Military institutions Books

Book SynopsisBrian G. Shellum tells the story of Company L, which served in Skagway, Alaska, and was one of the two companies added to the all-Black Twenty-Fourth U.S. Infantry Regiment after war was declared on Spain in April 1898.Trade Review"Shellum's book uses the stories of individual soldiers to tell the narrative whenever possible and explains the nature of the U.S. Army in the last quarter of the nineteenth century: how promotions, reenlistments and reporting worked, the organization and bureaucracy of the Army, even changes in how soldiers were fed. This book is a fitting tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers of Alaska, especially since many of them made the decision to stay there and add to the history of Alaska."—James D. Crabtree, Military Review"Readers who are interested in black military history or in the history of early Alaska will certainly want to add this book to their library."—Roger D. Cunningham, Journal of America's Military Past"Buffalo Soldiers in Alaska is a well-researched and thought-provoking study of a relatively unknown period in American history through the perspective of a marginalized group of men, whose role is slowly but surely being revealed. As a result, Shellum's work makes a valuable contribution to the growing body of research around the Buffalo Soldiers."—Alexander Reineke, H-War"Buffalo Soldiers in Alaska is a welcome addition to the literature on the Buffalo Soldiers. Shellum's thorough research and clear writing makes it suitable for academics and general audiences alike."—Troy A. Hallsell, Air & Space Power Journal"Shellum has provided an invaluable and detailed examination of the Skagway that Black soldiers inhabited."—David James, Anchorage Daily News“Brian Shellum has a knack for unlocking stories of Black soldiers in our military. With Buffalo Soldiers in Alaska he takes us beyond the racism-tainted news blurbs of early twentieth-century newspapers and gives life to these veterans who guarded the ‘Gateway to the Klondike’ and were part of the community. This is an important new chapter in Alaska history.”—Jeff Brady, author of Skagway: City of the New Century“The history of Alaska’s turn-of-the-century gold rushes has been told a hundred times in a hundred different ways. Brian Shellum’s Buffalo Soldiers in Alaska shines much-needed light on a part of the story that has received little attention from scholars: the Black soldiers sent to keep order in Skagway and their interactions with white citizens and Alaska Natives and with Canadians on the other side of the border. This important book is a must-read for anyone interested in Alaska history.”—Ross Coen, editor of Alaska History“Brian Shellum provides a wealth of facts about the lives of the Buffalo Soldiers who served in Alaska. It should be essential reading for anyone interested in the history of African Americans, Alaska, or twentieth-century military history.”—Catherine Spude, historian, author of Saloons, Prostitutes, and Temperance in Alaska Territory“The author pays particular attention to the Black enlisted men who served in Alaska during the halcyon days of the Klondike gold rush. As such, this well-illustrated and carefully researched study sheds new light on a little-known story in U.S. Army history.”—John P. Langellier, author of Scouting with the Buffalo Soldiers: Lieutenant Powhatan Clarke, Frederic Remington, and the 10th U.S. Cavalry in the Southwest“A thoroughly researched and well-presented account of a little-known episode in Alaskan history. No grand themes, pivotal events, or outsized personalities. The book is a welcome expansion of the story of African Americans in the nation’s military.”—Tom Phillips, independent historian, coauthor of The Black Regulars, 1866–1898Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Chronology Prologue 1. North to Alaska 2. Dyea Barracks 3. Fort Wrangel 4. Skagway Barracks 5. Company Reunited 6. Settling In 7. Command Change 8. Challenges 9. Departure 10. Aftermath Postscript Appendix A: Biographies of Officers and Soldiers of Company L Appendix B: Buffalo Soldier Regiments Appendix C: Minstrel Show Programs Appendix D: Tribute to Captain Hovey Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhen Americans declared independence in 1776, they cited King George III "for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us." In Quarters, John Gilbert McCurdy explores the social and political history behind the charge, offering an authoritative account of the housing of British soldiers in America. Providing new interpretations and...Trade ReviewQuarters places the issue of housing troops at the center not only of the Revolution, but of American political and social culture as colonists struggled to define boundaries between public and private spheres. * Choice *The book is a masterful telling of personal, local stories about the challenges and impacts of quartering, while maintaining a fast-paced book... it is indispensable reading for those interested in any aspect of the American Revolution. * Journal of the American Revolution *McCurdy follows the debates over billeting to analyze colonial-imperial proceedings, civilian-military relations, and personal rights. He argues that as the debates changed their ideas about public versus private places and the rights of people within them, Americans also rethought the ties between metropole and periphery... Quarters is a valuable study of an increasing clash of cultures within and between imperial and colonial, marital and civil, and policies and institutions that served as a foundation for revolutionary political and military formations. * William and Mary Quarterly *Quarters reveals and fills a significant gap in the literature on the revolution, and corrects some widespread misunderstandings... Quarters succeeds in illuminating a long-neglected dimension of British-American relations during the run-up to independence. * The Journal of Military History *Several factors combine to make Quarters a most welcome and original contribution to our understanding of the American Revolution...Quarters will spark salutary further discussion on the subject of American independence. It will certainly appeal to an audience of scholars of the Revolution, as well as anyone interested in eighteenth-century military institutions, including advanced undergraduate and doctoral students. Most importantly, it may alter for the better how civil–military relations in the colonial period are taught in American History classrooms. * MICHIGAN War Studies Review *McCurdy injects the pre-Revolutionary decades with a new spatial civilian-military dynamic in a way that changes how we understand well-studied topics such as Pontiac's War, the Proclamation Line of 1763, the Coercive Acts of 1774—and the development of a distinct American identity. * Early American Literature *Quarters is equally a social and political history; it should be widely read by historians across fields. It recovers the lived experiences of individuals, families, and communities. Refreshingly, women figure prominently in this narrative—the military was not a solely male space, nor was the world of politics a single-gendered space... The otherwise-familiar origins of the American Revolution look different thanks to McCurdy's work. * The Journal of American History *In challenging historians to think beyond the acrimony that often dominates discussions about the relationship between British soldiers and colonists, McCurdy will cause historians to consider quarters seriously not just in the practical function they served the military but their broader significance within the British imperial perspective. As McCurdy compellingly argues, military geography was central to the events tha sparked revolutionary sentiment and unification among the old British North American colonists leading up to the outbreak of war in 1775. * JOURNAL OF THE EARLY REPUBLIC *As John Gilbert McCurdy notes, there has never been a book-length treatment of the subject. Happily this omission has now been redressed in McCurdy's excellent monograph. The neglect of this topic is part of a larger failure to put military history into conversation with social and political history in a sustained and insightful way... Clearly argued and gracefully written, Quarters is an important contribution to this neglected area of inquiry that illuminates much about the challenges of imperial governance and the sensitivities of the revolutionary generation. * AMERICAN HISTORICAL REVIEW *Good books are not just books with which you are in complete agreement. Above all, they are books that make you think afresh about your own views. On that critical test, McCurdy's Quarters is a very fine book indeed. * Journal of Early American History *

