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CIVIL AIR PATROL Historiography

Presenting the past...For today and tomorrow Presenter: Lt Col Richard B. Mulanax, PhD. National Historian Primary Author: Maj Kurt J. Efinger, Chief of the Publications & Research Division 9 AUG 2019 Baltimore, MD. CIVIL AIR PATROL Historiography. CITIZENS SERVING COMMUNITIES.

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CIVIL AIR PATROL Historiography

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  1. Presenting the past...For today and tomorrowPresenter: Lt Col Richard B. Mulanax, PhD.National HistorianPrimary Author: Maj Kurt J. Efinger, Chief of the Publications & Research Division 9 AUG 2019Baltimore, MD CIVIL AIR PATROL Historiography CITIZENS SERVING COMMUNITIES

  2. LessonObjective... By the end of this presentation, you will understand... • How professional historians approach their craft. • What it means to exercise integrity in writing and presenting history. • Why what we do is so important.

  3. UNDERSTANDING HISTORICAL ANALYSIS, AND WRITING FOR SUCCESS… • History by nature, is subjective • regardless of evidence, or who writes/records it… • ergo...the job of the historian is to reduce the effects of his or her own bias… • In other words...the idea of “good history,” translates to “good investigation.” • History can be made to say whatever we want it to...an audience can always be found that latches on to our ideas and conclusions—albeit however “correct,” or “incorrect” they may be.

  4. CHRONOLOGY • Placing the person or event(s) in the proper context of time • Using your expertise as an historian means developing a sensitivity to the subject being observed

  5. CONTEXT The idea of “contextualization” is placing things within a framework of reference (context) • When we say “hunter-gatherers,” do we mean this?

  6. ...context. How did contemporary observers of history see the past?

  7. Is Something out of context? ...and then there is this!

  8. ...and the worst of it! Quote attributed to... When The evidence suggests otherwise!

  9. CHARACTERS Who is the subject of our observation? We must develop a “whole personality” of the subject • …get inside that individuals head • We must fully and completely understand the subject of our analysis based on evidence provides • Doing less falls short of our task as professionals

  10. CAUSATION 1 History is about cause and effect • How one thing leads to another, and then another… • To understand how the human saga evolved over time • To learn from the past to anticipate the future

  11. CAUSATION 2 To understand cause and its result Example: The Austro-Hungarian empire declared war on Serbia because: A....Serbia was a threat to Germanic hegemony? B....“Serbian Nationalists” were responsible for the assassination of the Archduke? C...Serbia rejected the “July Ultimatum” to surrender its sovereignty? D...war was imminent, and the assassination of the archduke was used as a pretext for declaring war. Which choice is correct?

  12. CONSEQUENCES The effects of an event or action. • nothing escapes a “cause and effect” relationship. • including the idea of intended as well as unintended consequences. • The unintended consequences of U.S. aid to Britain in WWI was the targeting of American merchant vessels by German U-boats.

  13. CRITICAL EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS You must analyze primary and secondary sources for bias, credibility, and logical conclusions by the author • what prejudices did the author have in recording an event, or writing a biography of a contemporary figure or event? • How far removed was the author from an event or person? • Does a contemporary necessarily provide a better analysis than an historian? Herodotus wrote of events far removed in time from his own life. How accurate could his assessments of events be? COMPARE CONTRAST

  14. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS The American Historical Association defines the profession of history as: “...the never-ending process whereby people seek to understand the past and its many meanings.” AHA 2005 Statement on Standards and Professional Conduct

  15. …the question? • How well do we as CAP historians write about, and present CAP to future generations?

  16. SOURCES FOR GUIDANCE After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection James West Davidson & Mark Hamilton Lytle Historiography: Ancient, Medieval, & Modern Ernst Breisach The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past John Lewis Gaddis

  17. Implementing Your Historical Skills: Annual Histories Writing an annual history is the primary responsibility of a wing historian! • We have made it simpler by providing a template • …which addresses the core missions of CAP • ES, AE, CP • And statistical and other relevant information • An annual history is the “corporate memory” for a unit • It is written for the Commander and staff to review to evaluate wing performance during the previous year • And the same for region and squadron histories

  18. Historiography Questions and comments?

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