Dr. Bradley J. Sommer
@DrHistoryBrad
Followers
6,327
Following
2,456
Media
3,410
Statuses
47,845
Historian. Writer. Midwest spokesperson. Classical Millennial. Book lover. Star Wars & LOTR. Writing a book on Toledo. Views are mine alone. He/Him/His. 🏳️🌈
Arlington, VA
Joined April 2020
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
#ใจซ่อนรักEP3
• 686297 Tweets
LINGORM TSOU EP3
• 655019 Tweets
Kyiv
• 541092 Tweets
stray kids
• 203369 Tweets
Manipur
• 146169 Tweets
#HappyBirthdayARMY
• 117587 Tweets
Kiev
• 113528 Tweets
SAVE Act
• 74479 Tweets
Morning Joe
• 72612 Tweets
Houston
• 71633 Tweets
Rusia
• 70306 Tweets
Ucrania
• 67074 Tweets
石丸構文
• 61059 Tweets
THANK YOU KIM TAEHYUNG
• 54968 Tweets
TYPE 1 BY V OUT NOW
• 54335 Tweets
LATAM
• 47847 Tweets
MIS TÍAS IS COMING
• 41843 Tweets
Kh-101
• 39740 Tweets
#AgathaAllAlong
• 26901 Tweets
#kevinganteng
• 22249 Tweets
Parkinson
• 21157 Tweets
Luna Bella
• 20748 Tweets
Wanda
• 16585 Tweets
Beter
• 16269 Tweets
KATY PERRY IS COMING
• 15701 Tweets
Fritz
• 15579 Tweets
Stephen King
• 15479 Tweets
#ülkemdesiyonististemiyorum
• 15215 Tweets
Kawhi
• 14150 Tweets
Mendoza
• 13535 Tweets
Mercosur
• 13302 Tweets
NASAMS
• 12985 Tweets
Zverev
• 12867 Tweets
$WATER
• 11089 Tweets
My generation says “No worries” instead of “you’re welcome” to 1) show that doing a favor for someone doesn’t need to be a transactional thing and that we’re happy to help, and 2) because if they really knew how worried we actually were, they’d never ever talk to us again ever.
663
22K
151K
As a U.S. History professor I can assure you this is not correct.
6K
2K
50K
The Right: "10 year old rape victims should be force to carry the pregnancy and maybe one day learn from it."
Also the Right: "KYLR RITTENHOUSE IS JUST A CHILD HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING!"
88
1K
6K
It’s been a busy few weeks on the bird app, so just to recap:
- Nazis weren’t socialists
- the Confederacy was about slavery
- the Irish weren’t slaves
- Rommel and Lee were both racists
- the US military isn’t “woke” it’s adaptive and mission-focused
- trans women are women and
75
709
5K
Since the Lost Causers are all up in arms today (and seemingly every day; bunch of whiners these people), we're going to state categorically, once and for all, that Grant was a better general than Lee. And if you ask serious historians and military commanders, it isn't even all
87
527
5K
$15/hr x normal 2080 hr work year is $31,200. Average rent in US is $1,794/mo, so $21,528. That leaves $9672 for the year, or $806/mo. That’s for utilities, insurance, food, clothes, gas/transit fees, etc. Not to mention things like childcare. Don’t ever talk to me about “quiet
35
988
5K
By all means, please use my tax dollars to buy food for children.
80
481
4K
A LOT of people at
@Harvard
need to be fired after this: a lot. And frankly, the university needs to be put on some kind of probation to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I want statements by the AAU, Ivy+, etc. condemning their behavior.
27
374
4K
Tweeps, it finally happened. After 17 months on the job market and over 550 jobs applied to, I am happy to announce that I have accepted a position as a Historian at the U.S. Center for Military History, starting October. I GOT A JOB!!!
(Also, hit me up DMV-area friends).
327
41
4K
I'm just a professor, standing in front of his students, begging them to just say "how" instead of "the ways in which."
107
199
3K
quitting” or “people don’t want to work” when working literally doesn’t pay enough to live. We don’t have an employment crisis, but a corporate greed crisis. Everything in the world is more expensive, corporate profits are higher than ever, yet workers are making less than ever.
8
442
3K
Academia: "Sorry, we don't have any jobs right now; try again next year."
*one year later*
Academia: "We like you but there's just one thing; what's with this one year gap on your resume? What were you doing this last year? I'm sorry but we just can't hire a lazy person."