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Book SynopsisArmy chaplains have long played an integral part in America’s armed forces. In addition to conducting chapel activities on military installations and providing moral and spiritual support on the battlefield, they conduct memorial services for fallen soldiers, minister to survivors, offer counsel on everything from troubled marriages to military bureaucracy, and serve as families’ points of contact for wounded or deceased soldiers—all while risking the dangers of combat alongside their troops. In this thoughtful study, Anne C. Loveland examines the role of the army chaplain since World War II, revealing how the corps has evolved in the wake of cultural and religious upheaval in American society and momentous changes in U.S. strategic relations, warfare, and weaponry.From 1945 to the present, Loveland shows, army chaplains faced several crises that reshaped their roles over time. She chronicles the chaplains’ initiation of the Character Guidance program as a remedy for the soaring rate of venereal disease among soldiers in occupied Europe and Japan after World War II, as well as chaplains’ response to the challenge of increasing secularism and religious pluralism during the “culture wars” of the Vietnam Era.“Religious accommodation,” evangelism and proselytizing, public prayer, and “spiritual fitness”provoked heated controversy among chaplains as well as civilians in the ensuing decades. Then, early in the twenty-first century, chaplains themselves experienced two crisis situations: one the result of the Vietnam-era antichaplain critique, the other a consequence of increasing religious pluralism, secularization, and sectarianism within the Chaplain Corps, as well as in the army and the civilian religious community.By focusing on army chaplains’ evolving, sometimes conflict-ridden relations with military leaders and soldiers on the one hand and the civilian religious community on the other, Loveland reveals how religious trends over the past six decades have impacted the corps and, in turn, helped shape American military culture.

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Book SynopsisThe Battles of Forts Henry and Donelson took place in February of 1862 and were early indicators of the success the US would have in the Civil War’s Western Theater. Due to Kentucky’s neutrality at the time, Brig. Gen. Daniel S. Donelson was instructed to find suitable sites for fortification along the Tennessee River but just inside the state boundaries of Tennessee. Forts Henry and Donelson were constructed in the summer of 1861 and were quickly identified by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant as strategic fortifications that, if conquered, would open the Federal Army’s path to Alabama and Mississippi. Fort Henry fell to Federal control on February 6, 1862, and Fort Donelson fell six days later. With the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers now open to Federal gunboats, Grant and his army would head southwest to Memphis and on to Vicksburg. Decisions at Forts Henry and Donelson explores the critical decisions made by Confederate and Federal commanders during the battle and how these decisions shaped its outcome. Rather than offering a history of the battle, Hank Koopman hones in on a sequence of critical decisions made by commanders on both sides of the conflict to provide a blueprint of the Battles of Forts Henry and Donelson at their tactical core. Identifying and exploring the critical decisions in this way allows students of the battles to progress from a knowledge of what happened to a mature grasp of why events happened. Complete with maps and a driving tour, Decisions at Forts Henry and Donelson is an indispensable primer, and readers looking for a concise introduction to these battles can tour this sacred ground—or read about it at their leisure—with key insights into the campaigns and a deeper understanding of the Civil War itself.Decisions at Forts Henry and Donelson is the eighteenth in a series of books that will explore the critical decisions of major campaigns and battles of the Civil War.

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Book SynopsisCultural practices and artifacts, in their multiple and varied forms, are grounded on values, which are so deeply internalized by people that usually remain in the background, as taken-for-granted guides for interpretations and decisions in everyday life. Shaping individual moral horizons is at the core of socialization processes, through which older generations aim to disseminate their culturally established values to the new ones, making use of suggestions mainly implicit in daily experiences and interactions.Despite the strength of these processes of cultural canalization, people find particular ways of positioning and interpreting social suggestions, drawing singular life trajectories and developing themselves as unique beings. This is truthful also in case of highly institutionalized settings like the military, in which people play in many forms an agentic role in their own development, being prepared to perform their professional duties in very complex and challenging activity contexts.This book is an invitation to dive deeper into human experiences lived in the military through qualitative and in-depth approaches, observing their affective qualities, the meanings they acquire and how they shape individuals' identities, fostering the development and try-out of specific ethical and moral values.The present work can contribute to research and professional practice in fields related to human development, social processes, education and people management in the military, as well as in other institutional contexts, especially by highlighting the affective, meaningful and moral-ethical dimensions of cultural experiences.

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Book SynopsisCultural practices and artifacts, in their multiple and varied forms, are grounded on values, which are so deeply internalized by people that usually remain in the background, as taken-for-granted guides for interpretations and decisions in everyday life. Shaping individual moral horizons is at the core of socialization processes, through which older generations aim to disseminate their culturally established values to the new ones, making use of suggestions mainly implicit in daily experiences and interactions.Despite the strength of these processes of cultural canalization, people find particular ways of positioning and interpreting social suggestions, drawing singular life trajectories and developing themselves as unique beings. This is truthful also in case of highly institutionalized settings like the military, in which people play in many forms an agentic role in their own development, being prepared to perform their professional duties in very complex and challenging activity contexts.This book is an invitation to dive deeper into human experiences lived in the military through qualitative and in-depth approaches, observing their affective qualities, the meanings they acquire and how they shape individuals' identities, fostering the development and try-out of specific ethical and moral values.The present work can contribute to research and professional practice in fields related to human development, social processes, education and people management in the military, as well as in other institutional contexts, especially by highlighting the affective, meaningful and moral-ethical dimensions of cultural experiences.

