▁head ▁of ▁the ▁history ▁depart ments ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁and ▁later ▁Pur due ▁University . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁education ▁Ber th rong ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁La ▁C ros se , ▁Wisconsin ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 2 2 . ▁Ber th rong ▁began ▁his ▁college ▁career ▁at ▁the ▁State ▁Te ach ers ▁College ▁in ▁La ▁C ros se . ▁At ▁La ▁C ros se , ▁Ber th rong ▁began ▁a ▁liberal ▁arts ▁curr icul um ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁phys ician . ▁During ▁his ▁second ▁year ▁in ▁school ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁began ▁and ▁Ber th rong ▁volunte ered ▁soon ▁after ▁for ▁the ▁army . ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁that ▁Ber th rong ▁realized ▁that ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁further ▁his ▁education ▁in ▁the ▁social ▁sciences . ▁He ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁receive ▁his ▁Bach elor ' s ▁and ▁Master ' s ▁degrees ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Wisconsin ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁respectively . ▁Ber th rong , ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Ron ald ▁Mc Co y ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁stated ▁that , ▁“ W is consin ▁had ▁a ▁superior ▁group ▁of ▁sch ol ars , ▁especially ▁in ▁United ▁States ▁history -- head ed ▁by ▁sch ol ars ▁like ▁Mer le ▁Cur ti , ▁M err ill ▁J ensen , ▁Howard ▁K . ▁Be ale -- a ▁whole ▁group , ▁and ▁I ▁was ▁stim ulated ▁to ▁go ▁on ▁for ▁a