Thomas M. Bates / Thomas MBates
Librería Samer Atenea
Librería Aciertas (Toledo)
Kálamo Books
Librería Perelló (Valencia)
Librería Elías (Asturias)
Donde los libros
Librería Kolima (Madrid)
Librería Proteo (Málaga)
This book is the first of three volumes that I have planned to write over the next few years. Since this book is a part of a larger project I feel compelled to explain some of the idiosyncrasies that exist, particularly in Lecture I because the principles, theories and corollaries of war explained in this lecture are applied to the follow-on lectures. In essence, Lecture I provides the foundation for all of the other lectures. During this first discussion I reference not only the American Civil War, but also later American wars through the Gulf Wars of 1991 and 2003. Also, within the text of the lectures of this volume, I refer to incidents that I will cover in the future. If the reader wishes to move on to the other wars, the bibliography for supplemental reading includes the sources that I will use when I discuss these future wars. However, this volume stands alone nicely, as will the others.At the beginning of each battle and campaign that I discuss in this volume, I have suggested that the readers supplement their reading with biographical sketches of some of the significant participants in the events. From my studies I have found that wars and battles are not impersonal but reflect the thinking and backgrounds of those individuals directly involved in the action. I feel that these supplemental assignments will enhance the reader’s understanding of the complexities of armed conflict.Finally, this book is neither pro-war nor anti-war. Without question, war is a horrible human experience. The suffering in war is beyond the wildest imagination of the non-participant. Because of the horror and suffering, war must be reserved for only those events that threaten the vital national interests of our country. This series is a discussion to help the reader understand that war is not a romantic adventure but scars the very element of human existence. War is not an amateur’s game.
