Those Who Have Borne the Battle: A History of America's Wars and Those Who Fought Them

Description

"The familiar narrative of the American military experience traces the long, occasionally glorious, always bloody monarchy from Lexington and Concord to Iraq and Afghanistan. [The book] amends that account by adding two subjects of acute contemporary relevance: how the United States has raised the forces with which it wages war, and how, in the aftermath of battle, it cares for and remembers those who fought." -New York Times Book Review

The son of a World War II veteran, James Wright joined the marines at age seventeen and served for three years, primarily with the First Marine Brigade in Hawaii and Japan. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, became a history professor at Dartmouth College in 1969, and served as president of Dartmouth from 1998 to 2009. Since 2005 he has visited military hospitals over two dozen times and has worked to establish educational counseling programs for wounded veterans, efforts featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, ABC World News, and VFW Magazine, and recognized by educational, veteran, and service organizations. He and his wife, Susan, live in New Hampshire.

Dr. John Nagl, Minerva Professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and retired Army officer "Former Marine and Dartmouth President Jim Wright has written a concise military history of the United States with a focus on the veterans of our wars. It is empathetic, informed by his personal knowledge of the sacrifices and joys of military service, and deeply compelling. I know of no more ambitious work on how our nation cares for those who have borne the burden of her battles, nor one that achieves its goals so well. In this time of too many wars, it should be read by every American." Richard H. Kohn, Professor Emeritus of History and Peace, War, and Defense, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Chief of Air Force History for the USAF, 1981-1991 "In this unflinchingly honest portrait of the American military experience, James Wright explains how our recent wars have differed from those of earlier times. Informed by a tour in the Marines, a lifetime devoted to educating the country's youth, and more recently, repeated visits to wounded vets, this important book talks sense to the American people about our wars and their consequences. Engaging, wise, and filled with keen insights for all Americans, their military and political leaders in particular." Paul Rieckhoff, Founder and Executive Director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America "Finally - a comprehensive book chronicling the journey of the American veteran. From the camps of Valley Forge to the beachfronts of Normandy to the sands of Iraq, James Wright weaves together a full history that is both engaging and alive. Some were citizen soldiers. Some were draftees. Some were volunteers. But they all served their country when called upon. Wright's book is required reading for anyone who wants to understand the wars and warriors of our past - and perhaps the wars and warriors of our future." "Kirkus Reviews ""A thoughtful account of how America treats its soldiers...An astute view of America's enthusiastic but often-u