The Villages Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will host James Press at their program at at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 at Captiva Recreation Center.
Press’ talk entitled “Samurai and Swastika” will examine the alliance between Nazi Germany and Japan to discover why Hitler wanted Operation Orient – the conquest of the Middle East and India. These two Axis powers tried to support each other in their plans of conquest around the globe.
Press is originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where his love of history began in junior high school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in American History, and later a Master’s in American History, from Central Michigan University where his thesis was on the use of Apache scouts in the capture of Geronimo.
He taught history at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, specializing in military history, with courses on the American Civil War, the First and Second World Wars, Twentieth Century European History, Modern Asian History and the Vietnam War.
He is also a retired U.S. Army officer who served 21 years on active and reserve duty. He served in command and staff positions in the Transportation Corps, and graduated from the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College. His time in the Army is part of a family tradition that has seen five generations serve in either the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marines or the U.S. Navy. His daughter-in-law just retired from the U.S. Army, and his son serves with the Special Operations Command.
After teaching college history for 27 years, he retired and moved with his wife, Christine, to The Villages in 2016. They live in the Village of Sunset Point. Now he presents sessions at Villages’ history clubs, various veterans and military organizations, and The Enrichment Academy.
