The Shaping of Allied Military Strategy During the Crisis Years of WWII

February 1, 2018

The “Big Three” at Yalta. Seated, left to right: British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin and their staffs at the Argonaut Conference in February 1945. Image courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The U.S. Department of Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff History Office recently released a series of eBooks focusing on the Inter-Allied conferences held during World War II.  The conferences documented within this series were led by senior military leaders from the United States and Great Britain working in concert to make vitally important decisions for the combined WWII effort during the period of uncertainty facing Allied Forces in both the European and Asian conflicts.

Download for free this series of eBooks detailing the inner-workings of these historic conferences from the U.S. Government Bookstore.

Here are a few examples in the series.

The Arcadia Conference: December 1941–January 1942. Two weeks after the United States entered World War II, the Arcadia Conference (also known as the First Washington Conference) was held in Washington, DC, from December 24, 1941 to January 14, 1942. Working together President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill made the initial crucial decisions for the combined war effort at this important meeting. One of these established the Combined Chiefs of Staff, comprising the high-ranking officers who would become the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and their British counterparts. It was this consultative body of top military leaders that would refine the Allied military strategy and approve all significant military decisions for the duration of conflict. The most consequential decision reached at Arcadia was that of “Germany first,” making the defeat of Germany the prime Allied objective. Additionally, plans to invade North Africa, which would come to fruition in November 1942 with Operation Torch, were extensively studied and discussed.

The Post-Arcadia Conference: January–May 1942. Only nine days after the Arcadia Conference (also known as the First Washington Conference) was held in Washington, DC, the Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) again convened for a series of twenty meetings between January 23 and May 19, 1942. During these meetings, the CCS focused on the situation in the Southwest Pacific area known as the American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) area, which included Burma; support of Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-Shek; and the possibility of a German attack on England.

Seated: President Franklin D. Roosevelt (left) and British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill with the Combined Chiefs of Staff at the Casablanca Conference on January 22, 1943. Image courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Casablanca Conference: January 1943. During the first month of 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill met at the Anfa Hotel in Casablanca in French Morocco for a ten-day conference to plan the next stages of the war against the Axis. Accompanied by the French generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud, the two leaders and the Combined Chiefs of Staff mapped out the grand strategy for both the European and the Pacific theaters.

Interested in learning more about these and other WWII Inter-Allied conferences? Visit the U.S. Government Online Bookstore to download the entire series here.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Trudy Hawkins is a Marketing and Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

 

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, ebooks, Military History, World War II | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

North and South Korea

January 11, 2018

The two Koreas; one is smaller than Indiana, the other contains less mass than Mississippi. Where South Korea has become a global economic engine, with an economy 36 times greater than its northern neighbor, North Korea’s people reportedly suffer from malnutrition and the lack of basic human needs. Its leader Kim Jong Un, appears to emphasize building and maintaining a million member military, increasingly powerful nuclear weapons, and deploying sophisticated missiles with global reach capabilities. Americans need to fully understand how different and unique the people of both South and North Korea are, psychologically and philosophically, from those living in Western societies, especially the U.S.

The U.S. Government Bookstore has a comprehensive collection of publications that feature every aspect of the Korean War, the aftermath, profiles of North Korea prior to the emergence of Kim Jong Un, studies of Confrontation on the Korean Peninsula, plus in-depth studies about “Our Not so Peaceful Nuclear Future” and other insightful titles about the state of nuclear confrontation facing our leaders today, primarily due to the dramatic new capabilities of the Kim Jong Un regime.

Here are a few examples; or, click here to see a full range of pertinent publications.

North Korea: A Country Study. This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program. This study attempts to review the history and treat in a concise manner the dominant social, political, economic, and military aspects of contemporary North Korea.

Confronting Security Challenges on the Korean Peninsula. This publication provides papers from a symposium that was held on September 1, 2010. South Korean military strategists in Panel 1 talked about challenges on the Korean peninsula including the effectiveness of the U.S.-South Korea alliance, and the relationship between North and South Korea. Panel 2 addressed the Obama administration’s expansion of sanctions against North Korea and the freezing of assets of individuals and organizations linked to its nuclear program, focusing on contingency planning, military readiness, and the potential economic impact of the collapse of North Korea. Panel 3 focused on human rights issues in North Korea.

