This two-volume encyclopedic work, edited by Bradford (history, Texas A&M U.), surveys the published scholarship on American military history. The 67 included essays present basic information on their chosen topics, assess the evolution of the historiography of the field, and identify major areas of interpretive discussion. The first volume contains articles on the major wars of American history and on the country's military organizations, including the Continental Army and Confederate armed forces during the Civil War. The second volume begins with a section on foreign military operations short of declared war that includes articles on post World-War II occupations, military interventions around the world, and alliances and coalitions in US history. A section on "Homeland Security" addresses responses to insurrections and civil disorders, coastal and air defenses, and the military's involvement in post-Civil War Reconstruction. Military specialties is the theme of the next section, which includes chapters on intelligence, military chaplains, communications, order and discipline, covert warfare and special operations, war planning, military justice, photography, and music. The final section deals with the relationship of the military to American society and culture and includes chapters on civil-military relations, women and minorities in the military, the military-industrial complex, military ethics, the military and sports, American veterans' movements, and care for the military dead. Each essay includes significant bibliographic material. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)