The Military History Seminar Series
 Sir Michael Howard, one of the world's leading military historians, gave the keynote address at the 23rd Military History Seminar at University of North Texas on October 14, 2006. His topic was “War Among the Peoples” and his talk was a consideration of 21st century strategy and warfare.
In 1983, Dr. Alfred F. Hurley, then the relatively new Chancellor and President of UNT, initiated the annual Military History Seminar Series. Listed below is a survey of the topics and speakers for the first twenty such events in the Series.
A military historian, Dr. Hurley came to UNT as Vice President for Administrative Affairs in September1980, after completing a thirty-year career in the U.S. Air Force. Some nineteen of those years involved service as a History faculty member at the Air Force Academy, to include fourteen years as Permanent Professor and Head of the Department. Upon assuming that role, he supported the suggestion of a fellow faculty member to create in 1967 the annual, and five years later, bi-annual, Military History Symposia that have evolved into two and one half day events. The Twentieth Academy Symposium will quite appropriately focus in October 2003 on the historical implications of the Centennial celebration of the Wright Brothers first powered flight.
The strong interest in military history among several UNT History faculty and among Texas business and professional people during Dr. Hurley's first months following his appointment as Chancellor and President in February 1982, prompted him to start the Seminar Series in 1983.Sensitive to the work schedules of the potential audience, he chose a Saturday morning/early afternoon format. A well-recognized military historian begins each program followed by a discussion with the audience. After lunch, a retired or former officer or enlisted man offers his perspective on the topic, followed by another discussion with the audience that ends at 2:30 p.m.
In choosing topics and speakers, Chancellor Hurley consults with his many contacts among leading military historians and knowledgeable senior officers. Outstanding local sources have included military historian Dr. Calvin Christman of Cedar Valley Community College and retired Lieutenant General Charles Hamm, USAF.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of the series has been the high quality of audience participation. Virtually every speaker has acknowledged the stimulation such a well-informed audience provides. Importantly, this dimension seems to have figured in the audience's continuing growth past 150 business and professional people from throughout Texas.
The Amon Carter Foundation of Fort Worth, thanks to the help of its board member and regular Seminar attendee, Dr Bobby Brown , has stepped forward to help fund both the Series and a subvention to the UNT Press that will enable the publication of at least the first volume of Seminar papers. Also, but quite belatedly, each of the last three Seminars has been videotaped and archived.
 Annotation:
Few works of military history are able to move between the battlefield and academia. But Warriors and Scholars takes the best from both worlds by presenting the viewpoints of senior, eminent military historians on topics of their specialty, alongside veteran accounts for the modern war being discussed. Editors Peter Lane and Ronald Marcello have added helpful contextual and commentary footnotes for student readers.
Editor: Lane, Peter B; Marcello, Ronald E.
Hardcover ISBN: 1574411977
Hardcover Price: $24.95
Publication Date: August 2005
Contributor: Foreword by Alfred F. Hurley
Military History Seminar Topics and Speakers:
2006 Subject: Strategy and War in the 21st Century
Leading Authority: Sir Michael Howard
("War Among the Peoples.")
Veteran's Perspective: Vice Admiral Charles W. Moore
("Emirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors.")
2005 Subject: The Iraq War
Leading Authority: Dr. Geoffrey Wawro
("The War in Iraq. Causes, Conduct and the Weight of History.")
Veteran's Perspective: Captain Stanton Deland
("The Battle of Falluja: The Perspective of a Marine Veteran.")
2004 Subject: The Recent History of U.S. Civil-Military Relations
Leading Authority: Dr. Richard H. Kohn
("The Dangers of Militarization in a Perpetual War on Terrorism")
Veteran's Perspective: Lt. General Bradley C. Hosmer, USAF (Ret.)
("The Professional Military and Political War: What are the Risks?" )
2003 Subject: Precursors to Current Conflicts
Leading Authority: Dr. Brian M. Linn
(" The U.S. War in the Phillippines, 1890-1902")
Veteran's Perspective: Lt. Gen. Dave R. Palmer, USA (Ret.)
(" Winning the Peace: The Role of a Nation's Army")
2002 Subject: Terrorism
Leading Authority: Dr. Norman Itzkowitz
("The Psychology of Terrorists and Terrorism")
Veteran's Perspective: Lt. Gen. Maxwell C. (Clay) Bailey, USAF (Ret.)
