Silent Strategists

Naval historian Manley Irwin talked about his book Silent Strategists: Harding, Denby, and the U.S. Navy’s Trans-Pacific Offensive, World War II, published by University Press of America. He talked about his research in the National Archives and documents from the 1920s that revealed that President Warren Harding and his Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby made significant contributions to the U.S. Navy offensive launched in November 1943 that would carry U.S. Armed Forces to the far reaches of the Pacific. It was their strategical plan, embodying modern principles of organization and strategy, which was used to defeat the Japanese in WWII. Additionally, Theodore Roosevelt said in the early 1900s that the U.S. needed to keep an eye on Japan. Following his remarks, during which he showed slides, Mr. Irwin answered questions from members of the audience.

This was part of the noontime 75th Anniversary Literary Lecture Series. The lecture was held on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, in the Jeffers close