War Archives - Task & Purpose

By James Clark Oct 13, 2020

History

The Marine Corps legend who tried to stop the Vietnam War

He was criticized for speaking out against the Vietnam War. It didn't matter that David M. Shoup was a Medal...

By Task & Purpose Mar 12, 2020

News

US Military in peace talks with Afghanistan

The U.S military and the Taliban have been in peace talks recently. The two sides signed a withdrawal agreement on...

By Rich Mckay, Reuters Jan 7, 2020

News

‘We’re going to war, bro’ — preparing for battle with the 82nd Airborne

"The Army is an all-volunteer force. We want to do this. You pay your taxes and we get to do...

By Jared Keller Jun 6, 2019

History

Army War College under fire over historian’s upcoming lecture on ‘clash of civilizations’ between Islam and the West

The Philadelphia chapter of a leading Muslim civil rights group is urging the U.S. Army War College to reconsider an...

By Mark Hosenball, Reuters May 21, 2019

News

Trump: US will respond with ‘great force’ if Iran attacks

His comments came as two U.S. government sources said the United States strongly suspects Shi'ite militias with ties to, and...

By Sam Fellman, Business Insider May 17, 2019

Entertainment

9 of the worst-named military missions and war games in history

How do military leaders come up with these? In the case of the U.S., military commands are assigned blocks of...

By Reuters Staff May 14, 2019

News

The White House’s military options on Iran reportedly include a 120,000-troop deployment

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has presented an updated military plan to President Donald Trump's administration that envisions sending up...

By Gina Harkins, Military.Com Feb 9, 2019

News

Marines are getting a taste of what war with Russia might look like

"There clearly are threats out there."

By Task & Purpose Jan 7, 2019

popular

‘The Many Faces of War’ Isn’t A Comfortable Book, But It’s A Damn Good One

'The Many Faces of War' is a well-researched, creative, historical, mythological and academic look at war, in the cold and...

By John T. Kuehn Dec 20, 2018

The Long March

No One Saw It Coming: How Russia Went to War Against China in 2020

Tom note: Here is the fifth entry in our 10 Long March posts for 2018, the 6th most-read item of...

By Mike Martin Sep 19, 2018

The Long March

Why We Fight: It’s Not Always Because We Face An Enemy

When looking at interstate wars, conflict between groups may actually be more about internal group dynamics than about the actions...

By Col. Angie Holbrook, U.S. Army Aug 30, 2018

The Long March

Why I Fear America’s Veteran Suicide Epidemic Is Going To Get Much Worse

Editor’s note: The Long March will be closed for inventory the month of August. We regret any inconvenience this causes...

By Jack Mandaville Aug 2, 2018

Mandatory Fun

A Post-9/11 Marine Vet Recalls His Earliest Memories Of Operation Desert Storm

My earliest television memory other than my Saturday morning cartoon ritual was watching Operation Desert Storm occur live. And since...

By Tom Ricks Jul 27, 2018

The Long March

Time For A ‘National Political Warfare Center’ To Run US Actions Overseas?

Ryan Crocker and some other smart, experienced guys propose just that, to better coordinate low-level U.S. wars. In their short...

By James Clark Jul 19, 2018

Entertainment

‘Overlord’: Paratroopers Fight Nazi Zombies, Because Why Not?

World War II is returning to the big screen; let’s be honest though, it never left. This time though, it’s...

By John Haltiwanger, Business Insider Jun 8, 2018

News

The World Is Less Peaceful Now Than At Any Point In The Past Decade

The world is less peaceful than at any point in the past 10 years as the number of refugees worldwide...

By John Throckmorton Jun 1, 2018

The Long March

War Doesn’t Remake People — It Just Highlights Who They Already Are

In a 2015 U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center presentation for his book “Doughboys on the Great War: How American...

By Bryan Baker May 24, 2018

The Long March

The Military Doesn’t Really Want To End The Forever War

Alexis de Tocqueville rightly notes that democratic armies crave war; the draft must be reinstituted in America in order to...

By Lisette Voytko May 10, 2018

Entertainment

10 Things You Probably Never Knew About ‘Saving Private Ryan’

Editor's note: This story originally appeared in March 2016 and has been republished for the 20th anniversary of 'Saving Private...

By James Clark Apr 29, 2018

Gear

KA-BAR Celebrates 120 Years Of Knife-Making And ‘BAR’ Slaying

Few pieces of gear are steeped in as much martial history as the KA-BAR Fighting Utility Knife — from stories...

By Tom Ricks Apr 27, 2018

The Long March

Long March Comment Of The Week: Do Cops Police Themselves Like The Military?

From Peter Watanabe, a comment on the issue of some of today’s recent vets disliking cops: “31 year old Marine...

By Tom Ricks Apr 25, 2018

The Long March

The Real Questions Worth Asking To Assess The Army’s War Record

Gen. Frederick Kroesen commanded a rifle company in World War II, a battalion in Korea, and a brigade and a...

By Carmen Gentile Apr 13, 2018

Voices

He Was Hit In The Face By An RPG. Only Returning To War Made Him Whole

Editor's note: Carmen Gentile has covered the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and been featured in the New York Times,...

By Nick Wadhams, Bloomberg News Apr 6, 2018

Analysis

Trump Finds Himself Trapped Again By A War He Campaigned Against

President Donald Trump surprised his top aides last week when he said he wanted U.S. troops out of Syria “very...

By James Clark Apr 5, 2018

News

This Marine-Made War Documentary Is So Raw The Corps Doesn’t Want You To See It

“Okay buddy, how ya doing today?” a Marine asks as he stands over the body of a dead Afghan man....

War

News

Featured in War

The Marine Corps legend who tried to stop the Vietnam War

US Military in peace talks with Afghanistan

‘We’re going to war, bro’ — preparing for battle with the 82nd Airborne

Army War College under fire over historian’s upcoming lecture on ‘clash of civilizations’ between Islam and the West

Trump: US will respond with ‘great force’ if Iran attacks

9 of the worst-named military missions and war games in history

The White House’s military options on Iran reportedly include a 120,000-troop deployment

Marines are getting a taste of what war with Russia might look like

‘The Many Faces of War’ Isn’t A Comfortable Book, But It’s A Damn Good One

No One Saw It Coming: How Russia Went to War Against China in 2020

Why We Fight: It’s Not Always Because We Face An Enemy

Why I Fear America’s Veteran Suicide Epidemic Is Going To Get Much Worse

A Post-9/11 Marine Vet Recalls His Earliest Memories Of Operation Desert Storm

Time For A ‘National Political Warfare Center’ To Run US Actions Overseas?

‘Overlord’: Paratroopers Fight Nazi Zombies, Because Why Not?

The World Is Less Peaceful Now Than At Any Point In The Past Decade

War Doesn’t Remake People — It Just Highlights Who They Already Are

The Military Doesn’t Really Want To End The Forever War

10 Things You Probably Never Knew About ‘Saving Private Ryan’

KA-BAR Celebrates 120 Years Of Knife-Making And ‘BAR’ Slaying

Long March Comment Of The Week: Do Cops Police Themselves Like The Military?

The Real Questions Worth Asking To Assess The Army’s War Record

He Was Hit In The Face By An RPG. Only Returning To War Made Him Whole

Trump Finds Himself Trapped Again By A War He Campaigned Against

This Marine-Made War Documentary Is So Raw The Corps Doesn’t Want You To See It