America's Military Adversaries : From Colonial Times to the Present

This work chronicles the lives and accomplishments of over 200 enemies who have fought, plotted, spied on, and in some instances defeated U.S. forces over the past three centuries. Books on American military heroes abound. But this book is the first to focus on America's talented enemies-the generals, admirals, Indian chiefs and warriors, submarine captains, fighter pilots, and spies who opposed the United States with military force or other means. Often these military leaders were among the best minds of their times. For more than two centuries, the new nation's most constant military opponents were the Native Americans, led by such capable chiefs as American Horse and Little Wolf. Under D'Iberville, Canada's French colonialists became formidable foes, but they were soon surpassed by the rigorously disciplined redcoats of Great Britain under Howe and Cornwallis. Ironically, the most effective enemies in the history of the United States were not the leaders of foreign military forces-like Mexico's Santa Anna, Japan's Yamamoto, or Vietnam's Vo Nguyen Giap. They arose from among its own citizens during the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in American history. * More than 200 entries include Indian warriors, German and Japanese fighter pilots, Confederate bushwhackers, Spanish admirals, and a host of femme fatales * Each entry includes biographical information as well as analyses of battles, tactics, and outcomes * Appendixes list adversaries by conflict and by occupation * The book is generously illustrated with archival and contemporary photographs and portraits * An extensive bibliography lists more than 900 resources for further study