The History of American Wars from Colonial Times to World War I

by T. Harry Williams

A vivid and incisive account analyzes the causes of each American war, the strategy employed, relations between the civilian command and the military, the technology of weapons, and the financial and economic background

Genres: History, American History, Military History, Military Fiction

458 pages, Hardcover

First published June 12, 1981

About the author

T. Harry Williams (Thomas Harry Williams) was an historian at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge whose writing career began in 1941 and extended for thirty-eight years until his death in 1979. Williams is perhaps best known for his American Civil War study, Lincoln and His Generals, a "Book of the Month" selection from 1952, and Huey Long, winner of both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize in 1970.

Williams passed away approximately two months after retirement due to complications from pneumonia.

In 1998, Williams was posthumously inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

Reviews

[Steve Smits · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late Professor T. Harry Williams has provided a comprehensive history of American wars from the French and Indian War through World War I. His original intention to carry the history of American conflicts through the Vietnam War was halted by his death in 1979. Each war is given summary exposition along with interludes that cover military actions between wars. What is particularly informative of Williams's work here is the coverage of the political leadership, policies, strategies, military organization and financing that occurred prior to and during the conflicts. His discusses the development of weaponry and tactics that evolved over time. He gives concise but complete recapitulations of the campaigns conducted in each conflict.

For anyone looking for a overview of this long span of American military history this book is highly recommended. I purchased this at a used book store; it's likely to be no longer in print.