2020-21 Schedule

FOR THE CURRENT COVID SITUATION, NO LIVE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. VIDEOS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. We meet at 7:30pm on the second Tuesday of every month from September through May at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, unless otherwise noted below:

September 2020 D.M. GIANGRECO, author of HELL TO PAY, will discuss the planned Invasion of Japan – Operation Olympic, that was preempted by dropping of first atomic bombs . And, DAVID BARRETT, author of 140 DAYS to HIROSHIMA, will reveal the indecision of Japanese Leadership that resulted in dropping of the atomic bombs. (PDF) (YouTube)

October 2020 JOHN McMANUS, author of FIRE and FORTITUDE, will focus on the U.S. Army’s role in the Pacific Theater which in many writings was a Naval-dominated Theater of Operation (PDF)

October 2020 (2) ANDREW NAGORSKI, author of 1941, will demonstrate the evidence that the Nazi cause was lost early by strategic mistakes and miscalculation of capabilities and resolve of the Allies (PDF)

November 2020 THE DR. HAROLD C. DEUTSCH LECTURED.K.R. CROSSWELL will deliver The Harold C. Deutsch Lecture, based on his book – BEETLE – that shows the significant role that Walter Bedell Smith played during his service as key aide to Eisenhower in the ETO (PDF)

December 2020 RICHARD FRANK, author of TOWER of SKULLS, will show the origins of the conflict in the Pacific Theater, beginning with the Sino-Japanese conflict in the 1930’s and events that brought eventually brought the U.S. into the war

January 2021  ROB EHLERS, author of TARGETING THE REICH, will show the value of aerial Intelligence in the Air Campaign in Europe. Highlighting the 100th Anniversary of the 109th Squadron of the Minnesota National Guard. (PDF)

February 2021 JOHN BROICH, author of BLOOD, OIL, and the AXIS, will discuss the overlooked struggle in the Middle East for oil and the cultural turmoil of Muslim and Arab countries with the European occupiers. (PDF) (YouTube)

March 2021  MARYLOU GJERNES, Former Curator of the U.S. Army Art Collection, will discuss the acquisition and disposition of the several categories of Nazi Art and the role of a Minnesota Unit to assist in return of some to Germany (PDF) (YouTube)

March 2021 BRIAN CRIM, author of OUR GERMANS, will discuss the repatriation of German scientists and technology to advance the U.S. weapons of war that eventually led to our advances in the Space Race of the 1960’s (PDF) (YouTube)

April 2021 JOHN RADZILOWSKI, author of FRANTIC – 7 will tell the tragic story of the peoples of Poland and Warsaw in the slaughter of its citizens and destruction of its cities by the Nazis and Soviet Armies; as well as the contrast of Allied support. (PDF) (YouTube)

May 2021JAY STOUT, author of THE MEN WHO KILLED THE LUFTWAFFE, will show how the introduction of Air Power into the European Theater of Operations by the Army Air Corps and Eighth Air Force led to victory in WWII. (PDF) (YouTube)