John McManus, PhD, is an award-winning professor, author, and military historian, and a leading expert on the history of the American combat experience.

Michael Neiberg, PhD, is the Professor of History and Chair of War Studies in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the US Army War College. His published work focuses on World War I and World War II in global context. The Wall Street Journal named his Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I one of the five best books ever written about that war. He is also the author of two World War II books, The Blood of Free Men: The Liberation of Paris, 1944 and Potsdam: The End of World War II and the Remaking of Europe.

Ben Milligan is a former US Navy SEAL and leading Naval Special Warfare historian. Since the publication of his book, By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALs, he has also been in high demand as a speaker and guest lecturer on leadership and American military history. His audiences have ranged from the country’s most elite military units to students at Yale University. He brings firsthand experience and insight as a combat veteran and a compelling perspective of the beginning of US Special Operations units—and how and why they have evolved over time.

James Hol land is an internationally acclaimed, best - selling and award - winning historian, writer, and broadcaster. The author of a number of best - selling histories, he has also presented – and written – a large number of television programmes and series. He has a weekly Second World War podcast, We Have Ways of Making You Talk, with Al Murray, and is a research fellow at St Andrew’s University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is also the Co - Founder and Creative Director of the annual Chalke History Festival in the UK. He can be found on X/Twitter as @James1940 and on Instagram as @jamesholland1940.

Clare Mulley is an award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster whose work primarily focuses on the female experience during World War II. Her debut, The Woman who Saved the Children, which chronicles the life of Save the Children founder Eglantyne Jebb, won the Daily Mail Biographers’ Club Prize. Mulley’s other acclaimed biographies include The Spy Who Loved: The Secrets and Lives of Christine Granville, Britain’s First Female Special Agent of World War II; The Women Who Flew for Hitler; and Agent Zo: The Untold Story of a World War II Resistance Fighter, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction and awarded silver in the Military History Matters magazine’s best books of the year. Beyond her writing, Mulley contributes to historical documentaries for the BBC and other broadcasters, has judged several literary prizes, and writes for publications including The Spectator, TLS, Literary Review, and BBC History Magazine. A popular public speaker, Clare has spoken at the House of Commons, Royal Albert Hall, Imperial War Museum, and major literary and history festivals. Mulley is also a proud recipient of the Bene Merito cultural honor of the Republic of Poland. She lives in England with her husband, the sculptor Ian Wolter, and their dog.

 

Jonathan Boff, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Birmingham, where he teaches courses relating to war from Homer to Helmand. He specializes in particular in World War I. His publications include Winning and Losing on the Western Front: The British Third Army and the Defeat of Germany in1918 (Cambridge University Press, 2012) and Haig’s Enemy: Crown Prince Rupprecht and Germany’s War on the Western Front (Oxford University Press, 2018). He has undertaken consultancy projects for the British Army and the BBC and serves on the Councils of the National Army Museum and the Army Records Society.

Take a front-row seat to history in France’s sumptuous Châteaux and on the exquisite riverboat S.S. Joie de Vivre

Uniworld’s five-star S.S. Joie de Vivre has been exclusively chartered by The National WWII Museum for our valued guests. Quite possibly the finest river ship on the waterways of Europe, her 64 staterooms and suites exude the elegance and charm of the chateâux in the region she sails. The ship’s one-of-a-kind décor features handcrafted furniture, original artwork, and signature accents inspired by 20th-century Parisian design. Public spaces include the Salon Toulouse with full-service bar, multiple dining venues, an intimate wine bar, and Le Club L’Esprit, an area dedicated to health and well-being, with a day spa, fitness center, and pool.

Château D’Audrieu, a 5-star hotel situated between Caen and Bayeux in Calvados, is ideally located in the heart of Normandy’s countryside. During World War II, the German army set up their headquarters here. On June 8, 1944, 24 members of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and two British soldiers were killed in the orchards, forests, and clearings around the château. This 18th century residence is listed as a Historical Monument, and joined the prestigious Relais et Châteaux Association in 1977. Twenty-nine elegant rooms with garden views feature satellite TV, Wi-Fi access, and minibars. Suites offer original Louis XV and XVI furniture, or art deco styling. Le Séran restaurant serves high-end cuisine. The property also includes a bar, period-style lounges, and a charming breakfast room.

Château la Chenevière is a 5-star hotel renovated from an 18th-century mansion and farm. The château was occupied by the Germans during World War II, and then the Americans after the D-Day landings. It was fully restored in 1988 to become the lush hotel-restaurant it is today. La Chenevière boasts twenty-eight spacious and comfortable rooms that reflect the elegance and romance of its design. The decor of each room has an individual design, with a perfect blend of modern comforts and traditional luxury. Room amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, fully stocked minibar, hair dryer, bathrobe and slippers, and courtesy l’Occitane toiletries.