Marking the Centennial of the Armistice of the First World War
November 11th marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice of the First World War. America’s first engagement as a major global actor, the rise of German militarism and the Soviet Union, and the geographic boundaries of the Middle East, are only some of the reasons why World War I is often considered the most influential event of the 20th century. Please join Pioneer in honoring Veterans and Armistice Day, as we celebrate our nation’s shared past.
Op-ed: On Veterans Day, Learning from ‘Black Jack’ Pershing
by Jamie Gass
“There’s no ‘glory’ in killing. There’s no ‘glory’ in maiming men,” said American six-star General John “Black Jack” Pershing, upon his 1924 retirement. “There are the glorious dead, but they would be more glorious living. The most glorious thing is life.” Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th, the armistice anniversary of World War I, which President Woodrow Wilson hubristically claimed was, “The war to end all wars.”
Read more; this op-ed has appeared in The MetroWest Daily News, The Taunton Daily Gazette, The New Bedford Standard Times, the Fitchburg Sentinel & Enterprise, the Springfield Republican, and The Lowell Sun.
Video: Teaching the First World War in Schools
In April 2017, Pioneer held a forum commemorating the 100th anniversary of U.S. entry into World War I. In the video clips below, historians, noted authors, and teachers who participated in the forum discuss the importance of the First World War and how it should be taught in schools.
Co-Keynote: David Kennedy, Donald J. McLachlan Professor of History Emeritus at Stanford University, and author, Over Here: The First World War and American Society
Co-Keynote: John Milton Cooper, Jr., the E. Gordon Fox Professor Emeritus of American Institutions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of Woodrow Wilson: A Biography
Panel Moderator: Michael Neiberg, Chair of War Studies, U.S. War College, and author, Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I
Panelists: Kelley Brown, History and Social Studies Teacher, Easthampton High School; Andrew Carroll, Founder and Director, Center for American War Letters at Chapman University, and author, My Fellow Soldiers: General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War; White House Historical Association Chief Historian Edward Lengel, author, To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918; and Clara Webb, European and World History Teacher, Boston Latin School
For over a decade, Pioneer Institute has been promoting the importance of strong K-12 instruction in U.S. History and Civics as a prerequisite for high school graduation and citizenship in a republic. Make a tax-deductible gift today to help us continue this important work!
