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Donald L. Miller, John Henry MacCracken Professor of History, has spoken at a number of recent national level engagements due to the popularity and success of his latest book, Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany.
The book, which was released October 2006 by Simon & Schuster, is Miller’s eighth published work and third WWII book. It examines the social and psychological effects of the war on bomber crews of the American Eighth Air Force, German citizens, and the English people.
Masters of the Air has garnered international attention. The book was recently nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and is a bestseller in the U.S. as well as the U.K., where it was published under the title Eighth Air Force: The American Bomber Crews in Britain. The book has been reviewed and Miller has appeared in media outlets around the world including the Daily Telegraph, the London Times, The New York Times, Air and Space Smithsonian, The History Channel, AmericanHeritage.com, PBS, NPR, C-Span, and many others.
In July, Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, invited Miller to speak in Washington D.C. as part of the Air Force’s Senior Leaders Orientation. The weeklong course prepares future generals for issues they may encounter when they take on their new leadership role.
The 500-person banquet included more than 100 Air Force generals; 50 future brigadier generals, who were being initiated into their posts; and numerous other Air Force officials. Moseley asked Miller to speak because he believes Masters of the Air held a great deal of relevance to the contemporary military and the war in Iraq. The book has been added to the reading list of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Professional Reading Program.
Miller also spoke July 18 at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pa., as part of the 39th annual Perspectives in Military History Series. The series provides a historical dimension to the exercise of generalship, strategic leadership, and the war fighting institutions of land power.
Upcoming in April 2008, Miller will serve as co-chair for the 2nd International Conference on World War II at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, La. The conference brings together historians, WW II veterans, authors, and journalists from all over the world to discuss the war and its lasting impact for more than a half-century. Miller will also present a public lecture focusing on “Hollywood, Documentaries and WWII: 1943-2004.” Other major speakers will include Walter Cronkite, Madeleine Albright, Ken Burns, and George McGovern.
Miller has won six awards for excellence in teaching, five fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and a number of prestigious book awards. His articles have appeared in national publications, among them the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and New York Times. He is a contributing editor of American Heritage Magazine. He has served as an on camera expert for several documentaries, the most recent of which will focus on the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 and appear on the National Geographic Channel this coming fall.
Miller received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland and joined the Lafayette faculty in 1978. He regularly mentors students for independent research projects, many of whom contributed to Masters of the Air.
For more information on Miller, visit the following links: