Our March 2nd CWRT Meeting was a fascinating evening listening to Donald Miller, national known historian, located right here at Lafayette College, being interviewed by our own Ed Root about two of his many books: “Vicksburg: Grants Campaign that Broke the Confederacy” and “Master of the Air.”
MIller describes himself not as a military historian, but a historian of warfare. In the case of the Vicksburg, the elements of warfare included army and navy, medicine and slavery, societal changes, argriculture, economics and racism, among many other aspects.
The Wall Street Journal called Vicksburg a superb account of the longest and most decisive military campaign of the Civil War in Vicksburg, Mississippi, which opened the Mississippi River, split the Confederacy, freed tens of thousands of slaves, and made Ulysses S. Grant the most important general of the war.
Soon to be a major television event from Apple TV, Masters of the Air is the riveting history of the American Eighth Air Force in World War II, the story of the young men who flew the bombers that helped bring Nazi Germany to its knees, brilliantly told by historian and World War II expert Donald Miller. The Masters of the Air miniseries will be the companion to Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg’s Band of Brothers and The Pacific.
Miller talked about his interest being sparked by his own father’s training as an aerial gunman.
Miller referenced a quote from Churchill’s Anatomy of Courage, in which he asked whether courage can get used up; asking how much can combatants take?
In addition to question posed by Ed Root, Miller also answer questions submitted by our Zoom participants.
An engaging event for which we thanks Miller, Ed Root, and all those who helped plan and carry out the evening.