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Book SynopsisThis riveting book follows a small group of Australian front-line soldiers from their enlistment in the dark days of 1940 to the end of World War II. No ordinary soldiers, they were members of Don Company of the Second 43rd Battalion, part of the famous 9th Australian Division, which during campaigns in Tobruk, El Alamein, New Guinea and Borneo sustained more casualties and won more medals than any other Australian division. It is an evocative and detailed account of the dayto-day war of three infantry soldiers whose experiences included night patrols at Tobruk, advancing steadily through German barrages at Alamein, charging enemy machine guns in New Guinea, and repelling Japanese charges on Borneo. Inspired by American historian Stephen Ambrose’s landmark book, Band of Brothers, about the US Army’s Easy Company of the 506th Regiment, Mark Johnston, one of our best military historians, here gives an Australian company the same treatment. Using the frank and detailed personal letters, diaries and memoirs of three Australian soldiers, he brings to life their campaigns, battles and interactions with their comrades and enemies. His book is a unique and powerful account of the everyday experiences of a small unit of soldiers on the front line.Trade Review‘A magnificent achievement from our premier historian of Australian soldiers in WWII. This is superb storytelling.’ - Professor Peter Stanley

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Book SynopsisThe Sociology of the Military is an authoritative selection of articles providing an historical overview of the field and illustrating the major directions of contemporary research. The book considers the forerunners to a sociology of the military and the research trends in America and the rest of the world. Topics covered include models for comparative research, the military profession and the relationship between military and civil society. Finally, the book explores new roles for the armed forces in our changing world.Trade Review'This is one good compendium of military sociology . . . This book would be very useful for the committee members of the next pay commission, besides those interested in a psychological and militaristic analysis of the vast subject of military sociology - from the human to the economic and market trends.' -- P.K. Gautam, U.S.I. Journal 'This is a very full collection of articles on the sociology of the military.'– Peter Woodward, Reviewing SociologyTable of ContentsContents: Acknowledgements • Introduction PART I ANTECEDENTS 1. F. Battistelli (1993), ‘War and Militarism in the Thought of Herbert Spencer’ 2. M.D. Wolpin (1978), ‘Marx and Radical Militarism in the Developing Nations’, 3. G. Dearborn Spindler (1948), ‘The Military – A Systematic Analysis’ 4. R.D. Miewald (1970), ‘Weberian Bureaucracy and the Military Model’ PART II THE AMERICAN SCHOOL 5. D.R. Segal, B.A. Lynch and J.D. Blair (1979), ‘The Changing American Soldier: Work-Related Attitudes of US Army Personnel in World War II and the 1970s’ 6. R.M. Williams, Jr. (1989), ‘The American Soldier: An Assessment, Several Wars Later’ 7. J. Burk (1993), ‘Morris Janowitz and the Origins of Sociological Research on Armed Forces and Society’ 8. H.D. Lasswell (1941), ‘The Garrison State’ 9. R. Aron (1979), ‘Remarks on Lasswell’s “The Garrison State”’ 10. A. Perlmutter (1969), ‘The Praetorian State and the Praetorian Army: Toward a Taxonomy of Civil-Military Relations in Developing Polities’ 11. G. Welty (1990), ‘A Critique of the Theory of the Praetorian State’ PART III A WORLDWIDE SOCIOLOGY OF THE MILITARY A. A Model for Comparative Research 12. C.C. Moskos, Jr. (1977), ‘From Institution to Occupation: Trends in Military Organization’ 13. M. Janowitz (1977), ‘From Institutional to Occupational: The Need for Conceptual Continuity’ 14. C.C. Moskos (1986), ‘Institutional/Occupational Trends in Armed Forces: An Update’ 15. D.R. Segal (1986), ‘Measuring the Institutional/Occupational Change Thesis’, 16. G. Caforio (1988), ‘The Military Profession: Theories of Change’ B The Military Profession 17. S.P. Huntington (1963), ‘Power, Expertise and the Military Profession’ 18. J.S. van Doorn (1965), ‘The Officer Corps: A Fusion of Profession Organization’ 19. B. Boëne (1990), ‘How “Unique” should the Military be?: A Review of Representative Literature and Outline of a Synthetic Formulation’ 20. G. Harries-Jenkins (1990), ‘The Concept of Military Professionalism’ 21. G. Caforio and M. Nuciari (1994), ‘The Officer Profession: Ideal-Type’ 22. A. Weibull (1994), ‘European Officers’ Job Satisfaction and Job Commitment’ 23. K.W. Haltiner (1994), ‘Is there a Common European Defence Identity? The Views of Officers of Eight European Countries’ 24. J. Kuhlmann (1994), ‘What do European Officers Think about Future Threats, Security and Missions of the Armed Forces?’ C Armed Forces and Society 25. Albert D. Biderman and Laure M. Sharp (1968), ‘The Convergence of Military and Civilian Occupational Structures; Evidence from Studies of Military Retired Employment’ 26. A.R. Luckham (1971), ‘A Comparative Typology of Civil-Military Relations’ 27. M. Lissak (1985), ‘Boundaries and Institutional Linkages between Elites: Some Illustrations from Civil-Military Relations in Israel’ 28. C.C. Moskos (1992), ‘Armed Forces in a Warless Society’ 29. L. Mandeville, P. Combelles and D. Rich (1996), ‘French Public Opinion and the New Missions of the Armed Forces’ 30. G. Caforio and M. Nuciari (1996), ‘Military Profession and Defence Issues in the Italian Public View’ 31. H.-Ulrich Kohr and R. Zoll (1996), ‘General Concept of Security in the Perception of German Students’ 32. B. Roshco (1996), ‘U.S. Security Policies and Americans’ Priorities: Insights from New and Old Polls’ D The New Missions of the Armed Forces 33. Christopher Dandeker (1994), ‘New Times for the Military: Some Sociological Remarks on the Changing Role and Structure of the Armed Forces of the Advanced Societies’ 34. C.C. Moskos and J. Burk (1993), ‘The Postmodern Military’ 35. J.J. Harris and D.R. Segal (1985), ‘Observations from the Sinai: The Boredom Factor’, 36. D.R. Segal, M.W. Segal and D.P. Eyre (1992), ‘The Social Construction of Peacekeeping in America’ 37. F. Battistelli (1997), 'Peacekeeping and the Postmodern Soldier' Name Index

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Book SynopsisThe U.S. Military Academy at West Point is one of America's oldest and most revered institutions. Since its founding in 1802 it has prepared young men - and recently, young women - for careers as officers in the army and for a lifetime of service to the nation. The distinguished record of Academy graduates in war and peace has earned West Point a reputation as one of the world's premier leader-development institutions. West Point celebrated its bicentennial in 2002. In honor of the milestone, the USMA Department of History hosted a multi-disciplinary conference that provided an opportunity for serious study of the Academy and its place in American society. The topics included the Academy's role in developing officer professionalism, its influence on the careers of distinguished graduates, institutional challenges and changes, the experiences of women and minorities at West Point, and the evolution of the academic curriculum. The twenty-four chapters in this volume examine these issues and reflect the rich scholarship of the bicentennial conference. The Academy has undergone dramatic changes during its long history. As it begins its third century, however, continuity - not change - is what most characterizes West Point and the Corps of Cadets. By perpetuating the noble values of the profession of arms, the Academy continues to accomplish its vital mission of producing leaders of character for the nation. In this regard, the Corps of today still treads ""where they of the Corps have trod.

