History Talks

“Can’t Anything Stop these Men?”: U.S. Army Paratroopers Creating Turning Points

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Just after midnight on June 6, 1944, American paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to prepare for an invasion force that would arrive at dawn. The Soldiers’ mission was to capture roadways and establish river crossings to support the D-Day invasion. The use of airborne troops, a vital of part the Allies’ campaign plans, was born out of wartime necessity.

Army airborne units were developed to support the concept of vertical envelopment, or the ability to strike an enemy from behind when ground forces could not go around prepared defenses. Born out of response to German success in Holland and Greece, the U.S. Army grew its airborne units from a small test platoon in 1940, through battalion and regimental combat in North Africa and Italy, to multiple combat ready divisions by D-Day. Following the invasion, airborne troops would be deployed during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge and earned a reputation for changing the battlefield as soon as they entered it.

Explore how the U.S. Army developed new technology, training, and strategies to overcome challenges and accomplish the mission. Learn how Army airborne troops contributed to Allied turning points during World War II.

Register for the Virtual History Talk on May 8 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the Virtual History Talk on May 15 at 12 p.m. ET.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, May 22. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on May 22 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on May 22 at 12 p.m. ET.

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The Long Road to Freedom: The U.S. Army and Juneteenth

Wednesday, June 5, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual

Wednesday, June 12, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual

Wednesday, June 19, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

In June 1865, Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with roughly 2,000 Union Soldiers. Though his main goal was to bring an end to the Civil War and welcome Texas back into the Union, he had another objective. On June 19, Granger issued General Orders No. 3 declaring that “the people of Texas are informed in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States all slaves are free.” While the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln legally freed slaves throughout the Confederate States, Texas resisted for two years. Granger’s order had the effect of liberating 250,000 people who had been in enslaved in Texas.

Juneteenth, alternatively known as Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day, became one of multiple local holidays commemorating the official end of slavery at different points throughout the South. For the Army, it also honors Black Soldiers who fought and scarified to ensure the Constitution fulfilled its promise to all Americans.

In this History Talk, discover the role of the U.S. Army in the liberation of enslaved persons throughout the Confederacy. Explore the courageous, selfless, and dedicated service by Black Soldiers that cemented the gains provided by the Civil War and opened the door to widespread military service for Black men in the U.S. Army.

Register for the Virtual History Talk on June 5 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the Virtual History Talk on June 12 at 12 p.m. ET.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, June 19. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on June 19 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on June 19 at 12 p.m. ET.

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Making a Way Out of No Way: African American Experience in World War II

Wednesday, July 10, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Generations of African Americans have served their country, many serving in segregated units and not always given the respect and honor due to them. Although African Americans fought with distinction in World War II, they returned home to a segregated America. In 1948, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which called for equal opportunity for all members of the Armed Forces. The segregated Army became a thing of the past and the segregation of American society began to crumble.

Explore the commitment, challenges, and bravery of African American Soldiers serving during World War II through the examination of artifacts, primary resources, and personal accounts.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, July 10. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on July 10 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on July 10 at 12 p.m. ET.

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“No Mail, Low Morale”: The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion

Wednesday, July 17, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Since the Revolutionary War generations of African Americans have served the armed forces, but it was not until World War II that Black women joined the Army as part of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC).

In February 1945 members of the 6888th Central Postal Battalion arrived in Birmingham, England. Nicknamed the “Six Triple Eight,” they were the first and only all-Black WAC unit sent overseas during World War II. They faced the daunting task of sorting and delivering mail to the roughly 7 million service members stationed in the European Theater. Their mission boosted the morale across the entirety of deployed forces. They completed their mission in three months’ time before deploying to France to undertake the same work. The battalion was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of their dedication and service to mission in 2022.

Explore the commitment, challenges, and sacrifices of the Six Triple Eight. Learn how their actions, along with thousands of other Black WACs, contributed to the Allied victory. Examine the legacy of their service and its impact on the civil rights movement.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, July 17. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on July 17 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on July 17 at 12 p.m. ET.

