Concessions in diplomatic negotiations were nothing new, but after Munich, appeasement took on a new meaning. 

Alexander A. Vandegrift’s accomplishments during World War II came near the end of almost four decades of service in the United States Marine Corps.

In 1946, Pfc. Sadao Munemori became the first Japanese American awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on the Gothic Line during World War II.

Known to her enemies as “Lady Death,” Lyudmila Pavlichenko is recognized as the most successful female sniper in history with a total of 309 confirmed kills.

Read excerpts from some of the winning essays, which contemplate America's role as the world's "Arsenal of Democracy" from World War II to the present.