Thomas Sheppard

Thomas Sheppard holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina. He lives in Washington DC, where he writes on history, foreign policy, and national security issues.

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“The Fork in the Road Which Leads to Victory”: The Campaign for Guadalcanal
“The Fork in the Road Which Leads to Victory”: The Campaign for Guadalcanal

If Guadalcanal foreshadowed the ultimate Allied victory, it also proved how difficult that triumph would be. It took six long, grueling months to oust Japan from the island, making clear to all ranks that every inch of the road to Tokyo would be bought with grit and determination—and paid for in blood.

“I Have No Expectation of Success”: The War in the Pacific after Midway
“I Have No Expectation of Success”: The War in the Pacific before and after Midway

Seventy-five years after the Battle of Midway, it is a good time to reflect on the momentous events of that season, and on how quickly the course of history can turn.

Once the Shooting Stops: U.S. Military Forces in the Aftermath of War Review of Drawdown: The American Way of Postwar
Once the Shooting Stops: U.S. Military Forces in the Aftermath of War

Drawdown: The American Way of Postwar is a fascinating analysis not of how the U.S. fights wars, but what it does in their aftermath.

Understanding the War of 1812 Book Review
Understanding the War of 1812

As public attention shifts to the anniversaries of the two World Wars, the War of 1812 is becoming forgotten again, and now seems an ideal time to survey the landscape of new books written in the (roughly) decade surrounding its sesquicentennial.

A Warrior in Washington H.R. McMaster
A Warrior in Washington

H.R. McMaster is uniquely suited for the task before him. But it still may not be enough.