12
228
3K
The people who said "Hobby Lobby can do whatever they want" are now asking voters to boycott Coca-Cola and Major League Baseball.
59
334
3K
Apparently we're playing the hits this week, folks. So once again, a reminder:
- Nazis were/are right wing
- Rommel was a bad guy
- The Wehrmacht was bad
- The Irish weren't slaves in the U.S.
- The Confederacy fought for slavery
- The Holocaust happened
- Socialism ≠ Communism
78
345
3K
trans men are men
- climate change is real
- baseless theories don’t trump actual expertise
- ketchup doesn’t belong on hotdogs (that last one wasn’t a big controversy this week but it still needs to be said).
Now go away, I’m watching Star Wars.
91
158
2K
Another example of why it’s important to study history: so you don’t say nonsense like this.
38
109
2K
@Tim_Org
Pro tip: performative gratitude is manipulative. "Thank you for the hour of extreme stress which will likely not end in me getting a job because you already had an internal candidate selected." How's that? How many good people have you not hired because they didn't genuflect?
4
58
2K
If you think Blackboard and Canvas breakdown a lot, you should see the professors who have to use them.
21
197
2K
Late to the party but I wanted to weigh in on the 2.2 GPA topic. I graduated high school with a 2.9. I was a lazy an uninspired kid. I aced my AP classes and barely passed the others. Today, I have a PhD from one of the best universities in the world. GPA isn’t intelligence.
60
60
2K
Student: “Hi Dr. Sommer! I hope you’re doing well. I wanted to ask if I could get a brief extension on the paper? Things have been crazy here and I’ve been struggling a bit.”
Me, brushing chip crumbs out of my chest hair: “We’ve all been there. Yeah take an extra day.”
Casual
20
23
2K
@uofcincy
@_Sotzingg_
I’m a Bearcat: Master’s degree in the class of 2015. This individual’s behavior is racist, callous, and I find their association with my alma mater absolutely abhorrent.
3
18
2K
Academia "stop equating career accomplishments with morality" challenge. IDGAF how accomplished a scholar is; that does not transfer to who they are as a person. "They're a major voice in the field" does not preclude them being a terrible person.
18
213
1K
Listen. If you got a TT job right out of grad school and have had it since, that’s great and I’m legit happy for you. But don’t condescend to us about why academia is actually a good thing and that we should give it a chance. A broken system can work for you and still be broken.
14
92
1K
You mean known domestic abuser Hope Solo? That Hope Solo?
31
136
1K
Ok tweeps. I need help. Those of you with PhDs who are not in academia but have jobs which require/utilize your PhD skills, can you tell me (here or DM):
1) how you found it
2) how you got it, and
3) where I should be looking
*Bonus*
4) maybe let me know if you hear of anything?
168
249
1K
Benedict Arnold betrayed the U.S. when it was barely a country. His name is now synonymous with treason and betrayal.
Robert E. Lee literally led an armed rebellion against the U.S. nearly a century after its founding.
I move to make “Robert E. Lee” the new “Benedict Arnold.”
168
110
1K
knowledge of the strength and weaknesses of his troops, and keen eye for strategy, all combined to make him not only the best commander of the war, but the best U.S. pre-WWII general.
A very happy Traitorous Losers Surrender Day to you all.
23
66
1K
Rights "not deeply rooted" in our nation's history is a line that chills me to the bone and if it doesn't scare you, it should because that it has the ability to essentially make time travel real by sending us back to the 18th century.
28
282
1K
The Irish were never slaves in the US. Pushing this myth is some racist-ass shit by plastic paddy morons trying to compete in the Oppression Olympics. It’s ahistorical nonsense and anyone who says otherwise is a patently stupid person. Like Derrick, for example. He’s very stupid.
17
192
1K
Just saw someone get a job that I applied for which is fine I’m happy for them. But the university hasn’t even told me that I didn’t get it yet which is yet another example of why I keep saying that the people who run these searches are a huge part of the problem.
37
49
1K
Dream job said no. I didn’t get another interview. I just…I can’t keep doing this.
139
10
1K
It absolutely did not. Hitler hated Marxism. Read even one fucking book on the Nazis written by an actual historian.
