James R. Arnold

This unprecedented compilation of eyewitness accounts records the thoughts and emotions of American soldiers spanning nearly 250 years of national history, from the American Revolution to the Afghanistan War. Understanding primary sources is essential to understanding warfare. This outstanding collection provides a diverse set of eyewitness accounts of Americans in combat throughout U.S. history. Offering riveting true stories, it includes accounts from participants in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Indian Wars, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War and Philippine Insurrection, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, The Persian Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, and the Iraq War. Most eyewitness accounts of war currently available to the public are those of writers who enjoy higher military rank. Americans at War addresses this imbalance between officers' accounts and enlisted men's accounts by invoking oral history archives. Contextual essays and timelines allow the reader to place the accounts in time and place, while the entries themselves allow the reader to experience the thoughts and emotions of Americans who engaged in combat.

Eyewitness Accounts from the American Revolution to the 21st Century [3 volumes]

Americans at War

Roberta Wiener

A detailed look at the formation of the colony of Virginia, its government, and its overall history, plus a prologue on world events in 1607.

The History of Virginia Colony, 1607-1776

Virginia

This essential reference work helps promote a thorough understanding of the conflict that divided the nation and proved more costly in terms of human suffering than any in American history. • 100 entries on leaders, battles, and more • Approximately 20 primary source documents with introductions that provide context to the text • Numerous images and maps • A detailed chronology that will help students place important events related to the Civil War that occurred before, during, and after the conflict • A comprehensive bibliography of print resources

The Essential Reference Guide

American Civil War: The Essential Reference Guide

Spencer Tucker

This encyclopedia provides a broad, in-depth, and multidisciplinary look at the causes and effects of warfare between whites and Native Americans, encompassing nearly three centuries of history.

A Political, Social, and Military History

The Encyclopedia of North American Indian Wars, 1607–1890

As the global war on terror enters its second decade, the United States military is engaged with militant Islamic insurgents on multiple fronts. But the post-9/11 war against terrorists is not the first time the United States has battled such ferocious foes. The forgotten Moro War, lasting from 1902 to 1913 in the islands of the southern Philippines, was the first confrontation between American soldiers and their allies and a determined Muslim insurgency. The Moro War prefigured American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than superficially: It was a bitter, drawn-out conflict in which American policy and aims were fiercely contested between advocates of punitive military measures and proponents of conciliation. As in today's Middle East, American soldiers battled guerrillas in a foreign environment where the enemy knew the terrain and enjoyed local support. The deadliest challenge was distinguishing civilians from suicidal attackers. Moroland became a crucible of leadership for the U.S. Army, bringing the force that had fought the Civil War and the Plains Indian Wars into the twentieth century. The officer corps of the Moro campaign matured into the American generals of World War I. Chief among them was the future general John Pershing-who learned lessons in the island jungles that would guide his leadership in France. Rich with relevance to today's news from the Middle East, and a gripping piece of storytelling, The Moro War is a must-read to understand a formative conflict too long overlooked and to anticipate the future of U.S. involvement overseas.

How America Battled a Muslim Insurgency in the Philippine Jungle, 1902-1913

The Moro War

An easily accessible resource that showcases the links between using documented primary sources and gaining a more nuanced understanding of military history. • Covers benchmark documents in U.S. diplomatic and military history from 14 conflicts • Utilizes document introductions and scholarly analysis to help students understand the primary source materials • Supports document-based teaching and learning strategies • Ties into Common Core critical thinking guidelines commonly used in high school history courses for document analysis • Helps students understand the difference between original source material and unsourced claims made on the Internet

Understanding U.S. Military Conflicts through Primary Sources [4 volumes]

The end of the Cold War promised a new, more peaceful era was at hand. But with the escalation of violence by terrorists, insurgents, and guerillas, former CIA director James Woolsey said "After forty-five years of fighting a dragon we finally killed it, and now instead, we find ourselves standing in a jungle with a bunch of snakes." The emergence of a fresh set of conflicts has forced militaries across the world to reevaluate their strategies or risk never-ending conflicts with insurgencies. James Arnold traces the successes and failures of counter-insurgency in the 20th century. He examines the US in the Philippines, the British in Malaysia, the France in Algeria, and the US in Vietnam, with an epilogue that looks at Iraq, where American generals are striving to apply the lessons of the previous conflicts. In A Jungle Full of Snakes, Arnold shows that the tug of war over civilian support and the build up of a strong central government are crucial victories for any attempted counter-insurgency.

A Century of Counterinsurgency Warfare from the Philippines to Iraq

Jungle of Snakes

Presents alphabeticaly arranged reference entries on the Cold War between the United States and Russia during the late twentieth century, covering its military, social, and political aspects and its impact on other countries in the world.

James R. Arnold

Books

Your next favorite book is out there