The First Washington Conference, codenamed Arcadia, was the first meeting between the U.S. and the U.K. to determine military strategy. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and top military advisers made major decisions that would determine direction of Allied war effort. The main achievement of the conference was the “Europe first” decision, declaring that the defeat of Germany was the highest priority. Historian and retired Brigadier General John F. Shortal skillfully unravels the inside story of this pivotal meeting. He shows how the working and personal relationships between Roosevelt and Churchill, as well as their military chiefs of staffs, first took root and then blossomed during the conference.

General Shortal was born in New York City, on Marsh 2, 1951. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1974, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. He also holds Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in history from Temple University. His military education includes completion of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the National War College.

General Shortal retired from active service on September 30, 2006. Prior to retirement, he held a wide variety of command and staff positions culminating in his assignments as the Assistant Division Commander (Support) for the 2nd Infantry Division in the Republic of Korea and as the Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After his retirement, he was selected as the Assistant Chief of Military History at the Army’s Center for Military History. On September 14, 2009, General Shortal was sworn in as the Director for Joint History.

The views expressed in this lecture are those of the speaker/s and do not necessarily reflect those of the George C. Marshall Foundation.