'Untold Heroism of the Battle of the Bulge' with John C. McMannus, Michael S. Bell

Описание: "Untold Heroism of the Bulge" highlights the often-overlooked contributions during the Battle of the Bulge. The session featuring John C. McMannus, PhD, and Michael S. Bell, PhD (COL. USA, Ret.) explores the desperate defense against overwhelming German forces and the critical early resistance east of Bastogne.

This session is part of The National WWII Museum's 2024 pre-conference symposium "The Battle of the Bulge Revisited: 80 Years On, a part of The International Conference on World War II presented by the Pritzker Military Foundation, on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library. For more information: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/abo...

The International Conference on World War II is the premier adult educational event bringing together the best and brightest scholars, authors, historians, and witnesses to history from around the globe to discuss key battles, personalities, strategies, issues, and controversies of the war that changed the world. Joining the featured speakers are hundreds of attendees who travel from all over the world to learn and connect with each other through engaging discussions, question-and-answer periods, book signings, and receptions throughout the weekend.

John McManus is the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of US military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T). This professorship is bestowed by the University of Missouri Board of Curators on the most outstanding scholars in the University of Missouri system. McManus is the first ever Missouri S&T faculty member in the humanities to be named Curators’ Distinguished Professor. As one of the nation’s leading military historians and the author of 15 well-received books on the topic, he is in frequent demand as a speaker and expert
commentator. In addition to dozens of local and national radio programs, McManus has appeared on CNN.com, Fox News, C-Span, the Military Channel, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, Netflix, the Smithsonian Network, the History Channel, and PBS, among others. He also served as historical adviser for the best-selling book and documentary Salinger, the latter of which appeared nationwide in theaters and on PBS’s American Masters Series. During the 2018–19 academic year, he was in residence at the US Naval Academy as the Leo A. Shifrin Chair of Naval and Military History, a distinguished visiting professorship. His current project is a major three-volume history of the US Army in the Pacific/Asia theater during World War II. McManus is the host of two podcasts, Someone Talked! in tandem with the National D-Day Memorial, and We Have Ways of Making You Talk alongside Al Murray and James Holland.

Michael Bell joined The National WWII Museum in 2022 as Executive Director of the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy after retiring from the Department of Defense as a civilian official. Commissioned in Armor following graduation from the US Military Academy at West Point, Bell is a combat veteran, historian, and strategist who has served at every level, from platoon through theater army, as well as with US Central Command, the Joint Staff, the Office of the Secretary of State, and the White House. He served as Dean of Faculty and Academic Programs at the National War College and as Chancellor of the National Defense University’s College of International Security Affairs. The strategies he has authored or coauthored include the 2004 National Military Strategy of the United States of America, the National Military Strategic Plan for the War on Terrorism, the National Security and Defense Strategy and National Military Strategy of Kuwait, and the 2020 Joint Chiefs of Staff Vision and Guidance for Professional Military Education and Talent Management. In 2017–18, he served on detail to the White House as National Security Council Senior Director for Gulf Affairs, Senior Director for Middle East Affairs, and Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. He is the author of a monograph on the role of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff published by the Strategic Studies Institute, and his book on General John J. Pershing and the creation of an American staff system in World War I is forthcoming from the Army University Press. Bell holds an MA and PhD in American history from the University of Maryland College Park and an MS in national security strategy from the National Defense University. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star, Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, Joint Staff Badge, and Combat Action Badge.