In May 1945, the U.S. Army's Information and Educational Branch was ordered to establish an overseas university campus for demobilized American service men and women in
Florence
Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...
, Italy. Two further campuses were later established, in August 1945: the first in the French resort town of
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
and the second in the English town of
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, about south-west of Faringdon. The village is close to the county boundary with Wiltshire and about east-northeast of Swindon. The 2011 Census recorde ...
, Berkshire. These three campuses were set up to provide a transition between army life and subsequent attendance at a university in the US, and therefore students attended for just one term.
Students removed their caps, and therefore the distinction between officers and enlisted personnel was eliminated.
A detailed discussion of these G. I. American Universities can be found a
The G.I. University Project
Florence American University
The first American university for service personnel was established in June 1945 at the School of Aeronautics in Florence, Italy. Some 7,500 soldier-students were to pass through the university during its four one-month sessions from July to November 1945.
Biarritz American University
Under General Samuel L. McCroskey, the hotels and casinos of
Biarritz
Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
in France were converted into quarters, labs, and class spaces for U.S. service personnel. The university opened 10 August 1945, and approximately 10,000 students attended at least one eight-week term. After three successful terms, the university closed in March 1946.
Shrivenham American University
Under General C. M. Thiele, a British Army Camp near
Swindon
Swindon () is a town and unitary authority with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Wiltshire, England. As of the 2021 Census, the population of Swindon was 201,669, making it the largest town in the county. The Swindon un ...
was converted into a university campus. After two successful terms, the university closed in December 1945. About 4,000 students attended each term.
[Robert Gehlmann Bone, ''A History of Shrivenham American University''. Swindon: Swindon Press, 1946.]
References
Further reading
* Anon. "Contented G.I. s". ''Time'' 46, 21 (19 November 1945): 77–78.
* Beardsley, Wilfred Attwood. "Teaching Languages in the Army University in Florence." ''Hispania'' Vol. 30, No. 1 (Feb. 1947): 27–31.
* Dickman, A.J. "The G.I. University in Shrivenham, England: 1 August to 5 December 1945. ''The French Review'' 20 (1945): 18–20.
* MacKenzie, Norman. "Shrivenham." ''New Statesman and Nation'', 17 Nov 1945, p. 329.
External links
Memories of Shrivenham
{{Authority control
1945 establishments in France
1945 establishments in England
1945 establishments in Italy
1945 disestablishments in England
1945 disestablishments in Italy
1946 disestablishments in France
Aftermath of World War II in France
Aftermath of World War II in Italy
Aftermath of World War II in the United Kingdom
Educational institutions established in 1945
Educational institutions disestablished in 1946
History of Florence
History of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
History of Oxfordshire
History of veterans' affairs in the United States
Military units and formations established in 1945
Military units and formations disestablished in 1946
Training installations of the United States Army
Universities and colleges in Europe