Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies

Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Workshops

Participants in the second Mass Atrocity Education Workshop for service academy faculty assemble at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.

30 May 2012, Anne Knowles speaks about GIS to teachers from various military departments as part of a West Point program with the museum. Photographer: Miriam Lomaskin

1 June 2012, Dwight Raymond PKSOI Representative. Colonel Dwight , Doctrine and Concepts Analyst at the Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute and Charlie Brown, Department of Defense brief West Point Professors. Photographer: Miriam Lomaskin

30 May 2012, Teachers from various military departments tour the museum as part of a West Point program with the museum. Photographer: Miriam Lomaskin

2012 Workshop Agenda

2012 Participant Bios

Executive Summary:
“Mass Atrocity Education Workshop: Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide”

Dr. David Frey
Associate Professor of History

Director, Center for Holocaust and Genocide

Studies at West Point

Ms. Gretchen Skidmore

Director, Civic and Defense Initiatives

National Institute for Holocaust Education

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

West Point’s Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies (CHGS), in partnership with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), conducted the second iteration of an innovative “Mass Atrocity Education Workshop: Teaching about the Holocaust and Genocide.” The purpose of the workshop, which took place between 29 May and 1 June 2012, in Washington, DC, is to help USMA, USNA, and USAFA better incorporate learning about the Holocaust and subsequent genocide and mass atrocity into their respective curricula.

This collaboration, conceived of by Dr. David Frey of West Point and Ms. Gretchen Skidmore of the USHMM, gathered a group of West Point, Navy and Air Force faculty from five different departments, renowned Holocaust and genocide scholars, staff and experts from Museum, and a representative from the Army War College, the Marine Corps University, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The three-day program included a tour of the Museum’s exhibits, discussions with experts, a discussion with a Holocaust survivor, and time for practical course planning intended to further the incorporation of the Holocaust and genocide content into the learning experiences of cadets and midshipmen. The program’s small size was designed to produce an intense, intimate, and productive environment conducive to creative thinking as well as the development of collaborative relationships that will continue throughout the academic year. The workshop, recently cited in the “Fact Sheet” released in conjunction with President Obama’s announcement of the creation of an Atrocity Prevention Board, has the following specific goals:

To further understanding of the Holocaust and genocide with particular emphasis on the roles of the military;
To empower participants with the competencies (knowledge and skills) to develop accurate and meaningful lessons on the Holocaust and /or genocide to be incorporated into existing curricula at the United States service academies;
To clarify the value of the Holocaust and genocide content in training future military officers;
To build awareness of genocide and mass atrocity and current efforts to enhance the world’s ability to prevent and respond to genocide today; and
To enhance the relationships between and build networks of faculty from the USMA, the USNA, the USAFA, genocide scholars, and Museum staff;
To contribute to the development of the Department of Defense’s readiness to develop further training and doctrine related to atrocity prevention.

External Links Disclaimer - The appearance of hyperlinks to external sites does not constitute endorsement by West Point or the Department of the U.S. Army of the linked web site or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, West Point and the Department of the U.S. Army does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. Such links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this Department of the Army web site.

Only questions or comments regarding the technical aspects of the Web site should be sent to the web master. If you are reporting a broken link, please help us by identifying the page or Web site where you found the link or web address.

Please click here to send an email to the West Point web team.