Tag: United States

Phillip Meilinger interview about his military history and lessons book “Thoughts on War” (University Press of Kentucky, 2020)

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Phillip Meilinger interview about his military history and lessons book “Thoughts on War”

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/2R2Bu24

Interview Timeline

Phillip Meilinger has spent decades both in the military as an Air Force officer and teaching military history and issues in staff and war colleges. He’s written numerous essays on military history and he’s collected a number of his essays and reexamined them for this book. We spoke about the book and [subjects] history ranging from Ancient Rome, to Clausewitz, to the US Civil War and on through to World War Two and beyond.

(THE AUDIO PLAYER IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST.)

0:40 – Philip talks about having been a pilot for 30 years and what prompted him to write a book on war.

3:58 – Philip talks about covering ancient to modern warfare in the book.

5:18 – Philip talks about the influence about von Clausewitz on military colleges.

8:03 – Philip talks about Clausewitz’ idea of the bloody battle.

12:11 – Philip talks about how the book reassesses past battles and the impact of air power on war. He also addresses policy in warfare.

18:01- Philip talks about how to make major changes in American doctrine and military policy.

21:08 – Philip talks about the effect of nuclear weapons on waging war.

23:57 – Philip talks about the information age and non-state actors.

27:41 – Philip talks about whether Chinese and Russian military activities are a new kind of warfare.

31:56 – Philip talks about how doctrine does not need to be changed but rather a different approach is needed.

36:01 – Philip talks about raids and punitive actions in modern war.

39:55 – Philip talks about the use and effect of strategic bombing.

44:35 – Philip talks about the budgets for aircraft carriers and new generation jets.

47:58 – Philip talks about balancing the US force and defense spending.

50:20 – Philip talks about how he put the book together.

52:00 – Philip talks about how much the US military was involved in politics in American history.

59:06 – Philip talks about how there was not a unity of command in WWII Europe among the allies.

1:00:34 – Philip talks about air intelligence during WWII.

1:04:13 – Philip talks about the Army Air Corps in WII and a book he wrote on a misconception about their status within the Army.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/2R2Bu24

https://www.kentuckypress.com/9780813178899/thoughts-on-war/

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar and on Instagram @crisalvarezwarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Phillip Meilinger

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: 

Books, audio interviews, author, podcast, University Press of Kentucky, General military history, United States,

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/2R2Bu24

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Brian Herskowitz talks about making the Vietnam War television show Tour of Duty

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Brian Herskowitz talks about the Vietnam War show Tour of Duty

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/2PUQNJG

Check out the show here  https://amzn.to/3aD11YZ

Interview Summary

Brian Herskowitz has been a screenwriter for years and has taught the subject too. When he first started in Hollywood, one of his first assignments was working on the popular Vietnam War show “Tour of Duty” which ran from 1987-1990. He became a producer and writer on the show. He’s also written other screenplays, done some acting, and has worked in the entertainment industry for years. We talked about the show, the show’s approach to history, veterans, screenwriting, and about his screenwriting book “Process to Product”.

1:04 – Brian talks about how he got involved with the show Tour of Duty. (Note: I stated his screenwriting book was published in 2019 but it was published in 2014.)

2:48 – Brian talks about how the show progressed and dealt with real issues.

7:56 – Brian talks about the historical consultants and approach to authenticity of the show.

13:26 – Brian talks about the mail the show got from veterans.

14:31 – Brian talks about why the show was cancelled and China Beach.

17:57 – Brian talks about the chemistry of the characters.

20:21 – Brian talks about the approach to the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong in the show.

25:29 – Brian talks about the characters of Zeke and Lt Goldman.

26:09 – Brian talks about audience response to episodes where the US sometimes doesn’t get put in a positive light.

29:49 – Brian talks about Steve Philip Smith, a veteran who was an executive producer on the show.

32:31 – Brian talks about how the actors stepped back in time from the 80s to the late 60s.

34:33 – Brian talks about the environment in the 80s for Vietnam War stories.

38:25 – Brian talks about Magnum PI and its connection to the Vietnam War.

