Rick Herrera
@herreramilhist.bsky.social
Senior Historian, George Washington Leadership Institute | Ret. Prof., US Army War College | Military historian | 18c & 19c America | Author | Californian in PA | My views mine alone | https://www.amazon.com/author/raherrera
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Historian of Reconstruction here, this is a brilliant Op Ed www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/o...
Opinion | Trump Is Trying to Kill the Education Department Because He Misunderstands Its History
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Historian of Reconstruction here, this is a brilliant Op Ed www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/o...
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Friends, please share? Brown2026 is advertising for its 3rd year of fellowships. Would love to have you consider this opportunity to work with us as we face 2026. Link to position and application info in the thread: And more info about the initiative is here: brown2026democracy.brown.edu 1/
December 3, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Friends, please share? Brown2026 is advertising for its 3rd year of fellowships. Would love to have you consider this opportunity to work with us as we face 2026. Link to position and application info in the thread: And more info about the initiative is here: brown2026democracy.brown.edu 1/
Coming soon, from CMH! It would've been sooner had the author not been so appallingly slow and difficult to work with. What a pill!
@pptsapper.bsky.social
@pptsapper.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Coming soon, from CMH! It would've been sooner had the author not been so appallingly slow and difficult to work with. What a pill!
@pptsapper.bsky.social
@pptsapper.bsky.social
Shout out to @historianww2.bsky.social, for "Liberation in the Littorals: Army Amphibious Assaults Against the European Axis." Well done, John!
@smh-historians.bsky.social
@royalhistsoc.org
history.army.mil/Portals/143/...
@smh-historians.bsky.social
@royalhistsoc.org
history.army.mil/Portals/143/...
history.army.mil
December 2, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Shout out to @historianww2.bsky.social, for "Liberation in the Littorals: Army Amphibious Assaults Against the European Axis." Well done, John!
@smh-historians.bsky.social
@royalhistsoc.org
history.army.mil/Portals/143/...
@smh-historians.bsky.social
@royalhistsoc.org
history.army.mil/Portals/143/...
Reposted by Rick Herrera
The thing that is annoying about Bradley and the American officer corps at large is that if they actually read what Clausewitz wrote about the intersection of politics and war, they’d realized they have actual political cover to push back against the administration…
If they read theory, maybe these morons at the pentagon and DOD would have thought about that beforehand
December 2, 2025 at 3:19 PM
The thing that is annoying about Bradley and the American officer corps at large is that if they actually read what Clausewitz wrote about the intersection of politics and war, they’d realized they have actual political cover to push back against the administration…
Reposted by Rick Herrera
@markhertling.bsky.social warns the gravest threat to the U.S. military is the erosion of the values that keep our forces lawful and legitimate. He implores Congress to investigate whether unlawful orders were issued in the Caribbean, and hold every official to account.
December 1, 2025 at 11:45 PM
@markhertling.bsky.social warns the gravest threat to the U.S. military is the erosion of the values that keep our forces lawful and legitimate. He implores Congress to investigate whether unlawful orders were issued in the Caribbean, and hold every official to account.
Listening to the NPR piece on this project brought tears to my eyes. I'm not a parent. I can't even begin to imagine what the families are experiencing.
“when we were done shooting the rooms, we put the pictures of each child into their own little photo books”
This is why I avoid using the word “shoot” for photography
This is why I avoid using the word “shoot” for photography
New documentary visits the bedrooms of kids killed in school shootings
The rooms left behind by children murdered in school shootings are both a sanctuary of life and a terrible reminder of tragedy. One reporter was allowed into eight of them, and is inviting America to ...
www.mprnews.org
December 2, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Listening to the NPR piece on this project brought tears to my eyes. I'm not a parent. I can't even begin to imagine what the families are experiencing.
A blast from my past - the Medieval Soldier database takes nearly 300,000 military service records from 1369-1453 and makes them available as a searchable database.
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
An invaluable resource for understanding medieval warfare, society and the English medieval state. Learn more in the link. 🗃️
We built a database of 290,000 English medieval soldiers – here’s what it reveals
We created the database in order to challenge assumptions about the lack of professionalism of everyday soldiers.
theconversation.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Which wars were won due to little-to-no rules of engagement, and which wars were lost due to tighter rules of engagement?
The Soviets had more permissive rules of engagement in Afghanistan than the US did, and killed more civilians. They still lost, and at greater cost to their country.
The Soviets had more permissive rules of engagement in Afghanistan than the US did, and killed more civilians. They still lost, and at greater cost to their country.
Pete Hegseth: "[Trump] changed the rules of engagement [and] untied the hands of war fighters…We don't need burdensome rules of engagement that make it impossible for us to win these wars."
December 1, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Which wars were won due to little-to-no rules of engagement, and which wars were lost due to tighter rules of engagement?
The Soviets had more permissive rules of engagement in Afghanistan than the US did, and killed more civilians. They still lost, and at greater cost to their country.
The Soviets had more permissive rules of engagement in Afghanistan than the US did, and killed more civilians. They still lost, and at greater cost to their country.
Reposted by Rick Herrera
My latest this AM with @warontherocks.bsky.social. Of note: "[Military officers] will be active participants with choices to make about the degree to which they continue to serve civilians intent on undermining the liberal values enshrined in the Constitution."
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warontherocks.com/2025/12/the-...
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warontherocks.com/2025/12/the-...
