Press Release

The National WWII Museum Presents 2016 International Conference on World War II

Historians, educators and enthusiasts gather for three-day conference to highlight the significance of World War II in the modern world

NEW ORLEANS (October 10, 2016) — The National WWII Museum’s first International Conference on World War II in 2006 set the precedent for outstanding scholarship and public history on the most pivotal event of the modern era. The Museum will continue this important initiative November 17 through 19 in New Orleans at the 2016 International Conference, titled “1946: Year Zero—Triumph and Tragedy,” and covering the immediate postwar period and the new world left in the wake of the global struggle.

The world’s leading gathering of WWII historians, educators, authors, students and enthusiasts, the 2016 Conference will feature presentations and discussions from Conrad Crane, PhD; Richard Frank; David Kennedy, PhD; Donald L. Miller, PhD; Alexandra Richie, DPhil and Kirk Saduski. Museum president and CEO Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, PhD will also join the Conference to discuss how the war is remembered throughout the world today and how it impacts present policies of the nations involved.

“This year, I’ll get to share the Conference stage with the ‘the dean of WWII historians,’ Dr. Gerhard Weinberg, as we examine the present-day implications of World War II,” said Mueller. “It’s a privilege to stand among prestigious historians and discuss the global conflict that changed America—and the world—in the middle of the last century. We are excited that these renowned speakers will be with us to illuminate the influence of the war, highlighting diverse topics that range from women’s and civil rights to communism, the division of Korea and the Holocaust.”

Presented by the Pritzker Military Museum & Library and the Tawani Foundation, the 2016 Conference will be preceded by a Symposium on the topic of espionage—as practiced during World War II and refined during the Cold War that followed—with British writer and historian Sir Max Hastings serving as keynote speaker. Bestselling author Alex Kershaw will also lead a discussion on his recent book “Avenue of Spies,” which tells the story of resistance in Nazi-occupied Paris.

WWII veteran Major General John Singlaub, one of the last known living special operators to clear enemy lines and gain entrance into France, will also present at the Symposium. After the war, Singlaub became one of the first agents in the newly created Central Intelligence Agency, and he’ll share stories from his military career on the front lines, and then in the Oval Office.

Conference locations in New Orleans include the Museum’s US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, as well as the Hyatt Regency New Orleans, where Conference attendees can also book hotel rooms at a group rate. The Museum will offer guests free transportation between both locations.

For more information, or to register for the Conference and/or Symposium, visit www.ww2conference.com.

The Commemorative Air Force honors the men and women who built, maintained and flew in these airplanes during World War II. The organization believes that is best accomplished by maintaining the airplanes in flying condition and by taking the airplanes to the people, allowing them to experience the sights and sounds of the aircraft in flight.

Collecting, restoring and flying historical aircraft for more than half a century, the Commemorative Air Force ranks as one of the largest private air forces in the world. The CAF is dedicated to honoring American military aviation through flight, exhibition and remembrance. A non-profit educational association, the CAF has more than 12,000 members and a fleet of over 160 airplanes distributed throughout the country to units located in 24 states for care and operation. For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.

The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America's National WWII Museum, it celebrates the American Spirit, teamwork, optimism, courage, and sacrifice of the men and women who served on the battlefront and the Home Front. For more information, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit nationalww2museum.org. Follow us on Twitter at WWIImuseum or on Facebook.