Student Research Projects

No Mercy: World War Two Pacific island combat shaped by environment, violence, and racism

Student Name(s)	Robert John Thompson III
Faculty Mentor(s)
Department	History
Course	History 460/461

Abstract

My thesis is centered on the argument that Second World War Pacific island combat was heavily affected by environment, violence, and racism. Those three factors had a profound impact on the Marines who fought most of the land war against the Japanese. Thanks to this project, I have learned a great deal about the personal experiences of many Marines. It is from the personal experiences that I discovered my interest in the impact of war on the individual. This is a topic I wish to continue exploring while at graduate school.

Conferences

Presented at the Phi Alpha Theta conference in Lexington, VA in March 2006.