Henry Kissinger, Consumate Diplomatic Powerhouse, Has Died

Born in May, 1923 in Furth, Bavaria, Germany, Henry Kissinger was a Jewish refugee to the U.S. in 1938. He excelled academically and graduated summa cum laude from Harvard in 1950, went on to immediately earn a masters and doctorate from Harvard, become a political scientist, geopolitical consultant, national security advisor and U.S. Secretary of …

On Dying for One’s Country

“ . . . I have come to revere words like "democracy" and "freedom," the right to vote, the incomprehensibly beautiful origins of my country, and the grandeur of the extraordinary vision of the founding fathers. Do I not see America's flaws? Of course I do. But I now can honor her basic, incorruptible virtues, …

The Dulles Brothers and Their Secret World War in the 1950s

Nowadays their name is known only as an airport near Washington, DC. Once in the 1950s and early 1960s, they were very famous as architects of America's aggressive cold war policies in Iran, Guatemala, Cuba, Vietnam, and the "Belgium" Congo. John Foster Dulles was Secretary of State under President Eisenhower. His brother Allen Dulles was …

‘All the Way’ With LBJ: HBO’s Behind the Scenes Look at Lyndon Johnson’s First Year As President, 1963-64

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzZs6w_VLbQ "All The Way offers a riveting behind-the scenes look at President Lyndon B. Johnson’s tumultuous first year in office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Staking his presidency on what would be an historic unprecedented Civil Rights Act, Johnson finds himself caught between the moral imperative of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and …

Big Mistake: Always Fighting the Last War

"I think one of the great disasters (in military history) is the way that the Second World War has become the defining reference point for every crisis and every conflict." -- Antony Beevor, English military historian. After the success of World War II, leaders under-estimated the challenge of the Korean War, which ended in stalemate …

The Road to World War I in Europe

Crash Course European History: "Much has been written about what exactly caused World War I. As befits a true global war, the reality is that there isn't a single cause. There aren't even three causes. There are a vast array of causes. Today we'll get into just a few of those causes, including the complex …

History Teacher Honored for Honoring Veterans

Here's something any high school history teacher can do that is really appreciated by the community of veterans: Invite veterans to come speak to your classes about their experiences in the military, and especially in war: the few remaining World War II veterans, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, or military service around the globe. Ask students to …

Could American War in Vietnam End Sooner? Become A Success?

A fan of John and Robert Kennedy asks what if they lived, would the Vietnam War end sooner? JFK told some advisers he would like to start withdrawing from Vietnam after winning re-election in 1964. If indeed he started a process of withdrawal or "Vietnamization" -- training the South Vietnamese army to fully take over …

1940s-1970s: Wars in Korea and Vietnam. What Ifs

Two of the greatest international tragedies of the 20th-century post-World War II were the Vietnam War and Cambodian genocide. The US, France and China played roles in these tragedies that are still being debated today. These were complex struggles; many volumes have been written.  The "What If's" remain. What If's also remain about the Korean …

Five Biggest Failures of Diplomacy and US Foreign Policy

Diplomacy is not yet what it should be. It has certainly improved in the last 100 years. The five biggest diplomatic failures since the beginning of the 20th century that involved the United States were probably: 1. The Versailles Treaty after World War I that punished Germany so severely that it started World War II. Diplomats …