Providing for the Casualties of War: The American Experience Through World War II

The current and future care of the casualties of war -- those who have been wounded or injured or who are mentally or physically ill -- is of primary importance to the military and civilian leadership of the military services, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review Report highlighted the care of wounded warriors as a major, high-priority initiative. As with every other aspect of the military, the relevant policies have evolved over time, and having a basic grasp of their roots and evolution should improve understanding of today's policies. This volume begins with the ancient and European roots of care for fallen soldiers. It continues through America's own wars, describing how the U.S. Government has arrived at its current set of policies for caring for its injured and ill soldiers and veterans. For each historical example, the discussion addresses the nature of the conflict, combat casualties, and the way in which both soldiers and veterans were treated. It addresses such questions as who were able to remain in the service and who had to separate, either through discharge or retirement, and what roles their families, their communities, or (more recently) the Department of Veterans Affairs played in their care. The focus is on the U.S. Army because, throughout U.S. history, it has suffered the most war casualties of all the services. While all the services share some common history, they are distinct organizations with their own stories to tell. Sorting out the areas of overlap and paying each service the same degree of attention as is given to the Army here was beyond the scope of this effort. A planned second volume will pick up from June 25, 1950, the start of the Korean War, and continue forward to today's conflicts.