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JP Clark

@jpclark97.bsky.social
2.5K followers 390 following 215 posts

Historian | Educator of strategists | Editor-in-chief @warroomeds.bsky.social | Author "Preparing for War: Emergence of the Modern US Army, 1815-1917" | Now writing “Acts of Madness: US Military Strategy in the Pacific, 1897-1941” | www.jpclark.works

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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Listening to “Because the Night” while doing the dishes got me thinking of this book (Patti Smith and Sam Shepard in their youth must have been a hell of a smart, wild, intense ride). That makes this rumination of the end all the more haunting.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Another fun one from the Stimson diary. The birth of the Pentagon. Appropriately, “the whole thing seemed to be silly” initially but then after reflection “it would probably be a good thing.” The jury is still out…😉
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
A fun one from the Stimson diary.
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Angry Staff Officer @pptsapper.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
A day after the 82d anniversary of D-Day, I’m begging the Army to stop being so obsessed with Operation Overlord and to start looking to its WWII operations in the Pacific theater for valuable but uncomfortable lessons. angrystaffofficer.com/2026/06/07/t...
angrystaffofficer.com
The U.S. Army’s Dangerous Obsession with WWII Europe
You know the old adage, the Army is always preparing to fight the last war? I’d offer a twist on that: the Army is always preparing to fight the war it really wants. And the war it wants is W…
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
This week, BSAP Class 26B has been able to discuss two new books in our curriculum. Great material prompts great discussions. Thanks @honer.bsky.social and Jim Lacey!
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Hupple’s Cat @hupplescat.bsky.social · 29/05/2026
Iconic images of this war. Stunning shots.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Going out for some Danish pastries and the oldest child spotted Tammany Hall. Good thing we are past the age of corruption in government!
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
Hello Manhattan!
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Manuscript reviews are much better on nice days when you can get out and listen to the birdsong with a light breeze. Good living. And I even get paid in books!
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
Peak migration season here in south-central Pennsylvania. Just had our annual visit from a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. He stayed for a time at the feeder. Glad to give him some sustenance on his journey (and take a few minutes from writing to watch).
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David M. Perry @lollardfish.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
I loved this conversation with @katecarp.bsky.social and you should all subscribe to @draftingthepast.bsky.social. I never read my own transcripts but remembered asking such generous and generative questions. As she does with every guest.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
If Ricky Bobby drives better with a cougar in the car, then maybe I write better surrounded by a pack of ferocious office wolves.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
A real treat to have Sir Hew Strachan visit the Army War College.
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The Onion @theonion.com · 16/04/2026
“Our research consistently revealed that one of the best predictors of a sleepless night was having a gong sound near one’s bed,” said lead author Dr. Sylvia Mott
theonion.com
Poor Sleep Linked To Gong
CHICAGO—Concluding that the costs of keeping such a device in the bedroom far exceeded the benefits, a study released Monday by the University of Chicago’s sleep lab found a strong link between poor s...
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
Some historical perspective on lethality as a force development construct from Rob Williams.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 21/03/2026
My favorite passage from Strunk & White:
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 01/03/2026
Organizing my notes from John McManus’s excellent Fire and Fortitude. One note is entitled “MacArthur was a horrible person.”
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Maybe Germany is like Faulkner’s South: the past isn’t even in the past. Fascinating discussion with @rjgranieri.bsky.social about his new book from @oxfordunipress.bsky.social.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 08/02/2026
Just saw my first bluebird of 2026. Although the Merlin app tells me that Carlisle is well within their year-round range and the current windchill is -3, I choose to take this as a sign of spring!
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Pretty sunrise and a hawk hanging out in the neighbors’ tree to get the day off to a start.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
It is great to see this book, expertly edited by @amosfox.bsky.social and @hoanssolo.bsky.social on the streets. I give a simple account of the origins of the army's concept. That is followed by great analysis from others including @heatheratacts.bsky.social @jwmeiser.bsky.social. lnkd.in/gPvpMjHR
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 26/12/2025
