According to historian and former Marine James Wright, the past century has seen a change in how we mobilize for war, fight our wars, and honor those who serve. Fewer and fewer citizens join in the sacrifice that war demands.Following WWII, imprecise military objectives have often sapped the political support for our actions, while the armed forces have become less representative of American society as a whole.

Those Who Have Borne the Battle expertly relates the burdens carried by veterans historically, as well as those fighting today's war in Iraq and Afghanistan. It challenges Americans to do better for those who serve and sacrifice today.

The son of a WWII veteran, James Wright joined the Marines at age 17, became a history professor at Dartmouth College in 1969, and served as president of Dartmouth from 1998 to 2009. Since 2005 he has visited military hospitals and has encouraged support for wounded veterans, efforts featured in the New York Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor, National Public Radio, and VFW Magazine, and recognized by educational, veteran, and service organizations. He lives in New Hampshire.