The Texas Military Experience

Ever since the Alamo, the military has been a vivid part of the Texas experience. Not until now, though, have scholars addressed the significance of that experience in one book. In The Texas Military Experience, prominent authors reevaluate famous personalities, reassess noted battles and units, and bring fresh perspectives to such matters as the interplay of fiction, film, and historical understanding. Edited and with an introduction by Joseph G. Dawson III, The Texas Military Experience offers the best overview of the subject available. The Battle of San Jacinto, exploits of the Texas Rangers, the Indian-fighting cavalry of the Texas High Plains, and the World War II campaign of the 36th Infantry Division up the spine of Italy all have formed part of the state's history and image. Other aspects of the military experience are less well known but have also contributed to Lone Star history: the role of Hispanics in the Texas Revolution, the contributions of African-American soldiers on the frontier, the activities of army wives in the late nineteenth century. The engaging writing styles of the various authors will make this book valuable to the reading public interested in popular aspects of the Texas military tradition, and the solid research will make it indispensable to scholars of military and Texas history.