Well-received in its first edition, this candid and popular study provides an interesting, "readable" account of American military history from the late fifteenth-century British-French Wars in Colonial America to the recent Gulf War. Written in an easy-to-understand manner void of extraneous detail, the book integrates innovative and fascinating mini-biographies of key figures in U.S. military history, giving readers added insight and the opportunity to gain an appreciation of these remarkable people throughout their careers. It examines the impact of technology on warfare with descriptions and photographs of weapons of war from earliest times to the present; adds a final chapter to update coverage of American military developments; reflects the changes that have taken place in the world, the nation, and the military services since 1990; and supplements material with approximately 50 quality illustrations and 20 informative maps. For service academy historians; military history departments.