From Library Books All the Way to Normandy: Emma Zhang’s Journey Through Military History

How did you develop an interest in military history, and how has it materialized over the years?

I have been interested in military history since I was ten. It started with reading books at the library and writing reports on topics I found interesting, and gradually materialized in more formal projects such as writing military fiction and the non-fiction book I am currently working on. Last year, I drilled with the CA Army National Guard for four months, and most recently, I returned to Normandy alongside ~25 WWII veterans to commemorate the 81st anniversary of D-Day.

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Can you tell us more about the book you’ve been working on? 

Last summer, I initiated a partnership with the Oakville Historical Society to write a book on Canadian military history based on their collection of ~200 original letters from World War I. Dating back over a century, these letters were written back and forth between two Canadian soldiers fighting on the Western Front from 1915-1918 and their families back home in Oakville, Ontario. As the letters themselves tell a story, my primary job is to contextualize them with historical research. With the help of multiple museums and military organizations, I’ve been able to access war diaries, official regimental histories (the 48th Highlanders of Canada), trench maps, service records, photographs, and more, and put the pieces of the historical puzzle together into a book. 

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Are there any particular stories from the letters that stayed with you?

When I first started writing this book, I didn’t expect to understand the language in the letters, given that they were written over a century ago, but the more I read, the more I realized that we, as humans, haven’t changed much. I am the same age as these soldiers when they wrote these letters, and although our circumstances are very different, we still have the same values, dreams, and hopes — and laugh at the same kinds of jokes. Here’s one of them (of many) that stick with me. This was written on 17 November 1915, from Gordon Munro to his brother Melville, about Fords. 

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St Peter stood at the Pearly Gates and examined those who would enter. [One] of the questions he seemed to think important was about autos.

"What kind of a car did you own?" he asked a big fat guy.

"A Packard," replied the B.F.G. (Big Fat Guy)

"I am sorry," said St. Peter, "but that does not help you. You will have to go down.”

"Did you have an auto?” he asked a long lean bean.

"I did, sir. A piece arrow."

"Too bad," said St Peter. "Please press the lower button. And you, little man, did you own a machine?”

"Yes, sir, I did," replied a spry little fellow starting to enter the elevator.

"What was it?"

"A Ford," he replied.

"Come in," said St Peter throwing open the Gates. "You have had your hell on earth."

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What has the book-writing journey been like, and what are your hopes for your book’s impact?

Writing non-fiction is entirely different than fiction, as there is more at stake: I am telling the stories of real people, and thus am responsible for portraying these soldiers in a respectful and historically accurate way. Most of my writing process centers around archival research, which I conduct with help from multiple Canadian/British museums and historical societies. I look at primary sources such as trench maps, photographs, and war diaries, which paint a picture of the historical context these letters exist in, and then I knit everything together in a narrative. From the beginning, the goal of this book was to share these soldiers’ stories with the public. As with all war stories, the ultimate aim is to show the terrible cost of war in the form of personal stories, and to preserve the honor and legacy of these soldiers who fought a century ago for causes still relevant today. I finished drafting in April, and the book is currently under review with publishers with an expected publication date in 2026. 

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How did you first come across the opportunity to join WWII veterans as they return to Normandy for the anniversary of D-Day this summer? 

I have been interested in military history and particularly the World Wars since I was very young, and have always wanted to visit the historical sites in Normandy. The opportunity came earlier this year when I came across the opportunity on social media to return to Normandy alongside WWII veterans for the 81st anniversary of D-Day. The program is run by the Best Defense Foundation and is part of their Battlefield Return programs, in which they take veterans from various conflicts back to their battlefields for closure and commemoration. 

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Spending time in Normandy with 25 WWII veterans must have been incredibly powerful. What moments from that experience stood out to you the most?

Normandy was packed with incredible and heartwarming experiences, but what stood out to me the most was on 6 June at the Overlord Museum near Omaha Beach, where WWII veteran Geroge Mullins (327th GIR, 101st Airborne) reunited with 89-year old Raymond Rivoal. They first met 81 years ago in 1944 during the Battle of Carentan, where Raymond, a war orphan, was taken in by George’s unit. They fed him and took care of him, making him their unit mascot until they had to move on. There was, of course, no way to maintain contact during and after the war, and so this was the first time they had met since. It was an incredible full-circle moment that reminded us of the far-reaching impact of war, and the power of human connection.

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You’re also helping one of the veterans republish his wartime memoir. Can you tell us more about that project and what it’s been like working closely with a veteran to help share his story?

I am currently in the process of helping WWII veteran George Mullins (327th GIR, 101st Airborne) republish his wartime memoir, Foxhole, in digital format. He landed on Utah Beach on D-Day and is the last living member of the 101st Airborne who liberated Carentan in 1944. As the saying goes, one death is a tragedy, a thousand is a statistic. Having the opportunity to talk with individual soldiers and hear their personal stories puts the magnitude of war into perspective and is also a reminder of how recent and relevant history is. 

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As a Minerva student, how have your academic or global experiences influenced the way you approach historical research and storytelling?

Minerva’s global rotation model has taught me the importance of local immersion. Being physically located in historical locations to study and research history provides much more depth in terms of research, compared to learning from a distance. Not only do you have opportunities to work with local researchers and historians, you also have a tangible connection to the place you’re writing about, whether it be seeing German bunkers in Normandy or visiting the Munro residence in Oakville (yes, the original house from the 1900s is there!). As a continuation of my research, I hope to visit the WWI battlefields in Northern France/Belgium during my semester in Berlin, as well as Gordon Munro’s gravesite at the Contay British Cemetery, where he was buried following his death at the Battle of the Somme (October 1916).

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‍If you were inspired by Emma's story and are seeking a college experience that will teach you valuable pragmatic skills that will enable you to change the world, consider applying to Minerva.