America's needless wars : cautionary tales of US involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq
(Book)
Author
Published
Amherst, New York : Prometheus Books, c2017.
Status
Central - Adult Nonfiction
355.02 CONTO
1 available
355.02 CONTO
1 available
Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Central - Adult Nonfiction | 355.02 CONTO | Available |
Description
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More Details
Published
Amherst, New York : Prometheus Books, c2017.
Format
Book
Physical Desc
206 pages ; 24 cm
Street Date
1703
Language
English
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
"A skeptical appraisal of U.S. military intervention in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq, highlighting a common pattern of poor intelligence gathering, nationalistic hubris, and political pressures, which led to these unsuccessful foreign adventures"--,Provided by publisher.
Description
"This eye-opening book takes a unique approach to the history of U.S. foreign policy by examining three unrelated conflicts, all of which ended tragically and resulted in the deaths of millions on both sides. By analyzing what went wrong in each case, the author uncovers a pattern of errors that should serve as a precaution for future decision makers contemplating a conflict abroad. Why did President McKinley oppose Filipino independence forces if his motivation was truly to help Filipinos overthrow Spanish domination? Why did several U.S. presidents ignore the failures of the French in Vietnam and reject peace overtures from popular revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh to bring the conflict to an early end? And how could American leaders have been so wrong about Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction and then let Iraq devolve into chaos after overthrowing the dictator? Historian David R. Contosta has sifted through official hearings, media investigations, public documents, memoirs of those for and against the conflicts, and numerous histories to uncover the answers to these questions. The common thread that links these wars from different centuries is that political leaders all too often have acted out of ignorance, arrogance, fear, and partisan gamesmanship. These lapses were compounded by the failure of the media to inform the public accurately and dispassionately. The sad result is that America has paid a high price in lost lives and tarnished national reputation. As the author notes in conclusion, if American exceptionalism is to have any meaning, then we must honestly appraise our past foreign-policy blunders to ensure wiser political action in the future"--,Provided by publisher.
Subjects
LC Subjects
Intervention (International law) -- Case studies.
Introduction -- Cuban Prologue -- Conquering the Philippines -- Cold War Prelude -- The Vietnam Deception -- The Defeated Giant -- Unraveling Iraq -- The Revelations of History.
Iraq War, 2003-2011.
Philippines -- History -- Philippine American War, 1899-1902.
United States -- Foreign relations -- Decision making -- Case studies.
United States -- History, Military.
United States -- Military policy -- Case studies.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
Introduction -- Cuban Prologue -- Conquering the Philippines -- Cold War Prelude -- The Vietnam Deception -- The Defeated Giant -- Unraveling Iraq -- The Revelations of History.
Iraq War, 2003-2011.
Philippines -- History -- Philippine American War, 1899-1902.
United States -- Foreign relations -- Decision making -- Case studies.
United States -- History, Military.
United States -- Military policy -- Case studies.
Vietnam War, 1961-1975.
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Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Contosta, D. R. (2017). America's needless wars: cautionary tales of US involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq . Prometheus Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Contosta, David R.. 2017. America's Needless Wars: Cautionary Tales of US Involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq. Prometheus Books.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Contosta, David R.. America's Needless Wars: Cautionary Tales of US Involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq Prometheus Books, 2017.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Contosta, David R.. America's Needless Wars: Cautionary Tales of US Involvement in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Iraq Prometheus Books, 2017.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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