Hi readers!
Thank you again for your support, it is humbling. A couple of times this year you made Outside the Academy trend on Substack and my subscriber count has almost tripled. This all started when a friend of mine suggested that I start a blog on the Second World War —initially called History Wars—and build a platform where I shared my research and takes on that conflict that normally are discussed at academic conferences. He was right and more and more people are joining every week. He convinced me because I have long felt that too much good information, and dare I say, lessons, simply do not filter down to the general public. Part of it has to do with the way academia rewards certain output, which tends to be directed toward other academics. But I believe history has practical benefits for how we think about contemporary issues, especially problem-solving and communication.
Outside the Academy expanded from History Wars to include three regular free essays - Message Mondays focuses on culture and philosophy, World War Wednesdays, aka Hellfighters, covers both World Wars, and Fire Hot Takes Fridays looks at current events from a historian's perspective. I also write paid subscriber exclusives and other features exclusive to paid subscribers—and soon a podcast for which I am arranging my recording space as I am typing this essay—and your support allows me to take time to produce this content. Again, thank you.
If you have subscribed for a while, you know this, but for the new subscribers I am a Virginian which means I grew up surrounded by American Revolutionary History. Civil War history too, but I really love the Revolutionary Era and you may have heard that for Americans a very important year starts tomorrow.
Independent America turns 250! 1776-2026.
This coming year, future posts on the First and Second World Wars will weave in Revolutionary history and principles and how the global conflicts between 1914-1945 challenged and reaffirmed the American Creed. I want to end by re-sharing my reflections on visiting Normandy for the first time in June and why I have confidence in Gen-Z. For Team America 2026 is a rebuilding year.
Happy New Year!
After Visiting the German Military Cemetery in Normandy I Am Convinced Our Kids Would Do It Again
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