World War II & Medal of Honor Recipients

27 items

A promotional graphic featuring Edward Lengel for a talk on World War II hosted by the Bill of Rights Institute.

Edward Lengel: Thinking Through World War II | BRI Scholar Talks

Video

45 Min

BRI Senior Teaching Fellow, Tony Williams, and guest scholar Ed Lengel will be discussing Lengel's compelling essays in BRI's new Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Digital Textbook on the dramatic Pacific theater of World War II. Lengel will narrate the captivating story of Japan’s aggressive expansionism during the 1930s in the lead-up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the brutal fighting in the Pacific, and the consequential dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the summer of 1945.

45 Min

Image of a man with short hair and a suit, featuring the text "Craig Symonds: Midway" and branding for the Bill of Rights Institute.

The Battle of Midway with Craig Symonds | Pivotal Battles in American History #3

Video

18 Min

How did the Battle of Midway shape the outcome of the Pacific War in World War II and why was it pivotal in American history? To wrap up our Scholar Talk series, "Pivotal Battles in American History," BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Dr. Craig Symonds, Professor of History Emeritus at the United States Naval Academy, Lincoln Prize winner, and the author of numerous books on naval history including "The Battle of Midway." Together, they discuss the dramatic course of the Battle of Midway. How did the carrier change the nature of naval warfare during World War II? What decisions made by leadership on both sides led to the Americans' stunning victory over the Japanese?

18 Min

Close-up of a man discussing the U.S. Army and World War II's Pacific Theater at a speaker event.

The U.S. Army and World War II’s Pacific Theater with John McManus | BRI Scholar Talks

Video

19 Min

What was the contribution of the U.S. Army to the American victory against Japan in the Pacific War in World War II? In this episode of Scholar Talks, John McManus, the Curators’ Distinguished Professor of U.S. military history at the Missouri University of Science and Technology, joins BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams to talk about his new book "Island Infernos: The U.S. Army’s Pacific War Odyssey, 1944" Together, they discuss the nature of the war in the Pacific between America and Japan, the experiences of soldiers on the ground, and the leadership styles of the U.S. generals involved. Why did 1944 witness a turning of the tide in the U.S. Army's Pacific war effort?

19 Min

A close-up of Sean McMeekin speaking about Cold War origins at the Bill of Rights Institute.

Cold War Origins with Sean McMeekin | BRI Scholar Talks: Cold War & The Presidency Series

Video

22 Min

What factors contributed to the origins of the Cold War during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt? Join us today for the first episode of our summer Scholar Talks miniseries, “Cold War & the Presidency.” BRI Senior Teaching Fellow Tony Williams is joined by Sean McMeekin, Professor of History at Bard College, as they discuss his new book, "Stalin's War: A New History of World War II." How did FDR’s presidential unilateralism and diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union shape executive power during World War II and for his successors during the Cold War?

22 Min