Military historian available to discuss D-Day anniversary
LAWRENCE — On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France. The event became known worldwide as D-Day, a turning point in World War II. This Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Adrian Lewis, the David B. Pittaway Professor of Military History at the University of Kansas Department of History, is available to discuss this anniversary with media. Lewis will give the keynote address about the D-Day invasion on June 4 at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene.
“World War II was the most significant event of the 20th century,” Lewis said. “It shaped the world that we live in, and for the British and Americans, the Normandy invasion was the most significant operation of the war. Its success meant the destruction of Nazi Germany.”
Lewis earned his doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1995. His dissertation became his first book, “Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory.” The book is widely considered the best analysis available on the Normandy Invasion and the battle for Omaha Beach. He is also the author of “The American Culture of War: The History of the U.S. Military Forces from World War II to Operation Enduring Freedom” and “The American Culture of War in the Age of Artificial Limited War.” His books and articles are used at West Point, the Command and General Staff College, the Naval War College and civilian institutions. Lewis has taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of North Texas at Denton, where he was chair of the Department of History.
He served with the 9th Infantry Division and the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington.
To schedule an interview, contact Jon Niccum at 785-864-7633 or jniccum@ku.edu.