The Rise of Militarism in the Progressive Era, 1900-1914

This book demonstrates how the War Department and the United States Army worked to build support for the military and foster a martial spirit in the American populace from the turn of the century to the beginning of World War I. This era, dominated by progressives like Theodore Roosevelt, saw an American attitude shift toward structure, social duty, and middle class manly values, and politicians pushed for a larger army and its more frequent use. To psychologically prepare Americans for war, the federal government sponsored military education in schools, held military tournaments in major cities, publicized the attractions of military life through expanded recruiting, promoted marksmanship contests and encouraged public attendance at military maneuvers.