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Fighting for Freedom: Nisei Soldiers in World War II

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Learn about the courageous men and women of Japanese ancestry from Hawaii and the mainland United States who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, while some of their families were placed in War Relocation Authority Confinement Sites.

Second-generation Japanese Americans, known as Nisei, demanded the right to join the Armed Forces during World War II. On Feb. 9, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the relocation of Japanese Americans living on the West Coast. 122,000 men, women, and children were sent to incarceration camps throughout the United States. Further, the government classified males of Japanese ancestry as enemy aliens. This classification disqualified them from military service. The Army later loosened this restriction in June 1942. Despite the odds, thousands of Nisei Soldiers bravely served in World War II.

Explore the commitment, challenges, and sacrifices of the Nisei Soldiers. Participants will examine Executive Order 9906, its impact on Japanese Americans living on the West Coast, and how military service was used as a strategy to advance civil rights.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, July 24. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on July 24 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on July 24 at 12 p.m. ET.

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Women’s Army Corps: Marching into History

Wednesday, August 7, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Discover how women in World War II ushered in new economic and social changes that would forever alter the role of women in American society.

Following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States mobilized for war. The Women’s Army Corps brought women into the effort.

Female Soldiers were lauded for their professionalism and commitment. However, as the war dragged on and women’s roles expanded, social pressure to conform to traditional gender roles challenged WAC Soldiers. Some women, burned out by the intensity of wartime service, looked forward to a post-war life built on domesticity. Others hoped to transition into civilian jobs. A few would have liked to build Army careers. A society that accepted women in emergency wartime service proved resistant to permanent change.

Women’s military service was scheduled to end with the war. Recognizing women’s valuable service, military leaders lobbied Congress to make it permanent. In 1948, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act. The Act granted women the right to serve as permanent, regular members in all four branches of the military.

Since 1948, the scope of women’s military service has expanded. Today, all military occupational specialties, including combat roles, are open to women. Women’s World War II military service kicked open the door that generations of female Soldiers have since marched through.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, August 7. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on August 7 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on August 7 at 12 p.m. ET.

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The Accomplishment of the ENIAC and the Women Computing Pioneers

Wednesday, August 14, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Discover how a talented group of female mathematicians laid the groundwork for the field of computer programming.

Winning World War II required an all-out effort. Thousands of women on the home front answered their country’s call to join the military, industry, and the civil service. In 1943, the U.S. Army recruited seven women mathematicians to set up and operate the Army’s newest top secret weapon: the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). These unsung heroes wired the electrical connections that enabled the world’s first electronic, digital computer to complete 300 calculations per second. In doing so, they built a framework for the field of computer programming.

Examine how female “computers” solved complex problems, contributing to Army innovations during World War II.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, August 14. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on August 14 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on August 14 at 12 p.m. ET.

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“Can’t Anything Stop These Men?”: U.S. Army Paratroopers Creating Turning Points in World War II

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 | 12 p.m. ET | Virtual and In-person

Just after midnight on June 6, 1944, American paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines to prepare for an invasion force that would arrive at dawn. The Soldiers’ mission was to capture roadways and establish river crossings to support the D-Day invasion. The use of airborne troops, a vital of part the Allies’ campaign plans, was born out of wartime necessity.

Army airborne units were developed to support the concept of vertical envelopment, or the ability to strike an enemy from behind when ground forces could not go around prepared defenses. Born out of response to German success in Holland and Greece, the U.S. Army grew its airborne units from a small test platoon in 1940, through battalion and regimental combat in North Africa and Italy, to multiple combat-ready divisions by D-Day. Following the invasion, airborne troops would be deployed during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge and earned a reputation for changing the battlefield as soon as they entered it.

Explore how the U.S. Army developed new technology, training, and strategies to overcome challenges and accomplish the mission. Learn how Army airborne troops contributed to Allied turning points during World War II.

This program is offered virtually and in-person on Wednesday, August 21. In-person seats are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. 

Register for the VIRTUAL History Talk on August 21 at 12 p.m. ET.

Register for the IN-PERSON History Talk on August 21 at 12 p.m. ET.

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