@DrHistoryBrad
@RationalMale
Actually he is correct in the sense that the Nazis don’t neatly fit into modern left-right categories. National Socialism developed out of Marxism, the Nazis implemented economic controls just like the Communists, and both participated in a degenerate kind of populist
52
0
9
78
55
1K
All of the ciswomen who can’t have children think you’re trash.
Just out here doing something only biological women can do ❤️
1K
92
2K
49
43
1K
A tenure-track professor tweeting that "There are definitely some advantages to being non-TT when you’re early in your career." is PEAK TT brain rot. I am once again BEGGING TT profs to try to be real, actual human beings, to have some humility, and maybe a little perspective.
26
48
1K
Guess who has a job interview Monday morning for one of his top choices? This guy! Wish me luck, tweeps!
76
7
962
The desire to not look like I’m about to defund an orphanage.
Men, what’s stopping you dressing like these Edwardian gentlemen.
952
295
3K
39
60
935
You never know if speaking out against Nazi cosplay will have an effect, but you should always give it your best shot.
#DisinviteTheNazis
30
25
358
6
87
911
My dissertation has been accepted and I’ve officially been certified as a Spring 2021 graduate (no diploma until May). Twitter friends, I’d like to formally reintroduce myself; hello, my name is Dr. Bradley J. Sommer, PhD.
#PhDone
#DrBrad
#AcademicTwitter
#AcademicChatter
89
11
894
This tweet is getting a lot of attention so while you’re here, please consider donating to one of these wonderful charities supporting the LGBTQ community. We can always use your help.
5
54
847
Employer: "We need ppl w/ critical thinking skills."
Historians: "Ooh right here!"
E: "Who can research."
H: *holds up hand w/ other hand*
E: "And write."
H: *jumping up & down*
E: "And who can analyze unstructured data."
H: *literally crying*
E: "We need a coder!"
H: "Motherf-"
11
131
837
I just spent 25 mins arguing with someone at the bar about what the causes were of the US Civil War. All of the other regulars told him “Nah man you don’t wanna do that; Brad is literally an expert on this” and this dude was like “No just hear me out.” Friends l, when I tell you
21
23
818
Every time I post about not having a job, I lose followers. Listen; I’m sorry that hearing about my unemployment is bumming some people out. Believe it or not it’s bumming me out, too.
24
15
788
Republicans are quicker to call the National Guard on college kids than they are for literal insurrectionists.
54
164
783
@tedcruz
You do know that the Kremlin is an actual place in Moscow, right? Like, even today, it’s still there. It’s not like it disappeared after the USSR fell. You’re a US Senator; read a book.
21
50
718
Just saw someone say Biden not going to the coronation is a snub to our oldest ally and I’m sorry but I think France would like a word please.
24
44
759
that close.
Let's get at it.
Lost Causers like to point at Lee being Lincoln's first choice to lead the Union Army as proof that Lee was a better general. The reality is that on the eve of the war, it was thought that Lee was the best officer in the U.S. because of a) his
5
29
753
Me: “I’m a historian.”
Then: “Oh so you must know all about [the most obscure event literally ever].”
Me: “Never heard of it.”
Then: “Hahahaa! I thought you said you were a historian! So much for all that education!”
45
38
713
in many ways, a modern war, with a greater emphasis on strategy and logistics than in-the-moment tactical brilliance (this is not to suggest that Lee was a master tactician- his many defeats are proof of that, as is his well-documented inability to capitalize on his few
1
26
718
Don’t you dare tell me that “people don’t want to work” when I’m being turned down for jobs that barely even pay a living wage because I’m “over-qualified.” I want to work. People across the country want to work. What we don’t want is to be abused. We can want jobs AND dignity.
10
98
715
A happy Traitorous Losers Surrender Day to all who celebrate! OTD 160 years ago, Robert E. Lee showed his cowardly face at Appomattox and surrendered his pathetic gang of insurrectionists to one of the greatest Americans ever, General and future POTUS Ulysses S. Grant. Huzzah!
77
105
708
record at West Point, and b) the conventional military doctrine at the time. The last point is the most salient in this conversation. From what we can tell, Lee would have been a fine commander, had the war been fought in the 1840s or the Napoleonic Age. The U.S. Civil War was,
3
28
695
over-extend itself, a la the Russians against Napoleon 50 years prior. Instead, Lee put all of his cards on his own inflated ego (when everyone tells you how great you are, you're bound to believe it, even if only a little bit) and his faith in the supposed “strength, honor, and
4
21
669
nobility” of Southern men, specifically his officers.
