Confused Heap of Facts

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance discuss Napoleonic officers with Dr. Mike Bonura of DJIMO. They explain where the officers came from and how they were trained. They detail how Napoleonic command and control and mission command worked. They discuss some of the issues with the system. They conclude with lessons modern officers might take from the period. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of ChesterfieldHost: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMHDMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill NanceArtwork: Daniel O. NealMusic: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance sit down with special guest Dr. Sam Watson from the US Military Academy at West Point. They have a wide-ranging discussion on officers in the early US republic and the state of military history today. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMHDMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill NanceArtwork: Daniel O. NealMusic: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel is joined by Dr. John Hosler to discuss the Roman military theorist Vegetius. They discuss Vegetius’s work and its themes. They trace its transmission and influence through the medieval period. They examine its use in early modern France. They conclude by discussing one of the major misuses of Vegetius and similar works. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMHDMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill NanceArtwork: Daniel O. NealMusic: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance continue their discussions about Vietnam with Dr. Martin Clemis. They dive into Vietnamese politics throughout the twentieth century. They begin with major influences on Vietnam like China, France, Marxism, and Buddhism. They detail how politics evolved throughout the century, particularly in the North. They explain how America’s Vietnam War shaped those politics. They conclude by explaining why the US often mis-read Vietnamese politics during its war. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

A short of announcement that we'll be moving to a once-a-month model for CHF instead of the twice -a-month.

Dr. Jonathan Abel is joined by Dr. Gates Brown to discuss Eisenhower’s New Look policy. They outline the background to Eisenhower’s strategic views via the late 1940s and early 1950s. They explain what Eisenhower’s approach to deterrence was via the New Look and Massive Retaliation. They explore the responses within the Army, particularly the Pentomic Division, to that policy. They then conclude with some lessons learned from the period. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel is joined by Dr. Bill Nance to discuss the 1862 Valley Campaign of the U.S. Civil War with Dr. Ethan Rafuse. They discuss the background of the campaign and how it fit into the other Union efforts that spring. They detail the fighting in the valley and how Union efforts failed. They conclude with lessons from the campaign, including Stonewall Jackson’s operational art and leadership. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Bill Nance interviews Dr. Jonathan Abel about military theory during the early modern period, especially in France. They discuss the gap in knowledge between Machiavelli and Clausewitz that many modern students of the subject have, and how it developed. They detail the theorists who worked between those periods and how theory evolved. They talk about the Military Enlightenment and how it led to the works of Jomini and Clausewitz at the advent of the modern era. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel is joined by Dr. Bill Nance and guest Dr. John Kuehn to talk about an under appreciated theorist: JC Wiley. They discuss his background and how it shaped his theory. They note his service record in World War II, including his participation in the foundation of the Combat Information Center (CIC). They then explore his theories, including how strategy relates to the other levels of war. "History is only a confused heap of facts." - Phillip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band :

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance sit down with Dr. Martin Clemis to discuss Vietnamese communist strategy in the Vietnam War, especially what is known as “dau tranh.” Clemis describes the holistic communist approach that stymied efforts by the French, Americans, and Chinese to defeat it. He traces its origins in Marxism and Maoism, and he discusses how it functioned. Finally, he offers some personal opinions on why the US struggled with dau tranh. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance are back with Dr. Amanda Nagel to talk race relations in the US Army in the early twentieth century. The dig into social and military issues as Jim Crow began its long reign in the US, including the Army. They detail the struggle of Black American officers to find justice and equity in the Army leading into World War I. They discuss some of the influence that that war had on the topic, looking forward to the burgeoning civil rights movement. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel, with Dr. Bill Nance, talks with Dr. Geoff Babb about one of the most important twentieth-century conflicts: the Russo-Japanese War. They discuss why the Russians were not prepared for the war, while the Japanese were. They detail the difficulties both sides faced in fighting it. They conclude by discussing its influence, particularly looking towards World War I. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance talk to LTC Kyle Hatzinger, PhD, from the Department of Sustainment and Force Management, about the US Army Mortuary Service. He describes its origins in the nineteenth century during the US Civil War and the Spanish-American War. He details how many of the Mortuary Service’s traditions and procedures originated in World War I. He concludes by discussing how those evolved over the remainder of the twentieth century. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance discuss the French Revolution. They explore its origins and its various stages. They discuss the different groups involved in it and their machinations as they sought to gain power and shape France in their image. They explore the military aspect of the Revolution as it came to an end under Napoleon. They conclude by examining some of its various elements and legacies. Corrections: the Glorious Revolution in England took place in 1689, not 1789, and the French fully conquered Italy only during the War of the Second Coalition. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel and Dr. Bill Nance are back with LTC Andy Whitford, PhD, of DDE to discuss British army leadership in the early twentieth century. They trace the early career of General Nevil Macready through the Boer War and the Tonypandy Riots of 1910-1911. They detail how he managed to use military force effectively to keep peace in his various postings in Egypt, South Africa, and Wales. Finally, LTC Whitford offers some insights into lessons that may be learned from Macready’s career and approach. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel and Dr. Bill Nance talk with Dr. Mark Gerges, Napoleonist, about Napoleonic-era cavalry in the Peninsular War. They begin by describing the conflict and the characteristics of the operating environment. They explore Napoleonic cavalry in general, particularly British and French. They detail how British cavalry fought in the conflict, and how Wellington managed his forces in Iberia. Finally, they explain how the lessons from the conflict are still relevant. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel is on the road at the 2024 meeting of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His first discussion is with Dr. Julia Osman, Associate Professor of History at Mississippi State University, about early modern French soldiers. They examine misconceptions of soldiers of the period, particularly about their literacy and agency, and explore exciting new research avenues in the field. His second discussion is with Dr. Alexander Burns, Assistant Professor of History at Franciscan University of Steubenville, about various approaches to history. They explore historical reenactment, experimental archaeology, wargaming, and video gaming as methods of learning and teaching history. They examine which have the most value alongside traditional academic history, and they opine on the pitfalls inherent in some. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel, with Dr. Bill Nance, talks to LTC Nate Jennings, PhD, of DJIMO about the life and career of Winfield Scott. They discuss the early American army and Scott’s place in it as a leading intellectual. They then detail his role in the Mexican-American War from its beginnings to his triumph in Mexico City. They explore how Scott was a joint-minded commander, able to work equally well across branches, services, and domains of warfare. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Dr. Jonathan Abel sits down with Dr. John Hosler, DMH medievalist, to discuss the Crusades and Crusading. They examine the terminology and interrogate what constitutes a “Crusade.” They discuss the people who went Crusading and their motivations. They interrogate the time range in which Crusades took place. Finally, they opine on the utility of such discussions. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band

Drs. Jonathan Abel and Bill Nance talk with Dr. Amanda Nagel about race relations in the US Army between the Civil War and World War 2. They discuss the participation of Black soldiers in Reconstruction and how many transitioned to being Buffalo Soldiers in the American West. They detail the issues those soldiers faced, both within the Army and in wider American society of the time. They trace race relations through the Spanish-American War in 1898. Finally, they explore how the Progressive Era did and did not improve race relations, culminating in the 1906 Brownsville Affair. “History is only a confused heap of facts.” – Philip Dormer Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield Host: Dr. Jonathan Abel, CGSC DMH DMH Podcast Team: Drs. Jonathan Abel, Mark Gerges, and Bill Nance Artwork: Daniel O. Neal Music: SSG Noah Taylor, West Point Band