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Book SynopsisDuring the first half of the twentieth century military victory parades in New York became an iconic part of the American cultural memory - ticker tape and soldiers returning to their sweethearts symbolized the joy of a nation at peace. In this incisive new study, Sebastian Jobs approaches these events as political street theater. Focusing on organizers, spectators, and soldiers, Jobs explores each group's participation in the action, as well as the ways in which they interacted with each another. This book also demonstrates how abstract concepts, like the nation-state, were embodied in these events and how these political performances made an impact on American culture and society.

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Book SynopsisThailand remains important by virtue of its location at the centre of the Asia–Pacific region, an area playing a vital role in world affairs. And yet, although Thailand has a comparatively large population and has powerful military forces performing significant roles in state and society, the country itself is seen as having little military power; it is a minor player. Why is this? Using strategic culture as an analytical framework, this book produces a portrait of the Thai state as an accommodative actor. During the period of Western imperial dominance in Asia, Thailand `bent in the wind’ to preserve its independence by a limited trading of territory and sovereignty. This accommodative policy continues to the present day in different forms. A key feature is that military organisational culture reinforces a state ideology of royalist nationalism that in turn reinforces the national strategic culture. Significant here is internal political acceptance of not just military domination in civil–military relations but also of the Thai military’s limitations in state-on-state combat. The author finds such `underbalancing’ – not responding to threat, or responding to it inadequately – elsewhere in Southeast Asia, too, especially in Indonesia. Although ASEAN’s two largest economies, and despite the challenges presented by a rising China, neither country is acting to significantly build alliances or rapidly strengthen their military forces. Pointing as well to other Southeast Asian nations with weak civil control of their militaries, including Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia, the book sets out a case that the interplay of civil–military relations and military organisational culture retards the development of strong external defence postures.

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Book SynopsisBlacker's Boys tells the First World War history of the 9th (Service) Battalion, Princess Victoria's (Royal Irish Fusiliers) (County Armagh). One of the finest infantry battalions of 36th (Ulster) Division, it fought at the Battles of the Somme, Third Ypres and Cambrai, in the German offensive in 1918 and in the Advance to Victory.Trade Review'I cannot praise this work enough, it must form a great example for others to follow. I suggest that everyone gets a copy, particularly those interested in Ulster in the Great War.' (Bob Wyatt - Stand To! The Journal of the Western Front Association.) '...a worthy tribute to the men and 'boys' who answered Kitchener's call...' (Iain Frazer, grandson of Corporal David Frazer.) 'Blacker's Boys is a mighty achievement.' (Phillip Tardif author of The North Irish Horse in the Great War.)

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Book SynopsisIn 1974 the Queen's Gallantry Medal was instituted to replace awards for gallantry in the Order of the British Empire for actions not quite meriting the award of the George Medal. Since then it has been awarded on 1,044 occasions, which includes 38 posthumous awards and 19 second awards.Trade Review'I consider this fine book to be a deserved tribute to all recipients of the QGM. I commend it to all.' (Sir Ronnie Flanagan GBE, QPM.) '..a "must have" for the medal enthusiast and student of the better aspects of human nature. The author is to be congratulated on a most remarkable and valuable work.' (Professor Bernard de Neumann.) 'The book is a must for any recipient of the QGM, for which it will be a wonderful memento, for medal aficionado's, and for anyone who has an interest in the many and varied stories that resulted in the award.' (S. P. Holmes QGM.)

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a new interpretation of the development of the French army during the 'personal rule' of Louis XIV. Based on massive archival research, it examines the army not just as a military institution but also as a living political, social and economic organism.Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'This is an extraordinarily well-researched and important book which does much more than improve our understanding of the administration of the army under Louis XIV; it forces us to reconsider the very nature of the late seventeenth-century state.' The English Historical ReviewReview of the hardback: 'This is an impressive study, founded on extensive research in the French army archives, one which throws important light on Louis XIV, his military and his nobility … Guy Rowlands has made an important contribution to the history of the armed forces of the Sun King, one with important implications for our understanding of army, government and society - and their interaction - elsewhere in ancien régime Europe.' Christopher Storrs, Journal of Continuity and ChangeTable of ContentsGeneral introduction: 'Absolute monarchy', dynasticism and the standing army; Part I. 'Patrimonial Bureaucracy': The Le Tellier Dynasty and the Ministry of War: Introduction; 1. The Secretary of State for War and the dynastic interests of the Le Tellier family; 2. The ebb and flow of Le Tellier power, 1661–1701; 3. The use and abuse of servants: the Ministry of War, venality and civilian power in the army; 4. Financing war: the treasury of the Extraordinaire des guerres; 5. Corruption and the pursuit of self-interest in the Ministry of War; Part II. The Forging of the French Officer Corps and the Standing Army under Louis XIV: Introduction; 6. In the name of sustainability: reforming the structure of the standing army and the officer corps; 7. The business of a regiment; 8. The pressures and temptations of service; Part III. The High Command of the French Armies: Introduction; 9. The commanders-in-chief and the delegation of royal authority; 10. The appointment of general officers; 11. The summits of ambition and the rewards of good service: the bienfaits du roi and the high command; Conclusion: the preservation of the dynasty; Appendix 1: Defining the grands; Appendix 2: The proportion of revenue generated by the Extraordinaire des guerres as a 'primary receiver'; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisIn many ways the German soldiers who marched back from the Western Front at the end of World War I held the key to the future of the newly-created republic that replaced the Kaiser's collapsed monarchy. To the radical Left, the orderly columns of front-line troops appeared to be the forces of the counterrevolution while to the conservative elements of society they seemed to be the Fatherland's salvation. However, in their efforts to get home as soon as possible, most soldiers were indifferent to the political struggles within the Reich, while the remnant that remained under arms proved powerless to defend the republic from its enemies. This book considers why these soldiers' response to the revolution was so different from the rest of the army and the implications this would have for the course of the German Revolution and, ultimately, for the fate of the Weimar Republic itself.Trade ReviewReview of the hardback: 'Scholars will find much to engage with in this powerful book. Stephenson's descriptions of the German retreat following 11 November and his analysis of the soldiers' councils are among the book's strengths. His investigation of the conduct of German soldiers has implications beyond the rather unusual environment of 1918 and will speak to those interested in the behavior of veterans of all wars. The Final Battle is a worthy contribution to Cambridge University Press's prestigious Studies in the Social and Cultural History of Modern Warfare series and a valuable addition to our understanding of the critical year of 1918.' Michael Neiberg, Michigan War Studies ReviewReview of the hardback: '… a moving and often brilliant book that should serve as a model for the so-called 'new military history'.' ParametersReview of the hardback: 'No historian of the Imperial army or the Weimar Republic can afford to ignore this thought-provoking and, in many ways, provocative study.' English Historical ReviewReview of the hardback: 'This well crafted and thoroughly researched monograph is the first in many years to explore the return home of the defeated Imperial Army.' Stand To! The Journal of the Western Front AssociationTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The divided army; 2. The last ditch: German front-line soldiers in the last days of the First World War; 3. Caesar without legions: the field army and the abdication of the Kaiser, November 8–9, 1918; 4. Legions without Caesar: the German army's response to armistice and revolution, November 9–14, 1918; 5. The last march: the German Westheer's march to the Rhine, November–December, 1918; 6. Dissolution and conspiracy: the army's homecoming and demobilization, December 1918; 7. The last parade: the Guards return to Berlin, December 10–22, 1918; 8. The last battle: 'Bloody Christmas,' December 23–24, 1918; 9. From debacle to civil war: the aftermath of 'Bloody Christmas,' December 1918–January 1919; 10. Conclusion: Frontschweine and revolution.

