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In Honor of Memorial Day
Remembering those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces.
Published on May 15, 2021
The Atlantic5 min read
The Challenge of Memorializing America's Wars
Honoring the cause while confronting and remembering sacrifice can be a complicated endeavor.
Any time a national memorial or monument gets erected, it causes a conflict of its own as people struggle with how exactly to honor the dead respectfully and in an educational manner. Read this quick yet detailed report of how many considerations go into designing memorials.
The First World War
Hew StrachanWorld War I was a turning point in many ways for global politics and the way modern warfare was fought. Tanks were developed during this time when trench warfare was still prominent. This book gives an overview of World War I, the losses incurred, and the reshaping of world powers.
Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima
Unknown Valor: A Story of Family, Courage, and Sacrifice from Pearl Harbor to Iwo Jima
Martha MacCallum“Unknown Valor” honors those lost in the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, which left nearly 7,000 Americans dead. One Marine who never returned, Harry Gray, was related to Fox News anchor and author Martha MacCallum. She wrote the book in loving tribute to this long-lost relation.
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
Stephen E. AmbroseHere’s the story of one of America’s greatest infantry companies of all time, told by one of our most beloved historians. Life was anything but easy during World War II for Easy Company, but these troops fought valiantly through every crucial mission and became military legends.
Every Man a Hero: A Memoir of D-Day, the First Wave at Omaha Beach, and a World at War
Ray LambertAt the age of 98, Ray Lambert — a medic who saved countless soldiers’ lives during World War II, particularly on D-Day —tells his first-person account of what it was like to serve and treat the wounded during this flashpoint battle. It’s a moving memoir from a highly decorated member of the Greatest Generation.
In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat
Rick AtkinsonA remarkable insider’s account of what life was like for soldiers fighting in the Iraq War. Embedded journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Rick Atkinson details his experience with the Screaming Eagles (the 101st Airborne Division) and sheds light on its military leadership on the ground, including Major General David Petraeus. Atkinson bears witness to battle and all the strategy, logistics, and bravery it entails.
Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan
Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan
Doug StantonThe extraordinary true story of how a dozen soldiers and special operatives laid the groundwork to overthrow the Taliban at the beginning of the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. A gritty tribute to the valor of some of America’s toughest troops.
Outlaw Platoon: Heroes, Renegades, Infidels, and the Brotherhood of War in Afghanistan
Sean ParnellAt the start of Operation Enduring Freedom, Sean Parnell, a 24-year-old Army Ranger, finds himself in charge of a 40-man squad, fighting what turns out to be one of the most elite groups of combatants in Afghanistan. “Outlaw Platoon” is filled with gritty fight scenes, tragic loss of life — both American and Afghan – and the daily struggle of surviving a war that’s far bloodier and trickier to navigate than anyone could have predicted. Starting in 2006, “Outlaw Platoon” is a truly riveting account of the sacrifices made by members of the military.
The American War
11 podcast episodes
The American War
11 podcast episodesThe 10-part documentary series “The Vietnam War,” from directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, offers 18 hours of interviews, archival news footage, and other media that gives a deep look at the Vietnam war from a variety of perspectives. This podcast is a helpful guide to the series, hosted by Washington Post Opinion columnist Alyssa Rosenberg, with insight from the directors themselves. It’s a great way to further digest a complex and dense historical documentary.