Elephants have fought in human armies for more than three thousand years. Asian powers boasted of their pachyderm power, while the Romans fielded elephants alongside their legendary legions but were, perhaps, too proud to admit that mere animals contributed to victory. Elephants have gored, stomped, and sliced their way through infantry and cavalry with great success. They have also been cut, speared, bombed, and napalmed for their efforts. This is the story of their largely forgotten role in the history of warfare. Generals throughout recorded history have used elephants as tanks, bulldozers, and cargo trucks long before such vehicles existed. Until gunpowder began to reduce the utility of elephants in battle during the 17th Century, these beasts built roads, swung swords, or simply terrified opposing forces. Although some believe that elephants were mere gimmicks of warfare, Kistler discredits that notion. His book hopes to give elephants the credit they deserve for the sacrifices they have endured. Elephants have long fought for and served human masters, but it is now the elephants themselves that must be protected.

This book pays tribute to the unrecognized warriors and unsung heroes of human warfare: millions of animals from a surprising variety of species, ranging from rodents to dolphins to llamas. When one thinks of war, armies of soldiers and assaults with bullets and bombs delivered by deadly machinery typically come to mind. Throughout human history, however, animals have also played significant roles in our armed conflicts. In Animals in the Military: From Hannibal's Elephants to the Dolphins of the U.S. Navy, author John M. Kistler examines these contributions, describing the work of animals in human warfare throughout time, from lowly insects to birds to elephants. Drawing on both ancient and modern sources, the book reveals the full scope of heroics and horror committed by-and against-animal warriors in three unique areas: animals in combat, animals in support, and animals in incidental and experimental roles. Each chapter describes a single species, chronologically recounting its fascinating place in human warfare over time, from insects used as stinging projectiles to message-delivering pigeons. Includes more than 40 photos and drawings of war animals Features more than 25 sidebars that illuminate topics with interesting anecdotes and facts Contains a comprehensive bibliography with further readings

Containing over 900 entries, this comprehensive guide provides students with books and accompanying web sites covering every aspect of animal rights, from vegetarianism to vivisection to feminist perspectives on the topic. Entries, which provide materials with varying viewpoints, are arranged alphabetically in six different chapters that address specific issues, such as fatal uses of animals and animal populations, encompassing the whole of the animal rights debate. This unique and user-friendly organization allows researchers to make a quick determination of which topics are of interest and which chapter has related materials, while annotations for each entry help the user choose the most appropriate of these materials. Introductions to each chapter explain the issues, as well as the arguments that surround them, and a general introduction to the volume thoroughly explains how to use the book. Each entry contains the following information: author, title, edition, series title, location of publisher, name of publisher, number of pages, year of publication, and International Standard Book Number. Annotations include the most important information available to help the researcher, including web sites that contain not only the full text of the book when available, but also excerpts and articles or interviews by the author; short quotations from the books; and short descriptions and summaries of the books. All the information provided allows students to locate exactly what they need, while encouraging them to explore other issues and differing viewpoints.

What is the difference between animal rights and animal welfare? What inspires people to take on the different causes of non-human animals? How do people vary in their views on the rights of animals? Students will be encouraged to think critically as they discover there are no black and white answers to these and other questions. This fascinating collection of profiles is written by and about those who are actively involved in the pro/con aspects of the animal rights and animal welfare movements.

Over 35 individual stories written by those who are on the frontlines, fighting for what they believe, bring the controversies surrounding animal rights and welfare into sharp focus. The same interview questions were asked of each participant. Readers will enjoy the personal element of these profiles, while discovering the similarities and differences among those involved in these movements. An introduction to the volume provides students with the definitions and background information they need to clearly understand the entries that follow and to encourage them to question what they read and to draw their own conclusions.

Elephants have fought in human armies for more than three thousand years. Asian armies boasted of their pachyderm power, while the Romans fielded elephants alongside their legendary legions but were perhaps too proud to admit that mere animals contributed to victory. "War Elephants" is the story of their largely forgotten role in the history of warfare. Generals throughout recorded history used elephants as tanks, bulldozers, and cargo trucks long before such vehicles existed. Until gunpowder began to reduce the utility of elephants in battle during the seventeenth century, these beasts built roads, swung swords, or simply terrified opposing forces. Although some believe that elephants were mere gimmicks of warfare, John M. Kistler discredits that notion. "War Elephants" shows that elephants deserve respect for the sacrifices they have made in the service of many cultures. Elephants have long fought for and served human masters, but it is now the elephants themselves that must be protected.