England
An Oxford World War II Conference
Program No. 21453RJ
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An Oxford World War II Conference
An Oxford World War II Conference
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Program
At a Glance
Duration
8 days
Program Begins
Oxford
Program Concludes
Oxford
Meals
16 (
6B, 5L, 5D
)
Activity Level
From
4,699On September 1, 1939 the threads of an increasingly tense web of international relations began to snap as German forces crossed the Polish border. One year later armed conflict was again in full swing across the world, with no end in sight. We invite you to join distinguished scholars and historians in Oxford, England for a historic conference in Road Scholar’s World War series. Delve into the development of the Second World War with leading experts at the conference.
Best of all, you'll...
- Get insight from renowned experts, historians, authors, professors and broadcasters into the events of the Second World War with a special focus on a specific year.
- Focus on the events of that year in lectures.
- Learn about the events of the war on land, sea and in the air, as well as daily life on the home front, in an expert-led discussion.
- Enjoy the ambience of an Oxford College at St Hugh's, including dinner in hall, receptions and gala dinner and a gin tasting with John Harris.
General Notes
This conference program has a maximum of 120 like-minded participants, is classroom-based and features acclaimed experts. For field trips, the group will be divided into smaller groups. Double rooms are not offered on this program due to the rooming configurations at St. Hugh’s College. We offer a set of two single rooms with an adjoining area and shared bathroom facilities. Roommate matching cannot be offered.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Spencer Jones
Dr. Spencer Jones is an award-winning historian and author with a special interest in the First and Second World Wars and the life of Sir Winston Churchill. He is a senior lecturer in armed forces and war studies at the University of Wolverhampton, and serves in the British Army as the regimental historian of the Royal Artillery. His most recent publication is 'The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917' (Helion and Company, 2021).
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Please Note:
These experts may not be available for every date of the program
Spencer Jones
Dr. Spencer Jones is an award-winning historian and author with a special interest in the First and Second World Wars and the life of Sir Winston Churchill. He is a senior lecturer in armed forces and war studies at the University of Wolverhampton, and serves in the British Army as the regimental historian of the Royal Artillery. His most recent publication is 'The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917' (Helion and Company, 2021).
Ruth Polling
Ruth Polling graduated at the top of her class as the London Blue Badge Travel Educator of the Year and has been sharing her knowledge of England with curious travelers for over a decade. London born and bred, she is energetic and passionate about her home city. Ruth graduated from the London School of Economics with a degree in international history. She previously worked in London politics for 11 years including working in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Jonathan Krause
Dr. Jonathan Krause is a research fellow at the University of Oxford and lecturer in the history of war at the University of Wolverhampton. He is the author of "Early Trench Tactics in the French Army: the Second Battle of Artois, May-June 1915" and editor of "The Greater War: Other Combatants and Other Fronts, 1914-1918." He is currently writing a book on the history of anticolonial rebellions in West Africa and Southeast Asia in the early 20th century.
John Harris
A one-of-a-kind experience deserves a one-of-a-kind expert, and that’s exactly what you’ll find on this grandest of learning adventures. Accompanying you on your journey by private plane is John Harris, an emeritus fellow of Christ Church at the University of Oxford, as well as president of the Oxford Literary Festival. John is an experienced educator who has been an instructor with Road Scholar for many years. As a well-rounded historian, John has lectured on just about everything, from maritime studies to battlefield explorations. Needless to say, you’re in excellent hands on this learning adventure of a lifetime.
Kevin Durjun
Kevin Durjun began his career in theatre arts as a radio producer and presenter. He then served as manager at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and later as membership and communications manager for the Independent Theatre Council as well as two leading off-West End theatres.
Robert Lyman
Dr. Robert Lyman, FRHistS, is a writer and historian. He is a research fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, University of Oxford. After finishing a 20-year career in the British Army in 2001, he has published widely on the Second World War in Europe, North Africa and Asia.
Kate Vigurs
Dr. Kate Vigurs, FRHistS, is an historian, author, and researcher. She is currently a visiting academic in the department of political and international studies at the University of Warwick. With a Ph.D. in history from the University of Leeds. She is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
Victoria Taylor
Dr. Victoria Taylor, B.A. (Hons), M.Res., AFHEA, is an award-winning aviation historian who completed her Ph.D. thesis on the Luftwaffe and National Socialism in the Third Reich at the University of Hull and Sheffield Hallam University. Her main historical focus is on British and German aviation during the interwar period and the Second World War.
Matthias Strohn
Matthias Strohn is head of historical analysis at the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research and visiting professor of military studies at the University of Buckingham. Educated at Münster and Oxford, he has written or edited over 20 books on 20th-century German and European warfare, among them 'The German Army and the Defence of the Reich' and 'The Long Shadow of World War Two.' He is a serving colonel in the German Army.
Johnathan Carrol
Jonathan Carroll is an associate professor of military history at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where he teaches modern and future warfighting. A former infantry officer in the Irish Defence Forces, he took his doctorate at Texas A&M University and has taught at Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and King's College London. His award-winning 'Beyond Black Hawk Down' is the first military history of the intervention in Somalia. He has a particular interest in Allied airborne and amphibious operations in the European theatre.
Lloyd Clark
Lloyd Clark is a professor of modern war studies and contemporary military history at the University of Buckingham and director of research at the Centre for Army Leadership at Sandhurst. A fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he specializes in command, leadership, and airborne and amphibious warfare. His books include 'Arnhem,' 'Anzio,' 'Kursk,' 'Blitzkrieg' and 'The Commanders,' a study of Patton, Montgomery and Rommel.
Mike Peters
Mike Peters is a full-time military historian and battlefield guide, and chairman of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides. He served 30 years in the Army Air Corps, rising from private to major and finishing as Deputy Chief of Staff of the UK Attack Helicopter Force. He is the author of 'Glider Pilots at Arnhem' and 'Glider Pilots in Sicily.'
John Buckley
John Buckley is a professor of military history at the University of Wolverhampton. He writes on 20th-century warfare, air power, and the final year of the Second World War. His books include 'Air Power in the Age of Total War,' 'British Armour in the Normandy Campaign' and 'Monty's Men: The British Army and the Liberation of Europe, 1944–45,' which won the Templer Medal in 2014.
Mark Connelly
Mark Connelly is an emeritus professor of modern British history at the University of Kent. His work spans operational history, war memory, and the armed forces in popular culture. He is the author of 'We Can Take It!' which examines Britain's home front and the memory of the Second World War.
Megan Hamilton
Megan Hamilton is a doctoral researcher in the Defence Studies Department at King's College London, working on an AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership with the Imperial War Museum. Her thesis examines how the British Army developed, disseminated and synchronized training in the Second World War. She is a regional director of the Second World War Research Group and teaches at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking and standing up to 2 hours on some field trips.
Suggested Books and Resources
View Full List
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call
800-454-5768
Helpful Links
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Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
Assurance Plan
Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.
- Peace of Mind
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. That’s why we go to the ends of the earth to give you peace of mind, from the moment you enroll until the day you return home.
- Assurance Plan
Road Scholar is committed to the well-being of every participant, whether on a program in the United States or abroad. That’s why all participants are covered under our Road Scholar Assurance Plan, which provides 24-hour assistance in the event of an emergency during your program, as well as insurance for emergency medical evacuation.
- Want to Protect Your Investment?
Road Scholar is pleased to offer its Trip Protection Plan as a way to protect your program investment. You may purchase this optional trip protection plan when enrolling in your program.
- Sustainable Travel
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Read about our commitment to a more sustainable planet.
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