As the United States continues to fight two wars, as controversy over Generals and strategies grows, and as we try look towards an end to both wars, author Peter Maslowski reminds us that the ends of wars can be just as “messy” as their duration.  In a recent article about ending wars, Maslowski and other military historians talked about how the ends of wars typically have the greatest effects on history.  For example, a turning point for the American military was in 1902, after the Spanish and American War, which began years of fighting with Filipino insurgents (instead of expected military dominance) that forced the military to modernize.  In present day, in Afghanistan, Maslowski notes the strong tribal component of the war, and he asks, “Can you find more tribes that are willing to work with you because you're fighting their traditional enemies?”  The answer to this question will have profound effects on American military policy.   

Maslowski, along with Don Winslow, is the author of Looking for a Hero: Staff Sergeant Joe Ronnie Hooper and the Vietnam War. In the book, Maslowski and Winslow study Joe Ronnie Hooper: Vietnam’s most decorated soldier.  The authors interviewed Hooper’s friends, his family, and his fellow soldiers to discover the inner workings of a man who can be considered a symbol for the war itself.  Maslowski and Winslow find the man behind the myth, the lies, and the flaws to find a clear picture of Hooper and the American military.  In a story that is both interesting and relevant, Looking for a Hero reveals Hooper’s character and how even a hero can lose a war.

Maslowski is also an editor of the Studies in War, Society, and the Military series.