The End of WW II 80 Years On: A Conversation with Leading Historians
June 10 @ 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm CDT
All ESU members and Friends of ESU are invited to a free online conversation with leading historians to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII. This special event features renowned experts who will share unique insights and reflections on one of history’s most consequential global conflicts and its enduring impact.
The distinguished panelists are General the Lord Dannatt, Member of the House of Lords and former Chief of the General Staff, and Allen Packwood OBE, Director of the Churchill Archives Center at Cambridge University, Cambridge, England.
Following the success of their collaborative work, Churchill’s D-Day: The Inside Story, the panelists will explore the final chapters of the war, its aftermath, and the contemporary relevance of this pivotal moment in world history marking eight decades since the war’s conclusion.
While this online program is not part of our ESU Happy Hour programs, we occasionally find extraordinary online programs of interest to ESU members and guests. This program is hosted by the National Churchill Leadership Center and moderated by acclaimed author and historian Katherine Grace Katz. This will be a thought-provoking discussion you won’t want to miss.
When: Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 3:00 pm CT
Tickets: Free to attend but registration is required to receive webinar link.
About the Panelists:
General The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL
Richard Dannatt served as a soldier for forty years, concluding his career as Chief of the General Staff—the professional head of the British Army. In 2011, he became an independent member of the House of Lords. He is a frequent commentator on defense and security issues in the media. He divides his time between London and his family home in Norfolk. He is a Deputy Lieutenant for both Greater London and Norfolk.
Allen Packwood OBE
As Director of the Churchill Archives Centre since 2002, Allen has dedicated his career to preserving and illuminating history. A qualified archivist and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, he oversees one of the world’s most significant collections of modern political, diplomatic, and scientific papers, including those of Sir Winston Churchill and Baroness Thatcher. His expertise has taken him from curating exhibitions at the Library of Congress to organizing international conferences on the Cold War, and from Bermuda to Hong Kong, sharing Churchill’s life story and legacy. Last year saw the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the 150th anniversary of Churchill’s birth, and Allen and Richard’s book has brought fresh insights to this pivotal moment in history.