From the beginning of our republic the concept of a citizen soldiery, organized through militias, has undergirded American military philosophy. This nation fought the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican War, and began the Civil War, relying on volunteer militias and only a skeletal professional military force. The Civil War demonstrated the need to adapt state militias to the requirements of modern war, yet the United States retained its original philosophy in what became the National Guard. ø The Rise of the National Guard describes in thorough detail the evolution of the state militia system to a more federally controlled National Guard during the crucial years of development. The subject is important because the "citizen soldier" and "militia-national guard" traditions form one of the two pillars on which American military policy is built; a professional, regular military force is the other. Jerry Cooper's detailed research, unique examination of the experience of individual states, and careful analysis make this work the standard treatment of the subject.

"During the Gilded Age and the Progressive Era, thousands upon thousands of American men devoted their time and money to the creation of an unsought - and in some quarters unwelcome - revived state militia. In this book, Eleanor L. Hannah studies the social history of the National Guard, focusing on issues of manhood and citizenship as they relate to the rise of the state militias." "The implications of this book are far-reaching, for it offers historians a fresh look at a long-ignored group of men and unites social and cultural history to explore changing notions of manhood and citizenship during years of frenetic change in the American landscape."--BOOK JACKET.

Unlike most histories of the National Guard, Jerry Cooper?s Citizens as Soldiers: A History of the North Dakota National Guard examines the Guard not merely in its wartime context or in terms of military actions in which it has engaged but also as an integral element in the growth and development of community in the American West. From the Guard's early incarnations as social clubs or lodges, where members dressed in uniform, paraded, and held dances, through its gritty service in the Philippines and beyond, Cooper shows how membership in the Guard and later in the Air National Guard helped forge bonds of local, regional, and national identity.

Recounts the Air National Guard's service and heritage as part of the nation's military forces. Traces the militia tradition and connects this story with the rising influence of air power. Outlines the Air National Guard's three primary missions: to reinforce active duty forces in wartime; to assist State governments responding to natural disasters and public emergencies; and to provide various community service functions. L.C. card 94-067989.

This volume is a study of the origins and evolution of the Air National Guard. This history was written during 1978-1979 by the author as part of his doctoral program in military history. The expanding role of the Guard and its close cooperation with the Air Force are the author's themes, explaining the rise of the Guard to the prominence it plays in today's air operations.