Civil-Military Relations in the United States

1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-0-415-71165-4
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 256 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 453 g

Reihe: Cass Military Studies

This volume comprises the best essays of Prof. Richard Kohn focusing on civilian control of the military in American history and contemporary national security affairs.

One of the oldest problems of human society has been preventing armies from overthrowing their governments. From ancient times to the present–from Caesar crossing the Rubicon to Egypt’s army hovering in the in the background as the ultimate arbiter of power to newly-installed Chinese leader Xi Jinping taking control of China’s military instead of leaving that to his predecessor as was practice for nearly forty years–civilian control of the military has been crucial to political life. The founders of the United States certainly understood this principle. They wrote explicit provisions into the first state and federal constitutions to assure it. For over two centuries, American security has rested on the foundation of military subordination to civilian authority, with little worry about a coup or even an attempt. Yet the relationship between the most senior military officers and the political leadership have been anything but smooth, and in recent years the chains of civilian control have weakened – not to the point of direct challenges to civilian authority, but in the relative influence of the military in policy and decision making, the deference of politicians to generals, and a growing belief that the relationship has been so filled with tension and distrust as to endanger the country’s security.

This book will be of much interest to students of US politics, American history, civil-military relations and military studies in general.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Kohn, Richard

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface 1. Introduction: Civil-Military Relations at the Center of Military History PART I: FOUNDATIONS 2. The Origins of American Antimilitarism 3. The Newburgh Conspiracy 4. The Greatness of George Washington 5. Why the American Generals Remained Subordinate PART II: THE HISTORICAL CONSTANT 6. The Genius of the American Constitution 7.Civilian Control of the Military in United States History PART III: THE “CRISIS” OF THE 1990s 8. Warning about the All-Volunteer Army 9. Expanding the Right to Serve 10. The Revolt of the '90s: Its Origins and Manifestations 11. The Danger of a Politicized Military 12. How Senior Flag Officer “Resignation” Threatens Civilian Control and National Defense PART IV: 9/11 AND ITS IMPLICATIONS 13. The “War on Terror” 14. The Danger of Using the Military at Home 15. Civilian Control in Decline 16. Militarization Even More Transformative PART V: RESTORATION AND STABILITY 17. Warning the Obama Administration about Conflict with the Military 18. The Ensuing Clashes: 2009-2012 19. Maintaining Military Professionalism 20. Toward a Positive Civil-Military Relationship EPILOGUE: THE REQUIREMENT FOR CIVILIAN CONTROL

Über Autor(innen)

Richard Kohn is Professor of History and director of the Curriculum in Peace, War and Defense at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.