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Book SynopsisThis book studies the importance of North India's military labour market for state and sect formation, social change and the survival strategies of Hindustani villages, and shows how North Indian politics and decision making reflected the multiple alliances and fluid identities of the peasantry.Trade Review""Naukar", Rajput and Sepoy challenges long-held assumptions about the nature of military power and peasant society in northern India before British ascendance. It will add to our knowledge of Indian state formation and to the growing body of scholarship questioning the historical pervasiveness of caste in Indian society." Journal of Asian History"...the argument that military free agency, or naukari, was an important career alternative for late medieval Indian peasants is compelling and energetically sculpted, making this a welcome addition to the social and economic history of South Asia." Richard B. Barnett, The International History ReviewTable of ContentsPreface; List of abbreviations; Glossary; 1. Beyond the control of the state; 2. A Warlord's fresh attempt at empire; 3. The Rajput of pre-Mughal North India; 4. Politics and entrepreneurship of a 'spurious' Rajput clan; 5. Bhojpuri soldiering and the vicissitudes of Empire; Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published in 1927, this book demonstrate the possible applications of psychological techniques to the training and deployment of soldiers. Bartlett examines features in the life of a soldier, including fatigue and the effects of battle, and offers some suggestions on how modern psychology can better be employed in the service of the army.Table of ContentsPreface; General introduction; Part I. Choosing and Training the Recruit: 1. The general examination: testing the special senses; 2. The general examination: testing intelligence; 3. Tests of special abilities; 4. Training bodily skill; 5. Practice and motives in learning bodily skill; 6. The study of fatigue; Part II. Leadership, Discipline and Morale: 1. Appetite and instinct groups; 2. Interest, sentiment, and ideal groups; 3. The nature and importance of social change; 4. Discipline and punishment; 5. Discipline and suggestion; 6. Leaders and leadership; 7. Morale, with special reference to group games; Part III. Mental Disorders of Warfare: 1. The general background; 2. The normal soldier in war; 3. Conversion hysteria; 4. Anxiety neurosis; 5. Predisposing conditions; 6. Methods of treatment; A review and some suggestions.

