Medicine Bags and Dog Tags: American Indian Veterans from Colonial Times to the Second Iraq War

TitleMedicine Bags and Dog Tags: American Indian Veterans from Colonial Times to the Second Iraq War
Publication TypeBook
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsCarroll, Al
Number of Pages287
PublisherUniversity of Nebraska Press
CityLincoln
Abstract

As far back as colonial times, Native individuals and communities have fought alongside European and American soldiers against common enemies. This book is the story of these Native men and women whose military service has defended ancient homelands, perpetuated longstanding warrior traditions, and promoted tribal survival and sovereignty. Drawing on a rich array of archival records and oral traditions, the author offers the most complete account of Native veterans to date and is the first to take an international approach, drawing comparisons with Native veteran traditions in Canada and Mexico. He debunks the "natural warrior" stereotype as well as the popular assumption that Natives join the military as a refuge against extreme poverty and as a form of assimilation. The reasons for enlistment, he argues, though varied and complex, are invariably connected to the relative strengths of tribal warrior traditions within communities. The author provides a fascinating look at how the culture and training of the American military influenced the makeup and tactics of the American Indian Movement in the 1960s and 1970s and how, in turn, Natives have influenced U.S. military tactics, symbolism, and basic training.

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228165182

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