The Modern Scholar: Hard-Won Victories

A History of the United States at War

By: Professor Mark R. Polelle

Narrated by: Professor Mark R. Polelle

This course explores the role that war has played in shaping the United States of America. The lectures begin with the American Revolution and an examination of how America was born in war. The discussion continues with the "forgotten" War of 1812 and then turns to the Mexican-American War and the Spanish-American War. Subsequent lectures then illustrate America's role in helping to end the "War to End All Wars" before the course concludes with World War II, the Cold War, and the troubling legacy of Vietnam.

©2014 Mark R. Polelle (P)2014 Crescite Group, LLC

Unreliable history

This is a brief and often inaccurate overview of America’s greatest wars.

Polelle states the average northern soldier’s reasons for fighting in the Civil War was for the preservation of the Union, which is correct. He says however that the southern soldier fought for “self defense” (his words). Nowhere does he use the word “secession” or list the south’s justification for being in the war other than for “self determination” (again, his words). Not once does he mention the issue of slavery being the primary cause of secession. It’s as if he doesn’t want to offend the sensibilities of modern day southerners who subscribe to the post-war “Lost Cause” mythology.

(And, yes, slavery WAS the casus belli for their secession and aggressive attitude)

I caught some glaring errors.

Polelle said Robert E. Lee took over the command of the Army Of Northern Virginia after its commander, Joseph Johnston, was killed in 1862. What he does not say, however, is that Johnstone somehow rose from the dead, as he later was in command of the Army of Tennessee in the western theater of the war. Note the sarcasm? Johnstone was wounded in 1862, not killed. He died in 1891.

During his lecture of World War Two he recounts the Battle of Midway and says the Japanese lost three out of four of their aircraft carriers. This is simply wrong. They lost all four of their carriers that day.

Given that, I can’t trust him as a lecturer. These are big boo boos. Props for being articulate and engaging as a speaker.