40:34 – Brian talks about people who had trouble with the show’s subject matter.

43:42 – Brian talks about the interracial marriage story line in the show.

47:16 – Brian talks about the kinds of stories that wrote for the show.

49:47 – Brian talks about censorship and the deaths of children and drug use in the show.

51:36 – Brian talks about changes in the use of violence in movies and shows.

56:10 – Brian talks about video games and we discuss how troops play military video games.

1:02:15 – Brian talks about veterans writing screenplays.

1:08:14 – We discuss the movie “Taking Chance.”

1:10:56 – Brian can be found at brianherskowitz.com.

1:12:09 – Brian discusses a few more details about the show Tour of Duty.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3aD11YZ

https://amzn.to/2PUQNJG

https://www.brianherskowitz.com/

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

Guests: Brian Herskowitz

Host: Cris Alvarez

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/2PUQNJG

Check out the show here  https://amzn.to/3aD11YZ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Patricia Norland interview – Vietnam War and Indochina War military history book – “Saigon Sisters” (Cornell University Press, 2020)

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Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/392NdWN

Patricia worked for many years in the US Foreign Service. Before this time, she was with a non-profit organization and met nine women who fought against the French and the Americans in the Vietnam War. Patricia kept in touch with these women and after retiring from the foreign service she wrote a book about these women’s wartime experiences. We spoke about the book, Saigon Sisters, these women, and the Indochina and Vietnam Wars.

(THE AUDIO PLAYER IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST.)

Editor’s note: Patricia Norland sent an email clarifying a statement she made during the Interview: “Separately, I should clarify my statement about “managing” the Fulbright program while serving in HCMC; my job was to manage exchange programs, but Fulbright, wisely, establishes a Commission in each country (with ED) that — while coordinating with others– runs the program.”

0:42 – Patricia talks about why she wrote this book and how she met the women she wrote about.

5:09 – We talk about how these nine women gave up privileged lives to fight the French and Americans in the Indochina Wars.

7:04 – Patricia talks about how she breaks the book into two parts- the lives they had before war to 1950 and then 1954, the war years to post 1975.

13:07 – Patricia reads an excerpt from the book discussing the patriotic zeal of the women the book is about.

15:13 – Patricia talks about the conservative nationalism that motivated the Vietnamese Communist revolution.

16:59 – Patricia shares some of the revolutionary poems that these fighters wrote.

19:51 – Patricia talks about how these teenagers were recruited into the revolution.

23:39 – Patricia reads a passage regarding the Japanese occupation of Vietnam and their misuse of rice by troops.

25:59 – Patricia talks about where these women ended up once they joined up with the revolution.

30:42 – Patricia reads a passage from the first woman in the group who joined the Vietnamese Maquis.

33:14 – Patricia talks about the research she did for the book and the interviews she did.

38:19 – Patricia talks about the personal items from the war that these women showed her.

41:41 – Patricia talks about how these women could have had much easier lives if they had turned away from the war. She also addresses how there is disappointment about what happened after 1975.

44:06 – Patricia talks more about the disillusionment of their struggle.

46:21 – Patricia talks about the American presence in Vietnam.

49:53 – Patricia talks about how these women continued fighting against the Americans once they replaced the French.

51:20 – Patricia talks about gender inequality within the revolutionary ranks.

52:28 – Patricia talks about some moving moments in their story.

1:04:05 – Information on the book can be found on the Cornell University Press website.

 

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/392NdWN

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501749735/the-saigon-sisters/

https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/vietnamese-women-privilege-and-persistence/

 

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify

 

Guests: Patricia Norland

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: military, history, military history, conflict, war, interview, non-fiction book, Cornell University Press, Vietnam War, church world service, Saigon, French colonial, black pajamas, French, Saigon, double lives, resistance, maquis, National day of the student, US Navy, International Workers day, Communism, French Lycee, Japan, WWII, Viet Cong, French Army, United States, US Embassy, double agent, Afghanistan, NIU, Ken Burns

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/392NdWN

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.