Underestimated: Our Not So Peaceful Nuclear Future. With the world focused on the nuclear crisis in Iran, it is tempting to think that addressing this case, North Korea, and the problem of nuclear terrorism is all that matters and is what matters most. Perhaps, but if states become more willing to use their nuclear weapons to achieve military advantage, the problem of proliferation will become much more unwieldy. In this case, U.S. security will be hostage not just to North Korea, Iran, or terrorists, but to nuclear proliferation more generally, diplomatic miscalculations, and wars between a much larger number of possible players.

Moving Beyond Pretense: Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation. Most governments have made the promotion of nuclear power’s growth and global development a top priority. Throughout, they have insisted that the dangers of nuclear weapons proliferation are manageable either by making future nuclear plants more “proliferation-resistant” or by strengthening International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and acquiring more timely intelligence on proliferators. How sound is this view? How useful might civilian nuclear programs be for states that want to get nuclear weapons quickly? Are current International Atomic Energy Agency nuclear safeguards sufficient to block military nuclear diversions from civilian programs? Are there easy fixes to upgrade these controls? How much can we count on more timely intelligence on proliferators to stem the further spread of nuclear weapons?  This volume taps the insights and analyses of 13 top security and nuclear experts to get the answers. What emerges is a comprehensive counter-narrative to the prevailing wisdom, and a series of innovative reforms to tighten existing nuclear nonproliferation controls.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Department of Defense, Foreign Relations, Library of Congress (LOC), U.S. Army, World History | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

The Beginning of a Great Holiday Tradition

December 21, 2017

“Twas the Night Before Christmas” 1955 when a misprinted Sears Roebuck & Co. newspaper ad featuring a direct dial in number for kid’s to chat with Santa turned out to be the U.S. – Soviet alert hotline to the Colorado HQ of America’s Air Defense Command. The top secret hotline, used only in national emergencies, alerted the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) if the USSR attacked!

Fortunately a wise and savvy U.S. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, CONAD’s director of operations, grabbed the red emergency phone fully prepared to react to an imminent attack. On the other end of the line, he heard a trembling six year-old boy’s voice ask in wonder, “Are you really Santa Claus?” Colonel Shoup, hoping it was a prank, snapped, “Would you repeat that?” A whimpering voice began to cry, then timidly asked, “Is this one of Santa’s elves, then?”

That tiny voice was only the first of many as kids thinking they were connecting directly with Santa ringing off the hook with kids lined up by wire to say Hi and ask for goodies from Santa. Colonel Shoup “corrected course” and became a convincing Santa. He rose to the rare occasion by turning Cold War-era radar operators into North Pole elves— playing along by scanning monitors for indications of Santa time of arrival across North America. And that’s how the U.S. mighty military became an official Santa tracker.

Today, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD, CONAD’s successor) is a bi-national U.S. and Canadian organization tasked with aerospace warning and control. As a frontline in homeland defense, its slogan is “Deter, Detect, Defend.” But its most famous and favorite mission is watching the winter skies for the “big red one,” much as it has done since Col. Shoup answered the phone over 60 years ago.

You and your family can come to “Santa’s Village” today via the internet by simply typing in your search bar noradsanta.org. where kids can visit Santa’s interactive Village, listen to the US Air Force Academy Band play “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, track Santa on the fly with a mobile app.

Using the same technology used to perform their day-to-day mission— satellites, high-powered radars and jet fighters— NORAD tracks Santa Claus as he makes his Yuletide journey around the world.”

NORAD’s sleigh of different high-tech systems is used to read Rudolph’s infrared nose signature, capture high-speed video around the globe, and provide Santa and his reindeer with a NORAD fighter pilot escort. Fun fact to impress people at your holiday party: satellites and radar once clocked Santa’s flying delivery cart at 100 times faster than the Japanese bullet train.

