tao of survival or extinction.

One cannot but examine it.

-Sun Tzu (The Art of War; Appraisals)

Why Study Military History?

• Understand our history

• Help dictate the future/Understand the Past

• Development of new technologies

• Its violent and has great stories

Military Timeline

There has been a major war in almost every generation

1700’s-1800’s – Revolutionary War; Indian Wars

1800’s – War of 1812; Tripoli; More Indian Wars

1900’s – Spanish-American War; World War Iⅈ Korea; Vietnam; Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan

Understanding The Past

By understanding the past we can predict the future

• Hitler and the Russian Winter

• Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan connection?

New Technologies

Military technology often becomes civilian technology

• The Jeep (1940)• 1945 – “CJ”

New Technologies

• Sulfanilamide– Introduced in 1936– What did it do?

• Effective treatment for pneumonia, meningitis and other bacterial diseases

– Statistics• Unavailable – 75%

mortality rate• Available – 11% mortality

rate– Extra

• Every soldier issued first aid pouch with sulfanilamide and bandages

New Technologies

Penicillin• Sir Alexander Fleming• Bought by U.S.

pharmaceutical company Pfizer (think little blue pill)

• Pfizer produces 90% of penicillin that Allies carried on D-Day

New Technologies

GPS – Global Positioning System

• 1991• Neutralizes desert

warfare• 2001 Afghanistan

War• Smart Bombs

(youtube videos)

Stories of War

Band of Brothers – The Story of Easy Company

• 101st Airborne• Pickets Charge (Civil

War)• Stories of heroism

Stories of War

Audie Murphy• WWII• Medal of Honor• Turned Rancher and

actor

Personal Stories

• Pat Tillman• 2002 – NFL safety puts career on hold w/

Arizona Cardinals to serve his country after 9/11• Drafted 1998• 2000 named NFL All-Pro Team; 155 tackles

(120 solo); 1.5 sacks; 2 forced fumbles 2 recovered; 9 deflections 1 int

• Turned don 3.6 million (salary $512,00)• Joined U.S. Army 8 months after 9/11

Writing Prompt

• Why do YOU want to study military history?

• What interests you the most about military history?

• What do you hope to get out of this class?