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Summary: Important for the understanding of U.S. foerign policy
Review: Dr.Russell F. Weigley's history and assessment of the American application of political and military power is one of the most detailed and comprehensive studies of its kind. Weigley explores the ever evolving role of the military in an ever changing world, using history as the guideline to establish his facts. This book covers the American Way of War through the second half of this century, and illustrates how U.S. strategy and policy became the benchmark for military institutions the world over to the present day.
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Summary: Brilliant on the development of the US military doctrine
Review: Excellent descrition of the US military strategy from its roots. It gets a little weak after the WWII specially in the Vietnam chapter and afterwards. It would be desirable an update covering post cold war events and the actual worl situation.
I strongly recommend it to be introduced to strategy thinking and for the understanding of US military operations and some of its foreing policy. We can also find some clues about the links between politicians and Army as well as the way that led US to become the largest military power.
It adds some interesting details about potential war plans that US considered for years against Canada, Great Britain and others.
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Summary: Invaluable appraisal of development of US military policy
Review: From Russell Weigley, one of America's most distinguished military historians, The American Way of War illustrates how the nation's political, economic, and social development shaped the military and its methods. Originally published in 1973, the work does not, of course, contain analysis of military policy from Vietnam to the present. Despite this, Weigley's work stands up well and is essential reading for those interested in military history or public policy. His conclusions are solid and writing clear and engaging. Of particular value are chapters covering strategy and policy of the War for Independence, Civil War, and World War II.
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Summary: absolutely amazing
Review: I am only a third of the way through this book (just finished the Civil War) and I can already say, unequivocably, that this is an absolutely amazing book. Unlike many military history books which tend to get hung up on tedious descriptions of individual battles (and, thus, lose the forest through the trees and never make a point), this book is an absolute treasure of insights about military strategy as it has evolved from the 1700s through present day. Weigley's writing is incredible, and it seems that every paragraph makes a startling insightful comment.This book is a pleasure to read and I really recommend it.
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Summary: Well-written and surprising
Review: If you were assigned this text as part of a college course, you are in luck - it might be the best thing you read all semester. Weigley has a sharp prose style, and he delves into areas of American military history that others either ignore or neglect. I found his take on the war of annihilation against the American Indians especially important, mostly because it is free of political sentimentality and simultaneously captures the human tragedy of the event. His account of the airwar against Germany and Japan is riveting and revealing. Weigley has a gift for making statistics come alive. A great and grand narrative.
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Summary: Not Definitive, and Flawed
Review: Russell Weigley is a good historian when it comes to such topics as the organizational history of a military organization, such as his excellent History of the United States Army. This book is somewhat pedantic, a little too boring, and written by an historian who doesn't appear to understand soldiers or soldiering. When writing of how a country has waged war, and how it may continue to do so, this is a must, and it hasn't been demonstrated here. There is value here, though, and it should be read by all and sundry. For a better understanding of the American soldier, and how and why he fights, perhaps a better choice is American Army Life by John Elting. In my opinion, as both a soldier and an historian, is that Professor Weigley was a little out of his depth here, and attempted to categorize how American armies and their generals choose to fight their wars. It isn't as simple, nor as complicated as the author attempts to demonstrate.
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Summary: Thought Provoking Study
Review: The material on Washington's strategy during the Revolution was excellent and showed that he actually pursued a brilliant strategy. Likewise, the analysis of the Civil War convincingly contradicted what I had learned about Grant and Lee's strategic abilities during college. Weigley also wrote the first really good analysis of the strategy of World War II that I have read. He discusses Jomini, Mahan, and others who influenced American military strategy.
The only gripe I have about the book is that the discussion of American strategy in a nuclear world got into too much detail of budgets and bureaucracy. Also, the discussion of Vietnam is weak, but that can be excused since he did not have the advantage of highsight (the book being published in 1973).
Overall an excellent and thought-provoking study of the evolution of American military strategy.
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Summary: Heck, I Would Read This Book for Fun!
Review: There is nothing more boring than a badly written book of military history, especially when it is required reading. I have plowed through several in command & staff college, and this one is a delight. It is easy to read without being simple. I actually enjoyed the reading. After chapters of Clausewitz and Jomini and more battle diagrams than is humane, I got to this book. What a relief! Heck, I would read this book just for fun! I have never enjoyed reading an academic war history, before. I will probably give copies of this book to selected friends. It is on my "top ten of the genre" list. Americana at its best.
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Summary: What in the Name of George S. Patton?
Review: This book is essentially an exploration of the way America has conducted war, from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam. Weigley attempts to show the development of American military thought, from hit-and-run tactics of the Revolution to global policing and the containment of communism in the mid twentieth-century. Throughout it all Weigley focuses on key figures--Washington, Grant, a couple of Marshalls and a couple of Mahans, among others--who played important roles in the way the military thought and acted.
Overall, this is a very fascinating study. Weigley's knowledge of the subject is commendable. It is a bit unfortunate that about 2/3 of the book is devoted to the twentieth-century, and that there is only a very sparse chapter on the Indian Wars, but it is understandable considering the tremendous expansion of the military in the 1900s. Sometimes Weigley's writing style is a bit difficult to follow--I found myself rereading sentences quite often--but overall the book is well enough written. This is a great book not just for military history buffs but for anyone who enjoys history in general.
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Summary: The evolution of the American military
Review: This book is essentially an exploration of the way America has conducted war, from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam. Weigley attempts to show the development of American military thought, from hit-and-run tactics of the Revolution to global policing and the containment of communism in the mid twentieth-century. Throughout it all Weigley focuses on key figures--Washington, Grant, a couple of Marshalls and a couple of Mahans, among others--who played important roles in the way the military thought and acted.
Overall, this is a very fascinating study. Weigley's knowledge of the subject is commendable. It is a bit unfortunate that about 2/3 of the book is devoted to the twentieth-century, and that there is only a very sparse chapter on the Indian Wars, but it is understandable considering the tremendous expansion of the military in the 1900s. Sometimes Weigley's writing style is a bit difficult to follow--I found myself rereading sentences quite often--but overall the book is well enough written. This is a great book not just for military history buffs but for anyone who enjoys history in general.
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