Join in the fun this holiday by dropping into the North Pole, and enjoy listening to the Musical Stage” recording of over 25 memorable Christmas time tunes. Check out the NORAD gift shop and even learn how NORAD keeps America Safe, 24/7 through the committed effort of “America’s Finest”, the U.S. Military.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

Want to Know More about NORAD and the U.S. Air Force History? Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, NORAD, U.S. Air Force | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Smart Irrigation Month

July 14, 2017

July is Smart Irrigation Month, a great time to bring awareness to the importance of using water wisely. To help in this effort, Government Book Talk reviews an Army Corps of Engineers publication about water resources and environmental planning.

Harry E. Schwarz and the Development of Water Resources and Environmental Planning: Planning Methods in an Era of Challenge and Change

Harry Schwarz was a devoted photographer of nature and considered the first practitioner in a major Federal agency to adopt and implement many new ideas and methods of water resources and environmental planning pioneered by Professors Arthur Maass and Gilbert White.  Schwarz’s contributions relate particularly to water quality, the assessments of environmental impacts, and the visual and cultural aspects of the environment.

This comprehensive resource touches upon the problems with environmental engineering and offers some solutions in water and natural resources planning. Environmental science students, advocates, utilities professionals, and land developers may find this historical view of America’s river basins and information for evaluating structural plans and assessments that can impact environmental and water quality helpful to their research.   This narration includes case studies, such as greenhouse effects that may have an effect on drinking water.  Within this section, global warming and climate changes on water supplies are introduced, and evaluated.  Additionally, this volume covers information about flood frequencies in a Major Drainage Basin, reflections on water and environmental planning, effects of urbanization on streams, the North Atlantic Regional Case Study, and more. You will learn many of Schwarz’s contributions through his government service with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to move science forward, especially in the areas of environmental science, conservation, and natural resources planning.

Industries related to water utilities include local government utilities; water, sewage, and other systems; and water and sewer system construction, natural resource planning, environmental engineering, and more. Project management planning, formula mathematics for chemical compounds, system’s analysis, knowledge of ground water contamination structures, construction engineering, and natural resources planning skill sets may be required for knowledge within these occupational areas.

Multiple appendices are included in this authoritative work to showcase Schwarz’s personal chronology and professional bibliography, his personal memoirs and reflections, oral history interview, and the biographical sketches of Arthur Maass and Gilbert White, pioneer scientists, within this field that may interest other environmental scientists, advocates, and students hoping to follow in Schwarz’s footsteps to pursue a career in water resources planning and operations..

Purchase your personal copy of Harry E. Schwarz and the Development of Water Resources and Environmental Planning today!

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and more.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, Environment, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Stories and Strategies of America’s Military in Action

June 28, 2017

Experience a Special Collection of U.S. Military stories and publications featuring topics ranging from Civil War battle engagements; to Vietnam and recent Middle East conflicts; plus, insightful articles analyzing and interpreting global political and socio-economic issues facing America’s leaders today.

Titles in the collection are written by knowledgeable military and strategic thinkers who offer readers their professional insights regarding the strategies and decision-making realities facing our military and elected officials.

Whether you’re a military leader, history buff, contractor, government official, or concerned American, these are titles you’ll want to own and read to gain deeper understanding of the thought processes behind American military strategies and actions.

Click here to download Stories and Strategies of America’s Military in Action

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Center of Military History, Civil War, Department of Defense, Iraq, Military History, Soviet Union / Russia, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, Vietnam, World History | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

U.S. Army Medical Reference brings attention to the fight for the health of the world’s children

June 21, 2017

Pediatric Surgery and Medicine for Hostile Environments, 2e offers guidance about the U.S. military medical hero officers that have shared military humanitarian hardships while treating refugees with medicine, especially children that needed critical care efforts based on pediatric assessments within advanced trauma situations.