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Book SynopsisThis study of Russia's home front mobilization in the Great War explores topics as wide-ranging as the press and propaganda, the Orthodox Church, 'spymania', memorialization, and philanthropy. It should appeal to individuals interested in World War I, nationalism and national identities, citizenship, gender and war, and the Russian revolution.Trade Review'Mobilizing the Russian Nation challenges the notion that Russians had no or insignificant national identity and anything resembling 'healthy patriotism' and, for most authors who argue this thesis, this 'failure' left a blank slate for Bolshevik militancy and dictatorship to become the new regime. On the contrary, Professor Stockdale shows Russian elites as very conscious of the importance of such national identity and patriotism, and as willing to devote considerable resources to their various projects even against the backdrop of the urgently competing priorities of munitions, manpower, and the national food supply. Although many of the 'achievements' of these various projects were undermined by the exhausting, long war - above all any loyalty to the tsar as an embodiment of the nation - other practices were adapted and adjusted by the new Bolshevik leadership. Stockdale offers wonderful institutional histories of several imperial and public associations that played important roles in these multiple wartime nation-building projects.' Mark Von Hagen, Arizona State University'Drawing on a dazzling diversity of original materials, Melissa Kirschke Stockdale upends conventional notions about how Russians experienced the First World War. Through her lucid, nuanced, and compelling analysis, Stockdale has masterfully recast our understanding of wartime patriotism's transformed and transformative role in the shaping of society and politics across a vast imperial state.' Aviel Roshwald, Georgetown University, Washington DC'Mobilizing the Russian Nation examines the powerful crystallization of nationalism, citizenship, and patriotism in Russia in the course of the First World War. She challenges the idea that Russia's war effort was unpopular and that the common people failed to conceive of the war as a patriotic project. Rather, she shows 'the endurance of soldiers and civilians, and the generosity of the entire population, through years of hardship and staggering losses'. She convincingly argues that the First World War transformed Russian civic life and public structures. In doing so, she is always attentive to comparative developments in other combatant societies. Her treatment is fluidly written and highlights the arc of individual lives - be it the high-born governor of St Petersburg, Count Ivan Tolstoy, or the semi-literatate peasant woman Maria Bochkareva. Readers interested in twentieth-century Russia, the First World War, and the global twentieth century will find much of interest in Melissa Kirschke Stockdale's very fine book.' Peter Holquist, University of Pennsylvania'Stockdale's outstanding book overturns the received wisdom on Russian nationalism by convincing readers that even though the Russian state failed in a spectacular and violent way at the end of the First World War, the war nonetheless 'played a significant role in the emergence of the modern Russian nation'. She persuasively shows that the attributes of the Russian national community forged during the First World War 'would outlive the war and civil war, and be worked into Soviet renderings of Russian national identity'.' Karen Petrone, University of Kentucky'How was Russian society mobilized during the Great War? What were the primary forms of patriotic mobilization? How did these efforts influence modern concepts of citizenship and nation in Russia? How has the war 'sold' to different social, ethnic, and confessional groups? And why did Russian soldiers continue to attack the enemy even after the monarchy had collapsed? In order to answer these questions, Professor Melissa Kirschke Stockdale has studied government propaganda, patriotic discourse, civil society activity and charity, theological debates and national projects, and gender and memory politics. She draws on sources from archives in both Moscow and St Petersburg, and has applied new approaches and methods to interpret them. This innovative book will be important both for historians of Russia and for scholars who study the political and cultural history of the Great War.' Boris Kolonitsky, European University, St Petersburg'The book is a panoramic tour of war attitudes that crosses boundaries of class, gender, and (to a lesser degree) ethnicity. Her book is arranged thematically, with chapters on patriotic narratives, the place of the press, the role of the church, war relief, support for soldiers, the discourse of treason, and on patriotism in the revolutionary year of 1917.' Joshua Sanborn, The Journal of Modern History'Melissa Stockdale's richly textured book discusses how Russian - and, by extension, Soviet - identity was fashioned by the war, showing how a variety of very different groups were instrumental in creating a patriotic discourse that had an impact even after the war had ended.' Peter Waldron, The Slavonic and East European Review'Stockdale's work is highly effective in synthesizing a variety of sources to create a well-rounded picture of the concept of patriotism during the war. The result is a nuanced and balanced assessment of the issue, indicating that concepts of patriotism and citizenship were dynamic and fluid, but certainly present. As such, it is an important contribution to the growing body of literature on Russia's Great War.' Laurie S. Stoff, European History QuarterlyTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. A sacred union: patriotic narratives and the language of inclusion; 2. National mobilization: government, propaganda, and the press; 3. 'On the altar of the fatherland': the orthodox church and the language of sacrifice; 4. 'All for the war!': war relief and the language of citizenship; 5. 'United in gratitude': honoring soldiers and defining the nation; 6. Fantasies of treason: sorting out membership in the Russian national community; 7. 'For freedom and the fatherland': shaping citizens in revolutionary 1917; Conclusion; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe uplifting and unforgettable true story of a US Marine, the stray dog he met on an Afghan battlefield, and how they saved each other and now travel America together, spreading the message of stubborn positivity.In 2010, Sergeant Craig Grossi was doing intelligence work for Marine RECON—the most elite fighters in the Corps—in a remote part of Afghanistan. While on patrol, he spotted a young dog with a big goofy head and little legs who didn’t seem vicious or run in a pack like most strays they’d encountered. After eating a piece of beef jerky Craig offered—against military regulations—the dog began to follow him. Looks like you made a friend, another Marine yelled. Grossi heard, Looks like a ''Fred.'' The name stuck, and a beautiful, life-changing friendship was forged.Fred not only stole Craig’s heart; he won over the RECON fighters, who helped Craig smuggle the dog into heavily fortified Camp Leatherneck in a duffel bag—risking jail and Fred’s life. With the help of a crew of DHL workers, a sympathetic vet, and a military dog handler, Fred eventually made it to Craig’s family in Virginia. Months later, when Craig returned to the U.S., it was Fred’s turn to save the wounded Marine from Post-Traumatic Stress. Today, Craig and Fred are touching lives nationwide, from a swampy campground in a Louisiana State Park to the streets of Portland, Oregon, and everywhere in between. A poignant and inspiring tale of hope, resilience, and optimism, with a timeless message at its heart—it is not what happens to us that matters, but how we respond to it—Craig & Fred is a shining example of the power of love to transform our hearts and our lives.

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Book SynopsisA war memoir of unusual literary beauty and power from the acclaimed poet who wrote the poem “The Hurt Locker.”Trade Review"[A] praiseworthy example of how the empathetic imagination can function beautifully in nonfiction writing…. Turner has a talent for amalgamating disparate experiences, especially between civilian and soldier, but also between history and the present…. History can only be served by this kind of attention. Man must look at what he has done. And Turner looks, brilliantly." -- Jen Percy - The New York Times Book Review"Turner is…a poet, and he cannot help but see the world, even the world of combat, in terms of beauty, fragility and heartbreaking splendor…. [His] eloquent rendering illuminates both the shared space and the painful divide between poet and soldier, mission and memory, war and peace." -- Roxana Robinson - Washington Post"Turner is the rare soldier-writer who takes a deep interest in Iraqis—their language and literature, their past, their daily doings, their inner lives." -- George Packer - The New Yorker"My Life as a Foreign Country is brilliant and beautiful. It surely ranks with the best war memoirs I've ever encountered—a humane, heartbreaking, and expertly crafted work of literature." -- Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They Carried"In Brian Turner's extraordinarily capable hands, language is war's undoing, in the sense that his words won't allow absurdity and terror to be anything less than real. My Life as a Foreign Country is lyrical and restless, both ironic and profoundly empathetic." -- Mark Doty, author of Fire to Fire, winner of the National Book Award"Turner's voice is prophetic, an eerie calm in the midst of calamity…Achingly, disturbingly, shockingly beautiful." -- Nick Flynn, author of The Reenactments and The Ticking Is the Bomb"A brilliant fever dream of war's surreality, its lastingness, its place in families and in the fate of nations. Each sentence has been carefully measured, weighed with loss and vitality, the hard-earned language of a survivor who has seen the world destroyed and written it back to life. This is a profound and beautiful work of art." -- Benjamin Busch, author of Dust to Dust"A book…about the haunted past and a haunted man… A story of working through trauma, but above all it's a book about a man, a country, even a species beleaguered by a terrible attachment to war." -- Tomas Hachard - NPR"The psychological consequences of war are movingly portrayed… [a] standout." -- Publishers Weekly

