Where All Roads Lead

Students and alumni set off to Italy to build lifelong relationships by studying wartime camaraderie and combat

By Duke University

May 10^th, 2023

When the Duke Program in American Grand Strategy (AGS) leads an international tour with more than 30 participants each year, every step and stage throughout the week is pre-planned. That preparation is necessary because their tours — called staff rides — are a specific kind of immersive learning.

Adam Lemon (‘17) recalled the origins: “The staff ride was created in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars by Prussians. They would walk battlefields of previous wars, observe the terrain and have officers research and take the roles of various leaders on all sides. An officer would present their character's personal history, plans for the conflict and actions during it. The other participants then adopt their characters’ roles and counter or question the presenter’s arguments.”

Students collected many museum and tour pamphlets. Government resources and civilian efforts have helped preserve historical monuments that dot the Italian countryside.

AGS Director Peter Feaver, professor of Political Science, and the AGS Student Council have expanded the sphere of wartime concern to include not only the arguments and tactics of leaders and soldiers, but also how those fraught decisions that risk or cause tragedy and loss of life can evoke empathy. “The human-interest stories of both soldiers and civilians are inspiring and heart-breaking," John Hillen (’88) remembered. “These Italian campaigns brought all those facets and much more to life in front of our eyes and through our presentations.”

Students and alumni walked alongside 7,738 Latin crosses at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial.

“The human-interest stories of both soldiers and civilians are inspiring and heart-breaking."

At the Casablanca Conference in January 1943, World War II Allied leaders decided to follow the success of the campaign in North Africa by invading Sicily. Success in Sicily led to landings in Italy and eventually the liberation of Rome. Hillen previously served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs and is a longstanding member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His seasoned perspective often shaped entire discussions on the trip. Hillen reflected on the historic decision to invade Sicily: “At the highest level of diplomatic action and strategic design, it represented a somewhat controversial strategic choice for the allies that was debated between them for years.”

The first stop on the trip was to the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, where students were moved to somber reflection as they walked past 7,860 headstones on their way to the map room for the first round of presentations.

“As a freshman on the staff ride with no experience studying grand strategy,” Riya Sharma recalled, “I went into the trip completely unsure of what to expect.” She walked through a bronze gate with students and alumni who she had just recently met, and they gathered around an octagonal table inset with a circular relief map of marble mosaic tile depicting the Italian peninsula and Sicily during American military operations. Hillen was the first to present. “Delving into the allied campaign to liberate Rome allows us to look at every aspect of war and grand strategy. To track the actions of leaders in coming to the compromise that led to these campaigns is a case study in leading a diverse coalition.”

The mosaic map on the ground, the large fresco maps painted on the walls, and introductory remarks by eminent mid-century historian Sir Michael Howard, as portrayed by Hillen, set an immersive depth that establishes the context for the Italian campaign and the tone of the characterizations. Sharma remembered, “Facing the unknowns of a staff ride in a foreign country with a group of strangers made for some of the most exciting memories and important relationships.”

John Hillen ('88) stands in the center and offers remarks as the renowned military historian and strategist Sir Michael Howard.

Everyone finds a place in the North Garden to hear Ruthie Kesri ('24) offer the British military's perspective through General Sir Alan Brooke.

Grant Wernick ('25) turns toward the large fresco of the Italian peninsula and finds himself framed in the painting of Leonetto Tintori of Florence.

The expectation on a staff ride is to participate and present from the perspective of a historical figure in a historically relevant location, made vivid by the commitment of the group to staying in their respective characters and appreciating the limited knowledge their character had to inform decisions. But the Italian landscape offered its own dramatic contribution. “The terrain was magnificent to observe and instantly brought to us an understanding of how the land, logistics and weather shaped decisions and outcomes,” Hillen recalled. Jason Huang, who is a double major in political science and computer science, remembered reading about the battlegrounds of the Winter Line and the Ardeatine Massacre. “Seeing those places in person created vivid memories that will stay with me. I still remember the details of when I gave Luftwaffe General Albert Kesselring’s presentation: from the cloudy blue skies to the gentle wind.”

