Topics of Dr. Cavallaro's Lectures

World War I: A War Expert's Analysis

The Battle of Caporetto

The World's First Four-Dimensional Naval Battle
using radio, naval aviation, surface ships and submarines.

The Last Austro-Hungarian Offensive during WWI

British troops in Italy during WWI

Warfare on the Italian Front

The Life and Times of Giuseppe Garibaldi

The Battle of Jutland, the Largest Naval Battle in WWI and
the Battle of Caporetto, the first blitz action of the 20th Century.

After almost half a century devoted to composing three volumes on the Great War, the author now lectures in major museums and universities in the United States and significant venues abroad. He is widely recognized as an expert on war and an authority on warfare on the Austro-Italian Front during the First World War.

Some of Dr. Cavallaro's recent lectures have included presentations at West Point; Boston University; Bard College; Marist College; Brown University; Vassar College; New York Military Affairs Symposium in New York City; the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, NY; Livingston County War Museum, Kansas City, Missouri; University of Delaware; The Great War Society, Stanford, California; The Union Jack Club, a private British military officers' club located in London, England; and Sydney, Australia's Italian Cultural Institute and Victoria Army Barracks.

He is currently developing a seminar on the Battle of Caporetto with English-speaking European speakers in Kobarid (Caporetto), Slovenia, as well as working on an international television documentary about the Battles of the Isonzo, with more than five hours of original combat film provided by the British, the Austrian and the Italian Army.

The author is chairman of the New England/New York chapter of the Western Front Association, U.S. Branch which is dedicated to the study of the First World War. He is also a member of the Society for Military History, an organization devoted since 1933 to stimulating and advancing the study of military history, with membership (today more than 2300) including many of the nation's most prominent scholars, soldiers, and citizens interested in military history. In addition, he belongs to The Great War Society, whose mission since its founding in 1986 has been to study all aspects of World War I and to promote a greater understanding of this catastrophic conflict and its profound and lasting effects on subsequent generations.

Having just returned from delivering a lecture at the National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Mo. which inspires thought, dialogue, and learning to make the experiences of the World War I era meaningful and relevant for present and future generations, the author began a lecture series of seven presentations on WWI on September 24th, 2010 as part of the Adult Education program at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. He also began a lecture series for undergraduates at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York on November 11th, 2010. The first lecture focused on warfare on the Austro-Italian front during the first World War. It is sponsored jointly by the History Dept. and the Modern Languages Dept., which will be offering a major in Italian in January 2011. In addition, Dr. Cavallaro presented a seminar on WWI at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York on November 13th, 2010.

During 2011 he presented a series of 8 lectures on the First World War at Poughkeepsie, New York's Marist College Continuing Learning Institute where he drew an overwhelming crowd of interested attendants. In 2011, he was also honored with a prize and an invitation to lecture in Italy by Fogolar Furlan, a worldwide group which represents the Friuli Region of Italy where all the WWI combat took place. The final months of 2011 included a lecture in Sydney, Australia's Italian Cultural Institute where he delivered his presentation in Italian, and at the Victoria Army Barracks delivered in English, followed by lectures in Brisbane and Melbourne, where he reports he met some of his first cousins (children of his parents' sisters and brothers) whom he had never met previously. He also mentions that he sometimes lectured twice in one day – quite a feat for a person of maturing years.

2012 Lectures: Dr. Cavallaro's lectures this year have focused on "Warfare on the Italian Front" which he has presented at a number of venues including a series of three at the Genoroso Pope Italian Cultural Center in New York's Westchester County town of Tuckahoe (Feb. 29th, March 21, April 25).

In June, he also presented that lecture in Italian at the gala Lecture Center at 355 Palazzo Ferrajoli which is in the grand Piazza Colonna in Rome, Italy. The site is just opposite the stately residence of Mario Monti who is the current Italian Prime Minister. Dr. Cavallaro was invited by the Fogolar Furlan, which is an exclusive club of members from all over the world who share roots to the Friuli region of Italy. Members join to honor their ancestors, to give back to an organization that has been with them their whole life, and to show their children how inspiring the Fogolar heritage, language, culture, cuisine and lifestyle can truly be. The region of Friuli is where most of the WWI combat took place. "In the audience will be many politicians and military officers interested in seeing a foreigner coming to their country talking in their language as an expert in their country's history," wryly comments Dr. Cavallaro. "It is rumored that the Prime Minister himself will be in attendance but I feel that he may have more important business to attend to than listen to a lecture on history," he drolly adds. Dr. Cavallaro was accompanied on this trip by his cousin and her family from Texas, a professional scholar with a Ph.D. in Social Work whom he hadn't seen in forty years! After the event in Rome, they returned to their parents' village in Sicily.


