Sherman's Ghosts : Soldiers, Civilians, and the American Way of War

“To know what war is, one should follow our tracks,” General William T. Sherman once wrote to his wife, describing the devastation left by his armies in Georgia. __Sherman’s Ghosts__ is an investigation of the "tracks" left by the wars fought by the American military in the 150 years since Sherman's infamous “March to the Sea.”__Sherman’s Ghosts__ opens with an epic retelling of General Sherman’s fateful decision to turn his sights on the South’s civilian population in order to break the back of the Confederacy. Acclaimed journalist Matthew Carr then exposes how this strategy became the central preoccupation of war planners in the twentieth century and beyond, offering a stunning and lucid assessment of the impact Sherman’s slash-and-burn policies have had on subsequent wars, including in the Philippines, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and even Iraq and Afghanistan.In riveting accounts of military campaigns and in the words and writings of American fighting men and military strategists, Carr finds ample and revealing evidence of Sherman’s long shadow. __Sherman’s Ghosts__ is a rare reframing of how we understand our violent history and a call to action for those who hope to change it. This “thought-provoking” military history considers the influence of General Sherman's Civil War tactics on American conflicts through the twentieth century (The New York Times). “To know what war is, one should follow our tracks,” Gen. William T. Sherman once wrote to his wife, describing the devastation left by his armies in Georgia. Sherman's Ghosts is an investigation of those tracks, as well as those left across the globe by the American military in the 150 years since Sherman's infamous “March to the Sea.” Sherman's Ghosts opens with an epic retelling of General Sherman's fateful decision to terrorize the South's civilian population in order to break the back of the Confederacy. Acclaimed journalist and historian Matthew Carr exposes how this strategy, which Sherman called “indirect warfare,” became the central preoccupation of war planners in the twentieth century and beyond. He offers a lucid assessment of the impact Sherman's slash-and-burn policies have had on subsequent wars and military conflicts, including World War II and in the Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, and even Iraq and Afghanistan. In riveting accounts of military campaigns and in the words of American soldiers and strategists, Carr finds ample evidence of Sherman's long shadow. Sherman's Ghosts is a rare reframing of how we understand our violent history and a call to action for those who hope to change it. “To know what war is, one should follow our tracks,” General William T. Sherman once wrote to his wife, describing the devastation left by his armies in Georgia. Sherman’s Ghosts is an investigation of the "tracks" left by the wars fought by the American military in the 150 years since Sherman's infamous “March to the Sea.” Sherman’s Ghosts opens with an epic retelling of General Sherman’s fateful decision to turn his sights on the South’s civilian population in order to break the back of the Confederacy. Acclaimed journalist Matthew Carr then exposes how this strategy became the central preoccupation of war planners in the twentieth century and beyond, offering a stunning and lucid assessment of the impact Sherman’s slash-and-burn policies have had on subsequent wars, including in the Philippines, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and even Iraq and Afghanistan. In riveting accounts of military campaigns and in the words and writings of American fighting men and military strategists, Carr finds ample and revealing evidence of Sherman’s long shadow. Sherman’s Ghosts is a rare reframing of how we understand our violent history and a call to action for those who hope to change it. Sherman's Ghosts Opens With An Epic Retelling Of General Sherman's Fateful Decision To Turn His Sights On The South's Civilian Population In Order To Break The Back Of The Confederacy. Acclaimed Author Matthew Carr Then Exposes How This Strategy Became The Central Preoccupation Of War Planners In The Twentieth Century And Beyond, Offering A Stunning And Lucid Assessment Of The Impact Sherman's Slash-and-burn Policies Have Had On Subsequent Wars, Including World War Ii And In The Philippines, Korea, Vietnam, And Even Iraq And Afghanistan.--publisher's Web Site. From Georgia To Fm 3-24 -- The Iron Hand Of War -- Uncle Billy's War -- The Destruction Machine -- Civilians And Soldiers -- More Perfect Peace -- Soldiers -- Civilians -- The New American Way Of War -- Wars Without War. Matthew Carr. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.