The WWII continuing education track provides a rich sequence of online courses that will allow WWII experts and educators to learn at their own pace, while gaining premier knowledge that can be used in their professional careers. Learners of all backgrounds will be able to increase their knowledge of the war, as well as their critical thinking skills, while achieving quality personal growth and intellectual development through the vanguard coursework.
The Student Experience
The continuing education program aims at the student who is less concerned with grading and accumulation of academic credit hours, and more interested in the satisfaction and intellectual stimulation of lifelong learning. Continuing education courses will be briefer and more concise, while still drawing upon the combined resources and personnel of The National WWII Museum and Arizona State University.
Continuing education courses will also take participants “behind the lines” at the Museum, allowing them to see artifacts and documents that are not displayed as part of the regular exhibits. Without assignments, papers, or exams, the continuing education experience amounts to education for the purest reason of all: the challenge of learning.

Meet Our Instructors
Taught by the scholars of The National WWII Museum’s Institute for the Study of War and Democracy; Museum historians, curators, and educators; as well as leading faculty from Arizona State University, the WWII continuing education program provides lifelong learners in-depth insights into the war and its legacies. Get to know some of the course instructors:
Myths and Legends: World War II and Blitzkrieg
The idea of blitzkrieg has come to define the reasons for the Wehrmacht’s success during World War II, yet this was a term never utilized by German military commanders. This continuing education course explores the evolution of military thinking in Germany, in comparison with the Soviet Union, and the reasons behind the Wehrmacht’s success on the field of battle. Through a discussion of the interwar period, the numerous testing grounds that witnessed how these armies waged war, and the only time that Germany implemented a blitzkrieg strategy—Operation Barbarossa—scholars from ASU and The National WWII Museum will show how the myths and legends associated with blitzkrieg developed the reality behind Germany’s successes and failures during World War II.
The course is led by Yan Mann, PhD, featuring discussions with Robert Citino, PhD, as well as other Museum historians and ASU faculty, along with a behind-the-scenes look into the Museum’s collections vaults.
Weekly discussion topics include:
Week 1 | The Interwar Period: The Birth of Blitzkrieg
Week 2 | Military Testing Ground
Week 3 | Myths and Legends
Week 4 | Blitzkrieg in Action
While no reading is required, course participants will also receive exclusive access to a curated list of relevant books and articles as well as an online discussion board where they can interact with instructors and fellow enrollees.
Course Start Date: November 23, 2020
Cost: $299
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