WWI history organizations meet in KC this weekend
National WWI Museum hosts national combined seminar this weekend
September 9, 2009
From its world-class collections to its innovative use of technology, the National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City, Mo. has amazed hundreds of thousands of guests since its grand opening in 2006.
Beginning Friday, members from two important national organizations dedicated to the study of the Great War will have that same experience as the Museum hosts the 2009 Annual Seminar of The Great War Society and The Western Front Association – U.S. Branch.
The theme for the seminar, which takes place from Sept. 11-13, is “Technology, Treaties and the War: From ‘Tin Hats’ to Tanks and ‘Top Hats’ to Territories.”
In addition to members of the two organizations, speakers will include experts from the National Archives, Washington D.C., The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, The University of Missouri – Kansas City, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and the Kansas City Public Library.
Topics covered will include “The Three T’s of Pursuit Air Superiority: Technology, Tactics and Techniques,” “Air Bombing Technology,” “American Innovation during the War Using Archival Documents as Case Studies,” “Grenades: An Explosive Topic!,” “DADA: A World Turned Upside Down,” “Technology and Tactics: Battle of Caporetto and its Effect on WWII Tactics,” and “Wilson & Lenin – Whose Influence is Greater.”
The seminar sessions are for pre-registered member participants only and are not open to the public.
National World War I Museum Curator Doran Cart, who currently serves as President of The Western Front Association – U.S. Branch, explains why this joint seminar is important. “For most members of the two organizations, the Annual Seminar is truly the one opportunity during the year to gather, to visit, to share experiences, and to learn. With the combined seminar, it has the added bonus of meeting with members we might not otherwise have a chance to and to share speakers with a wide background of knowledge. In other words, we get the most bang for the bucks.”
Founded in 1980, The Western Front Association brings together those eager to learn about World War I. The WFA seeks to honor and perpetuate the memory of those who fought on both sides of the battlefront. They concentrate particularly on the causes of the conflict and its impact on our times. The organization’s focus extends to all combat theaters, as well as to the political, diplomatic, economic, social, scientific, cultural, literary and spiritual dimensions of this, our first industrialized war.
The Great War Society studies all aspects of World War I to promote a greater understanding of this catastrophic conflict and its profound and lasting effects on subsequent generations. To achieve these goals, the organization focuses on activities that involve the work of volunteers, charitable contributions, and sponsorships in the areas of Education, Preservation, Translation and Transcription. The Great War Society was founded in 1986.
For more information about the National World War I Museum, call 816-784-1918 or visit www.theworldwar.org.
Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values, 9th Edition
By Norm Flayderman
Flayderman's is where it's at for checking updated collector values of all your antique arms, while you brush up on the characteristics of vintage firearms manufactured between the colonial era and 1900.
Meticulously researched data, descriptions of stampings and markings for more than 4,000 antique American firearms make Flayderman's the ultimate guide. This book is a must own for any serious collector.
