Military Review English Edition March-April 2016 | Page 139

BOOK REVIEWS

vivid descriptions of Richmond’s fall and the evacuation of the Confederate government in the vain
hope of maintaining its existence. He also discusses
Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Richmond almost immediately after its fall and adds a short insight into
Lincoln’s desire to quickly integrate the South back
into the Union. Speaking to his guide, Maj. Gen.
Godfrey Weitzel, Lincoln said, “If I were you, I’d let
‘em up easy, let ‘em up easy.” Haskew adds a rather
humorous quotation of a North Carolina infantryman after capture: “Yes, you got me, and a hell of a
git you got.” This does much to illustrate the poor
state of the ANV along with its still-combative spirit. The author describes Philip Sheridan’s aggressive
operations to interrupt and stop the joining of Lee’s
force with Gen. Joseph Johnston’s in North Carolina.
The generous surrender terms by Grant and the
poignant story of William McClean—who could
rightfully claim that the war began in his front yard in
Manassas and finished in his parlor in Appomattox—
bring the human side of the conflict into the forefront.
Haskew was correct when he concluded that Lee embodied the highest qualities of honor and nobility and
led an army that covered itself in glory—but in the end
was conquered, not the least reason being that it was
tarnished by its defense of slavery.
I highly recommend including this book in any military professional’s library.
Col. Richard D. Koethe III, U.S. Army, Retired,
Alexandria, Virginia

AMERICANS AT WAR IN FOREIGN FORCES:
A History, 1914-1945
Chris Dickon, McFarland & Company,
Jefferson, North Carolina, 2014, 234 pages

C

hris Dickon is an Emmy Award-winning
public broadcasting producer and self-described researcher of “lesser-known aspects of
American history.” His latest work is a thorough and
in-depth account of Americans who have fought and
died under the banners of foreign powers during the
first half of the twentieth century. The author presents a painstakingly researched collection of personal
stories and government records that intertwines tens of
MILITARY REVIEW  March-April 2016

thousands of American-born combatants with some of
the greatest military struggles of the last century.
Americans at War’s strength lies in its intensely
human account of the personal lives and convictions
of individuals leaving their home country to fight in
the unspeakable horrors of combat. Covering land, air,
and sea battles, Dickon
weaves an account of
little-known Ivy League
adventurers, middle class
professionals, and outcast
mercenaries who risked
their lives and citizenships
in conflicts where the
United States was determined not to participate.
Americans at War
provides a glimpse into
the lives of thousands of
Americans who signed
on with foreign forces to fight in some of the twentieth
century’s bloodiest conflicts. Those men and women
remained personally loyal to their home country but
willingly left its isolationism to protect countries that
did not have the luxury of deferring war. The book is
valuable for its insight into the individual and international drama that accompanied the involvement of
many Americans fighting European wars.
While rewarding for anyone interested in military
or American history, the readability of the book could
benefit from a thorough editing to correct \