I’ve had my PhD in military history for more than a decade, but it has been awhile since I’ve really been able to research and write. I’ve decided to change that.
This will be a place for me to write reflections on what I’m reading and to explore ideas around what I’m researching. I will also be using the blog on my website for “in process” notes and social media to throw out even more rapid reactions and commentary. You’re invited on the journey!
I’m going to start with a military theory reading list I found online. I’ve already read many of these books, but a few, especially the ones concerning more modern theories, will be new to me. My graduate work was on the military history of the 18th and early 19th centuries. I engaged deeply with Maurice de Saxe, the Marquis de Vauban, and the Comte de Guibert. I studied the Classical and Renaissance theorists that inspired them. I did read portions of Clausewitz, Mao, and Freedman when I was in grad school but, at the time, somehow theories of nuclear deterrence didn’t seem relevant to Montcalm’s siege tactics at Ticonderoga or William Howe’s operational concept for the Philadelphia Campaign. Though, William Techumsah Sherman would have definitely liked some tactical nuclear weapons during the Atlanta campaign, and George Washington would have been a big fan of close air support…
In truth, I don’t know what period I want to study going forward. To the extent I was able to be a historian, because of job limitations, it was early U.S. history, but I’ve been doing that for a decade now and am intrigued by a change. I’m from New Orleans and am proud that I can speak and read in French (seulement niveau intermédiaire á ce moment malheureusement) so it would be cool to do something with that. We’ll see what happens.
This next year will be one of exploration as I immerse myself in the broad history and theory again and get back to writing regularly. Thank you for joining me! I think we’re going to have fun.