Michael A Bellesiles

Describes a time of upheaval in America--when the country was in a deep economic depression, white supremacists roamed the South, and a nationwide railroad strike led to bloodshed--and discusses how the events of 1877 also fueled cultural and intellectual innovation.

In A People's History of the U. S. Military, historian Michael A. Bellesiles draws from three centuries of soldiers' personal encounters with combat-through fascinating excerpts from letters, diaries, and memoirs, as well as audio recordings, film, and blogs-to capture the essence of the American military experience firsthand, from the American Revolution to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military service can shatter and give meaning to lives;...