The John A. Adams '71 Center for Military History & Strategic Analysis at the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, will award prizes for the best papers on Cold War military history. First prize will earn a plaque and a cash award of $2,000; second prize, $1,000 and a plaque; and third prize, $500 and a plaque.
We invite paper submissions that meet all of the following requirements:
- the paper represents innovative, unpublished, primary source-based scholarship from a rising scholar, i.e. Ph.D. candidates to assistant professors (or equivalent) at the beginning of their careers (i.e. up to three years in their position)
- the paper is between 5,000 and 8,000 words in length, has a clearly identifiable thesis, and demonstrates the historical significance of the thesis
- the paper covers any aspect of Cold War military history (1945-1991), including military strategy, plans, and operations; the relationship between the armed forces and society; international security affairs; Cold War alliances; and the connections between Cold War military history and contemporary geopolitical challenges; essays may embrace a U.S. or global focus
Procedures
Submissions are due electronically to the Adams Center at the Virginia Military Institute by Friday, December 4, 2026.
Please include a 200-word bio with your electronic submission and format your paper in accordance with the following guidelines:
- Submit your paper as a Microsoft Word document.
- The text should be double spaced and between 5,000 and 8,000 words in length; notes, charts, tables, and bibliography do not count toward the word limit.
- Footnotes should be numbered consecutively from the beginning using Arabic numerals.
A panel of judges will examine all papers; the Adams Center will announce the winners in early February 2027. The first-prize winning essay will appear in The Journal of Military History.
Submissions to: adamscenter@vmi.edu
Questions to: Dr. Jochen S. Arndt Professor and Deputy Director, John A. Adams '71 Center for Military History & Strategic Analysis Department of History, Virginia Military Institute Lexington, VA 24450 arndtjs@vmi.edu