This illustrated physician reference contains many tabular charts to provide quick references for medical assessments and treatments.  This text specifically relates to the critical care of the child to include special procedures and handling of newborns to the adolescent child that may have included surgical operations, medicine adjustments, resuscitation procedures, respiratory illnesses, pediatric eye injuries, dental procedures, hearing loss, facial trauma, infections, orthopedics, amputations, thoracic injuries, vascular surgery, natural disaster impacts on children, and more.

Extensive Appendices material include resources for deployed physicians, such as disaster response teams, medical planners, clinicians, nurses, and physician commanders caring for children during foreign disaster assistance missions and war zones, plus an abbreviations and acronyms glossary. Pediatric physicians, military medical physicians, emergency room medical teams, and medical students may find the comprehensive pediatric equipment sizing chart in Appendix C helpful in diagnoses for children.

Download your FREE eBook format copy from the US Government Online Bookstore—ePub format, MOBI format, and PDF format.

ePub format is also available for free from these commercial platforms: Please use ePub ISBN: 9780160937910 to search for this product within these platforms:

Apple iBookstore

Barnes and Noble Nook Store

Google Play eBookstore

Overdrive

The PDF format is available through our academic channel database partners:

Academic Pub database

ProQuest database libraries

EBSCOhost database libraries

Rittenhouse R2 database

Please use PDF ISBN: 9780160937930 to search for this product within these commercial academic channel databases.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnes and Noble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and more.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, ebooks, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Medical Department | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

D-Day Anniversary

June 5, 2017

June 6 marks the anniversary of “D-Day.” A day when 6,603 American fighting men were killed, wounded, or missing along the shores of Normandy France. General Eisenhower was explicit about the mission and what was at stake. He said, “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.” They Marched. They Fought. They Won.

We the living of today owe so much to the valor and determination of this past generation. On this day to be remembered, take a few moments to recall people in your family, or a friend’s, who gave their lives so we could live free, in peace.

Here at the Government Publishing Office we distribute many introspective and interesting published works about America’s military from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, to World War II, Vietnam, and conflicts still being waged across the Middle East.

D-Day: The 6th of June (Map Poster) Part of an extensive collection, this  commemorative two-sided, full color historical map/poster with accompanying graphics (18″x24″) depicts the chronology of the World War II Normandy Invasion on the coast of France. To own this collector’s map for only $4.25 click here.

Also review our latest Military Collection, featuring titles ranging from the Civil War up to insightful studies and analysis of strategies our government is taking today to maintain peace across the globe.

In a world of uncertainty, knowledge helps us all better understand that democracy comes at a price; a price we all need to share to keep America strong and free.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN WWII RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Center of Military History, Department of Defense, Military History, U.S. Army, World History, World War II | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Honoring Our Fallen Heroes

May 25, 2017

Just in time for Memorial Day, the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO), Bookstore, has produced a new online collection of military publications that feature the historic stories of military battles and important moments from the Civil War through Vietnam to today. Additionally there are valuable lessons to be learned about how America faces new global challenges in an era when cyber-warfare, counterinsurgency, urban terrorism and other new methods to conduct military excursions are in full force.

The collection includes articles by authors who have in-depth knowledge and the connection to global thinkers and military leaders that provides them with a perspective to offer concerned Americans the resources to learn about the global crisis that surrounds us; not to point to the negative reality of these issues, but rather to become more informed citizens and thus more capable of discerning fact from fiction.

Here’s a link to the collection that you can use to go directly to this unique and comprehensive new list of interesting and informative publications, whether you’re a history buff, perhaps a veteran of one of the wars herein, or concerned modern day observer.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Army War College, Center of Military History, Department of Defense, U.S. Army | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Honoring Our Nation’s Heroes on VE Day

May 8, 2017

May 8th is the 72nd anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, a day in which cities in Great Britain, the United States, and formerly occupied territories in Western Europe, put out flags and banners to rejoice in the victory of the allied forces.

On May 8, 1945, German troops throughout Europe finally laid down their arms, ending the European theater of World War II.

Pockets of German soldiers would continue the confrontation with the Soviets into the next day. On May 9, the Soviets would lose 600 more soldiers in Silesia before the Germans finally surrendered.

