The ecology of war: environmental impacts of weaponry and warfare

This volume is one of the first to deal with this critical issue. It examines the effect of war upon our plundered planet, providing a highly readable, concise overview of the environmental impacts of war, graphically documenting the scars caused by warfare above and beyond the human casualties. This basic book chronicles the assaults upon the environment itself. A primer on the destructive effects of battle and its aftermath, this book describes how weaponry wounds the land, the sea, and the air we breathe. Perhaps most important, the author discusses the often overlooked peacetime aspects of war - the testing of weapons, waste disposal, and how these impact the United States and nations around the world. Emphasis is on the major wars of American history, including the Civil War, both world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf. Here are the short-term and long-term results of these conflicts, the horrors and even the occasional good effects. Weapons, strategies, tactics, maneuver damage, and how today's military is handling environmental challenges are all covered. The ecological problems of war have always existed, but today's technology makes this topic an imperative one.