When you're trying to wear out a numerically, economically, and technologically superior foe, you do not go on the offensive, attempting large tactical maneuvers, focusing on battles and not campaigns. Lee spent far too much
1
28
667
the war to defeat 6 armies and capture 3 others. It's no surprise, then, that Grant's Vicksburg and Overland campaigns were so successful, the death blows of the Confederacy along the Mississippi and in Virginia. Grant's superior planning, sharp organizational skills, in-depth
1
25
668
legitimate victories, demonstrate that clearly).
A smarter strategic mind would have used a strong defensive strategy to engage with the Union Army: hunkering down in the hills, swamps, and forests of the South, utilizing guerilla tactics, forcing the Union Army to constantly
5
22
663
I’ve never seen someone shoplift food and neither have you. Same with diapers and baby formula.
11
70
661
it cannot be denied that Grant's understanding of supply and logistics, particularly their role in maintaining an effective fighting force, influenced how he saw the war. Where Lee only saw the battle in front of him, Grant saw the war in its totality, seeing the intricate
2
28
647
of the war missing the forest for the trees. He lacked the innovative mind to see the realities of the situation in front of him, had no grasp of strategy, and lacked the holistic vision to be the type of modern military commander that the war commanded. It's why he had a higher
1
24
634
Students: please turn in something. On time if you can, late if you have to. I can work with a late/incomplete assignment. It happens; no big deal. But I can't do anything with nothing. a bad paper that gets a 50% is way better than a zero. Let me know and we can make it work.
15
61
633
intimidated by Lee's reputation rather than by his on-field prowess (or lack thereof).
Grant, on the other hand, proved to be perfect for the warfare of the time. His time in the quartermaster corps is well-documented these days. Its significance is perhaps a bit overstated but
4
24
619
that I was SO composed…like I’ve never been so calm in the face of irredeemable stupidity. Dude kept saying “I defer to you you’re the expert, but…” NO ASSHOLE NO BUT; JUST SHUT UP AND STAND THERE IN YOUR WRONGNESS AND BE WRONG.” (Yes that’s a West Wing reference). FFS…
8
10
609
connections between forts, supply lines, armies, and position, and how those would parlay into victory.
Like the Field Marshalls and Generals of the 20th C, Grant was planning 2 steps ahead, fighting with both hands. It's no surprise, then, that Grant was the only commander in
1
24
600
casualty rate than Grant, even when he was defending territory, and is why he was never able to actually capitalize on his few victories, especially the victories that he actually had a hand in, as many of his wins were really a result of Union generals being too passive, often
1
24
594
This absolutely 100% did not happen and anyone who thinks that it did is dumber than you.
My youngest daughter attended the local university for two years while living at home. My husband thought she should get her degree even though she had no career aspirations. He’s changed his mind about this now, however.
One professor gave her an assignment to write a paper on
1
28
256
52
29
570
I honestly don't think I am going to apply for anymore TT-faculty jobs or fellowships/postdocs. All 12 such positions I've applied for have gone to Ivy Leaguers. There's no reason to spend two weeks carefully crafting an application that has no chance because of my alma mater.
42
7
557
The replies are delicious, just delicious. These little babies are BIG MAD but they can’t articulate why (they can’t articulate anything, but that’s for different reasons). Your hate makes me stronger. I’ll probably tweet about Sherman and the annihilation of Georgia later.
A happy Traitorous Losers Surrender Day to all who celebrate! OTD 160 years ago, Robert E. Lee showed his cowardly face at Appomattox and surrendered his pathetic gang of insurrectionists to one of the greatest Americans ever, General and future POTUS Ulysses S. Grant. Huzzah!
77
105
708
51
37
548
These “western civ” accounts are ALWAYS covers for white supremacy.
The British Empire was, in many ways, a force for good.
Nearly everywhere it occupied it:
-raised the standard of living
-developed infrastructure
-promoted education
It also single-handedly ended slavery for much of the world…🧵(thread)
3K
4K
32K
39
76
542
He was a white nationalist jingoistic piece of shit. Kris Kristofferson knew that too.
Toby Keith, country music’s brash, patriotic songwriter, has died at 62.
613
319
2K
32
33
532
Peterson is another good example of what a stupid person thinks a smart person is like.
