Drawdown : the American way of postwar / edited by Jason W. Warren.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

Cover; Contents; Foreword; Acknowledgments; Introduction: The American Way of Postwar: The Liberty Dilemma; PART I. BUILDING THE AMERICAN MILITARY IDEAL; 1. The Art of War: Early Anglo-American Translation, 1607-1643; 2. Liberty Paradox: The Failure of the Military System in Mid-Seventeenth-Century New England; 3. Surprisingly Professional: Trajectories in Army Officer Corps Drawdowns, 1783- 1848; PART II. MANAGING INDUSTRIAL-ERA WARFARE; 4. Challenged Competency: U.S. Cavalry before, during, and after the U.S. Civil War; 5. The Elusive Lesson: U.S. Army Unpreparedness from 1898 to 1938

6. When the Smoke Clears: The Interwar Years as an Unlikely Success StoryPART III. CONCEPTUALIZING COLD WAR FRAMEWORK; 7. Searching for the Greatest Generation's Army in 1950; 8. The Post-Korean War Drawdown under the Eisenhower Administration; 9. Once Again with the High and Mighty: "New Look" Austerity, "Flexible Response" Buildup, and the U.S. Army in Vietnam, 1954-1970; PART IV. SEARCHING FOR A NEW PARADIGM; 10. Post-Vietnam Drawdown: The Myth of the Abrams Doctrine; 11. The "Good" Drawdown: The Post-Vietnam Alignment of Resources

12. Preaching after the Devil's Death: U.S. Post-Cold War DrawdownEpilogue; About the Contributors; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W

While traditionally, Americans view expensive military structure as a poor investment and a threat to liberty, they also require the employment of armed forces as a guarantee of that very freedom. Beginning with the wars of the English colonies, Americans typically increased their military capabilities at the beginning of conflicts only to decrease them at the apparent conclusion of hostilities. In [this book], a stellar team of military historians argue that the United States sometimes managed effective drawdowns, sowing the seeds of future victory. Yet at other times, the drawing down of military capabilities undermined our readiness and flexibility, leading to more costly wars and perhaps defeat. The political choice to reduce military capabilities is influenced by Anglo-American pecuniary deicions and traditional fears of government oppression, and it has been haphazard throughout American history. These two factors form the basic American "liberty dilemma," the vexed relationship between the nation and its military apparatuses from the founding of the first colonies through to present times. With the termination of large-scale operations in Iraq and the winnowing of forces in Afghanistan, the United states military once again faces a significant drawdown in standing force structure and capabilities. The political and military debate around how best to affect this force reduction lacks a proper historical perspective. This volume aspires to inform this dialogue. Not a traditional military history, Drawdown analyzes cultural attitudes, political decisions, and institutions surrounding the maintenance of armed forces. -- Back cover

eBooks on EBSCOhost EBSCO eBook Subscription Academic Collection - Worldwide