2013 Lectures: On Friday, January 18, 2013, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "Blitzkrieg at Caporetto (1917), in the Battle of France (1940), and in North Africa in 1941" at The Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmens' Club at the New York Military Affairs Symposium, 283 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10016-3540, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on the 2nd floor in the historic South Lounge. NYMAS is associated with the Society for Military History, Region 2.

Dr. Cavallaro is chairman of the New York - New England chapter of the World War One Historical Association which have yearly seminars in different localities. The 2013 annual seminar was held on March 16, 2013 at the Vassar College Alumnae House at 161 College Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12603.


2017 Lectures: On Friday, April 18, 2017, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "The Birth of Italy" at The Italian American Club, Ormond Beach, Florida, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ! As chairman of the New York - New England branch of the World War One Historical Association, Dr. Cavallaro presented a seminar at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York on December 15, 2017.

2018 Lecture: On Tuesday, May 22, 2018, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "The Life and Times of Giuseppe Garibaldi" at Casa Belvedere, The Italian Cultural Foundation on Staten Island, N.Y.

2019 Lecture: On Sunday, March 3, 2019, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture at Florida's Ormond Beach Regional Library on "The Battle of Jutland, the Largest Naval Battle in WWI and the Battle of Caporetto, the first blitz action of the 20th Century."

2021 Lecture: On Saturday, October 9, 2021, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture impersonating Christopher Columbus at the Christopher Columbus Festival held at the Italian American Club in Palm Coast, Florida. Dr. Cavallaro had the audience in the palm of his hand, rapt with curiosity about the story he told, with a wonderful closing message at the very end.

THE ITALIAN AMERICAN CLUB
Palm Coast, FLORIDA
• USA •

October 9, 2021

On Saturday, October 9, 2021, Dr. Gaetano Cavallaro presented a lecture impersonating Christopher Columbus at the Christopher Columbus Festival held at the Italian American Club in Palm Coast, Florida. Dr. Cavallaro had the audience in the palm of his hand, rapt with curiosity about the story he told, with a wonderful closing message at the very end.

Dr. Cavallaro is a very engaging speaker who throws in modern references and humor with ease. In telling what it took for Columbus to discover America, he revealed little known facts about Columbus who lost his wife at sea and was left with their baby to support, about the small size of the 3 ships Queen Isabella gave him to complete his quest as compared with the size of today's cruise ships, along with witty quips to entertain his listeners.

