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Calling all car collectors! Register and spread the word about our first annual Heritage & Horsepower Fundraiser Car Show at the American Heritage Museum on Saturday, August 23rd from 11am to 3pm! Go to our website and register your car today and help us spread the word! All proceeds from the day go toward our Fuel Our Field Trips Fund to provide transportation and admission grants for underserved schools in our region! ... See MoreSee Less
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If you didn't make it out to our WWII Pacific Reenactment yesterday, there's still time! Today, Sun, July 13th, all 3 of our museum buildings will be open, with food trucks, vendors and more! Plus, we will have our Pacific war reenactment at 1:00pm, honoring the 80 year anniversary of the end of WWII in the Pacific. So don't wait!You can buy tickets in advance on our website, or pay at the gate. The weather looks good, so come join us for a day of learning at the American Heritage Museum!www.americanheritagemuseum.org/event/wwii-pacific-re-enactment-saipan-campaign-2025/(Photo credit to Matthew Ford, and Keith Reid @madbadger_aviationlens on IG) ... See MoreSee Less
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Special for Saturday at the WWII in the Pacific Re-Enactment Weekend at the American Heritage Museum will be an appearance (weather permitting) of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from the Massachusetts Army National Guard where it will be on display from arrival at 9am to departure around 3pm on Saturday. Unfortunately, it will not be on display on Sunday. Come and learn how the MANG uses it to support various missions, including disaster response, medevac, and troop transport. ... See MoreSee Less
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What is your favorite Submachine Gun of all time?Join the conversation and share your thoughts! 💭 Each week, We're posing a question about historical military vehicles, and we want YOU to weigh in. Whether you’re a history buff, or just curious—we want to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment below to cast your vote! 👇#QuestionOfTheWeek ... See MoreSee Less
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Speaker Series: MacArthur Reconsidered

September 22, 2023 @ 2:00 pm, ending 3:30 pm

$10 – $20

Join us at the American Heritage Museum on September 22nd to hear a presentation by James Ellman, author of “MacArthur Reconsidered,” as he digs deep, connects the dots, and concludes that General Douglas MacArthur was decidedly not a military genius.

One of America’s most controversial generals, Douglas MacArthur’s rise through the U.S. Army’s ranks was meteoric. However, he did not lead large formations of men in combat until he assumed command of forces in the Philippines in 1941. When war commenced with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, MacArthur’s performance on the battlefield was a failure: he underestimated the Japanese, and his poorly trained forces were outmaneuvered and outfought by a much smaller invading force. However, in what became a repeating hallmark of his career, he successfully portrayed his actions to much of the American people as brilliant and heroic regardless of victory or defeat. After fleeing to Australia, MacArthur famously announced, “I will return,” and followed through on a quest to retake Manila regardless of its impact on Allied global strategy or its cost in American, Australian, and Filipino blood.

In his subsequent role as America’s shogun in Tokyo, MacArthur was again surprised by an enemy he underestimated. The Korean War yielded his greatest victory, at Inchon, but also his greatest defeat, along the Yalu River. Unwilling to accept anything but complete victory, he openly defied President Truman: MacArthur fatally undermined chances for an early peace, planned to seed a great swath of enemy territory with radioactive cobalt, and attempted to widen a conflict which threatened to become a third world war. Raging against his subsequent firing, he only truly faded away after he was publicly criticized by a panoply of America’s greatest WWII generals.

Today, MacArthur still polarizes. Many biographies agree he was a great and patriotic leader marred by a few failures. Ellman argues the opposite: MacArthur was a lackluster battlefield commander who suffered stunning defeats while undermining the command structure of our military.

Details

Date:
September 22, 2023
Time:
2:00 pm, ending 3:30 pm
Cost:
$10 – $20
Event Categories:
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EVENT TICKETS ONLY FOR SATURDAY & SUNDAY - No General Admissions available this weekend during WWII in the Pacific Re-Enactment Weekend special event.

There will be no General Admissions tickets available on Saturday, July 12th and Sunday, July 13th during the WWII in the Pacific Re-Enactment Weekend - all visitors on Saturday and Sunday must purchase event tickets for access to the American Heritage Museum. $30 Adults | $25 Seniors/Veterans | $20 Children 3 to 16 years old.