“Soldiers and Civilization is an important book. Important because it explains the connection between professional militaries and the people in whose name those militaries fight and serve. Reed Bonadonna reminds us not only that civilization has depended on soldiers, but also that our soldiers depend on their fellow citizens to understand, value, and help preserve their professionalism. “
— Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster, USA, National Security Advisor and author of Dereliction of Duty: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies that Led to Vietnam.
“Every decade or so someone tries to explain war using an interdisciplinary approach. The subject is complex enough without layering it with literature, sociology, politics, ethics and learning. So virtually all of these attempts end in a muddle of social scientific confusion. Not so with Reed Bonadonna’s Soldiers and Civilization. His book is different. It’s clearly written. He treats each interdisciplinary element distinctly and gives each its place in the course of human conflict. The result is a brilliant narrative that entertains but also teaches…rare in today’s scorching realm of histories written by advocates pushing a single theme.”
— Maj. Gen. Robert Scales, USA (Ret.), author of Scales on War: The Future of America’s Military at Risk.
“This is a groundbreaking exploration of the military’s contribution to knowledge and civilization. Reed Bonadonna shows his readers how, over time, soldiers have served not just to defend and destroy but also to preserve and build. Bonadonna’s work arcs from the Trojan War to the post-9/11 world, and reflects an amazing grasp of history, literature, and law. He ends with a clarion call for military education in a broad sense, education that will nurture the citizen–soldiers of the future, men and women in the mold of George C. Marshall who can meet 21st century challenges to civilization. It is a call that military and civilian leaders would do well to heed.”
— Col. Nicholas Reynolds, USMCR (Ret.), former Chair of Intelligence at the Naval War College, and Marine Corps Historian.
“This is not just another book on military history. The focus is not on tactics and strategy but on the humanistic thinking of those under arms. Col. Bonadonna presents an articulate, thought provoking and too often-overlooked argument on how military professionals evolved and what truly makes them ‘professional.’ This is a great book to further the discussion on the importance of the humanities in the development of military professionals.”
— Col. Jay Kennedy, USMC (Ret.), former Director, Humanities and Social Sciences Division, U.S. Naval Academy.
Soldiers and Civilization 