This study examines the operational history of the First Cavalry Divisions conquest of the Admiralty Islands during World War Two as the final phase of Operation Cartwheel. Cartwheel called a two pronged attack; one prong in New Guinea, by-passing large Japanese garrisons and the other in the northern Solomon Islands with the goal the isolation of the strong point at Rabaul. The material is drawn primarily from U.S. Army records held by the National Archives at College Park, Maryland, records from the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama and other reports. The study concludes that the conquest of the Admiralty Islands allowed the by-pass of Rabaul and Wewak, New Guinea. The Admiralty Islands served as a base for future operations carried out against the Japanese.

This paper covers the development of the chemical weapons division founded by Ishii Shiro, and discusses the horrible experimentation that was done by the Japanese. These experiments have been a source of controversy. The Chinese feel the Japanese should acknowledge these as war crimes. When the Japanese left Manchuria, they left the world’s largest chemical waste dump behind, and even to this day the government refuses to admit the actions of Unit 731. The information on biological warfare that the Japanese discovered during the experimentation in China later was used as a negotiation tool with the United States to secure their freedom and gain immunity from prosecution for General Ishii Shiro and his men. This paper will show the evolution of Japanese biological warfare during WWII using research obtained from a wide range of documents, books, newspapers, and journal articles, as well as documents found at the National Archives.

This thesis examines the interaction between the Union Prison System led by William Hoffman and the Confederate prisoners-of-war, specifically those held at Elmira, New York. By focusing on Hoffman's actions and decisions in the last year of the war, the Confederate death toll can be better understood. The treatise relies heavily on The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies. Two studies were indispensable for this study: Hesseltine's Civil War Prisons: A Study In War Psychology, and Leslie's Hunter's Ph.D. Disseration, Warden For The Union: William Hoffman (1807-1884). The conclusions of my research are: (A) William Hoffman developed a change in actions in 1864, and (B) these actions continued in the last year of the war. As a result of his actions and other factors, Elmira had the highest percentage of death of any Union prison camp. Hoffman's actions led to a higher death rate of Confederate prisoners than has been previously recognized.

The Myth of the Lost Cause is an inaccurate account of the Civil War that remains prominent in American society. The myth alters key aspects of the war such as its cause, participants, and outcome. It is my hypothesis that one reason many Americans misunderstand the war is because they learned inaccurate information as children. Most children first learn of the war in school textbooks. I became curious as to the accuracy of Civil War information. As there is little research on this topic, this paper begins the process of bridging the gap between education curriculum and the Lost Cause. I examined textbooks used in Tennessee schools between 1889-2002. I discovered that the Lost Cause is most prominent in textbooks used in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century but remains present in modern textbooks. I conclude that material will continue to correct itself as the twenty-first century continues.

Prevalent depictions of United States Naval Construction Battalions (Seabees) were engendered by John Wayne in The Fighting Seabees and the musical, South Pacific. While capturing the ingenious determination that birthed their motto '˜Can Do', these incomplete pictures don't portray the complexity of construction under combat conditions in a harshly unforgiving and demanding environment. The Seabee's first combat landing was New Georgia. In six months, these battalions built five airfields, granting Allied forces air superiority over the Solomon Islands and Rabaul. Battalion records stored at the Naval Facilities Command Archives, Port Heuneme, California, combined with documents from the National Archives, provided source materials. This thesis examines the construction operations undertaken at New Georgia that were the proving grounds from which future construction methodology stemmed. This campaign tempered the men, techniques, and equipment necessary for Pacific construction. The true heart of the Seabee's was forged by the lessons learned at New Georgia.

George Washington's role in the American Revolution has not been lost in the mists of time, but most modern Americans have lost touch with his actual character and style because of the immense cultural changes that have transpired since the eighteenth century. However, by examining the duties of Washington throughout the Revolutionary War from four different perspectives a more holistic interpretation of Washington during America's fight for independence may be gained. This study examines the relationships Washington had with Congress as well as with his fellow officers and troops. Particular attention is paid to the manner in which Washington led the army, in addition to how he was perceived by his contemporaries at large. The goal of this thesis is to achieve a holistic interpretation of Washington's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, which will enable a better understanding of why Washington was and continues to be perceived as a symbol for American independence.

The Kikuyu, the largest ethnic group in Kenya, resisted colonial authority, which culminated into what became known as Mau Mau, led by the Kenya Land Freedom Army. During this time, the British colonial government imposed laws limiting their access to land, politics, and independence. The turbulent 1950s in Kenyan history should be considered a revolution because of its violent nature, the high level of participation, and overall social change that resulted from the war. I compared many theories of revolution to the events of the Mau Mau movement. Then, I explained the contention for land in the revolution, the role of women, and the place of Mau Mau in modern historiography. I concluded that Mau Mau should be considered a revolution even though its representation during the war and misunderstandings after independence did not classify it as such.

The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the six special military units which were authorized and created by the War Department under the direction of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. In relating the military history of such special units the study determines what contributions and significance they made to the Union war effort.

Operation Iraqi Freedom launched with the backing of U.S. Coalition Forces (CF) on March 20, 2003 to remove Saddam Hussein from power. The United States occupied Iraq by bombing and cleansing Iraq of weapons (Dahabour 105-130). During the first year of occupation U.S. soldiers at the detention facility Abu Ghraib tortured detainees in their charge. This torture becomes known to the public through worldwide media coverage in May 2004. My thesis will cover my service as a Military Police officer (MP) at Abu Ghraib from December 2005-August 2006. During my tour of duty at Abu Ghraib I was required to complete the military goals for success which conflicted with some of my own beliefs and moral values. In this thesis I write an autobiographical description of my nine months of duty as an MP at the U.S. military Forward Operating Base (FOB) Abu Ghraib. I use my own photographs to recreate the environment as vividly as possible for my story. This thesis helps to explain some of the frustrations that U.S. military personnel experience. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) needs to conduct, and implement research on how to prevent military personnel from torturing detainees. After the research is conducted the DOD needs to implement that research in detainee operations. That includes a need for more realistic detainee operations training that emphasizes not torturing detainees, and it should be the standard for all the U.S. military branches.

Review of: Confederate Outlaw: Champ Ferguson and the Civil War in Appalachia. By Brian D. McKnight. Conflicting Worlds: New Dimensions of the American Civil War. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2011. Pp. [xvi], 252. $34.95, ISBN 978-0-8071-3769-7.) Excerpt: Civil War scholars have produced a number of noteworthy studies of guerrilla warfare in recent years. These historians have reassessed the origins of guerrilla violence, its impact on local communities, its role in the overall war effort, and some of its notorious figures. In Confederate Outlaw: Champ Ferguson and the Civil War in Appalachia, Brian D. McKnight addresses not only the infamous guerrilla Champ Ferguson but also the larger context of the war in southern Appalachia. The author argues that fluid loyalties, extreme paranoia, and opportunism defined Ferguson's war in the Upper Cumberland region [...]