Ernest Richard May (November 19, 1928 – June 1, 2009) was an American historian of international relations , whose 14 published books include analyses of American involvement in World War I and the causes of the Fall of France during World War II . His 1997 book The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis became the primary sources of the 2000 film Thirteen Days starring Kevin Costner that viewed the Missile Crisis from the perspective of American political leaders. He served on the 9/11 commission and highlighted the failures of the government intelligence agencies. May taught full-time on the faculty of Harvard University for 55 years, until his death. May was also a recipient of the 1988 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision Makers , co-authored with Richard Neustadt.
31-594: Roger Lindsey Donaldson ONZM (born 15 November 1945) is an Australian and New Zealand film director, screenwriter, and producer. His 1977 debut film, Sleeping Dogs , is considered landmark work of New Zealand cinema , as one of the country’s first films to attract large-scale critical and commercial success. He has subsequently directed 17 feature films, working in Hollywood and the United Kingdom, as well as his native country. Donaldson’s best-known films include
62-505: A Dame Grand Companion, formally receiving investiture in 2024 from Prince William . Ernest R. May May's PhD dissertation at UCLA in 1951 was on the role of William Jennings Bryan as secretary of state in 1914–1915. It was never published. It was directed by John W. Caughey. He joined the Harvard University faculty following the completion of his military service in 1954, and remained there full-time until his death. May
93-466: A Knight Grand Companion himself) restored the honours to their pre-April 2000 state. Principal Companions and Distinguished Companions (85 people in total) were given the option to convert their awards into Knighthoods or Damehoods. The restoration was welcomed by Monarchy New Zealand . The option has been taken up by 72 of those affected, including rugby great Colin Meads . Former Labour MP Margaret Shields
124-468: A Knight or Dame Companion, and thus not to accept the respective appellation of "Sir" or "Dame". The majority of those affected chose the aforereferenced appellations. After initially declining redesignation in 2009, Vincent O'Sullivan and Sam Neill accepted the change in December 2021 and June 2022, respectively. A change to non-titular honours was a recommendation contained within the original report of
155-517: A senior advisor on the 9/11 Commission , in which he played a role in the preparation of the 604-page report it issued documenting the attacks and offering recommendations for the future. His final essay addressed the China's peaceful rise as a major world power, a situation that was a major foreign policy turning point for the United States but May believed that war between the two was not inevitable as
186-600: A small still photography business and began making advertisements. Donaldson was also directing documentaries, including an adventure series featuring Everest -conquering New Zealander, Sir Edmund Hillary , as well as his first ventures into drama. Donaldson and actor/director Ian Mune collaborated on a number of projects for television, including anthology series Winners and Losers , based on short stories by New Zealand authors. In 1976, Donaldson directed and produced his first feature, Sleeping Dogs . The film starred Mune and Sam Neill as two men fighting for their lives in
217-791: A string of less successful films. Thirteen Days , a political thriller starring Kevin Costner, adapted The Kennedy Tapes , a book by Ernest R. May and Philip Zelikow , which was a detailed account of the Cuban Missile Crisis . He also directed science fiction tale Species , and in 2003, the Al Pacino and Colin Farrell film The Recruit . Donaldson wrote and directed The World's Fastest Indian , which released in 2005. The film starred Anthony Hopkins and depicted Burt Munro 's successful attempts at motorcycle speed records at Bonneville Salt Flats in
248-558: A thorough review of choices made over the course of history. Their work together became the basis for the 1986 book Thinking in Time: The Uses of History for Decision-Makers , published by the Free Press that has been widely used by students and professionals in the field. His first book, The World War and American Isolation 1914-17 , published in 1959, was based in part on German government documents and available on microfilm. The book
279-557: A totalitarian New Zealand. He followed it with Smash Palace , starring Bruno Lawrence as a man who kidnaps his daughter after his marriage disintegrates. Donaldson's international break came when producer Dino de Laurentiis invited him to direct an adaptation of Mutiny on the Bounty , after Lawrence of Arabia director David Lean left the project. The film, released as The Bounty , starred Anthony Hopkins as William Bligh and Mel Gibson as mutineer Fletcher Christian . Donaldson