Peterson thinks it’s completely unknown if the Nazis were left or right wing. He had a study planned that could have resolved it but the damn woke mob stole his professorship before he could do it. So now it’s a completely open question.
1K
505
8K
129
33
523
Ok but for real we need an Oscar-quality Grant biopic.
70
22
526
You can’t call yourself a historian if you don’t see archivists and librarians as your colleagues, full stop, period.
8
48
515
Raise your hand if you were one of the kids that got excited for Scholastic book sale pamphlets. Now raise your other hand if you’re an academic today. Now have a dance party because you got your hands in the air like you just don’t care!
26
31
514
We should abolish private schools, use all of that money wasted on "school choice" vouchers nonsense, invest it in the public schools, allocate more money to public schools and make the best damn public school system in the world.
19
48
509
It’s an affront to the United States that we ever had a monument to traitors. Eat shit and ask for seconds, loser.
It is tragic and an affront to the Boys who wore the gray and blue that the consensus of Reconciliation has ended.
We live in but a shadow of the men before us that is quickly fading away.
182
72
452
35
30
489
Post 👏 the 👏 salary 👏 when 👏 you 👏 post 👏 the 👏 job. The message you’re sending isn’t “We are going to tailor the pay to your expertise/experience” but “We are definitely going to underpay you and hope you don’t notice. If it’s worth doing then post the pay.
#PostThePay
9
62
488
Just got a rejection letter for a job which is whatever at this point. BUT, they took the time to draft it on official letterhead, addressed it to Bradley J. Sommer, PhD, and addressed me as Dr. Sommer. So that was weirdly nice. Is it bad that that made me almost kinda happy?
33
6
484
Holding a panel on “the job market,” at a conference that was too expensive for the under/unemployed to attend, where the advice was basically “apply to a lot of jobs and network,” from an organization which ignores all calls to grow a backbone and help. Yep; sounds about right.
9
32
477
What was the name of that Confederate general? The one who was a losing loser who lost and a traitor? I can’t remember his name because they got rid of his statue.
43
45
475
The reason I have a PhD and even desired to go to grad school is because my parents bought me books. Never in my life did my parents deny a request to buy me books (if they could afford it). Books made me learn, let me travel, helped me grow, allowed me to explore.
#DontBanBooks
7
33
448
Jfc this book is trash. It’s also not history.
25
29
446
Since
#Gettysburg
is trending, a reminder that Robert E. Lee was, at best, a mediocre commander. He’s a major reason why the traitors lost. Conversely, Grant was the best general of the war and maybe the best U.S. general pre-WWII. Anyway, enjoy the thread and die mad, traitors.
Since the Lost Causers are all up in arms today (and seemingly every day; bunch of whiners these people), we're going to state categorically, once and for all, that Grant was a better general than Lee. And if you ask serious historians and military commanders, it isn't even all
87
527
5K
38
65
468
It’s so distressing when someone finds out I’m getting a PhD in History and their first response is “I hated History: too many dates and names.” That’s so not what we do anymore.
40
30
448
Every bartender and teacher in the country has had to break up a fight. They all did it without shooting them to death.
10
56
445
Only one of them was a general.
Who do you think was the better general, Lee or Grant?
1K
34
747
25
19
431
I have a PhD from a world-class university, a dozen publications, teaching awards, and 4 years of nonprofit experience. I applied to ~550 jobs over 15 months before I got one. Don’t tell me that the reason I struggled was a lack of thank you notes; it offends my intelligence.
22
22
427
Having a PhD is apparently just an invitation for people to argue with your about your area of expertise. Thanks, random guy at the other end of the bar; so glad you were here to set me straight!
13
16
426
Since grad school, I’ve been told so many times how studying labor history is a waste of time, how we don’t need to anymore because it’s no longer relevant, no longer an issue we have. I am once again begging people to listen to actual labor historians and to study labor history.
Jam factory in tiny town solves labour shortage by employing primary school kids
1K
229
664
6
103
418
@TheShawnMorris
@sleepyknave
Oh I didn’t forget. I just am way too lazy to calculate that haha.
1
2
403
reminder that professors don’t always have it together either.
3
2
408
I've applied, unsuccessfully, for so many jobs that I am starting to doubt my own credentials and experience. DO I have a PhD? WAS I the CEO of a national nonprofit? DID I win a teaching award? I thought so, but maybe not; maybe it was all a dream. Job rejection is gaslighting
19
7
396