Major Problems in American Military History: Documents and Essays (Major Problems in American History Series) [Paperback]

John Chambers (Author), G. Kurt Piehler (Author), Thomas Paterson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 1998 | ISBN-10: 066933538X | ISBN-13: 978-0669335385 | Edition: 1

This volume traces the evolution of the American military, its institutions, strategic doctrines, and technology. The selections provide a social and institutional focus of the "new" military history, and follow the metamorphosis of the militia, the professionalization of the officers' corps, and the course of civilian control of the military.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing; 1 edition (October 2, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 066933538X
• ISBN-13: 978-0669335385
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Collection of Essays, April 17, 2006

By 

Daniel Calandro (Fairfield, New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Major Problems in American Military History: Documents and Essays (Major Problems in American History Series) (Paperback)

The collection of documents contained in the book provides a good look at major problems and issues spanning the entire three-hundred (say from the founding of Jamestown) or so years of American military history. Of particular interest to me was General Patton's commentary on the U.S. Army's position on tanks during the period between World War I and World War II.

There are also some articles on doctrine and on the establishment of a professional standing army. The documents do a good job of tracing the evolution of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. In the end, the book provides a good collection of opinions on important subjects in the military's past and present.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great combination of Primary and Secondary Sources, October 10, 2009

By 

J. Carangal (Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Major Problems in American Military History: Documents and Essays (Major Problems in American History Series) (Paperback)

Great book to see how the primary sources about specific topics can be reflected on by historians to create interesting essays.

The book is organized into chapters about specific periods in American military history. The first portion of each chapter includes a series of primary source documents describing the time period or some particular issue (the creation of a distinct American Air Force, for example). The second portion of the chapter includes essays written by today's historians analyzing the issue or event described in the documents.

To help those of us just learning about the issues described in each chapter, the chapters begin with an introduction to provide a more global look at the issues to be presented. The document and essay sections each also have a brief introduction to describe the passages.

0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars HST 1, February 18, 2010

By 

Stephen F. Gilbert (OH USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Major Problems in American Military History: Documents and Essays (Major Problems in American History Series) (Paperback)

The wrong item was shipped to me, but the seller quickly refunded the cost of the book for me. The seller allowed me to keep the textbook sent due to loss of shipping and handling paid.