Barbarians and Brothers: Anglo-American Warfare, 1500-1865

Lee's book delves into the origins of the European (particularly British) and American way of war. He explores the culture of a variety of peoples stemming from different areas and conflicts and the implications these cultures and subcultures have on the manner which the conflicts are fought. Lee's work focuses on the "frightfulness" and restraint of war and how cultural understandings and misunderstandings dictate where on the spectrum of violence the conflict falls. His work does not simply examine how conflicts were fought, but why they were fought in that manner. Barbarians and Brothers offers a unique insight into how the Irish, English, Native American peoples and Americans perceive conflict and how conflicts should be fought. The book is excellently researched and utilizes a wide and varying library of first hand accounts that places the reader into the minds of the people experiencing the conflict. As a former student of Lee's, I was always amazed at the ease that he is able to connect the dots to unite trends that exist over hundreds of years. In his book, Barbarians and Brothers, Lee does not disappoint. By examining conflicts ranging from the wars in Ireland, the English Civil War, and the early Colonial and Indian Wars, as well as, the American War for Independence and the American Civil War, Lee is able to outline a convincing argument for how the English and Americans' perceptions of war have developed over the last 500 years.

This is a novel approach to understanding some wars. Lee posits that the concept of brother versus barbarian limits battlefield carnage, even if it is brother versus brother, and in the Revolutionary War (the American name for it, there are others!).The wars described illustrate his point. English versus Irish, savage and barbaric (on both sides). Americans versus Indians, savage and barbaric. British versus American, brotherly. Union versus Confederate, brotherly--but Confederates versus Union black soldiers, not so much(Note: formally Great Britain did not exist prior to the union with Scotland after 1700, so the use of "English" and "British" varies).The book is complicated by his concept that four factors determine the kind of war--capacity, control, calculation and culture. His book really makes a solid case for this, but I remain unconvinced; culture alone can account for the civil and the barbaric in a war context. It is still a well-written and thoroughly researched book. Linking the sequence from the Anglo-Irish wars, through colonial Indian wars, the Revolution and the US Civil War is an interesting and informative approach. Perhaps there is an Anglo American way of war. The reader will come away with something new, whether agreeing or disagreeing with the author's interpretation.

Great copy, good price and on time delivery.

"War is hell!"Yet, with the wonderfully written Barbarians & Brothers: Anglo-American Warfare,1500-1865, the study of warfare doesn't require a stay in purgatory.This historical review, by Wayne E. Lee, Ph.D., is essentially a page-turning marchthrough the evolution of early modern warfare, where Lee poignantly presents themultitude of issues that faced combatants in the wars of Ireland, the English Civil War,the colonial Anglo-Indian wars, the American Revolution, and American Civil War.Only through the words of the warriors and the written history of the times does Leeconfront the conflicts, and still he manages to transition the reader from the first conflictto the last. Sometimes Lee uses whimsy, other times reflection, and in yet another it is aneloquent use of a common cliché.This is a masterfully woven tale that illustrates how brutal war is, how forgiving warriorscan be in times of strife, and how vengeful they can revert to being if deemed necessary- most often at the direction of the soldiers themselves and not their leaders. It is herewhere Lee's study bridges history to today's conflicts, and it casts an ominous cloudover any civilian population that thinks it is an innocent participant in any war. In short,citizens are fair game, and Lee's broad brush paints a portrait of why.Of course, U.S. Army General William Tecumseh Sherman was correct in his war is hellanalysis, yet the writings often thrown together by today's historians is even harder toendure. Too often, those in academia seem determined to interpret what they imaginehappened, or wished happened, and more often that not, this revisionist history sadlymakes it into today's classrooms.Yet Lee, a history professor with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, wherehe is Chairman of the Department of Peace, War & Defense, has taken a differentpath in his writing: he is trusting of the soldiers and leaders that he has studied, and hetakes them at their word. As such, instead of enduring puffy, boring interpretations ofmankind's conflicts, very often by people who never served in the military, Lee's readersget to slog through the trenches of war and feel the anguish. As an Army veteran, Lee hasthe growing British Empire, and then later foretold of its eventual demise. And in theletters, diaries and historical documents, Lee brings out the feel of pain and the loss, andcreates the desire to know more. Still, he avoids the urge to interpret the stories within thestory, rather letting the reader judge what happened or may have happened.In the end, Lee shows how the rules of war evolved over four centuries, essentiallyleading to today's Geneva Convention format for conflict and killing. Sometimeschanges to the rules of war happen in a heartbeat, especially if the enemy was considereda "barbarian." Other times, it is slow matter of circumstance, most often related to family,friends and politics. That is when the war was against "brothers." Of course, Lee teachesus that there is a fine line between barbarians and brothers.Lee traveled through Ireland, England and about America to study the written history ofthese five conflicts, and has managed to avoid giving his opinion throughout most of thebook's 245 reading pages. In fact, he is apologetic even for correcting spelling errors,or changing script to make letters written centuries ago more readable. If there is a nitto pick, it's that some references to weapons used in the 1500s, and a bit later, could usebetter descriptors.As a former soldier, I believe this book is for any man or woman who has served in themilitary, as it provides many "so that's why they do that" moments of realization, whichmay not justify their sacrifices, but at least may rationalize them. Yet, it's also for anyperson who considers themselves a civilian, no matter what their political persuasion maybe, or what country they are a citizen of in time of war. For the historical bridge that Leebuilds on the words of warriors past allows all to see the ebb and flow of warfare throughtime, and the beauty of mankind rebuilding its dignity after each conflict. Still, from thisparapet, one also sees the dark clouds gathering on the far horizon, and is left to wonderwhere and when they will unleash their inevitable storm again.Calvin MillerU.S. Army 1971-1977

Ordered on Thursday afternoon, arrived on Monday morning, two weeks in advance. Fantastic!