2016-17 Schedule

We meet at 7:00pm on the second Thursday of every month from September through May in the History Center at Historic Fort Snelling, unless otherwise noted below:

September 8, 2016 Deception in ETO – Fooling the Enemy
Jonathan Gawne, author of Ghost of the ETO, will show the multifaceted deception plans and equipment used to fool the enemy on unit strength and offensive intentions (PDF) (YouTube)

September 22, 2016 Pacific Diplomacy in 1930’s – Events leading to hostilities in Pacific
Sidney Pash, author of The Currents of War will connect the events from the turn of the 20th Century in the Pacific that led to the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor (PDF) (YouTube)

October 13, 2016 11th Airborne from Philippines to Occupation
Jerry Devlin, author of Back to Corregidor along with Veterans of the 11th Airborne Division will reveal the Vertical Assaults in the Philippines and early security in Japan (PDF) (YouTube)

October 27, 2016 Germany during 1930’s – Rise of Nazis in Germany
Henry Gole, author of Exposing the Third Reich from observations by Colonel Truman Smith as Military Attaché in Berlin to expose the upcoming threat of Nazi actions (PDF) (YouTube)

November 10, 2016 The Dr.Harold C. Deutsch Lecture – Sentencing at Nuremburg
Greg Peterson, Founder of the Robert Jackson Institute, will discuss the International Tribunal and the Sentencing as a commemoration of the end of the Trials in 1946 (PDF) (YouTube)

December 7, 2016 75th Anniversary Pearl Harbor – Events at Minnesota Historical Society in St Paul
10:00 Ceremony of USS Ward Gun engagement in 3M Auditorium
1:00 Presentations on events of Pearl Harbor in 3M Auditorium
3:30 Marc Wortman, author of 1941, will discuss events leading up to Pearl Harbor (YouTube)
7:00 Dave Kenney, author of Minnesota Goes to War, will highlight the home front

December 8, 2016 75th Anniversary of Battle of Bataan and Corregidor
Colonel John A. Adams, author of The Fighting Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, along with Veterans of Philippines will discuss the attack of Japanese and Bataan (PDF) (YouTube)

January 12, 2017 Battle of Koenigsberg – Forgotten Battle of Eastern Front
Dennis Showalter, author with Harold Deutsch of If the Allies had Fallen and Veterans of War on Eastern Front will discuss the often overlooked struggle by Russians (PDF) (YouTube)

February 9, 2017 Nazi Hunters – Seeking Justice for perpetrators of the Holocaust
Andrew Nagorski, author of Nazi Hunters will discuss the search for Nazi Criminals that evaded capture at the end of the War and sought sanctuary outside Europe (PDF)

March 9, 2017 Mobilization of U.S. Industrial Machine – Fighting a Global War
Maury Klein, author of Arsenal of War and Workers in Minnesota Defense Industries will present the transformation of peacetime companies into a Military Goliath (PDF) (YouTube)

March 23, 2017 Minnesota-Born Unsung Architect of Army Doctrine
Mark Calhoun, author of General Lesley J. McNair will discuss the little known contributions of a true Hero who transformed a fledgling fighting force to Victory (PDF) (YouTube)

April 13, 2017 Last Mission of “Jerk’s Natural” – with the 93rd Bomb Group
Gregg Jones, author of The Last Mission and Veterans of European Air War will discuss the dangers of the bomber missions to destroy German armaments (PDF) (YouTube)

May 11, 2017 Final Major Battle in Western Europe – Battle of Bulge
Hal Winton, author of Corps Commanders of Bulge and Veterans of Battle of Bulge Will discuss critical decisions and mistakes that resulted in a hard fought Victory (PDF) (YouTube)