The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 is the most important legislation to affecting U.S. national defense in the last 50 years. This act resulted from frustration in Congress and among certain military officers concerning what they believed to be the poor quality of military advice available to civilian decision-makers. It also derived from the U.S. military's perceived inability to conduct successful "joint" or multi-service operations. The act, passes after four years of legislative debate, designated the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as the principal military advisor to the President and sought to foster greater cooperation among the military services. Goldwater-Nichols marks the latest attempt to balance competing tendencies within the Department of Defense, namely centralization versus decentralization and geographic versus functional distributions of power. As a result of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has achieved prominence, but his assignment is somewhat contradictory: the spokesman and thus the advocate for the Commander in Chief, while simultaneously the provider of objective advice to the President. While the act did succeed in strengthening the CINCs' authority and in contributing to the dramatic U.S. achievements in the Gulf War, the air and ground campaigns revealed weaknesses in the CINCs' capability to plan joint operations. In addition, the increased role of the military in ad hoc peacekeeping operations has challenged the U.S. military's current organizational structure for the quick deployment of troops from the various services. Rapid technological advances and post-Cold War strategic uncertaintyalso complicate the U.S. military's organizational structure.

Much has been documented about US soldiers' involvement in the Korean War. In this memoir, one officer details the little-known events of the battle of the Koto-ri Pass in North Korea in 1950. Chosin Reservoir narrates the role of the First Platoon, Battery A, Fiftieth AAA Battalion, X Corps, US Army, in facilitating the withdrawal of the First Marine Division from the Chosin Reservoir.

Providing firsthand insight into the realities of war, author Merrill Harper, a retired lieutenant colonel of the US Army, tells the story of how one army officer and three enlisted men were able to break up a ten thousand man Chinese ambush on Koto-ri Pass, killing 7,500 Chinese and running the rest over the next mountains within six hours.

In addition to chronicling the war-related events in North Korea in 1950, Harper, a soldier who was wounded twenty-four times, discusses his career leading up to the battle and shares other details from his twenty-two years of service in the military.

Much of the world reaped a peace dividend with the end of the Cold War, yet Asia has seen little reduction in tensions and military spending. Three Cold War era conflicts-those dividing China and Taiwan, North and South Korea, and India and Pakistan-remain unresolved. Other regional powers, as well as the United States, continue to be concerned about these volatile disputes. North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile development, China's opposition to Taiwan's pursuit of independence, and Pakistan's longstanding dispute with India have all received increasing media attention. This is the first volume using a common approach to examine post-Cold War changes in these three volatile dyads.

The book's case studies detail the evolution of each country's security policy and its shifting mix of alliances. The authors analyze U.S. interests and discuss how U.S. intervention affects strategic calculations of the conflicted states. This mechanism allows gives the readers a truer understanding of the conflicts and how they interact within the Asian security system in general. Each of the dominant theoretical frameworks of international relations-neo-realism, neo-liberalism, and constructivism-offer crucial insights into this complicated situation.

Making offical history from all over the world accessible, this volume and its companion complement and bring Robin HighaM's 1970 classic work, "Official Histories" up to date. Each chapter, written by staff of the relevant historical office, gives both historiographical background and information on the volumes published by that office. Covering Europe, Russia, Africa, the Middle East, and India, this volume provides a plethora of information, as does the companion volume on the Western Hemisphere and the Pacific Rim.

Buried in official history volumes is a lot of fine and useful history, and official volumes deserve to be perused. This book will make those histories available to scholars and graduate students and will be especially useful to those concerned with military, social, and diplomatic history as well as medicine.

April 14, 1922 - November 25, 2007 Ellis, fondly known to many as Chief was proudly named after the man that taught him many of life's lessons. He was a true outdoors man; an avid Sailor sailing both in the Bay and out of the Golden Gate enjoying the freedom and skills it took to successfully handle a sailing vessel. When given a choice between the sea and the mountains it was the love of the back-country that came first. Beginning as a child, Ellis spent time hiking out of Kennedy Meadows in the Emigrant Wilderness of California. He continued this tradition through his life spending time each year in the back-country with friends, neighbors, children and later grandchildren sharing experiences, life-lessons and entrenching a lifelong love of the wilderness that have changed the lives of so many. To Chief, this was "God's Country." He spent his later years with his large family enjoying the stories of others and telling stories of his own. You could expect to find him in his yard from early in the morning after his large breakfast to the afternoon. The simple enjoyments in life were truly embraced by this amazing man.

