Wright Museum of World War II

David S. Foglesong - From Allies to Enemies: Truman, Stalin and the Start of the Cold War In April 1945, not long after Harry Truman succeeded Franklin Roosevelt as President, US, British, and Soviet troops met at the Elbe River and celebrated their impending victory over Nazi Germany. Two years later, just a month after […]

Elyse Graham - Book and Dagger - How Scholars and Librarians became the unlikely Spies of WWII Elyse Graham will discuss the untold story of the academics who became OSS spies, invented modern spycraft, and helped turn the tide of the war. At the start of WWII, the U.S. found itself in desperate need of […]

David Barnhill and Stephen Rueff- Spies and Space  David Barnhill and Stephen Yogi Rueff are creators of the Spies and Space, which will be shown at the museum this summer. Their discussion will highlight the years after WWII from 1947 to 1991, when the United States and the Soviet Union were dubbed “superpowers”. As each […]

(This event was originally scheduled for September 10) David Chrisinger - The Soldiers Truth: Ernie Pyle and the Story of WWII A beautiful reckoning with the life and work of the legendary journalist Ernie Pyle, who gave World War II a human face for millions of Americans even as he wrestled with his own demons. […]

Howard Mansfield – I will Tell no War Stories: What our Fathers left unsaid about WWII Growing up, World War II was omnipresent and hidden. This was also true of his father's time in the Air Force. Like most of his generation, it was a rule not to talk about what he'd experienced in war. […]

David Kertzer—The Pope at War Information from the newly opened Vatican archives, a groundbreaking, explosive, and riveting book about Pope Pius XII and his actions during World War II, including how he responded to the Holocaust. Pulitzer-Prize-winning author David Kertzer is the Paul Dupee University Professor of Social Science at Brown University. He is an […]

Dr. Stephen Brecher – Penicillin, a Football Game, and the Golden age of Antibiotics in WWII Learn about the secret weapon developed in WWII. This miracle drug is credited with saving the lives of 10 to 15 % of all WWII Casualties. Research and production of penicillin became the second highest priority of the war […]

Bob DiCicco—Love Letters From the Front A musical tribute to the American GI’s of WWII. A poignant look at the letters from loved ones and the beautiful music that shaped the incredible era of the 1940’s.  

This lecture is SOLD OUT Alex Kershaw—Patton's Prayer: A True Story of Courage, Faith and Victory in WWII. General George Patton needed a miracle. In December 1944, the Allies found themselves stuck. Rain had plagued the troops daily since September, turning roads into rivers of muck, slowing trucks and tanks to a crawl. A thick […]