Allan R. Millett, Peter Maslowski, and William B. Feis, eds., For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States from 1607 to 2012, Third Edition (New York: Free Press, 2012)
Perhaps the best textbook on American military history, For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States, written by renowned military historians Allen Millett, Peter Maslowski, and William Feis, encompasses the breadth of American military history from its beginnings with European settlement to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Millett is Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University and is currently Director of the Eisenhower Center for American Studies at the University of New Orleans. Maslowski is Millett’s former student and Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska, while Feis is a former student of both Millett and Maslowski and teaches at Buena Vista University. Intended as a supplement to Walter Mills, Arms and Men (1956), and Russell F. Weigley’s The American Way of War (1973), this work grew from a realization that a comprehensive work on the breadth of American military history did not exist. Now in its third edition, it includes revised information on Korea and Vietnam in addition to chapters on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This book is a straightforward narrative of American military history from the colonial era to operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as of 2012. The authors’ stated purpose of writing this work is to analyze the development of American military policy while also examining how international and domestic factors shaped that policy. More than a chronicle of wartime operations, the book also describes the role of the armed forces at home and during peace, such as its use during Reconstruction. This book’s detailed exploration of the entirety of American military history makes it also an examination of broader American historical themes by thoroughly examining the impact conflict and society have on each other.
Millett’s introduction outlines six significant themes that place the military within broader U.S. history. First, political and social values shape military policies and programs. Second, a traditional dynamic between citizen-soldiers and professionals forms the basis for defense policy. Third, contrary to popular belief, the United States has been prepared when needed to provide for national security. Fourth, the American tradition of civilian control over the military requires careful attention to maintain healthy civil-military relations. Fifth, the U.S. armed forces have consistently become more professionalized throughout their history. Finally, industrialization has shaped the American way of war, and the United States now relies on its industrial and technological advantages to reduce casualties albeit at enormous cost. The authors also place significant emphasis on an American tradition of ambivalence toward war, and how that has evolved from its humble beginnings into its antithesis—near persistent conflict today.
To compile this work, the authors drew upon “two generations of scholars whose books, essays, and articles provide the foundation to this book.” (p.vi) Omitting journal articles in favor of books, the authors also lean extensively on the personal experience of scholars who have experienced conflict firsthand in recent wars. For example, much of the last chapter reflects this approach through interviews with veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the impressive collection of scholarship, the authors explicitly state that this is not a book of “dramatic new interpretations or radical departures in intellectual approach,” but rather an attempt to find the right balance between facts and interpretations to make the discussion of American military history meaningful. (p. xiii)
Relatively small, clear chapters and a lack of traditional notes make this book digestible for any student of American military history. Massive, complex wars, such as the Civil War, World War II, and Vietnam, are broken into two chapters to capture the depth of their complexity. As to be expected, the book is long, at 680 pages of text, and because of its length, it can often feel overwhelming. For reference, the authors include useful quantitative appendices but do not include notes—electing instead to offer a comprehensive bibliography, by chapter, online. Because of its detailed connection to broader American historical themes and equal attention to military operations and policy, this book is essential reading for any scholar of American history. Its readability and comprehensiveness thus make it an ideal textbook for college courses on American military history. This book should be required reading for all military professionals, enlisted and officer alike, as well as government officials influential in military policy decisions.