Tripp, an author, former international relations counselor for United Nations affairs, and American history teacher, relates stories of 55 American veterans aged 20 to 90 who fought in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and Iraq and Afghanistan. Recorded in 2009 and 2010 and presented in their own words, the stories discuss subjects such as the reasons they were given to fight, what they believed in when fighting, their views on when wars are worth fighting and what missions can and can't be won, the costs and benefits of US intervention, coping with hostile forces not in uniform, not knowing who is a friend or enemy, the consequences post-combat, post-traumatic stress disorder issues, aspects such as POW experiences and waterboarding, and their current perspectives on the purposes, effects, and legacy of these wars. She precedes the stories with a brief history of wars before World War II. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)