Ways of War: American Military History from the Colonial Era to the Twenty-First Century

Now in its third edition, Ways of War is a comprehensive guide to United States military history and its wider relationship to American society, from the seventeenth century to the present day.

This volume remains an accessible and compelling textbook for students and instructors, combining traditional ＂drum and bugle＂ history with ＂war and society＂ approaches to highlight the military’s influence on American culture, economics, and politics. The new edition contains over 60 maps, both new and revised, to further illustrate military battles, campaigns, and operations. Each chapter also includes a wealth of images alongside chapter timelines identifying key events, text boxes providing biographical information and first-person accounts, and short bibliographies. The final two chapters have been fully updated to include vital material on the end of the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan in 2021, as well as information on new military technology and artifical intelligence that have changed warfare in recent years.

Written by experienced instructors and designed to maximize student engagement, the third edition of Ways of War remains an essential text for American military history and war and society courses.

Instructor and student resources for this book include a test bank of multiple choice, discussion, and essay questions; interactive timelines; annotated and expanded bibliographies for each chapter; and chapter glossaries and flashcards.

Matthew S. Muehlbauer is currently a War Gaming Specialist supporting the Naval War College’s War Gaming Department, USA. He previously taught military history and other topics at the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and a number of civilian institutions.

David J. Ulbrich is the Academic Director of the Master of Arts in History and Military History Programs at Norwich University, USA. He is co-editor of The Routledge History of Global War and Society and co-author of the sixth edition of World War II: A Global History.