("Counter Terrorism: Unconventional Warfare in Afghanistan")
2001 Subject: Perspectives on the Russian Military in World War II and the Cold War
Leading Authority: Col. David M. Glantz, USA (Ret.)
("Fact and Fancy: The Great Patriotic (Soviet-German) War, 1941-1945")
Veteran's Perspective: Lt. Gen. Charles Hamm, USAF (Ret.)
("Cold War Duty in Moscow")
2000 Subject: World War II
Leading Authority: Dr. Williamson "Wick" Murray
("Generalship, Leadership, and the Conduct of Operations in Europe, Lessons in World War II") Veteran's Perspective: Mr. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo
("Life with the Bloody Hundredth Bomb Group")
1999 Subject: The War in Vietnam
Leading Authority: Dr. George Herring
("The Reluctant Warrior: LBJ as Commander-in-Chief")
Veteran's Perspective: Brig. Gen. David Winn, USAF (Ret.)
("Smart People; Dumb War?")
1998 Subject: The U.S. Fights in Asia: The Korean War
Leading Authority: Dr. Allan Millett
("Korea, the Forgotten War: Understanding is Better than Remembering")
Veteran's Perspective: Colonel Henry F. Gole
("The Combat Climate in Korea: A Reflection by a Once Young Soldier")
1997 Subject: Military Leadership in Total and Cold Wars
Leading Authority: Dr. Carlo D'Este
("General George Patton's Leadership in Total War-Who was George S. Patton?")
Veteran's Perspective: General Russell Dougherty
("A General's Perspective: Leadership in the Cold War")
1996 Subject: Political-Military Relations: In World War II and Cold War
Leading Authority: Dr. Mark Stoler
Veteran's Perspective: General John Chain
("Cold War Perspectives")
1995 Subject: The Decision to Use the A-Bomb
Leading Authority: Dr. Robert Divine
Veteran's Perspective: Mr. David Braden
("B-29 Operations Against Japan")
1994 Subject: Japanese Combat Tradition
Leading Authority: Dr. Alvin Coox
Veteran's Perspective: Mr. Roy Appleton
("Five Pacific Landings with the Marines")
1993 Subject: Role of Intelligence in 20th Century History
Leading Authority: Dr. Carl Boyd
Veteran's Perspective: Admiral Bobby Inman
("Post World War II Intelligence")
1992 Subject: 1942 in the Pacific
Leading Authority: Dr. Robert Love
Veteran's Perspective: General Robert Galer
("Marine Air Operations in the Pacific")
1991 Subject: German Planning of Barbarossa Campaign
Leading Authority: Dr. Gerhard Weinberg
Veteran's Perspective: Colonel Carl Reddel
("Perspectives on Soviet Society")
1990 Subject: The German Offensive 1940
Leading Authority: Dr. Dennis Showalter
Veteran's Perspective: Air Vice-Marshall R.A. Mason
("The Battle of Britain")
1989 Subject: Hitler and the United States
Leading Authority: Dr. Gerhard Weinberg
Veteran's Perspective: Maj. General A.R. "Bud" Bolling
("The Battle of the Bulge")
1988 Subject: Eisenhower as Supreme Commander
Leading Authority: Dr. Stephen Ambrose (Dr. Al Hurley-substitute)
Veteran's Perspective: Maj. General H.S. Hansell, Jr.
("Planning the Air War in Europe")
1987 Subject: The Lessons of the Korean War
Leading Authority: Dr. Burton I. Kaufman
Veteran's Perspective: Brig. General Ed Simmons
("The Marines in Korea")
1986 Subject: George Marshall
Leading Authority: Dr. Forrest Pogue
Veteran's Perspective: General William Y. Smith
("View of the Soldier-Statesman")
1985 Subject: Operations in the Pacific
Leading Authority: Professor Ron Spector
Veteran's Perspective: General T.R. Milton
("World War II Bombing Operations")
1984 Subject: General Douglas McArthur
Leading Authority: Dr. Clayton James
Veteran's Perspective: General Bryce Poe
("Reconnaissance Operations in Korea")
1983 Subject: General George Patton
Leading Authority: Professor Martin Blumenson
Veteran's Perspective: Lt. General A.P. Clark
("The POW Experience in Europe")
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