Customer Reviews

The wars of America

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The taste of the delicious thoughts in Robert Leckie's comprehensive history of America's wars is high treat for the intellectual palate. "Though America can become martial," Leckie informs, "she has never been militarist. The distinction is a great one, and it is hoped that a knowledge of American military history may help us to maintain it." One finishes "The Wars of America" with a sense of wanting more. Leckie has done his job.

A Marine veteran of World War II, Leckie has lived part of the history he relates. First published in 1968, it is good to see updated editions available ... testimony to the staying power of the kind of brisk, insightful history that Leckie presents.

"The Wars of America" is as solid a historical foundation as is available, and provides a splendid starting point for more detailed examinations of different periods of American military history. Although Leckie purposefully did not list his bibliographic sources (they would have been too voluminous to publish), he does cite the primary ones in the introduction. A few cross reference checks show that his research was indeed extensive and his knowledge impressive.

I truly hope that you enjoy this work as I have.

Leckie writes a superb narrative history that contains among other things his political philosophy, his love of country and his profound Catholic beleifs. 'America' writes Leckie 'Has by force of arms become the most powerful nation of all time.' He goes on to say that 'although America has been martial, it has never been militaristic, and the distinction is a great one.' Numerous other gems are contained throughout. 'There exists the myth in America that it has always been the most peaceful of nations.' This is false, Leckie says. The truth is actually that 'America is the most fightingist society to ever emerge' and that the United States has fought and won more military engagements then any other nation. With America once again at war this is the perfect book to review who we are, where we came from and the role that the 'footslogger with the rifle' has played throughout our history. Highly recommended.

I read 'The Wars of America' in 1968, the year of it's publication. It's immensely readable, which boosted my retention rate to a very high level. As a reservist, I reported for active duty at USATC Fort Ord CA on 1 December of 1969. Part of our basic training was attending a military history class where a young lieutenant made the mistake of asking us to show a hand if we could name a war that America had fought. Because of Robert Leckie, I could name them all of course. I don't think the lieutenant ever recovered...at least he was more careful thereafter when tempted to ask a patronizing question of us privates. As an aside, it's amazing how often King Philip's War is mentioned in print, despite it's apparent obscurity. The volume is well worth $34.90 new or $1.26 used. The kids will be surprised how interesting history can be if they don't leave out the good stuff.

I agree with all six of the reviews thus far. I won't waste time rehearsing their praises or minor criticisms. What I have experienced that has not been mentioned is that Leckie, in the tradition of the best teachers I have had, has inspired me to delve into areas I had not even considered previously. As of this writing, for example, I am doing research into 17th century wars between Indians and Europeans in what is now the continental United States. Thank you Mr. Leckie!

This chronological narrative applies a thorough-enough broadstroke to clearly advance the paradoxical theme: The United States of America is the ensign of the Free World due to her war-like nature and unmatched military success.

The book is fantastic reading. I can confidently recommended it to all "weekend historians" who share a common interest in the history and heritage of this great Country. May God bless us!

"The Wars of America" by Robert Leckie is a good comprehensive and basic introduction to the wars that our great nation has fought in.

The major wars covered (not a totally inclusive list) are:

1. Colonial Wars (French and Indian War, King Philip's War)
2. American Revolution
3. War of 1812
4. War With Mexico
5. Civil War
6. Spanish-American War, Indian Wars, and the Philippine Insurrection
7. World War 1
8. World War 2
9. Korean War
10. Vietnam War
11. Gulf War

"The Wars of America" is the 3rd Leckie book I have read and enjoyed this one like the others (George Washington's War, From Sea to Shining Sea). The reading level is appropriate for the basic US history buff rather than the professor or life-long student.

While the book is a good read, there are some errors. For example, on page 198 Leckie states that the surrender of 5500 American troops in Charleston SC to the British during the American Revolutionary War was the largest US surrender of troops until the surrender at Bataan in 1942. Fact: Around 12000 US troops were surrendered to the Confederates at Harpers Ferry WV in September 1862 just prior to the battle of Antietam MD.

Such errors would not escape the scrutiny of a history professor or someone who has been a life-long student of US military history. Another weakness is the lack of maps. Having many more maps would help the reader have a greater understanding of US military history and strategy.

Again, this book is not for the history professor or advanced student. However, I would recommend the book as a good introduction for someone who is just starting to get interested in US military history.

For the non-historian, this book is a good read. It shows the reader how war shaped the American character as much as it made America itself.

The book's flaws are numerous, however. Drawing only from secondary or tertiary sources, many parts of the book are filled with inaccuracies of names, dates, and small details. As serious history for the professional, this book is to be avoided.

On the other hand, this book does do a great service in capturing the ethos of the American fighting spirit. Through countless engagements and battles, Leckie illuminates the individual commander or soldier.

One particularly gruesome and poignant passage, while describing an officer of the Crown engaged in an important operation against the French in Canada in 1759, is illustrative of much of the rest of the book, "Townshend... ... (had) a reputation for coolness under fire. Once, as he watched an attack, an exploding shell blew off the head of a German officer standing near him, splattering Townshend with gore. 'I never knew before,' Townshend murmured, calmly mopping his chest with a handkerchief, 'that Scheiger had so many brains.'"

Another, of Grant at Shiloh, shows war's hellish nature: "That night the rain fell in torrents, aggravating the agony of the wounded and magnifying the ordeal of stretcher bearers and surgeons. General Grant made his headquarters under a tree a few hundred yards from the river. But the rain, the throbbing of his swollen ankle and the booming of the gunboats Tyler and Lexington firing down the length of the Confederate line made it impossible to sleep. So the general moved back to the shelter of a log house which had been taken as a hospital. Here, the cries of the wounded and of men undergoing amputation seemed to Grant 'more unendurable than encountering the enemy's fire,' and he returned to his tree in the rain."

It is passages such as this (most less unsettling) that provide a glimpse into the random, destructive, and terrifying reality of war - and how a free people respond to it and bend it - impossibly bend it - to their will.

Perhaps if the leaders of the ignorant legions of America-hating terrorists read this book before 9-11, they would have rethought their self-destructive path - realizing that Americans' love of peace should not be confused with a soft pacifism. Rather, once aroused, Americans make war with a ruthless efficiency that Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon combined failed to equal or ever even dreamed of equaling.

It seems the American revolutionaries had it right back in 1776 with the "Don't tread on me" flag. This is Leckie's real lesson.

Reviewer: Chuck DeVore is a candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010, a California State Assemblyman, he served as a Special Assistant for Foreign Affairs in the Department of Defense from 1986 to 1988, retired from the Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel, and is the co-author of "China Attacks."