310-511: Is a recipient of three New Zealand Film and Television Awards . He is also an AACTA Award and Palme d’Or nominee. At the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours , Donaldson was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit , for services to film. Donaldson was born in Ballarat , Victoria, where he attended Ballarat High School . In 1965 he emigrated to New Zealand , where he established
341-644: Is also a Secretary and Registrar (the Clerk of the Executive Council) and a Herald (the New Zealand Herald of Arms) of the Order. There also exist miniatures and lapel badges of the five levels of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Knight/Dames Grand Companion and Knight/Dames Companion are entitled to use the style Sir for males and Dame for females. The order's statutes grant heraldic privileges to members of
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#1732876660788372-649: The ACT New Zealand party deriding the PCNZM's initials as standing for "a Politically Correct New Zealand that used to be a Monarchy". The issue of titular honours would appear whenever honours were mentioned. In the lead up to the 2005 general election , Leader of the Opposition Don Brash suggested that should a National-led government be elected, he would reverse Labour's changes and re-introduce knighthoods. In 2009, Prime Minister John Key (later to become
403-720: The Cuban Missile Crisis that included unilateral air strikes to destroy the Soviet missiles based in Cuba or the imposition of naval quarantine around the island to prevent further deliveries of new missiles and materials. The book offered a word-for-word transcription by May and Zelikow of the secret White House recordings made during the crisis. The book was used as the source for the 2000 film Thirteen Days with Kevin Costner as presidential advisor Kenneth O'Donnell and Bruce Greenwood as President Kennedy. Strange Victory: Hitler's Conquest of France , published by Hill and Wang in 2000, tells
434-677: The 1950s. His son Chris is a sprinter who has represented New Zealand at the Olympic level in 100m and 200m events. His daughter India is also a filmmaker. Her debut feature Good One made its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival , and also screened at the Cannes Film Festival . In the 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours , Donaldson was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit , for services to film. Documentary film Short film TV movies Officer of
465-636: The 1995 honours committee ( The New Zealand Royal Honours System: The Report of the Prime Minister’s Honours Advisory Committee ) which prompted the creation of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Titular honours were incorporated into the new system before its implementation in 1996 after the National Party caucus and public debate were split as to whether titles should be retained. There has long been debate in New Zealand regarding
496-681: The Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity. In the order of precedence , the New Zealand Order of Merit ranks immediately after the Order of New Zealand . Prior to 1996, New Zealanders received appointments to various British orders, such as the Order of the Bath , the Order of St Michael and St George , the Order of the British Empire , and the Order of the Companions of Honour , as well as
527-630: The Germans and had more tanks, bombers and fighters. The French general staff was competent and confident, while their German counterparts were cautious and leery of success. The fall began with intelligence failures by the French that led them to misjudge German plans such as their sweep through the Ardennes around the Maginot Line . May's specialty of studying the effects of intelligence failures led to his role as
558-518: The New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system . It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II , Queen of New Zealand , "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits", to recognise outstanding service to
589-492: The appropriateness of titles. Some feel it is no longer appropriate as New Zealand has not been a colony since 1907, and to these people titles are out of step with present-day New Zealand. Others feel that titles carry both domestic and international recognition, and that awarded on the basis of merit they remain an appropriate recognition of excellence. In April 2000 the then new Labour Prime Minister, Helen Clark , announced that knighthoods and damehoods had been abolished and
620-622: The chain of events that led to the rapid fall of the French Army in the Battle of France . The book counters the perception that the Armistice of 22 June 1940 was inevitable, and recounts the chain of events on the political and military fronts that led to the collapse. Reviewer David Stafford of the New York Times records how May documents that French military had more and better-trained troops than
651-604: The decision by the Chinese government to focus on economic growth would allow it to remain at peace with its trading partners. May was born on November 19, 1928, in Fort Worth , Texas, and grew up as an only child. He graduated from R. L. Paschal High School in 1944. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles , and was awarded a bachelor's degree in 1948 and received his Ph.D. in 1951. After his graduation, he served during