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Book SynopsisA New York Times / National Bestseller "America's funniest science writer" (Washington Post) Mary Roach explores the science of keeping human beings intact, awake, sane, uninfected, and uninfested in the bizarre and extreme circumstances of war.Trade Review"A mirthful, informative peek behind the curtain of military science." -- Washington Post"From the ever-illuminating author of Bonk and Stiff comes an examination of the science behind war. Even the tiniest minutiae count on the battlefield, and Roach leads us through her discoveries in her inimitable style." -- Elle"Our most consistently entertaining science journalist…Roach goes where other writers wouldn’t dare….And her search produces images—a kind of technopoetry—that are hard to forget." -- O Magazine"[Roach] takes on the challenges the military faces to keep its fighters safe and healthy with her trademark flair (and zingy footnotes)." -- Entertainment Weekly"Roach is a tenacious investigative journalist with an appetite for the unappetizing...Grunt ranks high in the Roach repertoire." -- USA Today"Mary Roach’s latest bit of brilliance….As meticulously researched, beautifully written, and disturbingly funny as her previous books…Grunt examines the science behind war, as well as the researchers who are leading the charge in these state-of- the-art developments. Roach’s prose is a triumph—an engaging blend of anecdote, research, and reflection." -- Boston Globe"[Roach] writes exquisitely about the excruciating….wildly informative and vividly written" -- Los Angeles Times"Nobody does weird science quite like [Roach], and this time, she takes on war. Though all her books look at the human body in extreme situations (sex! space! death!), this isn’t simply a blood-drenched affair. Instead, Roach looks at the unexpected things that take place behind the scenes." -- Wired"Roach...applies her tenacious reporting and quirky point of view to efforts by scientists to conquer some of the soldier’s worst enemies." -- Seattle Times"Extremely likable…and quick with a quip….[Roach’s] skill is to draw out the good humor and honesty of both the subjects and practitioners of these white arts among the dark arts of war." -- San Francisco Chronicle"Covering these topics and more, Roach has done a fascinating job of portraying unexpected, creative sides of military science." -- New York Post

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Book SynopsisThis first oral history of living Medal of Honor winners evokes Flags of Our Fathers with stirring accounts of patriotic valor.Trade Review"A book of powerful convictions and human values." -- Michael Pakenham - Baltimore Sun"These recollections are the raw stuff of history. They also provide valuable insight into the military, war and courage under fire." -- John Whiteclay Chambers II - Washington Post Book World

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative history of the first black regiments in American history, whose members helped transform the Civil War from a white man's conflict into a revolutionary struggle for freedom

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Book Synopsis"This engaging history of Arlington National Cemetery ... is also the story of America's maturation through death and war ... An editor and journalist, [Poole] is an adroit sketcher of historical events, but even more of character."-EconomistTrade ReviewVivid, compelling, filled with rich and unexpected detail. Geoffrey C. Ward, author of The Civil War Gripping and often deeply moving, On Hallowed Ground chronicles both the evolution of our national cemetery and the profound ways in which treatment of the war dead reflects a nation's soul. Caroline Alexander, author of The Endurance A memorable combination of historical research, firsthand reporting, and sensitive writing. Ernest B. Furguson, author of Freedom Rising Robert M. Poole not only captures the history of a venerable American institution but with it the politics of commemoration and reconciliation. Paul Dickson, coauthor of The Bonus Army Robert Poole has coupled superb storytelling with meticulous research and produced a gem. Robert Timberg, author of The Nightingale's Song

