What we define as the Cold War, a term made popular by Walter Lipmann’s 1947 book of the same name, spanned a period of nearly 50 years. During those years the U.S. military maintained a manpower strength of slightly over 2 million men and women per year with notable surges during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts. Allowing for full career service, short-timers, draftees and natural and unnatural attrition it is safe to say that upwards of 20 million Americans served in the military during those 50 years. Of those 20 million fewer than 5% ever experienced the terror of real
What we define as the Cold War, a term made popular
by Walter Lipmann’s 1947 book of the same name,
spanned a period of nearly 50 years. During those years
the U.S. military maintained a manpower strength of
slightly over 2 million men and women per year with
notable surges during the Korean and Vietnam conflicts.
Allowing for full career service, short-timers,
draftees and natural and unnatural attrition it is safe
to say that upwards of 20 million Americans served
in the military during those 50 years. Of those 20 million
fewer than 5% ever experienced the terror of real
combat and of those only a small fraction can claim to
be genuine heroes, a distinction captured and chronicled
for all time in literature and movies. But, what
of the others? What of those who served with no less
dedication and commitment than the heroes, but for
whom intent or circumstance spared them from hero
status? What of the millions who, at times, reluctantly
put on the uniform and did the jobs demanded by
their country earning little or no recognition but by
their efforts contributed to the resolution of the longest
continuous conflict in the US history? What of
these, these unheralded Cold Warriors? This little book
is dedicated to them.
- Your Words