Death Ground: Today's American Infantry in Battle

by Daniel P. Bolger

“An informative and thought-provoking history of recent infantry operations with reasoned glimpses of its possible future.”
–DR. SHAWN WHETSTONE
Military Heritage

“This is [Colonel Bolger’s] most significant work to date, important both for students of the contemporary U.S. Army and for general readers– even those normally uninterested in military affairs. Bolger documents the infantry’s change over the past sixty years from a mass force of citizen soldiers to a small body of elite professionals. He presents each currently existing type of infantry–paratroopers, air assault, mechanized, light, rangers, and marines. . . . In each case study, Bolger emphasizes the quality and preparation, making it quite clear that will without skill and motivation without competence are certain routes to disaster. . . . While praising today’s infantry as the best the country has ever fielded, Bolger raises the prospect that the U.S. military, by emphasizing technology and economy, will leave the country with an elite infantry too small to sustain heavy losses and too specialized to be quickly replaced.”
– Publishers Weekly

DEATH GROUND
Today’s American Infantry in Battle

Genres: Military Fiction, Military History, History, Nonfiction

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 26, 1999

About the author

Daniel P. Bolger of Aurora, Illinois is an author, historian, and retired Lieutenant General (promoted 21 May 2010) of the United States Army. He currently holds a special faculty appointment in the Department of History at North Carolina State University, where he teaches military history.

Lt. Gen. Bolger retired in 2013 from the Army. During his 35 years of service, he earned five Bronze Star Medals (one for valor) and the Combat Action Badge. His notable military commands included serving as Commanding General of the Combined Security Transition Command in Afghanistan and Commander of the NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan (2011-2013); Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas (deployed to Baghdad, 2009-2010); the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team in Iraq (2005–06); and U.S. Army Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations. He is also the author of books, such as Why We Lost, Americans at War, The Battle for Hunger Hill, and Death Ground.

Reviews

[Mark Bates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about modern infantry engagements. The author seems somewhat biased toward infantry and believes that the use of armor has come to an end. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

[Ira Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent overview of all the different types of American Infantry types in combat. Written before the current conflicts. I'd love to see a 2nd edition as LTG Bolger is currently commanding NATO troops in Afghanistan.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well partially read... I grew bored with his regurgitation of operations better covered in other authors' accounts. This one was so-so.