On May 9, 1940, Adrie de Kievit is a carefree ten-year-old boy who lives with his parents, Arie and Ko, and his thirteen-year-old sister Willie in Yselmonde in the Netherlands. The family's life is about to change drastically. As planes soar low overhead with cannons firing at them, a neighbor with access to a radio confirmed that the Dutch are now at war with the German Army. This memoir offers a firsthand narrative of what it was like growing up under the backdrop of World War II. While accented with many historical details, "Winning Three Times" is a personal story of how the war and the German occupation affected Adrie, his family, their neighbors, their city, and the country. From food hoarding to rationing and shortages, "Winning Three Times" recounts with great detail surviving the war in a small down under the shadow of Rotterdam. He tells of how his family coped with the hardships such as no gas, no electricity, no telephone, and little outside communication. This personal history communicates a story of both challenge and triumph.

THE RECOLLECTIONS OF SKINNER OF SKINNER'S HORSE INDIA'S MOST FAMOUS CAVALRYMAN RECOUNTS HIS CAREER. James Skinner had a colourful career. He began his military exploits as a mercenary for Indian princes and became a legend as the leader of the 'Yellow Boys' - his renowned irregular cavalry. In the early years of the British domination of the sub-continent Skinner at some time fought almost every martial race India had to offer. These adventures (originally written in Persian) are clear and directly recounted and are supported by text by J. Baily Fraser who gives context to Skinners world.

This book tells the story of Captain Evelyn Decker, a pioneer, as one of the first African American nurses to serve in the U.S. Army. Having grown up in an integrated, accepting community in upstate New York, she was surprised and dismayed by the continual discrimination and segregation she faced as she served her country. Her spirit and strength illuminate her narrative, a history that should never be forgotten.

"In this book, Captain Decker details her early childhood, young adulthood, and her military career in this country and overseas, covering her experiences from World II through the Korean era This autobiography explores Captain Decker's life and assesses her place in American military history. The book traces her personal and career development, her challenges, and her climb over insurmountable obstacles to obtain many decorations."
-Dr. (Brigadier General) Carrie Nero, USA (Ret.)

"I feel honored to have read this book and I enjoyed it too I believe the English used in this book is appropriate for Middle and Junior High School students. Good luck with the publication."
-Ethleen B. Stoute, Social Studies Teacher, Shaw Junior High School, Washington, DC

England's capture of Canada in 1760 was the culmination of the French and Indian War and of a century and a half of conflict between Britain and France for control of the North American continent. During that long period, there were several English military efforts to evict the French, but all failed. Therefore, at the war's start, few among the English entertained serious thoughts of totally evicting France from all of Canada. Nor did the French consider such a result a serious possibility. Drawing heavily on primary sources, Brecher tells the dramatic story of why the war's outcome differed so sharply from original expectations. He does so from the vantage point of France, while demonstrating in greater depth than has been available to date the linkages between France's American policy and involvement in the Seven Years' War.

Brecher provides an unprecedently full-scale analysis of the political, military, social, and economic conditions of mid-18th-century France and its North American colony, New France. That analysis also examines the direct connection between those internal conditions and the results for France of the war that ended in 1763. In doing so, Brecher assesses France's military strategy and major battles in Europe and America, as well as the diplomatic goals Versailles set for itself in the conduct of the war. Further, he describes why France concurred in leaving not only Canada, but also the vast Louisiana territory, to be divided between England and France's belated wartime ally, Bourbon Spain. Finally, Brecher explains the longer-term implications of the war for North American development and for the future of France. This is an important study for students and scholars of French and colonial American history and for the broad reading public, as well as those interested in the more recent Quebec problem.