Because of that, VE Day was not celebrated until the ninth in Moscow, with a radio broadcast salute from Stalin himself: “The age-long struggle of the Slav nations…has ended in victory. Your courage has defeated the Nazis. The war is over.”

In 2006, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 195 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of VE Day and the liberation of Western Bohemia. On govinfo.gov you can also find several announcements in the Congressional Record recognizing heroes and survivors of WWII:

The U.S. Government Publishing Office’s (GPO’s) Catalog of U.S. Government Publications offers access to a wide variety of related publications and resources from across the Federal Government about WWII and VE Day. Here is just a small sampling:

Inside GPO, we have a Veteran’s Memorial honoring all of those who worked at GPO and answered their Nation’s call to defend democracy and freedom during WWII, but sadly never returned.

If you’re interested in learning more about WWII and the sacrifices our soldiers made to protect freedom around the world, visit the GPO bookstore and pick up a copy of Command Post at War: First Army Headquarters in Europe, 1943-1945. It shows the army headquarters of WWII, the First Army headquarters, in the European theater from its activation in October 1943 to V-E Day in May 1945. It depicts the command as a complicated organization with functions ranging from the immediate supervision of tactical operations to long-range operational planning and the sustained support of frontline units during the war.

Also, the GPO bookstore has United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record, War Against Germany: Europe and Adjacent Areas. The book is a collection of photographs and text written by Kenneth E. Hunter and edited by Mary Ann Bacon. It deals with the European Theater of Operations, covering the period from the buildup in Britain before the D Day invasion throughout the war to include V-E Day.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above in the blog post.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Scott Pauley is a Writer and Editor in GPO’s Library Services and Content Management office.

Leave a Comment » | Center of Military History, Department of Defense, Military History, U.S. Army, World War II | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

The 100th Anniversary of the United States’ Entry into World War I

April 5, 2017

On April 2, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson asked a joint session of Congress for a declaration of war against Germany. Congress responded with Public Resolution 65-1, 40 STAT 1. In honor of the one hundredth anniversary of the United States’ entry into World War I, we take a look at some U.S. Government publications available on the topic.

Shooting the Front: Allied Aerial Reconnaissance and Photographic Interpretation on the Western Front – World War I features numerous illustrations, many never before published, include images of aircraft, cameras, and people, authentic official aerial photos, and maps in varying scales, all designed to help the reader relive the exhilarating and dangerous experience of aerial observation during World War I.

United States Army in World War I (2001) (CD-ROM) includes United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919, volumes 1-17 of original documents compiled in 1919; Order of Battle of the United States Land Forces in the World War, V. 1-5; an extended guide to the battlefields of World War 1 first published in 1938;  and Army Art of World War 1.

The Army Medical Department, 1917-1941 and Answering the Call: The U.S. Army Nurse Corps, 1917-1919: A Commemorative Tribute to Military Nursing in World War I look at how the Army addressed medical concerns and how medical professionals answered the call to service.

Several interesting publications provide first person accounts of the war.

To help bolster the morale of troops during the war Stars and Stripes was created and while it was technically the official American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) newspaper, it was editorially independent. The Library of Congress has made the full run of The Stars and Stripes World War I edition available through its digital collections.

To staff and pay for the war, the Government launched campaigns to garner public support. The U.S. Center of Military History has made some of these available from their site.

Many of those who died while fighting in Europe were buried in temporary cemeteries established by the Army’s Graves Registration Service. In 1921, Congress authorized the creation of eight permanent World War I cemeteries on foreign soil. In January 2017, the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial Cemetery became the ninth World War I American cemetery. Each cemetery is accompanied by a memorial and maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. Find out more about each of the cemeteries:

We hope you will take a step back in history and explore the variety of U.S. Government publications available on World War I.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Cynthia Earman is a Cataloging & Metadata Librarian in the Library Services & Content Management division of the U.S. Government Publishing Office.

 

Leave a Comment » | Center of Military History, Department of Defense, U.S. Army, World War I | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Feats of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

February 22, 2017

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have achieved some extraordinary engineering feats during their history.

