Summary

The United States boasts a colorful and varied military history. From the first English settlements in North America to the present, the U.S. military has evolved from poorly trained militia formations into the world's most powerful professional military establishment. During that time our nation has fought almost every type of war, from guerrilla engagements to global conflicts.

In many ways the U.S. military reflects the society from which it evolves; in more recent years, especially, the military has also had an impact on civilian society. Understanding the history of America's wars and its military establishment can help us to understand ourselves and our world a bit better.

Presented in three volumes, the Encyclopedia of American Military History is a comprehensive overview of this fascinating subject, spanning the period from the colonial wars to recent times. More than 1,200 entries cover military leaders, wars, campaigns, battles, events, famous soldiers, military branches, key technological developments, overviews of weapons systems, and more. Giving special attention to the minorities and women who have contributed significantly to American military success, all three volumes contain inclusive, insightful, and interesting information on an array of individuals and topics from America's military past.

Several complementary features allow the reader to gain further insight into the most important topics. The 200 black-and-white photographs of famous military personnel, battlegrounds, weapons, and technological innovations bring the text to life. Maps help locate events, and a glossary defines basic military terms that may not be familiar to students and general readers. The selective bibliography is easy to use and is divided into three categories—general reference works, monographs by chronological period, and encyclopedia and atlases—guiding users to valuable sources for further research.

Fully cross-referenced entries include:

• Andersonville, GA
• Army Nurse Corps
• Articles of Confederation
• BaconÂ’s Rebellion
• Mary Ann Ball Bickerdyke
• Black Hawk
• John C. Breckenridge
• Battle of Buena Vista
• Aaron Burr
• Cavalry
• USS Chesapeake v. HMS Shannon
• Crazy Horse
• Cuban Missile Crisis
• Espionage
• David Glasgow Farragut
• Fort McHenry
• Frontier posts
• Harlem Heights
• Hungnam Evacuation
• Iroquois War
• Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson
• Siege of Khe Sanh
• Charles Lindbergh
• Medals and decorations
• Battle of Monmouth Court House
• Monte Cassino
• Napalm
• Office of Strategic Services (OSS)
• Paris Accords
• Pequot War
• Queen Anne's War
• Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf
• Strategic bombing, World War II
• Dorothy Constance Stratton
• Raid on Tokyo
• War reporting
• Women's Army Corps
• Campaign of Yorktown.

Specifications

Black-and-white photographs. Maps. Index. Bibliography. Glossary. Cross-references. In three volumes.

About the Author(s)

Spencer C. Tucker received his Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and served as an Army captain in Vietnam. He currently holds an endowed chair at the Virginia Military Institute. He is the author or editor of several books, including Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War and Encyclopedia of the Korean War.