This past Veterans Day marked the centennial of the First World War and the launch of The Many Faces of War, published by the Marymount Institute Press and Tsehai Publishers. Edited by Lawrence A. Tritle and Jason W. Warren, The Many Faces of War is a book of essays from various authors covering major wars in world history. Collectively these pieces reveal the human condition and its response to the most challenging of life’s many experiences – the violence of war.
To celebrate the book launch, the Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture and the Arts welcomed several of its contributors for a panel discussion moderated by co-editor Tritle, professor emeritus of history at LMU. Virginia Aksan, professor emerita at McMaster University, presented on the Middle East during and after WWI. Peter Mansoor, COL, US Army, Retired, who is now a professor of history at Ohio State University, leads a program that examines the experience of war through the lenses of film, literature, and history. He emphasized the inaccurate portrayal of officers in the arts.
“The depictions of officers in popular film and literature are not congruent with my personal experiences,” said Mansoor. “They are in the trenches fighting too.”
Co-editor Jason Warren, LTC, US Army, and assistant professor of history at US Army War College, covers early American war history in the book, but during the panel discussed the need for better strategic and professional military education. He used Afghanistan to illustrate his point.
“Our approach was to create a western army in a tribal culture,” said Warren.
John Doss, LTC, US Army, and assistant professor at US Military Academy, echoed this sentiment in the comments he delivered on the changing character of war.
“Our objective to create western style liberal states embracing democracy is driving us into places we never were before,” noted Doss.
Thomas Palaima, Armstrong professor of classics at University of Texas, Austin, shared several accounts that reinforced the public’s right to truth in regards to war and a well-informed citizenry’s role in preventing future and unnecessary conflicts. Jeff Dietrich, Los Angeles Catholic worker and author, provided an alternative perspective on how his whole life was shaped by his decision to resist war.
Several LMU alums also contributed essays to The Many Faces of War. Thank you to Henry Bouchot ’05, US Marine Corps, Afghanistan; Luis Callender ’02, US Army, Vietnam; Andrew Ranson ’98; and Michael Young ’98, US Marine Corps. In addition, the book launch was one of the many interconnected events taking place as part of this year’s Bellarmine Forum celebrating the power and potential of human connection and creative collaboration.
The Many Faces of War is available for purchase here.
