Overview

Mothers, Sisters, Soldiers, Spies documents the long and continuous history of women's participation in American wars, challenging the assumption that women's presence in military history was rare or exceptional. From the Revolutionary War through the modern era, women played essential roles sustaining armies, gathering intelligence, organizing logistics, nursing the wounded, supporting war industries, and, at times, engaging directly in combat. Rather than focusing solely on well-known individuals, this book examines how women's service was shaped-and often constrained-by military policy, political institutions, and social norms. It explores how race, class, and gender influenced who was permitted to serve, under what conditions, and with what recognition. The experiences of women of color are integrated throughout the narrative, illustrating how layered forms of exclusion affected both opportunity and historical memory. Drawing on primary sources, government and military records, and scholarly research, Mothers, Sisters, Soldiers, Spies offers a comprehensive account of women's contributions across multiple conflicts and eras. It reframes familiar narratives of American warfare by placing women's labor, sacrifice, and service at the center of the historical record. This volume is suitable for academic and public libraries, students of American and military history, and readers interested in women's history grounded in documented research. From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, this book traces women's roles across eras of conflict, including: Early American and Indigenous wartime labor Enslaved and free women sustaining armies Civil War nurses, scouts, and intelligence operatives World War I and II aviators, codebreakers, and spies Japanese American nurses serving while their families were incarcerated Korean and Vietnam War nurses and intelligence analysts Pioneers of military integration and modern service academies Women who served-and sometimes died-in recent conflicts Women were present in every American war. The question is not whether they served-but why their service was so often denied. This book tells that history in full.

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9781971207094

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Maureen Safford has spent over 25 years working in communications and storytelling centered on women's issues. Her career has taken her into communities around the world, where she has helped women share their experiences and educate broader audiences about the forces shaping their lives. With a lifelong passion for history, Safford focuses on how women's stories-often unrecognized-have influenced war, society, and the world we live in today.

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