The American Military - A Narrative History

The American Military: A Narrative History presents a comprehensive introduction to more than four centuries of American military history.Presents a chronological account of American military history from clashes between militias and Native Americans to 21st-century operations in Afghanistan and IraqFeatures personal vignettes to put a human face on armed conflictAddresses patterns of national service, the evolution of civil-military relations, and the advent of all-volunteer forcesPuts events in historical context, and considers cultural, social, political, economic, and technological developmentsReview“This concise survey places land, sea, and air services in the broad context of American politics and society. Highly readable, it contains judicious coverage of roles played by women and minorities.”James C. Bradford, Texas A&M University“A major contribution to the study of the American military.  The essential questions and suggested readings included at the end of each chapter significantly increase its value as an undergraduate textbook.”Darlene M. Iskra, Commander, U.S. Navy, Retired, Ph.D., Author of Women in the United States Armed Forces“In its seamless integration of the burgeoning number of works devoted to the study of ‘War and Society,’ Lookingbill's compelling synthesis performs an outstanding service for both professional historians and general readers.”Kevin Adams, Kent State UniversityFrom the Back CoverThe American Military: A Narrative History presents a comprehensive introduction to more than four centuries of American military history. It explores the sweep of US military actions at home and abroad, from the initial clashes between militias and Native American tribes to contemporary operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The text provides both macro- and micro- views of military history, providing historical context for each conflict as well as incorporating personal vignettes from soldiers, civilians, and others affected by instances of military action. Chapters also explore elements of cultural, social, political, economic, and technological developments in relationship to military history, as well as topics including patterns of national service, the evolution of civil-military relations, and the advent of all-volunteer forces. Straightforward and eminently readable, The American Military offers revealing insights into the many ways in which armed conflicts have shaped the course of our nation’s history.