Summary/Abstract:

Lena will discuss her recent book, Valiant Women, which tells the story of the 350,000 American women who served in uniform during World War II and whose work, both individually and in total, was at the heart of the Allied strategy that won World War II. While these stories have traditionally been relegated to the dusty shelves of military archives or a passing mention in the local paper, Valiant Women corrects the record with the definitive and comprehensive historical account of American servicewomen during World War II. Using new archival research, firsthand interviews with surviving veterans, and a deep professional understanding of military history and strategy, Lena argues that fully understanding this war requires that we understand the contribution of these women.

Bio:

Lena Andrews is the author of the national bestseller, Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II and an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. Lena previously served as a military analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, and has also worked at the RAND Corporation and United States Institute of Peace. Her work has appeared on MSNBC, PBS, CNN, Today, People, and TIME, among other outlets. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Lena received her Ph.D. in political science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she was a member of the Security Studies Program.