Medicine Bags and Dog Tags
Subtitle: American Indian Veterans from Colonial Times to the Second Iraq War
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Published: June 1, 2008
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 352
ISBN-13: 9780803210851
Subjects: American history; History of specific racial & ethnic groups; Warfare & Defence; World history; History; History - General History; History: World; North America; USA; Military - United States; Native American; History / Native American; Government relations; Indian veterans; Indians of North America
Description: "As far back as colonial times, Native individuals and communities have fought alongside European and American soldiers against common enemies. Medicine Bags and Dog Tags is the story of these Native men and women whose military service has defended ancient homelands, perpetuated longstanding warrior traditions, and promoted tribal survival and sovereignty."

"Drawing on a rich array of archival records and oral traditions, AI Carroll offers the most complete account of Native veterans to date and is the first to take an international approach, drawing comparisons with Native veteran traditions in Canada and Mexico. He debunks the "natural warrior" stereotype as well as the popular assumption that Natives join the military as a refuge against extreme poverty and as a form of assimilation. The reasons for enlistment, he argues, though varied and complex, are invariably connected to the relative strengths of tribal warrior traditions within communities.

Carroll provides a fascinating look at how the culture and training of the American military influenced the makeup and tactics of the American Indian Movement in the 1960s and 1970s and how, in turn, Natives have influenced U.S. military tactics, symbolism, and basic training."--Jacket.