Battle Cries and Lullabies: Women in War from Prehistory to the Present

By Linda Grant De Pauw

Book Overview

In this groundbreaking work, which covers thousands of years and spans the globe, Linda Grant De Pauw depicts women as victims and as warriors; as nurses, spies, sex workers, and wives and mothers of soldiers; as warrior queens leading armies into battle, and as baggage carriers marching in the rear. Beginning with the earliest archaeological evidence of warfare and ending with the dozens of wars in progress today, Battle Cries and Lullabies demonstrates that warfare has always and everywhere involved women. Following an introductory chapter on the questions raised about women's participation in warfare, the book presents a documented, chronological survey linked to familiar models of military history. De Pauw provides historical context for current public policy debates over the role of women in the military. "Whether one applauds or deplores their presence and their actions, women have always been part of war. To ignore this fact grossly distorts our understanding of human history." Linda Grant De Pauw is President of the Minerva Center (an institution dedicated to studies of women in the military) and Professor Emeritus of History at George Washington University. She is the author of Founding Mothers: Women of America in the Revolutionary Era, "Remember the Ladies" Women on America, 1750-1815, and Seafaring Women.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806132884
• ISBN13: 9780806132884
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press
• Length: 395 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.9" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

The silenced herstory

This book is superbly poslished. I recommend that this book be an introductory text for courses in military history, women's history, and even peace studies. Much of our historical documents are written from a perspective that ignores the contributions of women and people of color. Unfortunately, when a history that does not marginalize these narratives is created, this is often seen as not 'legitimate' or 'fictional'. This is the nature of power within knowledge management, but this can be challenged when we encourage alternative stories to be heeded. Alternative stories are not any less real--they have simply been silenced throughout the telling and retelling of stories and Grandnarrativity. Linda Grant de Pauw writes from a refreshingly radical perspective which throws into confusion the comforting tales of male-only martial valor. Warriordom must be necessarily told as exclsuively a male domain in order to maintain the good order of male-supremacy. This brave, courageous, and polished text confronts the colonizing narratives which seek to uphold women with the exclusively female roles of weakness, carnality, and lack. Dr. De Pauw does not try and cast women as 'men', but women as women who have also partook in good and evil, sin and suffering, peace and violence.

this is *not* revisionist history

I'd like to agree with the reviewer who noted that men's military menoirs are considered legitimate, while women's are considered to be antecdotal. Frankly, I'm still trying to completely understand why so many people consider the idea that a woman could be a successful soldier, so threatening. This book is not revisionist history- had the author attempted to claim that these wars had never occurred, or that all soldiers were women, than yes, it would be revisionist. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in military issues, feminism, women's issues, or history in general.

Comprehensive and engaging.

Linda Grant De Pauw does a superb job with this engaging account of the History of Women in War. You will find, while reading it, that you annoy anybody within earshot as it is full of interesting facts forcing "do you know's..." every once in a while. For example, do you know the origin of the term 'guerrilla warfare?...'You will find the explanation to this and countless other little mysteries within the pages of this book. There have been other books written on the same topic, for example 'Women Warriors' by Anthropologist David E.Jones, but none with the page turning, readable quality of 'Battle Cries and Lullabies.' If there is ever a time when Women and Warfare is considered a subject worthy of it's own course in the University then Battle Cries and Lullabies would be the perfect textbook. A lively, interesting and colorful account of a much neglected part of world History.

Fascinating and enlightening!

This is a well researched and well written accounting of the different roles women have historically played in times of war. It's VERY readable and chocked full of interesting facts and women who have made an impact on the history of warfare and the world. Prior knowledge of battles or warfare in general is not necessary to fully appreciate this fine work!