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Book SynopsisWhen four-star general John Rogers Galvin retired from the US Army after 44 years of distinguished service in 1992, the Washington Post hailed him as a man without peer among living generals. In Fighting the Cold War, the soldier, scholar, and statesman recounts his active participation in more than sixty years of international history.Trade ReviewGeneral Jack Galvin has given us an insightful, important analysis of one of history's mega events - the Cold War when the future of the planet was at stake. This soldier-statesman was an insider's insider and we should be very grateful for his service and wisdom."" - Tom Brokaw""Widely respected as a soldier, scholar, and statesman - who stood out in his generation as a brilliant strategic thinker - General Jack Galvin was also a voracious reader with a wonderfully inquiring mind and a keen intellect. The joy he takes in observing, commenting, and writing-with a wry sense of humor-on an extraordinary range of experiences emerges wonderfully in the pages of this book. Fighting the Cold War thus is an exceptional commentary not only on General Galvin's life and times, but also on timeless issues like leadership, strategic thinking, family, and relationships."" - General David H. Petraeus, USA (Ret.), from the foreword""The Cold War could not have been won, nor ended so peacefully, without individuals like Jack Galvin manning the front lines. Fighting the Cold War is a thoughtful record of service by a distinguished leader in a tumultuous period."" - Henry Kissinger""Galvin played a vital role in the Cold War, and his experiences spanned much of America's history from the 1960s to the 1990s - from Vietnam to Central America to Europe. In Fighting the Cold War he tells this important story with style and verve."" - Lawrence S. Kaplan, author of The Conversion of Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg: From Isolation to International Engagement""During his more than forty-five years of service, during which he rose to become NATO Supreme Commander, General Jack Galvin was one of the brightest stars of his profession. Far more than just the memoir of one of the Army's finest, Fighting the Cold War is also the unusually candid, modest and insightful story of an exceptional teacher, scholar and diplomat whose dedication to the nation has made him a role model for us all. His book is a rare gem."" - Carlo D'Este, Author of Patton: A Genius For War""General Jack Galvin's career spans a critical period in American history, from before the start of Vietnam through the end of the Cold War. His memoir provides a keen personal perspective on all of those events, and reminds us of what we owe to those who have served as he has."" - Francis Fukuyama, author of Political Order and Political Decay: From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy""General 'Jack' Galvin's extraordinary service was marked by dedication, wisdom, and absolute integrity. In this appealing memoir he describes with modesty and candor the challenges he faced during eventful times for our Army and our nation. It is quite simply a very fine account by a very fine soldier."" - General John W. Vessey Jr., Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (1982-1985)""General Jack Galvin is one of the greatest soldiers this country ever had."" - President George H.W. Bush""I was a warrant officer helicopter pilot for General Galvin when he commanded a battalion in Vietnam. I worked decades in and for the Army and never served under or met another officer of his caliber. I would literally charge Hell with a bucket of ice water for him and am thrilled by this terrific book about soldiers and service and sacrifice."" - Bruce James, Ghostrider 11 ""Zorba""Gen. Jack Galvin was the kind of warrior intellectual the U.S. Army produces at its very best. This wonderful memoir distills what Galvin learned in his 44 years of service - building toward his role as Supreme Allied Commander when the Cold War ended. A moment that sums up this book is something Galvin says he told Henry Kissinger in 1988 about the darkest days of World War II. Watched young second lieutenants head off to their commands from the Anzio beachhead, an observer asked: ""I wonder if they are well read?"" Still the right question. Those who love the U.S. Army will want to add this volume to their shelves."" - David Ignatius, Columnist, The Washington Post""General Jack Galvin is a true Cold War hero. Few Americans combined the roles of soldier, scholar, and statesman during those decades, as ably as he. His leadership has been exemplary, and we are fortunate to have it reflected so clearly in this excellent memoir."" - John Lewis Gaddis, Yale University""From his early days in the atomic army of the 1950s, through two tours in Vietnam, to top commands in Europe and Panama, General John Galvin witnessed nearly half-a-century of American military history. Honest, insightful, reflective, and entertaining, his memoir is a fascinating insider's perspective of Cold War soldiering."" - Brian McAllister Linn, author of The Army's Way of War""[I]ntriguing... A valuable read for anyone interested in the continuing evolvement of the American military."" - Washington Times""This engaging memoir of a solider's service is an altogether superb work. [He] is candid, lucid, meticulous in research, and writes with verve on a wide canvas."" - Richard Halloran, US Army War College Parameters""He has a unique perspective on many of the momentous events of the latter half of the twentieth century. It is not only his access, but also his perspicacity that gives this memoir its unique value. Young men and women considering military service will appreciate this book. Galvin recounts both the hardships and rewards that come with service."" - Survival""Students of military history will find much in the book about the Vietnam War, as well as about the American Cold War presence in Europe and Latin America.""Superbly written memoir....Galvin is a gifted writer and writes in a highly conversant style that allows him to tell a story very succinctly. It is unquestionably one of the most readable soldier's memoirs published in recent years."" - On Point""Galvin's memoir (introduced by an admiring Petraeus) is a characteristically modest, wry, and thoughtful account, not only of leadership but also of the rise, fall, and rise again of U.S. military power in the second half of the twentieth century. And it is, as well, a reminder that now and again, one comes across generals with the stuff of greatness in them."" - Foreign Affairs""He provides a unique perspective that includes candid thoughts on his personal engagements with leaders such as Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Colin Powell. Superbly written, highly detailed."" - Military Review""A delight to read. The real Galvin - son of Boston, family man, soldier-scholar, mensch - comes through on every page.Galvin reveals the people and personalities behind the policy.He artfully showed how the general-statesman navigated political-military issues, lined up the allies, openly consorted with ambassadors, and coordinated with multiple bosses, all while simultaneously developing new warfighting concepts and arms-control proposals. Worth every minute that you invest in it, whether you are a historian, a student of leadership, a NATO-phile, a USSOUTHCOM staffer, or just interested in the Cold War as seen through the eyes of a general raised in Boston's working class"" - Joseph J Collins, Joint Forces Quarterly""Galvin is a skilled raconteur, and his narrative holds a reader's attention as he moves from story to story. Galvin's memoir is an entertaining endeavor full of fascinating observations on the personalities and events of the Cold War. It captures the feel of that epoch's waning years as East and West moved toward a wary rapprochement. Reading the book is time well spent for both military personnel and civilians interested in the career of one of the Army's most distinguished officers of the Cold War period, as well as the history of the era itself."" - Army History""His memoir is superbly written; it will be a treat for all who read it."" - Army Magazine""A highly interesting and informative autobiography."" - VVA Veteran""It is an intelligent, complete analysis untouched by the hubris and arrogance of so many other leadership biographies. The colour and texture he provides makes the reader feel part of the discussion - a skill few writers manage with such effectiveness.Not only was Galvin a most capable soldier, but he wrote engagingly, with breadth, perspective and humor."" - RUSI Journal""The rich detail emanates from [Galvin's] own copious notebooks and journals, supplemented by material from his wife and, most importantly, a series of letters to his father that extended over thirty-seven years. [The book] offers insightful and compelling stories from the Cold War, told by a capable and engaging writer."" - Journal of Military History""General Jack Galvin has written a fascinating memoir that is both an important lesson in history and a tutorial in strategic leadership."" - Prism"" Fighting the Cold War, which spans Galvin's life from youth to West Point to Vietnam to NATO command and beyond, is a free-roaming reflection on the events, people, and causes that made Gen. Galvin one of the key architects to the peaceful end of the Cold War.The fine balance between thinking and acting is one of the consistent themes in Fighting the Cold War. Whether dealing with the paperwork headaches in the 101st or disarmament talks with his Soviet counterparts, Gen. Galvin's memoir reveals an astute and self-reflective leader who grasped the many dimensions of senior command. The book offers ideas and examples of how to be an effective commander and staff officer at all levels, how to deal with foreign forces, and how to deal with profound change. As we prepare for an uncertain future, Fighting the Cold War provides insights on how to approach change thoughtfully, with emphasis on self-reflection, teamwork, and communication."" - Infantry

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Book SynopsisThis book opens up a new area in modern Chinese history and Chinese military history by revealing that the cultural discourse on the soldier image is essential to understanding Chinese nationalism, state-building, and civil-military relations in the early twentieth century.

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Book SynopsisBEFORE HE COULD FORGE A BAND OF ELITE WARRIORS... HE HAD TO BECOME ONE HIMSELF.Adapted from Webb''s Adult Bestseller The Red Circle for a Young Adult AudienceBrandon Webb''s experiences in the world''s most elite sniper corps are the stuff of legend. From his grueling years of training in Naval Special Operations to his combat tours in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, The Making of a Navy SEAL provides a rare and riveting look at the inner workings of the U.S. military through the eyes of a covert operations specialist.Yet it is Webb''s distinguished second career as a lead instructor for the shadowy sniper cell and Course Manager of the Navy SEAL Sniper Program that trained some of America''s finest and deadliest warriors-including Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle-that makes his story so compelling. Luttrell credits Webb''s training with his own survival during the ill-fated 2005 Operation Redwing in Afghanistan. Kyle went on to become th

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