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America's Victories: Why the U.S. Wins Wars and Will Win the War on Terror
From the Revolutionary War to the present, the American military has consistently beaten the odds. It’s not luck.
America’s armed services are under attack. From college campuses to the floor of the Senate, the Iraq war is portrayed as a quagmire, the army is described as "broken," and our men and women in uniform are maligned as torturers.
By seeing everything through the distorted lens of Vietnam—a war shrouded in harmful myths— critics have lost sight of our country’s real military record, and the factors that have enabled us to win with remarkable consistency, in situations even more dire than Iraq.
In America’s Victories , Professor Larry Schweikart restores the truth about our amazing military heritage. Just as he did in his acclaimed previous book, A Patriot’s History of the United States , Professor Schweikart cuts through the distortions passed along by academia and the media.
Far from being a cruel, bloodthirsty nation, eager to acquire other people’s resources, American troops value the sanctity of life more than any military culture in history. This fundamental trait has led, over the last two centuries, to more humane treatment of prisoners, more daring POW rescues, and more effective operations than any comparable power.
America’s Victories explains how this culture of victory has endured through the darkest moments of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and how it has helped our troops prove their critics wrong over and over, from the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson to the war in Afghanistan under Tommy Franks.
America’s armed services are under attack. From college campuses to the floor of the Senate, the Iraq war is portrayed as a quagmire, the army is described as "broken," and our men and women in uniform are maligned as torturers.
By seeing everything through the distorted lens of Vietnam—a war shrouded in harmful myths— critics have lost sight of our country’s real military record, and the factors that have enabled us to win with remarkable consistency, in situations even more dire than Iraq.
In America’s Victories , Professor Larry Schweikart restores the truth about our amazing military heritage. Just as he did in his acclaimed previous book, A Patriot’s History of the United States , Professor Schweikart cuts through the distortions passed along by academia and the media.
Far from being a cruel, bloodthirsty nation, eager to acquire other people’s resources, American troops value the sanctity of life more than any military culture in history. This fundamental trait has led, over the last two centuries, to more humane treatment of prisoners, more daring POW rescues, and more effective operations than any comparable power.
America’s Victories explains how this culture of victory has endured through the darkest moments of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars, and how it has helped our troops prove their critics wrong over and over, from the Battle of New Orleans under Andrew Jackson to the war in Afghanistan under Tommy Franks.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 1, 2012
Maybe hindsight is 20/20, but any book that claims that the Abu Ghraib tortures were good for the war effort and morally justified, clearly has an ethnocentric bone to pick.
"If honor and shame are at the root of the new interpretations of Islamic law that promote suicide bombings, then fire must be met with fire ... Right after the Abu Ghraib photos became public, in which the humiliation of terrorists by women was on display for the entire Arab world to see, the situation on the ground in Iraq became remarkably calm ... the Number of roadside bombings dropped. Apparently the message go through: 'Don't screw with the Americans. They'll turn their women loose on you!' " Pg. 23.
No citations were given for these claims. Regardless, the idea of "fight fire with fire" in reference to Abu Ghraib is disgusting and is NOT what our military is about. Disgusting book.
"If honor and shame are at the root of the new interpretations of Islamic law that promote suicide bombings, then fire must be met with fire ... Right after the Abu Ghraib photos became public, in which the humiliation of terrorists by women was on display for the entire Arab world to see, the situation on the ground in Iraq became remarkably calm ... the Number of roadside bombings dropped. Apparently the message go through: 'Don't screw with the Americans. They'll turn their women loose on you!' " Pg. 23.
No citations were given for these claims. Regardless, the idea of "fight fire with fire" in reference to Abu Ghraib is disgusting and is NOT what our military is about. Disgusting book.
September 8, 2011
Larry Schweikart offers intriguing and unexpected arguments why the American military has been so successful historically, and where current trends lead. Case studies from earlier conflicts are compared with modern activities in the Middle East (mostly Iraq), demonstrating others' dead ends. The most striking argument was his final -- that antiwar protestors have historically, and more so in recent decades, actually helped to greatly increase the safety of the American soldier and improved his/her effectiveness. Thoughtful stuff overall.
May 14, 2021
It's been a while since I read this, and when I look through it again, I suspect that it's a bit dated. Larry knows his stuff, though.
April 14, 2010
A great book - it brings clarity to the many reasons that the US military is a unique force for good in the world and why it has been for over 200 years. The last line answers the question...America wins wars frankly because we are Americans! Every American should read and study this work.
May 2, 2013
The author explores why America has been successfully winning wars. He compares past victories with the war on terrorism with emphasis on World War II and the USA's manufacturing capabilities and moral fiber.
February 4, 2012
I have read bits and pieces so far, therefore, I cannot make an honest and informed opinion of this book. However, the few bits and pieces I read were amazing! I cannot wait to read the rest!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews