Category Archives: War, Culture, and Society

Iraq War Memorial

What would an Iraq War Memorial look like, if one were to built in Washington, D.C.? An art historian explores this question in an op-ed in the Washington Post. This piece considers the construction of recent war memorials in Washington, … Continue reading

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General Ratko Mladic Captured

After 16 years as a fugitive, former Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic has been captured in Serbia. General Mladic commanded the Bosnian Serb Army during the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.  Mladic is accused of orchestrating the Massacre … Continue reading

Posted in Civil Conflict, European History, European Union, History of Violence, Religious Violence, War, Culture, and Society | Leave a comment

100 Films Reviewed by Historians

Historians are increasingly engaging with historical films, serving as historical consultants for film productions and as film reviewers for diverse publications. The American Historical Review experimented with film reviews for several years before shifting the reviews to the American Historical … Continue reading

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Millennialists believe in Impending Last Days

A new group of Christian millennarians led by fundamentalist Harold Camping is proclaiming that the world will end on 21 May 2011, when true believers will be “raptured.”  The Washington Post reports on Camping and his millennialist movement in an … Continue reading

Posted in Early Modern Europe, History of Violence, Religious Violence, Warfare in the Early Modern World | Leave a comment

Al Qaeda Confirms bin Laden’s Death

Al Qaeda has confirmed the death of Osama bin Laden in a message on 3 May 2011, according to a report by NPR. The “general leadership” of Al Qaeda declares that: “We stress that the blood of the holy warrior … Continue reading

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Five Myths about Osama bin Laden

As people search to define a post-Osama bin Laden world, it is important to take stock of bin Laden’s historical significance in global affairs. Peter Bergen, a national security analyst who once interviewed Osama bin Laden, now offers a timely … Continue reading

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CIA’s Surveillance of Osama bin Laden

New details continue to emerge about the planning and execution of the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. United States government officials have now revealed that an extensive CIA team conducted surveillance of the bin Laden compound … Continue reading

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Assessing Post-Osama Transitions

Policy analysts, political strategists, and scholars continue to assess the significance of the death of Osama bin Laden for international and domestic politics around the world. Michael Lind provides a sober assessment of the probable impact of the death of … Continue reading

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Search for Meaning in a Post-Osama World

People around the world are now reacting to the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, which is being seen as a significant world historical event. The military intelligence and special forces operations that led to bin Laden’s death … Continue reading

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Osama bin Laden is Dead

President Barack Obama announced a few minutes ago that U.S. forces have killed Osama bin Laden at a compound in Pakistan. The video of President Obama’s speech is available at the Washington Post.  The full text of President Obama’s remarks … Continue reading

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