On the left, Grant Wernick ('25) listens as the Allied side Lieutenant General Mark Clark to a response from Jason Huang ('23) who represents the Axis side through Luftwaffe General Albert Kesselring.

“The terrain was magnificent to observe and instantly brought to us an understanding of how the land, logistics and weather shaped decisions and outcomes.”

Huang is graduating in 2023 and his affection for AGS grew year over year, helping him feel connected to Duke. “As an ROTC cadet, I initially did not feel connected to Duke’s community and that I had made good use of the university’s resources. This became exacerbated by COVID.” Nick Setterberg (’12) was a lab director of the Kessel Run project in the U.S. Air Force before becoming a program manager at Google. He has been particularly supportive of Huang and AGS. “I spent time with Jason discussing his future. He is the kind of person we need in the U.S. military. Our conversations revolved around how we can balance the desire for approval with an inward self-reliance that can lead to a rewarding career. Simply listening builds a tremendous amount of trust. My goal is to help students, especially seniors, develop awareness around their motivations.”

On the left, Jason Huang ('23), and on the right, Nick Setterberg ('12), stand together after touring the Winter Line Museum Venafro.

On the bus the next day from San Pietro to Monte Cassino, Eric Lindsey (‘09) asked Francis de Beixedon if they could take a picture together. Lindsey works for Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems and, if not for AGS trips, they may never have crossed paths. de Beixedon, who is graduating in 2023, found meaning in that selfie: “Lindsey said it was because he told his wife — who I met during last year's staff ride to Pearl Harbor — that I was back, so she wanted to see me! From that moment on, I knew that I had actually become a friend of an alum. Looking forward, I see that through our shared experiences, my peers, professors, and alumni are genuinely rooting for my success.” “Talking to students about life and careers is very natural on a staff ride,” Hillen said. He notes that the act of leadership role-playing elevates the students’ mindset into a professional framework and helps bridge to informal conversation with alumni.

"I just remember feeling so comfortable as if the AGS community was like a family away from home." Francis de Beixedon ('23) remembers the friends he made on the trip while exploring San Pietro with his camera.

More than 30 members of the Duke community gather for a photograph after discussing the Battle of San Pietro Infine, a major war engagement in December 1943.

David Schanzer is a faculty member at the Duke Sanford School and Director of the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security. He presents as Franklin D. Roosevelt to a cheering audience.

When the group stepped off the bus at Monte Cassino, they were met with some of the most challenging discussions. “There are deep moral and legal issues in the campaign, especially around the bombing of the historic Abbey,” Hillen explained. This ancient, scared monastery was established around 529 C.E. but was bombed to rubble by American-led air raids. Allied forces believed that the Abbey was occupied by German forces; the intelligence was wrong.

Ph.D. student Justine Robinson gives a presentation along the fortress of Rocca Janula, built in the 10th century.

Local historian Pino Valente draws fortification lines in the sand to describe the defense of Rocca Janula.

Huang was very active during these debates: “I could personally imagine American and Allied soldiers struggling their way up the sides of the mountains. With the Abbey of Monte Cassino overlooking the terrain, I could see why the American generals felt threatened and decided on its destruction.” Hillen added that “the land, logistics, and weather shaped decisions and outcomes.” Students were pouring over the maps that hung on walls, that tour guides carried, and that students printed and shared with each other.

Daniel Billings ('23) asks questions about the landing of Allied forces with the owner of the Winter Line Venafro Museum watching closely.

Sam Reynoldson ('23) pours over maps as he prepares to offer context to discussions of the terrain at San Pietro Infine.

Daniel Billings ('23), with tour guides, reviews images of the reconstruction of the Abbey after the WWII bombing.

“I could personally imagine American and Allied soldiers struggling their way up the sides of the mountains."

(From the Left) Courtney Yribarrren ('26), Felicia Wang ('25), Lauren Tse ('25) and Lauren Read ('25) stand at the same hilltop where the first Abbot of Monte Cassino stood in the 5th century.

