5 / 64
5
W
hy should middle and high
school students read about and
study American wars? Does
doing so promote militarism or instill mis-
guided patriotism? The United States of
America was born at war, and the nation
has spent the majority of its existence at
war. Our wars have demonstrated both
the best and worst of who we are. They
have freed millions from oppression and
slavery, but they have also been a vehicle
for fear, racism, and imperialism. Warfare
has shaped the geography of our nation,
informed our laws, and it even inspired
our national anthem. It has united us and
it has divided us.
Valley Forge, the
USS Constitution
, Gettysburg, Wounded Knee, Belleau
Wood, Normandy, Midway, Inchon, the A Shau Valley, and Fallujah are
all a part of who we are as a nation. Therefore, the study of America at
war does not necessarily make students or educators militaristic; rather,
it makes them thorough and responsible. To ignore warfare, which has
been such a significant part of our history, would not only leave our edu-
cation incomplete, it would also be negligent.
For those who wish to avoid warfare, or to at least limit its horrors,
understanding conflict is a worthwhile, and even necessary, pursuit. The
American author John Steinbeck once said, “all war is a symptom of man’s
Introduction
by Series Consultant
JasonMusteen
Lt. Col. Jason R. Musteen is a U.S. Army
Cavalry officer and combat veteran who
has held various command and staff
jobs in Infantry and Cavalry units. He
holds a PhD in Napoleonic History from
Florida State University and currently
serves as Chief of the Division of Mili-
tary History at the U.S. Military Acad-
emy at West Point. He has appeared
frequently on the History Channel.