VIEW VIDEO
of Dr. Cavallaro impersonating
Christopher Columbus
by clicking here

Video by Jane Aulicino

Ormond Beach Regional Library Ormond Beach, Florida • USA • March 3, 2019 Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "The Battle of Jutland, the Largest Naval Battle in WWI and the Battle of Caporetto, the first blitz action of the 20th Century" at the Ormond Beach Regional Library in Ormond Beach, Florida on Sunday, March 3, 2019. This lecture examines the many deficiencies of the Italian army during WWI. This included falling victim to the illiteracy of its infantry, to overwhelming obstacles in advanced warfare presented by the other major powers like Germany and the Austro-Hungarian empire. In his signature mode of delivery, Dr. Cavallaro keeps the audience at rapt attention with anecdotes and interjections of subjects of related interest such as Italian-harvested truffles grated onto pasta at $100 a plate in Miami to Pavarotti's offer to an Italian community to choose between a donation or a percentage of his sales of CDs. (They naively chose the donation which lost them enormous sums since his CDs are still selling today!) Click below photos to see the complete video (presented in 2 parts due to length). Dr. Cavallaro addresses a question from the audience during his lecture explaining the unfortunate fate of some of the major battleships in WWI. Due to ignorance of the dangers of spontaneous combustion, many ships suffered total annihilation not because of enemy combat, but because of the explosion of their own stockpiles of open ammunition, containers of cordite. Above, one of the revolutionary weapons introduced by the German army during WWI, a very portable machine-gun weighing only 40 pounds, capable of firing 500 rounds per minute from a soldier's shoulder. VIEW VIDEO of Dr. Cavallaro's lecture by clicking below: JUTLAND/CAPORETTO BATTLES VIDEO: Part 1 JUTLAND/CAPORETTO BATTLES VIDEO: Part 2 Videography by Dave Pizzo Casa Belvedere The Italian Cultural Foundation Staten Island, New York • USA • May 22, 2018 Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "The Life and Times of Giuseppe Garibaldi" at Casa Belvedere on Staten Island, N.Y. While most attribute Garibaldi with the unification of Italy as his most important contribution to world history, the presence of over 100 statues of this man worldwide, from Russia to South America to New York City, suggests quite a different story. In addition to his prowess within famous military conflicts, his personal life was rife with fascinating exploits which resulted in over 30 grandchildren and a distinctively colorful legacy. Click below photos to see the complete video (presented in 2 parts due to length). Casa Belvedere's magnificent view. Inset of Dr. Cavallaro during his lecture. Photo above of Casa Belvedere by Alex Barreto, courtesy of Industry Magazine Casa Belvedere's beautiful architecture and interior. Inset of Dr. Cavallaro during his standing-room-only lecture. Above, Giuseppe Garibaldi's legacy is celebrated the world over with statues in his honor. Left: In Argentina; right in Italy. VIEW VIDEO of Dr. Cavallaro's lecture by clicking below: (presented in 2 parts due to length) GARIBALDI VIDEO: PART ONE GARIBALDI VIDEO: PART TWO Videography by Dr. Robert Miele THE ITALIAN AMERICAN CLUB ORMOND BEACH, FLORIDA • USA • Apr. 18, 2017 Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "The Birth of Italy," covering such racy subjects as "Sex as a Weapon," involving some of the key figures in this segment of Italian history. Among many flamboyant characters, this included the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), the Italian revolutionary who played a significant role in uniting Italy, and Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898), Prime minister of Prussia (1862-73, 1873-90) and founder and first chancellor (1871-90) of the German Empire who, despite his distaste for anything Italian, inadvertently supported the unification of Italy. Shown below is the Italian Prime Minister, Victor Emmanuel II and one of the many extraordinary palaces which define the country's reputation for architectural grandeur and magnificent estates. Dr. Cavallaro's riveting lecture discussed how Napoleon III of France (shown below) was singularly responsible for the death of thousands of French soldiers who went to battle wearing his choice of red pants unlike the many other countries whose soldiers wore grey or khaki pants. The presentation also profiled some of the many colorful mistresses who consorted with prominent figures of the time, eventually becoming royal wives and bearing countless heirs to the throne. VIEW VIDEO of Dr. Cavallaro's lecture by clicking here Videography by Dave Pizzo VASSAR COLLEGE • USA Vassar Alumnae House, Poughkeepsie, New York Mar. 6, 2013 Dr. Cavallaro is chairman of the New York - New England chapter of the World War One Historical Association which have yearly seminars in different localities. The 2013 annual seminar was held on March 16, 2013 at the Vassar College Alumnae House at 161 College Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12603. Photo by Noteremote, via Wikimedia Commons New York Military Affairs Symposium • USA • New York, New York Jan. 18, 2013 2013 Lectures: On Friday, January 18, 2013, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture on "Blitzkrieg at Caporetto (1917), in the Battle of France (1940), and in North Africa in 1941" at The Soldiers', Sailors', Marines', Coast Guard and Airmens' Club at the New York Military Affairs Symposium, 283 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10016-3540, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. on the 2nd floor in the historic South Lounge. NYMAS is associated with the Society for Military History, Region 2. During his lecture on "Blitzkrieg at Caporetto (1917), in the Battle of France (1940), and in North Africa in 1941," Dr. Cavallaro explained the commandments of the Blitzkrieg which resulted in annihilation of the enemy. A form of warfare used by German forces, troops made quick surprise strikes, tactics which resulted in the swift conquest of the rather oblivious Italian forces. Blitzkrieg is German for “lightning war.” TUCKAHOE, NEW YORK • USA • – A Lecture presented on the "Warfare on the Italian Front" – at the Genoroso Pope Italian Cultural Center Westchester County, New York Feb., Mar., Apr. 2012 Dr. Cavallaro's