Field engineers face trials and tribulation every day from unexpected storms, not having that special piece of equipment that allows you to literally “move mountains.”

As we mark Engineers Week, here’s an opportunity to honor the contributions of the Corps by reading a few great stories about military engineers at work in battle with Mother Nature’s uncertainties and whims of violent, life threatening often unpredictable happenings. The following publications are currently available for sale through the U.S. Government Bookstore.

008-022-00359-2A Mission in the Desert: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Albuquerque District 1985-2010, highlights the accomplishments of the Albuquerque District U.S. Army of Engineers and their contributions to the development of the southwest.

008-022-00360-6Transatlantic Afghanistan District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, A Year in Pictures June 2014-2015 a heavily illustrated book, with photos showcasing successes and friendship mementos of the USACE Transatlantic Afghanistan District teams during their tumultuous Afghan journey.

Harry E. Schwarz and the Development of Water Resources and Environmental Planning: Planning Methods in an Era of Challenge and Change. Harry E. Schwarz, was the first practitioner in a major Federal agency, and indeed in the international community, to adopt and implement many of the ideas about methods and practice of modern water resources planning and management in the Corps of Engineers.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE PUBLICATIONS?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, U.S. Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

The U.S. Government’s Santa-Tracking Mission

December 19, 2016

‘Twas Christmas eve 1955 when a misprinted Sears Roebuck & Co. newspaper ad directed kids to a Soviet alert hotline instead of Santa’s direct dial. The top secret hotline that was used only in national emergencies to alert the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) if the USSR attacked. Wrong red phone!

Old Norad Tracks Santa posterOn the receiving end, U.S. Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, CONAD’s director of operations, grabbed the red emergency phone and braced for an imminent attack. Instead, a little 6 year-old boy’s voice trembled over the phone, “Are you really Santa Claus?” Shoup, thinking it was a prank, barked, “Would you repeat that?” The little voice started to cry, then hesitantly asked, “Is this one of Santa’s elves, then?”

Soon the phone began ringing off the hook with kids wanting to gab with Santa. Col. Shoup played along. He even turned his team of Cold War-era radar operators into North Pole elves—they scanned monitors for indications of Santa on the move. And that’s how the U.S. Government got into the business of Santa tracking.

Today, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD, CONAD’s successor) is a bi-national U.S. and Canadian organization tasked with aerospace warning and control. As a frontline in homeland defense, its slogan is “Deter, Detect, Defend.” But its most famous and favorite mission is watching the winter skies for the “big red one,” much as it has done since Col. Shoup answered the phone over 60 years ago.

NORAD Celebrating 50 Years book“Guarding What You Value Most: North American Aerospace Defense Command Celebrating 50 Years,” available thru GPO, touches upon how NORAD triangulates Kris Kringle’s course. The publication proudly states that “using the same technology used to perform their day-to-day mission— satellites, high-powered radars and jet fighters— NORAD tracks Santa Claus as he makes his Yuletide journey around the world.”

NORAD’s sleigh of different high-tech systems is used to read Rudolph’s infrared nose signature, capture high-speed video around the globe, and provide Santa and his reindeer with a NORAD fighter pilot escort. Fun fact to impress people at your holiday party: satellites and radar once clocked Santa’s flying delivery cart at 100 times faster than the Japanese bullet train.

santa-sleighSanta positioning updates were originally delivered over the radio and through the Santa Tracking hotline. In 1997, the operation leapt onto the internet. A few years ago, NORAD teamed up with tech companies to release a set of free apps. If you download the tracking app, you can receive notifications of the Santa’s globetrotting whereabouts.

Want to track jolly St. Nick and his sleigh-pullers on Christmas Eve? Visit NORAD’s multilingual Santa site. It’s soundtracked with some pretty groovy holiday music, too. And while clicking around, do visit GPO’s Online Bookstore and check out that NORAD history publication there waiting for you. Unlike Santa, it requires no high-tech tracking.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS PUBLICATION?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Chelsea Milko is a Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Defense, Family, NORAD, U.S. Air Force | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »