War and the United States, 1898–Present

Kate Epstein, Rutgers University-Camden

Cuba, World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan: War has been central to modern US history.  The nation currently spends about $600 billion a year on its military, or more than the next seven nations combined.  Even when the United States is nominally at peace, its military power reaches across the globe.  There was not a single year in the 20th century that the United States did not have forces fighting or stationed overseas.

Why did war become so important to the United States?  How has the growth of US military power affected its position in the world?  This course attempts to answer those questions.  It begins with the United States’ first major overseas conflict, the Spanish-American War of 1898, and continues through the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We will study battles and generals, as well as the evolution of military institutions, labor markets, doctrine, technology, finance, logistics, and culture.  Throughout, we will explore the relationship between Americans and their military in war and peace.