Professional Military Education Tim Rose

In the year 1780, South Carolina was in the grip of violence and turmoil. On December 3, 1780, General Nathanael Greene assumed command of the southern department from General Horatio Gates. Gates, the hero of Saratoga, had struggled in the Carolinas most notably at the disastrous battle of Camden. The Continental Congress relented to General Washington’s preferred commander: Nathanael Greene. Thus, Greene left his post at West Point and traveled south.
General Greene had a series of challenging decisions in front of him. How was he going to rebuild a nearly destroyed army? How was he going to recruit and train his forces to eventually challenge General Cornwallis? The task ahead of him was daunting. In the face of overwhelming odds, he made a militarily unorthodox decision: He split his army in half.
In command of the other half of his army was General Daniel Morgan, a brawler from the Virginia backcountry. Morgan was a veteran of the French and Indian War. He was captured and held as a POW after the failed invasion of Quebec. He later distinguished himself as one of the heroes of the Saratoga campaign. In January 1781, Morgan was also faced with improbable odds. As he commanded General Greene’s “flying army”, Cornwallis sent Lt. Col. “Bloody Ban” Tarleton to pursue Morgan.
On January 17, 1781, General Morgan made a stand in a local cow pasture in northwest South Carolina. We know this location as Cowpens. It was here that Morgan achieved one of the most tactically brilliant victories in American military history. We know Morgan as the “Old Wagoner”, but he could just as easily be called the American Hannibal. Check out part three of the series and learn more about what happened at the Battle of Cowpens!
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Check out our Tours: Alexandria History Tours provides guided tours of Old Town Alexandria with a focus on George Washington, the Revolutionary, and the Civil War. Use promo code “PMECOMPLETE” for a 10% discount.  
Further Reading: 
A Devil of a Whipping  William Washington, American Light Dragoon: A Continental Cavalry Leader in the War of Independence The Road to Guilford Courthouse Daniel Morgan: A Revolutionary Life Kings Mountain and Cowpens Nathanael Greene: A Biography of the American Revolution South Carolina and the American Revolution To the End of the World: Nathanael Greene, Charles Cornwallis, and the Race to the Dan

General Jason Q. Bohm (Maj. Gen., USMC) is the author of a recently published book entitled Washington’s Marines: The Origins of the Corps and the American Revolution, 1775-1777. In this interview, we discuss why and how the Marine Corps was founded on November 10, 1775. General Bohm explains that General Washington did not initially support the Marines. However, the Marines played a pivotal role during the “Ten Crucial Days.” This was the period from December 25, 1776, through January 3, 1777. It included key battles at Trenton, Assunpink Creek, and Princeton. The Marines’ heroic actions and fighting spirit helped General Washington during one of the lowest points of the Revolutionary War. Furthermore, it firmly established the Marines’ reputation as America’s premiere fighting force. 
In this interview, we discuss the following:
The Marines were supposed to be used for a naval campaign against the British in Halifax, Nova Scotia. General Bohm tells us why it never happened.   Samuel Nicholas. We know him as our first commandant. Was he really commandant though? Who was this Philadelphia Quaker? Recruiting and retention. Who were the young men that came to Tun Tavern? And why Tun Tavern? The first Marine Corps deployment was to the Bahamas. Sounds like a nice deployment! But did the Marines know anything about amphibious operations in March 1776? The New York campaign and the events that led to the Continental Armies’ low point in December 1776. The “Ten Crucial Days” included the Battles of Trenton, Assunpink Creek, and Princeton. The Marines played a critical role in helping Washington’s army snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.  Implications for the current Marine Corps. What lessons can we learn from our Marine forefathers? Washington's Marines can be purchased through  Savas Beatie or Amazon
About the Author: General Jason Q. Bohm (Mag. Gen., USMC) is a Marine Corps infantryman with over 30 years of experience. General Bohm has served at every level from platoon commander to commanding general. His past assignments include strategic planner with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Director of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfighting School (EWS). He holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing as well as master’s degrees in military studies and in national security studies. General Bohm has written award-winning articles for the Marine Corps Gazette. He is also the author of From the Cold War to ISIL: One Marine’s Journey (Naval Institute Press, 2019). 
General Bohm’s first book is available on Amazon.
Check out the website: www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com
Revolutionary War and George Washington Tours in Alexandria, VA: www.alexandriahistorytours.com use promo code "pmecomplete" to get a 10% discount. 
If you like the podcast, please rate and review on iTunes, Spotify, or Audible. Don't forget to subscribe and be on the lookout for Part Three of the American Guerillas series. 

