Dates announced for 2025 WWI Symposium in Kansas City, USA
Beyond the Trenches: Indirect Approaches and Irregular Warfare in WWI
Friday 24 – Saturday 25 October 2025
The National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, USA, has announced its 2025 Symposium exploring innovative warfare strategies beyond the trenches.
While trenches dominated the Western Front, the Great War witnessed numerous innovative approaches to warfare. From aviation to underground tunnelling, from maritime operations to proxy forces—this symposium examines the diverse strategies beyond conventional trench warfare.
The two-day event will explore:
- diplomatic, economic and information warfare
- proxy forces and irregular warfare
- technological innovations including aviation and tunnelling
- maritime operations supporting land forces
- environmental and geographic considerations
This symposium will be valuable for educators, historians, and anyone with an interest in WWI and its surrounding periods. The event brings together experts to explore how combatants sought advantage through what British military theorist B.H. Liddell Hart later termed the 'indirect approach'.
Registration will open in Spring 2025. Further details including speakers and schedule will be announced in the coming months.
For more information, please visit the National WWI Museum and Memorial website.
Mark your calendar for what promises to be an insightful exploration of warfare beyond the iconic image of soldiers 'going over the top'.
Call for proposals
The National WWI Museum and Memorial is seeking proposals from scholars—with a particular emphasis on early career researchers—for the symposium.
Selected participants will present their research between 23-25 October 2025 and contribute a 500-word essay on a relevant artifact from the museum's collection. This opportunity offers a platform to share fresh perspectives on the war's global reach and legacy. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 30 June 2025, with notifications of acceptance by 1 August. For full details and submission guidelines, visit the website.
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