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#1732876660788682-519: The distinction of Knight Bachelor . The change came about after the Prime Minister's Honours Advisory Committee (1995) was created "to consider and present options and suggestions on the structure of a New Zealand Royal Honours System in New Zealand, which is designed to recognise meritorious service, gallantry and bravery and long service". The monarch of New Zealand is the Sovereign of the order and
713-595: The first and second level, who are entitled to have the Order's circlet ("a green circle, edged gold, and inscribed with the Motto of the Order in gold") surrounding their shield. Grand Companions are also entitled to heraldic supporters . The Chancellor is entitled to supporters and a representation of the Collar of the Order around his/her shield. The following contains the names of the small number of living Distinguished Companions (DCNZM) who chose not to convert their appointment to
744-445: The five levels, there are three different types of membership. Ordinary membership is limited to citizens of New Zealand or a Commonwealth realm . "Additional" members, appointed on special occasions, are not counted in the numerical limits. People who are not citizens of a Commonwealth realm are given "Honorary" membership; if they subsequently adopt citizenship of a Commonwealth realm they are eligible for Additional membership. There
775-508: The governor-general is its Chancellor. Appointments are made at five levels: From 2000 to 2009, the two highest levels of the Order were Principal Companion (PCNZM) and Distinguished Companion (DCNZM), without the appellation of "Sir" or "Dame". The number of Knights and Dames Grand Companion (and Principal Companions) is limited to 30 living people. Additionally, new appointments are limited to 15 Knights or Dames Companion, 40 Companions, 80 Officers and 140 Members per year. As well as
806-573: The historical drama The Bounty (1984), the neo-noir No Way Out (1987), the romantic comedy Cocktail (1988), the Cuban Missile Crisis docudrama Thirteen Days (2000), the science-fiction horror film Species (1995), the disaster film Dante's Peak (1997), the Burt Munro biopic The World's Fastest Indian (2005), and the historical thriller The Bank Job (2008). Donaldson has worked twice each with actors Kevin Costner , Pierce Brosnan , Anthony Hopkins and Michael Madsen . He
837-588: The order's statutes amended. From 2000 to 2009, the two highest levels of the Order were Principal Companion (PCNZM) and Distinguished Companion (DCNZM), without the appellation of "Sir" or "Dame"; appointment to all levels of the Order were recognised solely by the use of post-nominal letters. A National Business Review poll in February 2000 revealed that 54% of New Zealanders thought the titles should be scrapped. The Labour Government's April 2000 changes were criticised by opposition parties, with Richard Prebble of
868-865: Was honored by the American Historical Association with its George Louis Beer Prize , which recognizes the best work each year published on European international history. The book was included on a list of 1,780 books chosen to be included in the White House library. Together with historian Philip D. Zelikow , May edited the 1997 book The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis , published by Harvard University Press . The book provided details based on taped recordings of conversations made in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy as he considered options to deal with
899-530: Was nominated for a Golden Palm at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival for the film. Donaldson went on to direct many popular and successful movies. His breakthrough American hit was the thriller No Way Out , starring Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman . Cocktail , starring Bryan Brown and Tom Cruise, was panned by critics but did very well at the box office, based largely on Cruise's starpower. The volcano disaster movie Dante's Peak , starring Pierce Brosnan and Linda Hamilton , helped restore Donaldson's status after
930-751: Was one of those who accepted a Damehood, despite receiving a letter from former Prime Minister Helen Clark "setting out why Labour had abolished the titles and saying she hoped she would not accept one". Clark's senior deputy, Michael Cullen , also accepted a knighthood. Appointments continued when Labour returned to government in 2017 as the Sixth Labour Government . The 2018 New Year Honours included seven knights and dames. The government did not comment on its position regarding knighthoods and damehoods, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern did specifically congratulate two women on becoming Dames Companion. On leaving office in 2023, Ardern accepted appointment as
961-533: Was promoted to associate professor of history in 1959 and full professor in 1963. He served as the dean of Harvard College for two years starting in 1969, and served as chairman of the Harvard history department from 1976 to 1979. At the John F. Kennedy School of Government , May also served on the faculty. May and historian Richard Neustadt created a course that had students make choices for current political issues based on