Americans at War, 1975-1986: An Era of Violent Peace

In response to critics who picture the post-Vietnam defense establishment as a hobbled giant, over-technologized and ineptly led, Bolger argues that the U.S. armed forces have been ready, willing and able to fight creditably when called upon. He backs up his argument convincingly with detailed analyses of the seven major U.S. military expeditions since the evacuation of Saigon: the recovery of the SS Mayaguez and crew in 1975; the 1980 Iranian hostage-rescue attempt; the air battle over the Gulf of Sidra in 1981; the 1982-84 Marine deployment in Lebanon; the Grenada invasion of 1983; the interception of the Achille Lauro hijackers in 1985; and the operations against Libya which climaxed with the F-111 strike on Tripoli in 1986. Unit quality, according to the author, has been ``uniformly good, a marked contrast from the ragged, dispirited remnants of the later Vietnam era.'' Bolger, who teaches a history at West Point, is blunt, however, about the failures in Lebanon. Photos. (Nov.)