The first comprehensive account in English of how the Portuguese Armed Forces prepared for and conducted a distant counterinsurgency campaign in its African possessions with very limited resources, choosing to stay and fight despite the small odds for success. The Portuguese military crafted its doctrine and implemented it to match the guerrilla strategy of protracted war, and in doing so, followed the lessons gleaned from the British and French experiences in small wars. The Portuguese approach to the conflict was distinct in that it sought to combine the two-pronged national strategy of containing the cost of the war and of spreading the burden to the colonies with the solution on the battlefield. It describes how Portugal defined and analyzed its insurgency problem in light of the available knowledge on counterinsurgency, how it developed its military policies and doctrines in this context, and how it applied them in the African colonial environment. The uniqueness of its approach is highlighted through a thematic military analysis of the Portuguese effort and a comparison with the experiences of other governments fighting similar contemporaneous wars.

New York Times 10 Best Books of 2020 Sunday Times best books for Autumn 2020 Guardian critics' pick for Autumn 2020 Wall Street Journal notable book of 2020 The time since the Second World War has been seen by some as the longest uninterrupted period of harmony in human history: the 'long peace', as Stephen Pinker called it. But despite this, there has been a military conflict ongoing every year since 1945. The same can be said for every century of recorded history. Is war, therefore, an essential part of being human? In War, Professor Margaret MacMillan explores the deep links between society and war and the questions they raise. We learn when war began - whether among early homo sapiens or later, as we began to organise ourselves into tribes and settle in communities. We see the ways in which war reflects changing societies and how war has brought change - for better and worse. Economies, science, technology, medicine, culture: all are instrumental in war and have been shaped by it - without conflict it we might not have had penicillin, female emancipation, radar or rockets. Throughout history, writers, artists, film-makers, playwrights, and composers have been inspired by war - whether to condemn, exalt or simply puzzle about it. If we are never to be rid of war, how should we think about it and what does that mean for peace?

I wanted to change my life so I joined the military during a time when gays were not welcomed. While joining the military brought me out of a challenging situation, it was the beginning of a difficult journey. A journey I was able to navigate, but so many others were not so fortunate.
"Serving with Honor: Under a Cloak of Silence" depicts the life of Dr. Lorenzo McFarland, along with three close friends, who served before and during the time of Don t Ask Don t Tell (DADT). This book answers that most interesting question of what it was like for gays in the military under DADT. In our own words we bare our souls and answer some of the tough questions not asked or answered before now. Questions like: Why join in the fi rst place? What was basic training like? How did we protect our careers? Would we serve again?
We talk about exhaustive efforts creating elaborate webs to protect our secret. This book also depicts our patriotism and commitment to the military mission and this great country. Despite DADT, we served with honor and found great success.

Volume two of Ney's early career
The second volume of Bulos' account of Marshal Ney's early career is Ney: Marshal of France. It picks up the story in 1799 and concludes in 1805. Ney's star is rising and he is more and more coming to the attention of the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte. This volume covers the battle of Hohenlinden, his administration of Switzerland before turning to the camp at Boulogne and the preparations for the invasion of England and the subsequent campaign leading to victory at Ulm. These essential volumes for those interested in the Napoleonic epoch are available in soft back and hard cover with dust jacket for collectors.

When China and Russia established a "strategic partnership" in 1996, both nations declared that they would further develop military cooperation in various fields. Tsai examines the course of this military cooperation to reveal the nature of the military ties with the hopes of determining whether these two traditional adversaries have put aside historical legacies and mutual mistrust to create a full-fledged military partnership. After analyzing the motives and concerns of both powers, Tsai concludes that, while progress has been made in reducing military tensions in border regions, the level of trust has not increased substantially. The nature of these ties remains extremely fragile. Among Western analysts, there has been concern that a closer partnership might adversely affect U.S. interests in the region. China and Russia have developed cooperation in certain areas, such as arms transfers and military-technical cooperation, and these achievements have successfully reduced political tension. However, reciprocal threats against each other's territories and China's increasing ambitions and capacity to act as a great military power in the region could eventually become a major source of friction. Based on research in both Chinese and Russian, this study offers a comprehensive analysis on the development of and limits to this military cooperation.