Ph.D. student Joseph Rodriguez receives a blessing from the Abbot of Monte Cassino, Luca Antonio Fallica.

Susan Lin ('24) lights a candle inside the lower level of the Abbey of Monte Cassino. The Abbey is known by many as the "Lighthouse of Western Civilization."

On the right, John Hillen ('88) stands to hear from the presenter FBI Unit Chief Luz Ruiz (center), who is a Fellow in the Counterterrorism and Public Policy Program.

The Duke community gathers at the edge of Quota 593 near the Polish War Memorial. The Abbey of Monte Cassino is in the background, and then the Liri Valley and the Aurunci Mountains recede further into the scene.

MPP student Alice Shih steps through the gates of the Mausoleo Delle Fosse Ardeatine.

Courtney Yribarren ('26) and Eric Lindsey ('09) spark up a conversation at their lunch in Rome.

Maria Morrison ('22) helped students find openings to view the sunset at the top of Castel Sant'Angelo in Rome. She took a break from her graduate studies at the University of Cambridge to rejoin this year's staff ride.

The final road led to Rome, naturally. At this point in the trip, first- and second-year students had grown close with seniors, the seniors with alumni, and everything in between. “Some of the great friends I made from the staff rides have been people from other class years,” Huang remembers. “And we had a fantastic time exploring Rome.”

“Just seeing how some of my younger classmates have grown over the years has been really impressive, especially Maeve Sullivan as one of the student leads,” de Beixedon explained. “Watching her subtly coordinate the starts and ends of briefings with Professor Feaver at each site was so impressive.” Sharma concluded: “What struck me most about the seniors was their warmth, kindness and genuine interest.”

Riya Sharma ('26) sits beside Francis de Beixedon ('23). Both are listening to Professor Feaver give final remarks as "Axis Sally."

"How did individuals deal after the war with what they did during the war?" Professor Feaver offers a final set of questions to end a week of presentations.

Patrons and alumni listen as Daniel Billings ('23) presents as Dwight D. Eisenhower in an ancient, vaulted cellar at Da Pancraznio.

Sophomore Maeve Sullivan was coordinating a final night of presentations when students walked through cobbled Roman streets on March 17. Two days after the remembered Ides of March when Julius Caesar was assassinated, Duke students descended into a restaurant near the Roman square of Campo de’ Fiori and into an ancient, vaulted cellar, surrounded by remains of the Theatre of Pompey. This restaurant was the final stage where Daniel Billings, another graduating senior, reprised the life and service of General Dwight D. Eisenhower. Personifying Eisenhower illustrated for the band of travelers an elevated perspective of the wider war theater.

Then, Professor Peter Feaver stood and ended a week of presentations with his dramatization of the person “Axis Sally.” This infamous radio broadcaster peddled Nazi propaganda on radio programs targeted to reach Allied soldiers. She was indicted for treason and found guilty in 1949 — the first woman convicted for that crime in U.S. history. Axis Sally is remembered as a contemptuous figure, but Feaver explained that her radio shows were popular at the time. Feaver concluded the presentation with a series of questions for the students and alumni to consider. “What does it say that the American public was entertained by Nazi propaganda and can we think of modern parallels? And through her own conversion to becoming a nun, she reached a measure of inner atonement. How did individuals deal after the war with what they did during the war?”

Thanks to the generosity of donors, alumni and university support, Duke’s Program in American Grand Strategy has traveled on staff rides in previous years to Normandy, Grenada, Vietnam, Belgium and France, Morocco, and Hawaii. “A high-touch program like this is only possible with extraordinary buy-in from Duke leadership and, of course, from generous supporters,” said Peter Feaver. “Fortunately, AGS is blessed with both. All the stake-holders –leadership, alums, families of students –get that this is the kind of thing that should be possible at a school like Duke, and I am glad that it is possible.” To learn more about the program, visit ags.duke.edu.