Texans and War

Beginning with tribal wars among Native Americans before Europeans settled Texas and continuing through the Civil War the soil of what would become the Lone Star State has frequently been stained by the blood of those contesting for control of its resources. In subsequent years and continuing to the present its citizens have often taken up arms beyond its borders in pursuit of political values and national defense. Although historians have studied the role of the state and its people in war for well over a century a wealth of topics remain that deserve greater attention: Tejanos in World War II the common Texas soldiers interaction with foreign enemies the perception of Texas warriors throughout the world the role of religion among Texans who fight or contemplate fighting controversial paramilitary groups in Texas the role and effects of Texans ethnicity culture and gender during wartime to name a few. In Texans at War fourteen scholars provide new studies perspectives and historiographies to extend the understanding of this important field. One of the largest collections of original scholarship on this topic to date Texans and War will stimulate useful conversation and research among historians students and interested general readers. In addition the breadth and originality of its contributions provide a solid overview of emerging perspectives on the military history and historiography of Texas and the region.Partial listing of CONTENTSIntroductionAlexander Mendoza and Charles David GrearPART I. Texans Fighting through Time: Thematic Topics1. The Indian Wars of Texas: A Lipan Apache Perspective p. 17Thomas A Britten2. Tejanos at War: A History of Mexican Texans in American WarsAlexander Mendoza3. Texas Women at War p. 69Melanie A Kirkland4. The Influence of War and Military Service on African Texans p. 97Alwyn Barr5. The Patriot-Warrior Mystique: John S. Brooks Walter P. LaneSamuel H. Walker and the Adventurous Quest for Renown p. 113Jimmy L. Bryan Jr.6. All Eyes of Texas Are on Comal County: German Texans'' Loyaltyduring the Civil War and World War I p. 133Charles David GrearPART II. Wars in Texas History: Chronological Conflicts7. Between Imperial Warfare: Crossing of the Smuggling Frontierand Transatlantic Commerce on the Louisiana-Texas Borderlands17541785 p. 157Francis X. Galan8. The Mexican-American War: Reflections on an Overlooked Conflict p. 178Kendall Milton9. The Prolonged War: Texans Struggle to Win the Civil Warduring Reconstruction p.196Kenneth W. Howell10. The Texas lmmunes in the Spanish-American War p. 213James M. McCaffrey11. Surveillance on the Border: American Intelligence andthe Tejano Community during World War I p. 227Jose A. Ramirez12. Texan Prisoners of the Japanese: A Study in Survival p. 248Kelly E. Crager13. Lyndon B. Johnson''s Bitch of a War: An Antiwar Essay p. 269James M. Smallwood14. Black Paradox in the Age of Terrorism: Military Patriotismor Higher Education p. 283Ronald E. GoodwinIndex p. 301