The American Guerillas series continues with part two: “The Sword of the Lord and Gideon”. After the British invasion of South Carolina, American forces had their backs to the wall. But many Patriot militia units refused to give up. They fought valiantly using guerilla style tactics. In this episode, we discuss those tactics in depth.  This episode will cover the following: 
The Battle of Musgrove’s Mill The Battle of Kings Mountain and the legend of the Over Mountain Men The Swamp Fox, Francis Marion’s campaign in the low country The Battle of Blackstock’s Plantation Key leaders on the American side: Colonel Isaac Shelby, Colonel William Campbell as well as Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion  Key leaders on the British side: Major Patrick Ferguson After listening to this episode, subscribe and stay tuned for American Guerillas Part Three. 
Business update: My company, Alexandria History Tours, provides history tours in Old Town Alexandria, VA. We have a George Washington tour, a Revolutionary War tour, plus Civil War stops on our tours! Check out the website and learn more.  
Podcast website: www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com to see maps and pictures. 
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This is the first episode in a series on the Revolutionary War in the Carolinas. The series is called “American Guerillas” and part one is titled “War in the Carolinas”. This episode will cover a lot of ground and begin with an overview of the American Revolution up until the British invasion of Charleston in 1780. After a summary of the major milestones of the Revolution, the episode will cover the following: 
Why the British shifted their strategy to the Carolinas Key leaders on the British side: Cornwallis and Tarleton Key leaders on the American side: William Moultrie and Horatio Gates Siege warfare tactics that the British used to take Charleston The massacre at the Waxhaws The Battle of Camden Battlefield tactics during the Revolutionary War After listening to this episode, check out “American Guerillas Part Two: The Sword of the Lord and Gideon”.
Business Update: Alexandria History Tours is open for business, providing history tours in Alexandria, VA. We have a George Washington tour, a Revolutionary War tour, and Civil War history stops on our tours! Check out the website and learn more. 
Check out the website: www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com to see maps and pictures. 
HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
If you like the show and want to hear others, subscribe in iTunes, Spotify, or Audible. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth. 
Check out the show on Twitter and Facebook
To request additional shows or guests, e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com 

Col. Grant Newsham (USMC-Ret.), has a warning for America: China is at war with us. It is time for Americans to understand that China does not believe war starts with the deployment of missiles, tanks, and infantry. From the perspective of the People's Republic of China (PRC), war has already begun. Furthermore, over the last several decades, China has used influence operations, economic policies, political warfare, and lawfare to cripple America. The results have left American communities jobless with rampant drug use, deaths of despair, and social disfunction. As one example, fentanyl related drug overdoses caused 70,000 American deaths in 2021. This number is higher than the number of Americans killed during the Vietnam War. The chemical components of fentanyl are manufactured in China.    
After decades of economic growth and political warfare, China has undergone one of the most significant military build-ups during a period of "peace." What are their next moves? As China has trained, mobilized, and built up its army and navy, the obvious question is for what purpose? 
In this interview, we discuss these questions and much more. 
Interview topics include:
China’s current military capabilities: Key strengths and weaknesses China has a mission: To defeat the United States and they believe that war is already taking place. Does China believe they can successfully invade Taiwan? If China does attack Taiwan, what would the attack look like? How would the United States respond? Is nuclear war possible? What is military-civilian fusion? How does China think of Comprehensive National Power (CNP) How have American elites both in business and politics helped to facilitate China's rise to power. On the American business class and Wall Street, Grant says, "You can't expect to win if you're funding your enemies."  Check out the book: When China Attacks A Warning to America 
Biography: Grant Newsham is a Senior Fellow with the Center for Security Policy. He is also a Research Fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies focusing on Asia-Pacific defense, political, and economic matters. Grant is a retired U.S. Marine Colonel and was the first U.S. Marine Liaison Officer to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. He also served as reserve head of intelligence for Marine Forces Pacific, and was the U.S. Marine Attaché, US Embassy Tokyo on two occasions.
Check out Grant's work at the Center for Security Policy. Find Grant on Twitter: @NewshamGrant
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If you like the interview and want to hear others, subscribe in iTunes, Spotify, or Audible. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth.
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Check out the website: www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com

On December 19, 1777, George Washington led the Continental Army onto a high plateau twenty miles northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After fighting the British at the Battles of Brandywine and Germantown, Washington entered camp with a little over 12,000 soldiers. By mid-February, that number had dropped in half. Disease ravaged camp. Soldiers starved. Many of them were down to their last shirt. Some walked into camp barefoot. As if the problems couldn’t get worse, most soldiers didn’t know if or when they would get paid for their service. 
Despite the many difficulties, General Washington was determined to pull the army through the winter. He faced multiple threats to his command both from within the army and from Congress. Although Valley Forge did not involve any large battle, the army faced one of its toughest challenges of the Revolutionary War. If it could survive and hold together, then the American fight for independence would continue.  
Through a combination of leadership and determination, Washington and his army were able to persevere. By the summer of 1778, the soldiers that survived the winter emerged hardened and ready for a fight.
In this podcast episode, we will study what happened at Valley Forge with a focus on Washington’s leadership and the many decisions that he had to make. 
We will begin the episode by imagining what order Washington might have given prior to occupying camp. Then we will focus on the following topics:
How did Washington prevent a mutiny?  What was the Conway Cabal and how did Washington overcome it? Who was the odd Prussian Captain that arrived at Valley Forge in February? How did the experience at Valley Forge shape Washington’s political mindset? What personnel decisions did Washington make?  How was morale maintained? What caused death and desertion? Check out the website: www.professionalmilitaryeducation.com to see maps and pictures. The website will also have a list of sources and additional information to study what happened at Valley Forge. 
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If you like the show and want to hear others, subscribe in iTunes, Spotify, or Audible. Support the show with written reviews, share on social media, and through word of mouth. 
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To request additional shows or guests, e-mail me: tim@professionalmilitaryeducation.com