America at War since 1945: Politics and Diplomacy in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan

by Gary A. Donaldson

Overview

Focusing primarily on politics and foreign policy, America at War since 1945 analyzes America's involvement in its several wars since the end of World War II. The main questions asked are: How did the U.S. become involved in these wars? How were the wars conducted? And how did the U.S. get out of these wars?

In Korea and Vietnam, the US fought to show the world that it would stand up to the evils of communism—that it could be counted on (with money, advisors, or even a major military effort if necessary) to halt the advance of communism. But in both wars, the US showed itself to be militarily vulnerable. In its wars against radical Islam since 9/11, the United States has made use of its military to protect its interests in the Middle East, particularly its oil interests, while trying to spread its ideas of democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law. The lessons are clear: America's values often do not translate into the less-developed world.

In 2016, as the debate over ISIS intensifies, America at War since 1945 reminds us that the history of US postwar military conflict has seldom been marked by clearly defined goals and outcomes.

Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history—books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781631440649
Publisher:	Carrel Books
Publication date:	11/22/2016
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Gary A. Donaldson is the Keller Family Foundation Chair in American History at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. He is the author of numerous books on American political and diplomatic history including Liberalism’s Last Hurrah: The Presidential Campaign of 1964; The Secret Coalition: Ike, LBJ, and the Search for a Middle Way in the 1950s; The Making of Modern America; The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960; and Truman Defeats Dewey.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I Korea 5

1 Origins and Involvement 7

2 Across the Parallel and into Stalemate 29

3 Changing Objectives and the Accordion War 51

4 Fighting While Negotiating 69

Part II Vietnam 89

5 Postwar Politics, Foreign Policy, and the French Interlude 91

6 The Long Road to Intervention: Vietnam Policy under Eisenhower and Kennedy 111

7 The Legacy Passes to Johnson 127

8 Johnson's Fall and Nixon's Rise 149

9 The Last Act 171

Part III America in the Middle East 181

10 The First Gulf War: Background for Conflict 183

11 "The Liberation of Kuwait Has Begun" 201

12 Desert Storm: The Air War 221

13 Desert Storm: The Ground War and the Triumph of Lessons Learned 231

14 Afghanistan and Iraq, Post 9/11 251

Notes 275

Index 291

About the Author 299