Great things happening in the Department of History! Check out this write-up of our recent aerial staff ride to Fort Ticonderoga and the Saratoga battlefield published recently in the Pointer View. To gain a better grasp of the significance of terrain and environmental conditions in the histories of these important sites during the Seven Years War and the Revolutionary War, thirty one cadets and eight faculty conducted a weekend-long historical analysis and discussion. The participants were able to survey the terrain from the air and then walk the ground while analyzing the sites from the perspectives of the French, British, and American soldiers involved. Military units have long used this type of experience to develop better understanding among their leaders of the significance of terrain and other less-tangible environmental considerations in combat, but this type of immersive historical analysis is rare outside the military and service academies. Cadet Jared Cope, who played the role of colonial officer Rufus Putnam, summarized the innovation of the staff ride best: “The experience is awesome because no other history program does this. Only at West Point can you get an air mission brief and fly to your historical destination.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 17:32:51 +0000
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