Written by Grace Canlas
Hillsdale College is devoted to studying the good, the true, and the beautiful. However, we recognize that this is not always wholesome, simple, or pretty—war never is, but nevertheless, it is a necessary field of study. The study of military history and strategy captures the enduring spirit of a liberal arts education. “The examination of military history is the examination of the truth of things. Military history is even more than pragmatically useful—it is a source of knowledge of ultimate things,” said Dr. Jason Gehrke, Associate Director of the Center for Military History and Strategy.
Even as an invaluable discipline, the leadership of Hillsdale College observed that military history and strategy is a subject being largely removed from institutions across the nation. Mark Moyar, Director of the Center for Military History and Strategy, said that the rigorous study of military history and strategy therefore became “an area of opportunity for the College to fill a big gap in the academic world.”
Hillsdale College officially launched its Center for Military History and Strategy (CMHS) in September of 2022 as “a bold new initiative in American higher education.” The purpose of the CMHS is eloquently expressed in its mission statement: “Through the study of Military History and Strategy, the Center prepares students and citizens to support and defend the United States and its constitutional order.” In its commitment to cultivating informed and virtuous citizenship, the Center for Military History and Strategy embodies Hillsdale College’s mission of pursuing truth and defending liberty.
For the students of Hillsdale College, the CMHS offers an academic minor in military history and strategy. The minor is composed of a unique and engaging curriculum that requires the completion of three core courses and three elective courses. The minor’s core courses concern the foundation of military history and grand strategy while the elective courses provide in-depth study of particular wars and concepts.
Some of these specialized classes include “The Two World Wars,” “Vietnam War,” “The Just War Tradition in the West,” “Nation Building and International Development,” and “Counter-Insurgency and Counter-Terrorism.” Discussing his love for teaching military history and strategy courses at Hillsdale College, Dr. Moyar said, “I enjoy getting students to wrestle with controversies and to think for themselves about these contentious matters.” He stated that much of military history is open to debate, which inspires deliberation and critical thinking. Dr. Moyar further said that learning to think for oneself is “an important part of the development of students” and should be “one of the foremost virtues and objectives of higher education.”
Not only does the Center for Military History and Strategy provide students specialized instruction in the classroom, but also opportunities to develop their understanding of warfare outside of the classroom through events such as the CMHS Annual Conference, lecture series, and academic trips. During the spring of 2024, I had the privilege of attending an American Revolution trip sponsored by the Center for Military History and Strategy.
Led by Dr. Dave Stewart, professor of history, and Dr. Miles Smith IV, assistant professor of history, our group visited sites such as Valley Forge, Fort McHenry, and Yorktown. We also toured the battleships U.S.S. Wisconsin and U.S.S. Olympia, the latter of which was commanded by a Hillsdale College student, Charles Vernon Gridley, during the Spanish-American War. Along our trip, we explored multiple museums including the Museum of the American Revolution, the Independence Seaport Museum, the American Revolution Museum, and the Hampton Roads Naval Museum.
Not only did this trip create unforgettable friendships and memories for me, but it deepened my understanding of and reverence for our American heritage. Even now, I am able to greater engage with the sources presented in my military history and strategy classes, such as “American Military History to 1914,” that concern the American Revolution. When we evaluate the logistics of warfare, I am able to remember my time at Valley Forge and the conversations we had in the log huts of the Continental Army, or when we examine the maneuvering of combat forces, I am able to remember my time at Yorktown and the discussions we had on the shores of the York River.
Not only is military history and strategy important for the students of Hillsdale College, but all citizens of the United States. “Prudential judgment about warfare is the first activity of the citizen,” said Dr. Gehrke. “The Constitution locates the power to make war and declare war in the Congress. It does so because in a republic, warfare is the activity of the people—to be ignorant of warfare is to be ignorant of one of the most basic activities of your civic responsibility.”
The Center for Military History and Strategy is devoted both to studying and teaching the discipline of military history and strategy so that Americans are empowered “to support and defend the United States and its constitutional order.” One either puts in the hard work of preparedness now or pays the heavy price of ignorance later. When examining military preparedness and warfare, Dr. Gehrke said, “The most impactful thing in war is the quality of your own soul. The meditation of warfare is the place where you answer and adjudicate that question—whether or not we have been good.”
Grace Canlas, ’27, is a prospective English major and military history and strategy minor. When not studying in the library, she can be found practicing martial arts or laughing with her family and friends.
Published in October 2024
