The Folly of War: American Foreign Policy, 1898-2005 - Softcover
This is a disturbing book that raises questions about how we go to war, how we fight wars, and how we eventually lose wars. This historical examination of American foreign policy in the 20th century questions how we conduct wars, and how we maintain the proud self assurance known as "American exceptionalism." The Folly of War is a hard-hitting, critical analysis of American wars in the 20th century. Drawing on a wide rage of sources and rigorously marshalling the facts, the book concludes that American wars in the past century have been futile, unnecessary and foolish. Rejecting the Left s contention that American foreign policy has been driven by greedy corporate interests, the author starts from the premise that average Americans have supported these wars out of a will to do good but have failed in that aim, and in the process done much harm.
Many Americans view the military defeat in Vietnam as an aberration, interrupting a string of foreign military successes. This book sees that tragedy as part of a line of politically reckless engagements that span the century. Driven by a proud self assurance that is often termed American exceptionalism, the nation arms itself to the teeth and intrudes into every region, pacing on a treadmill of perpetual war to achieve perpetual peace.
At the end of seven major wars and after one million American soldiers have been killed, we are no closer to the perfect security we seek.
Many Americans view the military defeat in Vietnam as an aberration, interrupting a string of foreign military successes. This book sees that tragedy as part of a line of politically reckless engagements that span the century. Driven by a proud self assurance that is often termed American exceptionalism, the nation arms itself to the teeth and intrudes into every region, pacing on a treadmill of perpetual war to achieve perpetual peace.
At the end of seven major wars and after one million American soldiers have been killed, we are no closer to the perfect security we seek.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
Donald E. Schmidt received an advanced degree in modern American diplomatic history from California State University, Northridge in 1969. He taught history and political science at the college level for over 20 years.
Review:
"It is as amazing as it is tragic that much of the world believes George Bush to be as dangerous as Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein." Based wholly on secondary sources, this provocative book blames the US's modern wars on a legacy of "militant idealism" traceable to Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson and a flawed belief in "American Exceptionalism." George W. Bush is not the first US president to use deception in plunging the nation into a war with unintended "aftershocks." Franklin D. Roosevelt was a master of misrepresentation, albeit, his admirers argue, in a just cause. Schmidt disagrees. While scholarly opposition to the Spanish-American War, WW I, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf wars is common, the author's views on WW II border on conspiracy theory. The chief villain: Winston Churchill, who also enlisted US help in 1916 and 1946 in the service of British interests. Concerning the ill-fated 1938 Munich conference, Schmidt believes appeasement to be a practical way of redressing past mistakes (e.g., the Versailles Treaty). By wrongly applying the "Munich analogy," he concludes, the US has foolishly meddled in regional upheavals and "has turned into a marauding, rogue superpower, marching to and fro across the globe." A useful work, with these reservations. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. -- J. B. Lane, Indiana University Northwest --Reviewed in CHOICE Feb 2006.
I have always thought that we Americans believe that we are a peace-loving country, slow to anger and only going to war rarely and with the very best of reasons. We always take the high ground, lending assistance to the weak, beating up on the bullies.
Then I look around the world. Sweden, I don't believe, has been at war since the Great Northern War in the 1770's. Switzerland's last war was the Wars of Kappel, an internal religious war in about 1530. Both Sweden and Switzerland maintain standing armies, in Switzerland virtually every male spends time in the Army. And their armies are quite advanced in terms of weapons and electronics. These tend to keep people from attacking them, and they don't go out to attack others.
Why then does the US seem to go to war frequently? In this book the author argues that U.S. foreign policy has been driven by the public's desire to 'do good.' As in we had to destroy Hue in order to save it.
The author analyzes the wars the US has fought in the 20th century. The back cover sums it up best: "Many Americans view the military defeat in Vietnam as an aberration, interrupting a string of military successes. The Folly of War sees that tragedy as part of a line of politically reckless engagements that span the century. Driven by a proud self-assurance that is often termed "American exceptionalism," the nation under the banner of Militant Idealism, arms itself to the teeth and intrudes into every region of the world. The US has been on a treadmill of perpetual war to seek perpetual peace."
This is a very interesting view of the wars the US has fought. --Books-On-Line
I have always thought that we Americans believe that we are a peace-loving country, slow to anger and only going to war rarely and with the very best of reasons. We always take the high ground, lending assistance to the weak, beating up on the bullies.
Then I look around the world. Sweden, I don't believe, has been at war since the Great Northern War in the 1770's. Switzerland's last war was the Wars of Kappel, an internal religious war in about 1530. Both Sweden and Switzerland maintain standing armies, in Switzerland virtually every male spends time in the Army. And their armies are quite advanced in terms of weapons and electronics. These tend to keep people from attacking them, and they don't go out to attack others.
Why then does the US seem to go to war frequently? In this book the author argues that U.S. foreign policy has been driven by the public's desire to 'do good.' As in we had to destroy Hue in order to save it.
The author analyzes the wars the US has fought in the 20th century. The back cover sums it up best: "Many Americans view the military defeat in Vietnam as an aberration, interrupting a string of military successes. The Folly of War sees that tragedy as part of a line of politically reckless engagements that span the century. Driven by a proud self-assurance that is often termed "American exceptionalism," the nation under the banner of Militant Idealism, arms itself to the teeth and intrudes into every region of the world. The US has been on a treadmill of perpetual war to seek perpetual peace."
This is a very interesting view of the wars the US has fought. --Books-On-Line
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherAlgora Publishing
- Publication date2005
- ISBN 10 0875863825
- ISBN 13 9780875863825
- BindingPaperback
- Edition number1
- Number of pages388
- Rating
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 388 pages. 9.00x6.00x1.00 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # zk0875863825
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