Kenneth R. Rutherford received his PhD from Georgetown University and BA and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado. He is known for his decades-long work in the landmine discipline, including as co-founder of the Landmine Survivors Network. Rutherford was a prominent leader in the International Campaign to Ban Landmines which won the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize. A professor of political science at James Madison University, he directs the university’s Center for International Stabilization and Recovery, which for more than 21 years has been recognized as a global leader in international efforts to combat the effects of landmines and explosive remnants of war. He also publishes the longest running publication on landmines, The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction. He is the author of more than 40 journal articles and two books, including Disarming States: The International Movement to Ban Landmines (Praeger, 2010) and co-editor of two books, including Landmines and Human Security: International Politics and War’s Hidden Legacy (SUNY Press, 2006).
"In my experience with landmines, underwater mines, and demining,
when it comes to technical information, there are two types of
people. The majority are those content to know enough about this
topic to stay safe, but who depend heavily on technical support
when confronted by an unknown mine or situation. Then there are
those rare types, the people who love the intricate details of
history, development, design variations, inventors, and tactics;
those who can name the most obscure bits of landmine, sea mine, or
demining trivia, and happily debate incessantly over details.
America's Buried History: Landmines in the Civil War, is a book for
all types of people... You cannot do better than this book and the
tremendous amount of citations provided."-- "The Artilleryman
Magazine"
"America's Buried History explains clearly to even a novice war
buff how the American Civil War developed mined weapons.
Rutherford's excellent book explores a rarely-examined aspect of
the Civil War, bringing the reader out from the past and into
modern times and today's debates."--Meg Groeling "Emerging Civil
War"
"This is a first-rate history that will enlighten many people, both
serious students of the Civil War and buffs. This reviewer read
America's Buried History straight through, cover to cover without
pause, an experience likely to be shared by many others. Highly
recommended."-- "StrategyPage"
"Well researched, full of case studies from all theaters, and
written in a manner that can attract a wide audience, America's
Buried History is the new standard overview history of the
Confederate use of landmines on the Civil War battlefield. It is
highly recommended reading for all."-- "Civil War Books and
Authors"
"America's Buried History is a compelling and exhaustive
exploration of a deadly weapon--the anti-personal
landmine--introduced for the first time on a broad scale in the
American Civil War. Landmines would eventually cost the lives and
limbs of hundreds of thousands of people around the world, which
ultimately resulted in the prohibition by most countries. This book
is an absorbing eye-opening history that combines insightful
political decisions, military history, technical details, and
biographies."--Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (1997) and
Chair, Nobel Women's Initiative
"By combining his love of learning, fascination with history,
dedication to helping innocent victims of war, and near-death in
Somalia from a landmine explosion that ultimately claimed both
legs, Ken Rutherford has written a riveting account of the use of
these indiscriminate weapons during our own Civil War. Like today,
landmines were an inexpensive weapon used to terrorize the enemy
and inflicted terrible injuries and death. Usually triggered by the
victim, they can remain active long after a war ends, and today's
casualties are often civilians, like Ken. America's Buried History:
Landmines in the Civil War reminds us of the immeasurable sacrifice
of those who fought a century and a half ago, and of how, despite
all the technological advances, much of what made war hell back
then remains true today."--U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy
"Masterfully researched and eloquently written, Rutherford's volume
is destined to become a classic study of one of the most horrific
weapons ever utilized during the Civil War--landmines. From
technological discussions, to employment in combat, and examination
of the physical and emotional toll land mines took on soldiers
victimized by them, this book provides the most comprehensive
analysis ever produced on the topic. Rutherford's splendid study is
critical reading for those seeking a deeper understanding of the
manner in which technology impacted our nation's most tumultuous
moment and the men who fought in it."
--Jonathan A. Noyalas, Director, Shenandoah University's McCormick
Civil War Institute
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
