Historian of the Moral Fog of War
Andrew O. Pace
In 2003, former US Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara reflected on his own participation and America’s role in World War II and the Vietnam War and stated:
“I think the human race needs to think more about killing. How much evil must we do in order to do good?”
This profound question lies at the heart of my research and the future of US foreign policy. Through my work on the moral fog of war, I continue to try to resolve McNamara’s haunting dilemma.
Explore the Site
Andrew Pace is a historian of the US in the World who specializes in the moral fog of war. He is currently a DPAA Research Partner Fellow at the University of Southern Mississippi and a podcast host for the Diplomatic History Channel on the New Books Network. He received his PhD in US history from the University of Colorado Boulder and is now working on a book manuscript about the reversal in US grand strategy from victory at all costs in World War II to peace at any price in the Vietnam War. Andrew is also seeking a full-time teaching position as well as research collaborations and speaking engagements.
Andrew is not an employee of DPAA, he supports DPAA through a partnership. The views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of DPAA, DoD or its components.
Research & Teaching Interests
US History, US Foreign Relations, morality & war, World War II, the Cold War, Just War Tradition, forensic history, speeches & photographs, international soccer.
Teaching Philosophy
My teaching combines passion, personality, and pedagogy and embodies the conviction that, because the past is a foreign country, the best history teachers come from the past itself and students learn best by immersing themselves in historical sources. I also go beyond historical content and skills because, as Plutarch wrote, students' minds are not vessels to be filled but fires to be kindled. I inspire and ignite the minds of my students and encourage them to become more empathetic, engaged, and ethical citizens, and life-long learners, by breathing life into the past and enabling students to experience history for themselves.
Second Report of the Commanding General of the Army Air Forces to the Secretary of War (Baltimore, MD: Schneidereith & Sons, 1945), 86.
B-29 Superfortress “Hagarty’s Hag” (#44-86408) repainted to resemble the Silverplate B-29 “Straight Flush” at Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, USA.
Teaching Method
Helping Students Experience History for Themselves
Primary Sources – Breathe life into the past by teaching from, not just with, historical documents.
“Story-Showing” – Place students in the shoes of historical figures through activities, games, and case studies.
Real-World Applications – Practice historical skills through hands-on projects.
“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”
Thomas Cole, The Course of Empire: The Savage State (1834)
“History smiles at all attempts to force its flow into theoretical patterns or logical grooves; it plays havoc with our generalizations, breaks all our rules; history is baroque. Perhaps, within these limits, we can learn enough from history to bear reality patiently, and to respect one another’s delusions.”
— Will & Ariel Durant, The Lessons of History (1968), 13.
ND 9-2 Casualties 8/11/68-, Box 45, National Security – Defense, White House Central Files, LBJ Presidential Library.
