Peter R. Mansoor

Dr. Peter R. Mansoor is the General Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair of Military History at The Ohio State University, holding a professorship since 2008. A retired U.S. Army Colonel, he served for 26 years in roles including brigade commander in Iraq, council member at the Council on Foreign Relations, and executive officer to General David Petraeus. He earned a Ph.D. in History from Ohio State (1995), an M.S.S. from the U.S. Army War College (2003), and a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy (1982).

His research focuses on U.S. military history, World War II combat performance, counterinsurgency strategies, and modern conflict dynamics. Notable works include GI Offensive in Europe (2000), Baghdad at Sunrise (2008 memoir), and Surge (2013). He contributed to the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual and advised on Iraq War strategy during the surge.

Honors include the Society for Military History’s Distinguished Book Award (2000), Ohioana Library Association’s Non-Fiction Book of the Year (2009), and Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize Finalist (2013). Mansoor currently researches the liberation of the Philippines in WWII and collaborates on environmental history projects related to global conflicts.

Advising and grants: His mentorship earned the 2018 Distinguished Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. He has directed initiatives like the Counterinsurgency Center at Fort Leavenworth. Active in military education, he taught at West Point and advised strategic policy groups including the Joint Chiefs of Staff Council of Colonels.