Cover title: America's wars & military encounters. Originally published under title: America's wars and military excursions.

The Indians -- The French -- Rebellion -- Revolution -- War -- Embarrassments of a new nation -- Troubles at sea -- Growing pains -- The War of 1812 -- Nice little war -- The Seminole War -- Pirates, yes ; Indians, no -- Westward ho! -- Beset North and South -- The Mexican War -- Assault on Japan -- The filibusters -- The ultimate national tragedy -- The end of the trail -- Coal and colonies -- Fomenting a revolution -- The Spanish-American War -- "My legation is in danger ..." -- Philippine morass -- Cuba libre and other troubles -- Bullets and bananas -- "The pall of Negro despotism" -- Mexican hat dance -- From the Mexican border to mobilization -- The war in Europe -- Forgotten occupation -- The banana wars -- Trouble on the Yangtze -- America's World War II begins -- Hitler first -- The invasion of Europe -- Pacific victory -- Aftermath of war -- The Berlin blockade and what it wrought -- Aggression in Korea -- Failure in intelligence -- The long war -- Vietnam beginnings -- Bay of Pigs -- Wrong time, wrong place, wrong war -- How to win every battle and lose a war -- Reign of terror -- The usual (unusual) crisis in Latin America -- Space ships and GI shoes.