John Curatola, PhD, is the Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Historian at the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy. A US Marine Corps officer of 22 years, he graduated from the University of Nebraska and is a veteran of Operation Provide Hope in Somalia, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the 2005 Indian Ocean tsunami relief effort. He holds master’s degrees in both American and military history. With a PhD from the University of Kansas, Curatola’s research focuses on World War II, airpower, and the early Cold War period. Previously, he taught history at the US Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. His first two books, Bigger Bombs for a Brighter Tomorrow and Autumn of Our Discontent, assess US national security and nuclear capabilities in the early Cold War period. His forthcoming work, Armies Afloat: How the Development of Amphibious Operations in Europe Helped Win World War II, is scheduled for release by University of Kansas Press in spring 2025. Curatola’s works can be found in compendium books, popular magazines, and academic journals, and his many presentations are available for viewing on C-SPAN and YouTube.