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Understanding the U.S. Military

Katherine Carroll editor William B Hickman editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:11th Aug '22

Should be back in stock very soon

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Understanding the U.S. Military cover

This book offers an accessible introduction to the U.S. military as an institution and provides insights into the military’s structure and norms.

Designed for undergraduate students, the book offers an interdisciplinary overview of America’s armed forces through three critical lenses. First, it introduces the military’s constitutional and historical context. Second, it presents concise factual information chosen for its relevance to the military’s structures, procedures, norms, and varied activities. Finally, it intersperses these facts with debates, theories, and questions to spark student interest, class discussion, and further research. The text is written for the beginner but covers complex topics such as force structure and the defense budget. With contributions informed by both scholarly approaches and long military careers, the bookwill prepare students for further studies in international relations, civil-military relations, or U.S. foreign policy. It also encourages critical thinking, elucidating an institution that undergraduates and other civilians too often perceive as both baffling and above reproach.

This book will be of much interest to students of the U.S. military, civil-military relations, U.S. politics, and public policy.

"Understanding the U.S. Military is by far the best primer in existence on the history and organization of the U.S. Department of Defense and military services, their role in American society, and the challenges they confront today. The authors have accomplished the near impossible – making comprehensible to the lay reader the myriad complex organizations and operations of the U.S. defense establishment. Highly recommended for course adoption at the undergraduate and graduate levels for education and training in national security and citizenship."

Peter R. Mansoor, Colonel, USA (Ret.), Ohio State University, USA, Author of Surge: My Journey with General David Petraeus and the Remaking of the Iraq War

"Understanding the U.S. Military has arrived just in time. American citizens are increasingly disconnected from those who serve and fight in their name. If the American people do not understand the requirements of national defense or the warrior ethos that is foundational to military effectiveness, our ability to deter conflict and, if necessary, to fight and win wars will be greatly diminished. That is why it is important to read and discuss this book.''

H.R. McMaster, Lieut. Gen, (U.S. Army, ret.), Author of Battlegrounds and Dereliction of Duty

"Service members often complain that citizens don't understand the military, but there has been no single place for people to learn about the armed forces, their relationship with society, and their role in national security decision-making. Katherine Carroll and William B. Hickman have provided this vital volume so citizens can better understand the military and hold officials accountable."

Retired US Army Colonel Christopher D. Kolenda, Strategic Leaders Academy, USA, Author of Zero-Sum Victory: What We're Getting Wrong About War

''A superbly conceived and wonderfully presented primer that will do an excellent job in helping readers gain an understanding of one of America’s most respected institutions, the United States military.''

General David Petraeus, US Army (Ret.),former Commander of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, and former Director of the CIA

ISBN: 9780367724559

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 620g

300 pages