J.D. Coleman, Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989) – although a narrative, Coleman’s book provides insight into the role of the city of Pleiku as an invaluable component to the defense of South Vietnam. Home to American air mobility and fire power, Pleiku functioned as a logical hub for US Army and ARVN combat operations. Coleman addresses the significance of Pleiku in affording the US the ability to conduct helicopter backed operations against remote NVA and VC units in and near Vietnam’s Central Highlands.

Samuel Zaffiri, Westmoreland: A Biography of General William C. Westmoreland (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1994) - despite being a bit verbose, Zaffiri’s work provides an in depth account of the life of one of America’s more controversial generals. Zaffiri addresses the key moments in Westmoreland’s development as a career Army officer to his bouts with American media over his handling of the war in Vietnam.

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.

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.

Shortcomings in the existing literature furnish an opportunity to broaden and deepen our understanding of the Meuse-Argonne offensive as well as other engagements. While little work is being done on the AEF, other First World War fields are generating new interest. Recent assessments of First World War  scholarship, for example, have underscored the need for studies on the Imperial German Army’s non-Prussian units. Certainly, such research needs to be conducted, but there is also a need for similar analysis of the AEF. Dr. Groteleuschen noted that the Field Artillery serves as an example of good American branch level doctrine and battlefield performance. Such an approach can also be applied to the study of other important branches of the AEF. This observation was supported by my research, in which I argued that the Coast Artillery Corps played a crucial role in the development of a mobile heavy artillery arm of the AEF, a conclusion reached without benefit of any major works on the subject. A thorough study on the heavy artillery arm of the AEF should be a major component of the revitalization of the field. As a result, I wish to explore the impact of AEF heavy artillery on the First World War, with possible emphasis on the Meuse-Argonne Campaign.

A reading system that has helped me, and probably countless others, is one that my undergraduate professors told me shortly before I headed off to graduate school. First and foremost, always read the preface and introduction. This is where the writer lays out his/her thesis and approach to the subject matter. Historiography will often be covered in the introduction, allowing one to see how the author fits into the appropriate history field. In some cases, the writer might discuss research methods and primary sources. I have read a few books where the historian professes their great research, only to discover weak arguments later on in the book.

Look through the table of contents and note the chapter headings. If the book is on the use of artillery during First World War, a chapter titled the “Allied use of indirect fire” might contain some of the authors most important analysis. By reading such chapters you insure that you will be familiar with the historians more profound arguments while skipping over less relevant chapters. Ultimately it is up to you to decided on which chapters are essential to understanding the author’s overall argument.

Be certain to look at the index and select some key terms most closely associated with the books topic. For example, if the book is on the end of the First World War, then it will help to locate terms such as Ferdinand Foch, Germany, Kaiserschlacht, and so on. Such terms are usually discussed in relation to much larger arguments being made by the writer. Key terms, on their own, will not help you understand the overall argument being made, rather they can lead to the pages where the writer is adding support to his/her argument. Granted that you have been successful in choosing essential chapters, the index will further enhance your focus on the crucial aspects of the work. Additionally, key terms can lead you to some great items of interest to use during a reading discussion group.

While the introduction helps one discern the writer’s main arguments and approach to the material, the conclusion will sum up all of the arguments and findings. The conclusion will cover how the historian perceives their work as a success, while stressing why the work is valuable. Combined with the passages you located via chapter headings and the index, it will be possible to make your own opinion of whether the work is of good academic value or if it suffers from some type of flaw.

None of what is read will matter if you can remember anything about it. Therefore, always take notes on what you read. Try to write notes that will allow you to maintain your steady reading pace. Your notes should emphasis important page numbers as well as instances where the writer makes a key statement. Refrain from the heavy highlighting of passages in the book. Heavy highlighting will hide good pieces of information within unimportant sentences.

Hopefully all that has been said will be of some use to those entering their first graduate seminar. Remember to relax and approach each book with these reading tips in mind.