Settle and Conquer: Militarism on the Frontier of North America, 1607-1890

by Matthew J. Flynn

This rereading of the history of American westward expansion examines the destruction of Native American cultures as a successful campaign of ""counterinsurgency."" Paramilitary figures such as Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett ""opened the West"" and frontiersmen infiltrated the enemy, learning Indian tactics and launching ""search and destroy"" missions. Conventional military force was a key component but the interchange between militia, regular soldiers, volunteers and frontiersmen underscores the complexity of the conflict and the implementing of a ""peace policy."" The campaign's outcome rested as much on the civilian population's economic imperatives as any military action. The success of this three-century war of attrition was unparalleled but ultimately saw the victors question the morality of their own actions.

277 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2015

Reviews

[Soscha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a history of the takeover of North America by Europeans. It is framed as a military action by the United States (and its predecessors) against Native American tribes acting as “insurgents.” It’s accurate and straightforward, but I’m not sure I see the point of this new history. By favoring the military model as an explanation, the book minimizes some of the main avenues by which the continent was “pacified,” such as depletion of game animals, the introduction of farming to the prairie, and the spread of railroads. It is also not clear that the Native American resistance can be classified as an insurgence, given the times and distances over which it took place and the philosophy of warfare they employed. The book does discuss all these issues, but doesn’t make the case for re-evaluating the entirety of the conflict in terms of counterinsurgency operations. In the end I don’t see it displacing other, more complete histories of Natives in North America.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A broad-based approach to explaining the dynamics of the European explorers, colonists, military and, the native population of America. The book covers a lot of ground, beginning in Jamestown, Va., and ending around Wounded Knee. Politics, expansionism, military strategy and cultural/sociological elements are some of the many points discussed. That said, this is a short book, and the reader should expect nothing more than an overview of the subject. This would be a great starting point for anyone interested in the subject matter. Recommended.