The People's Cultural Revolution, launched this year at Military History magazine, appears to have been put down at last by publisher Eric Weider. The revolution crested in the July/August issue with the consciousness-raising cover story, "How Presidents Start Wars" (complete with a photo of Harry Truman).Fearing a domino effect in Eric Weider's magazine group, Chris Lewis resigned from Civil War Times Illustrated, to be replaced by Dana Shoaf. (Shoaf must now be replaced at America's Civil War). Confronted last month by Eric Wittenberg, Eric Weider responded "...our August issue [of Military History] was one of the best selling issues of this magazine in a long time. And personally I think the Sept issue is better still."
Thus, without admitting anything about changed editorial direction, he said, Look at the September issue, then judge.
So we have.
The September issue of Military History appears to be wall-to-wall militaria with the single exception of a short item discussing Liz Taylor's art collection (I kid you not). Figure in the length of magazine publishing cycles and you know that Weider had already lowered the boom on his staff of frisky political evangelists before my own or Eric Wittenberg's open letters were put out.
Will this change for the better last? Are the ACW mags safe from the rot that gripped MH? The MH masthead has not changed. We hope there is not some Valley Forge camp within the Weider organization where political foot soldiers are gathering their strength for takeover.
p.s. I have rescinded an earlier post that said Weider History Group was owned by the company that publishes the National Enquirer. That company acquired Weider's old owners without taking on the history group.