The Soldier in the Illiberal State is a Professional Dead End
The American political system today is indeed in crisis. Government function is in doubt, the administration has politicized and weaponized a previously
warontherocks.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:34 PM
My latest this AM with @warontherocks.bsky.social. Of note: "[Military officers] will be active participants with choices to make about the degree to which they continue to serve civilians intent on undermining the liberal values enshrined in the Constitution."
1/
warontherocks.com/2025/12/the-...
1/
warontherocks.com/2025/12/the-...
Reposted by Rick Herrera
November 1945. Dear Secretary of "War" . . .
December 1, 2025 at 8:17 PM
November 1945. Dear Secretary of "War" . . .
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Department of Defense Law of War Manual, Sec. 18.3.2.1 states the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders.
What’s its key example? Wait for it . . . It’s "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
What’s its key example? Wait for it . . . It’s "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
December 1, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Department of Defense Law of War Manual, Sec. 18.3.2.1 states the "requirement" to refuse illegal orders.
What’s its key example? Wait for it . . . It’s "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
What’s its key example? Wait for it . . . It’s "orders to fire upon the shipwrecked."
Getting into the holiday spirit. Sort of.
November 29, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Getting into the holiday spirit. Sort of.
If you’re shopping today @usni.org is running a big holiday sale with 50% most books, including On Tactics, On Operations, and 21st Century Ellis.
www.usni.org/press/books
www.usni.org/press/books
November 28, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Taste history: That Thanksgiving bottle of cabernet sauvignon is a tasting trip back in time 🍷 https://bit.ly/3Mcbh0Q
Cabernet Sauvignon’s Long Memory Revealed
UC Davis scientists find chemical "switches" that control gene expression in cabernet sauvignon remain stable across hundreds of years of clonal reproduction.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Taste history: That Thanksgiving bottle of cabernet sauvignon is a tasting trip back in time 🍷 https://bit.ly/3Mcbh0Q
Reposted by Rick Herrera
Here's your periodic reminder that my book makes a great, relatively inexpensive gift for the praying Christian or Christian-prayer-curious person in your life. ⚓️
shop.forwardmovement.org/product/2623
shop.forwardmovement.org/product/2623
Seek and You Will Find
shop.forwardmovement.org
November 25, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Here's your periodic reminder that my book makes a great, relatively inexpensive gift for the praying Christian or Christian-prayer-curious person in your life. ⚓️
shop.forwardmovement.org/product/2623
shop.forwardmovement.org/product/2623
Indeed.
one of the coolest things about ChatGPT is how you can actually just never use it. you can fill your whole entire life with simply not once using it. it's incredible.
November 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Indeed.
If you're going to be near Valley Forge on 2 December, come join us for a panel discussion about Ken Burns's "American Revolution."
vista.today/2025/11/ken-...
vista.today/2025/11/ken-...
Explore Ken Burns’s 'The American Revolution' at a Special Valley Forge Park Alliance Event
Join the Valley Forge Park Alliance on Dec. 2 for an expert panel exploring Ken Burns’s "The American Revolution" at Oaks Center Cinema.
vista.today
November 25, 2025 at 9:12 PM
If you're going to be near Valley Forge on 2 December, come join us for a panel discussion about Ken Burns's "American Revolution."
vista.today/2025/11/ken-...
vista.today/2025/11/ken-...
Reposted by Rick Herrera
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition
One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved
newsletter.dancohen.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:35 PM
New issue of my newsletter: "The Writing Is on the Wall for Handwriting Recognition" — One of the hardest problems in digital humanities has finally been solved, and it's a good use of AI newsletter.dancohen.org/archive/the-...
Super excited that a new edited volume, Bend But Do Not Break, is coming out, edited by Jaron Wharton, @klkuzminski.bsky.social @jkdemp.bsky.social @mzmargulies.bsky.social Keith Carter, and @carriealee.bsky.social
And it’s apparently doing well on the amazons
And it’s apparently doing well on the amazons
November 25, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Reposted by Rick Herrera
I remember asking @katecarp.bsky.social if @draftingthepast.bsky.social was a confessional space...I think it is, and I was giddy to get to talk with Kate about the joy of writing history -- and my tremendous good fortune to get to do it. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
Episode 76: Karin Wulf Keeps Her Brain Humming Along - Drafting the Past
In this episode, Kate is joined by Karin Wulf, the director and librarian of the John Carter Brown Library, to discuss her new book, Lineage, and her research and writing process.
draftingthepast.com
November 25, 2025 at 11:20 AM
I remember asking @katecarp.bsky.social if @draftingthepast.bsky.social was a confessional space...I think it is, and I was giddy to get to talk with Kate about the joy of writing history -- and my tremendous good fortune to get to do it. draftingthepast.com/podcast-epis...
Karl Jacoby taking one for the team. Little known fact. I had an on campus interview at Hillsdale 25 or more years ago. Best ever interview. I snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, which, in retrospect, was victory. I needed a job. Glad it wasn’t that one.
As a historian, I have been torturing myself by watching some of the series that the White House in cooperation with Hillsdale College produced about American Independence (tellingly, they avoid the word "revolution").
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
There are so many errors that it is hard to know where to begin. But I'll try
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Karl Jacoby taking one for the team. Little known fact. I had an on campus interview at Hillsdale 25 or more years ago. Best ever interview. I snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, which, in retrospect, was victory. I needed a job. Glad it wasn’t that one.
Culture. Fascinating thread by @brasidas.bsky.social
These schmucks are approaching what I like to call a "reverse Afghanistan" sexuality here:
November 24, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Culture. Fascinating thread by @brasidas.bsky.social