Citizen and Soldier

The military forces of the United States have been engaged in combat and hostile encounters in all but two decades since 1776. Americans expect that in a time of need their country can depend on its people for volunteer service to the military. The military aspect of citizenship has become an increasingly marginalized one in a world where only a minority of citizens even vote.Citizen and Soldier: A Sourcebook on Military Service and National Defense from Colonial America to the Present provides a useful framework and supporting documentary evidence for an informed discussion of the development of the American ideal of the "Citizen-Soldier." Presented with insightful introductions and useful discussion questions, this concise collection of 36 primary documents takes a close look at the United States military and shows how it became entwined with the rise of American national identity.