Examining the complex relationships among the U.S. government, the U.S. Military, and the civilian population in wartime and peacetime, this series includes coverage of major and minor wars as well as interwar periods in which significant military developments or controversies occurred. After a brief overview of the period, each volume delves into important issues, such as the dilemma of a civilian-controlled military, changing civilian perceptions of the armed forces, the line between dissent and disloyalty, and the tradition of the citizen soldier. Important documents and a detailed bibliography round out the volumes.Between 1815-1860, the tiny American army took on many new and often daunting tasks. In the face of civil opposition to the very existence of a professional military, the first battle officers and supporters had to win was that of preserving some small professional force. As American interests expanded west and conflict with Native Americans increased, the army was charged with the dual responsibility of peacekeeper and conqueror. Its most dramatic successes, however, came during the Mexican War and the conquest of the American Southwest. Against this back drop, Wettemann crafts a narrative overview of the rivalries, personalities, and events that defined civil-military relations during this era.