Military institutions Books

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 SynopsisThe 2nd Canadian Regiment was one of the first ‘national’ regiments in the American army. In this study of the regiment, Holly Mayer marshals personal and official accounts to reveal what the personal passions, hardships, and accommodations of the 2nd Canadian can tell us about the greater military and civil dynamics of the American Revolution.Trade Review“By far one of the most important and original studies of the Continental Army yet published, Holly Mayer’s book is notable for how deeply and broadly it explores the Canadian borderlands context that gave birth to Congress’s Own Regiment, as well as the meanings of community, independence, and union for which Continental soldiers fought and died." —David L. Preston, author of Braddock’s Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution "Congress’s Own is a deep dive into a Continental regiment, its officers, its men and women, and their experiences and tribulations, but it is also much more. Here is the story of the war and the Revolution. Mayer shows us how the Continental government functioned through its commander-in-chief, through the Board of War, and ultimately through its army. Somehow, in all the chaos, a nation was made, carried forward on the backs of a very unlikely and diverse cast of characters." —Wayne Lee, author of Barbarians and Brothers: Anglo-American Warfare, 1500–1865

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Book SynopsisThe only religious unit in American military history. The Mormon battalion was unique in federal service, having been recruited solely from one religious body and having a religious title as the unit designation.

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Book SynopsisThe Fifth Illinois Cavalry has remained obscure despite participating in some of the most important campaigns in Arkansas and Mississippi in the US Civil War. In this pioneering examination of that understudied regiment, Rhonda Kohl offers the only modern, comprehensive analysis of a southern Illinois regiment during the Civil War.Table of Contents List of Illustrations Preface Abbreviations 1. The Politics of War, August 1861 to February 1862 2. The Springtime of War, March to July 1862 3. This Godforsaken Town, July to October 1862 4. Under Grant’s Command, November 1862 to May 1863 5. Redemption at Vicksburg, June to August 1863 6. Winslow’s Cavalry, August 1863 to January 1864 7. The Grand Raid, February to March 1864 8. Garrison Duty, March to December 1864 9. Soon This Cruel War Will Close, January to October 1865 Notes Bibliography Index

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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 SynopsisThese letters and accompanying introduction, preface, and notes, draw attention to the Western experience in a place and time largely overlooked by military historians and modern China specialists.

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Book SynopsisThe first extensive English-language study of Yasukuni Shrine as a war memorial. It explores the controversial shrine's role in waging war, promoting peace, honouring the dead, and, in particular, building Japan's modern national identity. It traces Yasukuni's history from its conceptualization in the final years of the Tokugawa period and Japan's wars of imperialism to the present.

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Book SynopsisOffers a history of Civil War commemoration in Missouri, shifting focus away from the guerrilla war and devoting equal attention to Union, African American, and Confederate commemoration. In doing so, Amy Fluker provides the most complete look yet at the construction of Civil War memory in Missouri.Trade ReviewDr. Fluker’s important new work makes welcome contributions to Missouri history, the history of the American West, and the developing scholarship of Civil War memory."—Jeremy Neely, Missouri State University, author of The Border Between Them: Violence and Reconciliation on the Kansas-Missouri Line"Amy Fluker’s extensive research on the tenor of reconciliation in Missouri emphasizes the complexities of community healing in a state where various regional identities—Western, Southern, and Northern—collided. She illuminates the conservative, yet pragmatic approaches of her subjects, explaining how there was no single narrative dictating how Missourians understood this conflict. Commonwealth of Compromise is a must read for anyone interested in the Civil War’s legacies."—Kristen Epps, University of Central Arkansas, author of Slavery on the Periphery: The Kansas-Missouri Border in the Antebellum and Civil War Eras"Fluker complicates our understanding of Civil War memory by examining a place, Missouri, that did not conform to simple categories of Lost Cause, Unionist, or emancipationist memories of the war. Instead Missourians fashioned a memory that allowed disparate groups to preserve elements of their unique memories in a larger reconciliationist framework."—Nicole Etcheson, Ball State University, author of A Generation at War: The Civil War Era in a Northern Community"An extraordinarily timely contribution to our current national dialogue over Confederacy celebrating statues, Confederate general named military bases, and the removal of the last Confedrate 'Stars & Bars' from the Mississippi state flag, Commonwealth of Compromise: Civil War Commemoration in Missouri is a work of original and meticulous scholarship that deserves being a part of every community, college, and university library, U.S. Civil War History in general, and 19th century Missouri History supplemental curriculum reading lists in particular."—Midwest Book Review

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