It is indisputable that war affects society and those effects can last long after the actual war years. This set explores the relationships between war and the American society. Editor Karsten, four associate editors, and 153 other expert contributors have produced an excellent reference work chronicling 23 wars, interventions, and peacekeeping operations in which U.S. military have been involved, from the colonial wars through the present-day Iraq War.
The 330 alphabetically arranged entries range from general overviews to articles on specific topics. As outlined in the "Reader's Guide" in volume 1, entries fall into 15 major categories, among them "Art, Culture, and Memory"; "Media and Journalism"; "People — Military Leaders and Figures"; "Planning, Strategy, and Command and Control"; and "Wars." In his introduction, editor Karsten explains that in addition to offering "substantial essays on the wars Americans have fought, their civilian and military leaders, and their major military institutions," the encyclopedia "probes the connections between our wartime expeditions and the experiences of the larger American society." Examples of entries include Antiwar movements, Baby boom, National system of interstate and defense highways, the movie Apocalypse Now, the television show M*A*S*H, and the comic strip Beetle Bailey. See references guide the user to the correct entry. Entries are well written and easy to read, and each includes a selected bibliography, suggestions for further reading, and a list of related entries within the set.