Book excerpt: "This reader is designed for courses in American military history or as collateral reading in American history survey courses. It includes selections in the field from the colonial period through September 11, 2001-- America's second "day of infamy"--That date after which the nation's armed forces have come face to face with challenges to America's security without precedent in the annals of their rich and colorful record of service to the nation. The editor has chosen 28 selections from the abundant field of military history in order to allow military history instructors to select subjects which best fit their approaches to the study of America's military past. Some are descriptive, some are analytical, some are both. All provide the student with a close-up view of warfare, strategy, tactics, and command decisions that have shaped the country's rich and crucial military engagements on American and foreign soils and seas"--Page [4] of cover. Our first Southeast Asian war / David R. Kohler and James Wensyel -- ch. 7. World War I, 1914-1918. Iron general / Thomas Fleming -- The unreal city : the trenches of World War I / Robert Cowley -- ch. 8. The interwar years, 1919-1939. Innovation in the U.S. Army, 1917-1945 / David E. Johnson -- The "industrial-military complex" in historical perspective : the interwar years / Paul A.C. Koistenen -- ch. 9. World War II : European Theater, 1939-1945. Imperfect victory at Falaise / Flint Whitlock -- Evolution of U.S. strategic bombing of urban areas / Conrad C. Crane -- ch. 10. World War II : Pacific Theater, 1939-1945. The Dorn report -- The epic Battle of Leyte Gulf, 1944 / Thomas J. Cutler -- ch. 11. Cold War and Korea, 1945-1960. The Korean War : a fresh perspective / Harry G. Summers, Jr. -- Truman fires MacArthur / David McCullough -- ch. 12. Cold War and Vietnam, 1960-1975. The Vietnam War, 1964-1969 : a Chinese perspective / Xiaoming Zhang.