The Militarization of Indian Country

Makwa Enewed

by Winona LaDuke

When it became public that Osama bin Laden’s death was announced with the phrase “Geronimo, EKIA!” many Native people, including Geronimo’s descendants, were insulted to discover that the name of a Native patriot was used as a code name for a world-class terrorist. Geronimo descendant Harlyn Geronimo explained, “Obviously to equate Geronimo with Osama bin Laden is an unpardonable slander of Native America and its most famous leader.” The Militarization of Indian Country illuminates the historical context of these negative stereotypes, the long political and economic relationship between the military and Native America, and the environmental and social consequences. This book addresses the impact that the U.S. military has had on Native peoples, lands, and cultures. From the use of Native names to the outright poisoning of Native peoples for testing, the U.S. military’s exploitation of Indian country is unparalleled and ongoing.

Genres: Indigenous, History, Nonfiction, American History, Politics, United States, Indigenous History

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Writing, farming, and working in her community for more than 40 years, Winona LaDuke is one of the world’s most tireless and charismatic leaders on issues related to climate change, Indigenous and human rights, green economies, grassroots organizing, and the restoration of local food systems. A two-time Green Party vice-presidential candidate, Winona has received numerous awards and accolades, including recognition on the Forbes' first “50 Over 50—Women of Impact” list in 2021.

Winona is the author of many acclaimed articles and books, including "Recovering the Sacred: The Power of Naming and Claiming" and "To Be a Water Protector: Rise of the Wiindigoo Slayers." A Harvard-educated economist, hemp farmer, grandmother, and member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabeg, she lives and works on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota.

Reviews

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent examination of the contradictions of young Native people joining the military, and volunteering to fight for the military of the settler state that invaded our homelands, murdered our people, and committed genocide against us. She especially explodes the position that because indigenous peoples come from "warrior societies," it is only "natural" for our young people to join the military of the country that has sought no other end but to destroy us as peoples and nations. LaDuke is one of the finest indigenous thinkers of our time, and has repeatedly walked her talk -- through her work to decolonize indigenous minds, our diets, our families, and our relations with the invader states around us.

[el · Rating 5 out of 5]

"'Any way you can think of tearing apart a human body is possible in war.'" - Colonel Anthony DeClue (19)

"The US defense budget is not only the largest in the world but also significantly larger than the budgets of most of our "enemies" combined. In 2009, the US military budget was nine times larger than China's and comprised about half of total world military expenditures." (21) Great graph on 22.

"Today, the Navajo Nation remains in a bitter dilemma and conflict over its continued reliance on an extraction based economy. The militarization of the Navajo economy, however, played a significant role in the transformation of the region." (27) (World War 2 enlistment and GI-bill funded education, livestock reduction program, rise of nuclear and fossil fuel era)

"In all cases, Indigenous peoples of the Americas are linked to the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, as well as to more than a thousand nuclear tests undertaken in the Pacific and Nevada." (37)

[Galen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short but potent book that effectively describes just some of the myriad consequences of the United States’s military policies against Indigenous peoples and their lands.

The author presents numerous case studies and anecdotal evidence of the environmental disasters perpetrated by the United States government via the military. These examples include toxic chemicals seeping into waterways from forgotten or abandoned ordinances; destructive floods caused by dams erected by the Army Corps of Engineers; and millions of acres destroyed and contaminated as a result of bomb and munitions testing.

The author also elucidates the military’s impact on Indigenous peoples themselves. According to data provided by the author, Native American populations have the highest rates of enlistment per capita of any group in the United States. Yet resources allocated to these veterans are critically low. Consequently, these Native veterans face exceedingly higher rates of PTSD, suicide, homelessness, unemployment, and so on.

The United States Government’s history of raping, murdering, and displacing Indigenous peoples is a history we must acknowledge. In learning this history, we can better understand that violence against Native populations continues today. WE have a responsibility to rectify our mutilation of both tribes and territory, and this book succeeds in articulating just some of the ways we can begin to do so.

[Anusha Datar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short and hard-hitting exploration of the intertwining of the American military and Native Americans. LaDuke explores the personal, political, economic, and environmental implications of the ways that the American government has continued to exploit, manipulate, and haunt Native American land, livelihoods, and cultural dynamics. The book surfaces a variety of examples of Native American history and cultural doctrine to illustrate novel insights around how these negative impacts initially percolated and continue to fester, and I found a lot of the stories and vignettes compelling and important.

I am happy to have read this book and would generally recommend it. I found the last chapter especially compelling. At the same time, while I appreciated that it was a high-level survey of a variety of issues and associated contentions/conclusions, I found that the relative lack of depth in some of the examples made the book less effective as a whole (for example, the list of fort-named reservations felt lower signal than I wanted it to be). That being said, I am excited to deepen my own understanding by investigating further.

[Patrick Tsai · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Militarization of Indian Country, Winona LaDuke explains the long, complex, bitter, and tragic relationship between the U.S. Military and Native Americans. In addition to the cultural destruction and genocide of Native Americans. Land offered as amends by the U.S. government is almost always tainted from military tests of nuclear (depleted uranium and residual radiation - Dine, Pueblo, Alaska Native and Goshutes territories) and chemical weapons.

The final chapter is worth reading by itself. It offers the U.S. Military a humane path forward by defining budget allocations that focus on the health and healing of veterans and our nation.

[Ryan J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely important for anyone to read who is interested in the true history of Native America and the relation with the military powers that be. The manipulation, hostility and barbarism of the military in regards to native lands is atrocious and often hidden beneath the surface, only there for those who look. This book opens the eyes of those who may have been sleeping or unaware of how our country truly operates.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shorter book about the militarization of Indian Country, its people, its lands, etc. It has several brief biographical sketches about notable warrior figures from Indian Country. It is good, just pretty brief -- could have been 300 more pages (and I would have loved delving deeper into these issues).

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye-opening, enraging, shocking (in terms of US military incompetence and pollution and racism), and gives voice to a life-threatening emergency for First Nations peoples that's been going on for decades.

[Roger Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concise and packed with great information, like much of LaKuke's work spanning across Indian Country and giving a full spectrum of the challenges Native Americans face.

[Kai · Rating 5 out of 5]

in 2009, i think, i was an intern at Honor the Earth and helped do a little background research for what became this book/pamphlet. it was a pretty awesome experience!

[R.K. Cowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 3/4 stars

[Sam Konieczka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one has been on my list for three years. A quick and important read!

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important book for learning about the ugly realities about militarization and its impacts on native communities, including Native Americans, indigenous Hawaiians and pacific islanders. Charts the transformation of natives as the target of the military to natives as being over-represented in military service, as well as the devastating environmental effects of military takeover of native lands. Useful references and links for further reading.

[Brian Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and thought-provoking; this is a great entry into the historical impact on Native Americans for those with little previous background. Provides glimpses into supplemental texts for further reading.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good expose on the history of environmental destruction on Indian lands starting manifest destiny all the way up to the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I would recommend this to anyone that is trying to get a broad based beginning in the topic.