Among other major navies, that of the United States put armed naval landing parties ashore during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Although done primarily to protect American interests, they also safeguarded international communities against the "savage hordes" of "uncivilized" nations. Specially designed light field guns carried aboard gunboats and larger warships sometimes supported the bluejackets and marines, customarily when larger parties more likely to face sharp actions went ashore. Most American naval landings of the nineteenth century took place in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America, whereas the following century saw landings against larger and otherwise civilized nations such as Mexico and Russia. The last of these landings were made in conjunction with the Allied assaults on North Africa in November 1942. The first purpose-built landing guns, the bronze Dahlgren muzzleloading smoothbore howitzers, saw extensive deployment during the Civil War, and postwar in Korea. The US Navy's very first steel breechloading guns were landing pieces. Five different marks of 3-inch breechloading guns and several guns of other calibers followed in successive decades, serving for varying periods. The history and characteristics of these landing guns are chronicled.

This volume reveals the little-known story of the 90-year presence of American forces in China until the fall of Peking in 1941. Included is coverage of the first operations on the Pearl River in 1856 as well as US involvement in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. As China entered a chaotic period in her history, known as the years of the “Warlords”, American marines also participated in numerous small-scale amphibious landings. Finally, during the later Sino-Japanese War and early into World War II, US volunteers of the “Flying Tigers” became renowned for their combat missions in support of Chinese Nationalist forces, and their aerial duels are also recounted by the author John P. Langellier, who has spent several years researching the subject in the US and China. Discover the history of these various actions and the different services involved, recreated in color artwork and illustrated with rare, previously unpublished photographs.

A look at the expansion of executive authority in America and the influence of scholars, journalists and presidents themselves.