@univpressofkansas.bsky.social holiday sale means it’s a perfect time to get some of the best, latest USMC history from Mike Morris and Mark Folse.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 19/12/2025
The Spotify algorithm evidently decided that I should have a dose of introspection as I got ready for work. An interesting pairing. Funny how “He Went to Paris” hits differently as you get older.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
Every author needs a beagle under their desk to aid the creative process through a combination of snorts, sighs, and generally keeping you from putting your feet in the most comfortable position. She’s a weird little dog. Perhaps part rat as smelly, cave-like environments are her thing.
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Waitman Wade Beorn, PhD, FRHistS @waitmanwbeorn.com · 22/11/2025
I’m gonna be honest, Panel Discussants at Conferences: We really don’t want to hear your comments for 20 MINUTES. Send the presenters an email and let them field questions about their work from the audience.
media.tenor.com
a man is sitting at a desk in an office looking at a computer screen .
ALT: a man is sitting at a desk in an office looking at a computer screen .
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WeRateDogs @weratedogs.com · 22/09/2025
This is Annie. She freaking loves fall. 13/10 (FB: James Osborne)
a small brown dog leaps up from behind a pile of crunchy brown leaves. her eyes and mouth are open wide, and her big floppy ears are extended out like wings to either side.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
The universe definitely does not want me to write much today. A young hawk decided to give me a treat for a good minute.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
It’s hard to concentrate on writing with such a pretty sunrise.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
Two new recommendations for those looking for good non-fiction. Tore Skeie's, The Wolf Age. Danny Orbach's, Curse on This Country. They are quite different in tone and content, but each excellent in its own way. For other recommendations, check out my website. www.jpclark.works/goodreads
jpclark.works
Good Reads — J.P. Clark works
Some of My Favorite Books on History
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Dr Aimée Fox @draefox.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Only a month 'til the publication of “Framing the First World War: How Divergent Views Shaped a Global Conflict”, edited by me, @mpmfinch.bsky.social & @dmorganowen.bsky.social! US readers: get 30% discount (code: FRAMINGWWI) & free shipping if you order direct from @univpressofkansas.bsky.social
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
If is easy to lose the plot and idolize athletes for crass outcomes rather than the noble characteristics that sport at its best brings out. I hope to be a little like Ichiro. Maybe you do, too. If so, good luck to us all. www.nytimes.com/athletic/666... Why Ichiro won’t stop working like a player.
nytimes.com
Why Ichiro won’t stop working like a player: ‘Seeing makes the message so much more believable’
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
We hope to be back soon!
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
As ever, Ali Wyne brings nuance, balance, and insight to the toughest subjects. This one is well worth your time. mwi.westpoint.edu/mwi-podcast-...
mwi.westpoint.edu
MWI Podcast: China’s Strategic Competition with the United States - Modern War Institute
The December 2017 release of a new US National Security Strategy was, in key ways, a watershed moment. The previous strategy, released in 2015, noted that "the scope of our cooperation with China is u...
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Ooof. By dint of alphabetical order, I am now in the older half of living West Point graduates.
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Gerald Butts @gmbutts.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
The New Yorker is on the nose this Back to School season.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
This was such a fun conversation, although I am still embarrassed about how much I didn’t know about an event that took place and has had a huge effect on my military career.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
The summary of the current state of the innovation/adaptation literature alone is worth the price of entry. On top of that, a well-argued, provocative argument. smallwarsjournal.com/2025/08/11/t...
smallwarsjournal.com
The Innovation Imperative: Why Tactical Ingenuity is Not Enough | Small Wars Journal by Arizona State University
A Strategist and Foreign Area Officer argue that the U.S. Army should embrace a top-down approach to innovation across all levels of wars.
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JP Clark @jpclark97.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
In additional to the useful, practical hints on the use of operational data, Melissa also provides good advice on how to be a useful and respected functional SME in an organization( these apply beyond just ORSAs.
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Mr. Fresh™️ 📡 @mrfresh.bsky.social · 06/07/2025
“The hype around AI has prompted many companies to experiment without clear goals, adequate infrastructure, or a realistic understanding of what the technology can deliver, says Prof Li.” <—- well, this is shocking….
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