lectures in 2012 have focused on "Warfare on the Italian Front" which he has presented at a number of venues including a series of three at the Genoroso Pope Italian Cultural Center in New York's Westchester County town of Tuckahoe (Feb. 29th, March 21st, April 25th). Videography by Matthew Cardarelli Below is an excerpt from Dr. Cavallaro's lecture series in Tuckahoe where he compared the naiveté of the British and French forces with the insight of the war-savvy Germans. Videography by Matthew Cardarelli ROME, ITALY – A Lecture presented in Italian – 355 Palazzo Ferrajoli which is in the grand Piazza Colonna in Rome, Italy. June 2012 Dr. Cavallaro's lectures this year have focused on "Warfare on the Italian Front" which he has presented at a number of venues including one presented in Italian at the gala Lecture Center at 355 Palazzo Ferrajoli which is in the grand Piazza Colonna in Rome, Italy. The site is just opposite the stately residence of Mario Monti who is the current Italian Prime Minister. Dr. Cavallaro was invited by the Fogolar Furlan, which is an exclusive club of members from all over the world who share roots to the Friuli region of Italy. Members join to honor their ancestors, to give back to an organization that has been with them their whole life, and to show their children how inspiring the Fogolar heritage, language, culture, cuisine and lifestyle can truly be. The region of Friuli is where most of the WWI combat took place. "In the audience will be many politicians and military officers interested in seeing a foreigner coming to their country talking in their language as an expert in their country's history," wryly comments Dr. Cavallaro. "It is rumored that the Prime Minister himself will be in attendance but I feel that he may have more important business to attend to than listen to a lecture on history," he drolly adds. Dr. Cavallaro was accompanied on this trip by his cousin, and her family from Texas, a professional scholar with a Ph.D. in Social Work whom he hadn't seen in forty years! After the event in Rome, they returned to their parents' village in Sicily. Above: A standing-room-only audience at Dr. Cavallaro's 2012 lecture at the gala Lecture Center at 355 Palazzo Ferrajoli, which is in the grand Piazza Colonna in Rome, a truly magnificent venue. Dr. Cavallaro was accompanied on this trip by his cousin, Janet Spada Thiess, seated against the wall next to her husband Kenneth (shown above wearing an aquamarine polo shirt). Janet is a professional scholar with a Ph.D. in Social Work whom Dr. Cavallaro hadn't seen in forty years! After the event in Rome, they returned to their parents' village in Sicily. Above: Dr. Adriano Degano, standing, the 91-year-old president of the exclusive worldwide organization Fogolar Furlan, who sponsored this June 2012 lecture, introduces Dr. Cavallaro (seated to his right) whom he invited to speak on "Warfare on the Italian Front" in Italian in Rome. Above: Dr. Gaetano Cavallaro delivers a riveting lecture on warfare during WWI to an audience in Rome in 2012. The event was sponsored by Fogolar Furlan, an organization whose members share roots to the Friuli region of Italy where most of the WWI combat took place. SYDNEY • AUSTRALIA The final months of 2011 included a lecture in Sydney, Australia's Italian Cultural Institute (shown above) where Dr. Cavallaro delivered his presentation in Italian, and at the Victoria Army Barracks delivered in English, followed by lectures in Brisbane and Melbourne, sometimes two lectures in a single day (quite the feat for someone at an advanced age.) While in Australia, he also was introduced to some of his first cousins (children of his parents' sisters and brothers) whom he had never met previously. 2011 (Shown above) Dr. Cavallaro with his Australian cousins whom he had never previously met. (Left to right): Giuseppe Barletta, his brother Salvatore, Dr. Cavallaro, Guiseppe's wife, Giuseppina and Salvatore's wife Concetta. MARIST COLLEGE • USA Poughkeepsie, New York 2010 - 2011 Dr. Cavallaro began a lecture series for undergraduates at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York on November 11th, 2010. Several lectures focused on warfare on the Austro-Italian front during the first World War. The lecture series was sponsored jointly by the History Dept. and the Modern Languages Dept., which began offering a major in Italian in January 2011. During 2011 he presented a series of 8 lectures on the First World War at Poughkeepsie, New York's Marist College Continuing Learning Institute where he drew an overwhelming crowd of interested attendants. BARD COLLEGE • USA Annandale-on-Hudson, New York Sept. 24, 2010 Dr. Cavallaro presented a series of seven lectures on WWI on September 24th, 2010 as part of the Adult Education program at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT LIBRARY AND MUSEUM • USA • Hyde Park, New York Nov. 13, 2010 Dr. Cavallaro presented a seminar on WWI at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York on November 13th, 2010.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY • USA

School of Management, Boston, Massachusetts

Nov. 7, 2009

Dr. Cavallaro lecturing in 2009 at Boston University on the Tactics at the Battle of Caporetto in World War I and their influence on battles fought in World War II. Click to Enlarge Program Above United States Military Academy at West Point • USA • West Point, New York Nov. 8 - 9, 2008 On Saturday November 8, 2008, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture illustrating the grave circumstances experienced during World War I from land trench to maritime trench. He held his spellbound audience rapt at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. His lecture was titled "The World's First Four Dimensional Naval Battle (Naval Aviation, Wireless, Submarines, Surface Ships) Click to Enlarge Program Above Click to Enlarge Program Above THE ATHENEUM • USA • The Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, Connecticut Nov. 11, 2006 On November 11, 2006, Dr. Cavallaro presented a lecture titled "British Forces on the Italian Front," a riveting account of the tragedies the forces encountered during World War I. Click to Enlarge Program Above LONDON Union Jack Club APRIL 2001 Click to Enlarge Program Above   BROWN UNIVERSITY • USA Dr. Cavallaro delivered his lecture on the sometimes grim realities of The Battle of Caporetto. JUNE 2000