In the entry for the week of 10-24 June 1940, The Spitfire Site discusses Italy’s declaration of war again France and Great Britain.  On the heals of the German battlefield victories, Benito Mussolini sought territorial gains from a weakened France.  Upon entering the war, Italian forces invaded the French Alps in hopes of conquering Provence.  During the interwar years, the French constructed a series of bunkers and firing positions that overlooked the mountain passes leading through the French Alps.  Such fortifications were on par, or superior, to those built by the Austrian-Hungarians during the Great War.  Reminiscent of the failed human wave attacks at Isonzo during the First World War, Italian forces suffered many casualties from the static enemy gun emplacements.  After nine days of combat, Italian forces acquired little ground and incurred 1,247 men dead and 2,631 wounded.¹  Italian solders were saved from frigid mountain temperatures and French munitions only by the capitulation of France to the Germans.  In that sense, the Italian invasion of France was a catastrophic failure.  Consequently, it seems that as of the Second World War, Italy had not learned the costly lessons of the Isonzo battles.

6 June 1944, lest we forget

Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed the soldiers, sailors, and airmen prior to the invasion.  General Eisenhower’s speech encapsulated the significance of the D-Day landings in the war against tyranny.

In color, scenes of the D-Day landings reinforce the sacrifices made by the men and women of the free world.

Jeff Doyle and Jeffrey Grey, Australia R&R: Representations and Reinterpretations of Australia’s War in Vietnam (Chevy Chase: Vietnam Generation Inc., 1991) – a collection of essays aimed at helping Americans understand the impact and fallout from Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.  Apparently, it is popular to publish collections of Vietnam War essays.

Paul Ham, Vietnam: The Australian War (Sydney: HarperCollins, 2008) – a journalists interpretation of Australian government’s handling of the Vietnam War.  The author blames politicians and military leadership for getting Australia into an unpopular war.  Seems like the Australian version of Stanley Karnow’s Vietnam: A History.

Michael K. Cecil, Mud and Dust: Australian Army Vehicles and Artillery in Vietnam (Sydney: New Holland Publishers, 2009) – despite being an overview of the vehicles used by the Australians in Vietnam, it does provide basic information necessary in differentiating and understanding the role of the Australian Army in Vietnam.  Plus, I love pictures.

Jeff Doyle, Jeffrey Grey, and Peter Pierce, Australia’s Vietnam War (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2002) – a collection of essays covering many facets of Australia’s military in Vietnam as well as home front controversies.  Of interest to me is how the war impacted Australia.  Should be interesting to see any parallels to America’s memory of the war.

Jeffrey Grey, The Australian Army (Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 2001) – a history of the Australian Army from its conception until the year 2000.  A solid foundational work that will serve to bring me up to speed.

John Prados, Vietnam: The History of an Unwinnable War, 1945-1975 (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2009) – purported as the response to Mark Moyer’s controversial Triumph Forsaken, this tome is also the most recent all encompassing history of the war in Vietnam.  Having enjoyed Moyer’s work, I am anxious to see how Prados transforms current Vietnam War discourse.

Besides the discussions related to my research interests, this years SMH gave me a better understanding of how to present a paper.  Through the various panels, it became clear that powerpoints are only as good as the presenter and a paper based on generalities will put many people to sleep.  Moreover, my belief that if one is going to ask a question it better be amazing and relevant.  Sometimes is pays to be quiet and take notes.

In sum, I enjoyed the conference and am looking forward to the next SMH.  Additionally, I hope to present some research next summer.

At present, I am not certain as an exact dissertation topic. Having always been interested in the relationship between the United States and the British Commonwealth, I am contemplating a dissertation that would examine how the armed forces of America and Australia interacted prior to, and during, the Vietnam War. Granted that a fair amount of literature covers such a topic, I hope further reading will afford me a better understanding of issues that require additional analysis. In between many summer commitments, I hope to read-up on Australia in the Vietnam War so that by the fall I will have a more refined dissertation topic.

4th & 3rd-Century BC

Roman conquest of Italy

Ross Cowan writes on the tendency of Romans to decorate their homes with war trophies.

2nd-Century AD

An abbey with connections to the Romans and the Second World War? The Lost Fort offers a detailed history of Incholm Abbey and other sites neighboring the Firth of Forth.

16th-Century AD

Over at Marginalia there is an insightful post on Francis Stewart and his betrayal of his cousin Jame Stewart.

18th-Century AD

American Revolution

A King George’s War fort in the United States? Boston 1775 discusses the funding issues for this rare historical site.

British Soldiers, American Revolution recounts the fates of two British soldiers who served together and experienced the harsh reality of 18th-Century disease.

19th-Century AD

Mexican-American War

Blog 4 History argues that a wealth of knowledge awaits scholars who embark on a study of the Mexican-American War.

American Civil War

The 48th Pennsylvanian Infantry/Civil War Musings presents a letter from private who was eager to fight the Confederates.

Civil War Memory takes readers to the Antietam battlefield and discusses the value of blogging and confirms the existence of the Lost Cause in Sharpsburg, Maryland.

The brief and sad wartime experiences of Alfred DuBois, father of W.E.B DuBois, over at The Sable Arm.

20th-Century AD

First World War

Over at the Australian War Memorial, a series of short posts on Herbert Vincent Reynolds No. 622 First Field Ambulance, First AIF. Although the AWM series on Reynolds began back in February, March has had its fair share of posts. Throughout the series, readers are exposed to the experiences of an ANZAC soldier leading up to the infamous Gallipoli campaign. Here is the post for 14 March 1915. Be sure to read the rest.

Airminded examines the German bombing of Warrington Crescent, highlighting the effects of the attack on both property and social memory.

The CBC pays tribute to Canada’s last First World War veteran, John Babcock, who died at the ripe old age of 109.

Recently Geoff Robinson discussed the issues associated with teaching students about Australia’s participation in two world wars. Enjoy the clip from Gallipoli.

Second World War

The Daily History Blog elaborates on the pre-war activities of the Hitler Youth in Germany Great Britain.

The Aerodrome uses archival gems to discuss the issues that plagued Coalition air power.

Over at Thoughts on Military History, Ross endeavors to separate the popular media interpretations of Air Chief Marshall Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory from historical fact.

Battlefield Biker sheds some light on the plot to keep General Bernard Montgomery’s location a secret in the days leading up to D-Day.

Strange Maps pinpoints some of Germany’s schools named after infamous Nazis.

Vietnam War

Here at Thompson-Werk I offer some musings over the policies and events that contributed to America’s involvement in Vietnam.

Who does not adore American’s 37th president? Edge of the American West provides some of President Richard Nixon’s more colorful references to the Vietnam War.