Just American wars: ethical dilemmas in U.S. military history

This text examines the moral choices faced by US political and military leaders in deciding when and how to employ force, from the American Revolution to the present day.

Specifically, the book looks at discrete ethical dilemmas in various American conflicts from a just war perspective.

For example, was the casus belli of the American Revolution just, and more specifically, was the Continental Congress a 'legitimate' political authority?

Was it just for Truman to drop the atomic bomb on Japan?

How much of a role did the egos of Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon play in prolonging the Vietnam War?

Often there are trade-offs that civilian and military leaders must take into account, such as General Scott's 1847 decision to bombard the city of Veracruz, in order to quickly move his troops off the malarial Mexican coast.