Music and War in the United States

Mahler Kraaz, Sarah. Music and War in the United States. Routledge, 2019.

This is a book with a lot of information. Information from a variety of scholars with sterling credentials. Traverses aspects of the topic including the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War (in the Armies and popular music), Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, Korea, Vietnam (popular music in the field and patriotism and protest music), the war on terror, and the war in Iraq. Second part of the book is about memorials and music, rembrances and music, music and memory, covering “The Civil War Memorialized,” “American Composers Respond: The Holocaust,” and “Music Therapy with Service Members and Veterans.”

Contributors include a list of highly accomplished instructors, professors, emeriti profs, and more from the academic world in the United States plus the Senior Advisor for Research and Policy with the AMTA (American Music Teachers Association) and the Research Historian for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential LIbrary and Museum. Hailing from the east coast, south, Midwest, and Canada, the range is astonishing. Organized in the order stated in the first paragraph above.

Punctuated with black and white photos and graphics, there are copious notes at the end of each chapter followed by suggestions for further reading. A marvelous resource for the topic.