Since the founding of the United States, war has been a recurring phenomenon in American history. And in every war on every front, intrepid reporters have been the conduit for a public eager to imagine and feel every musket fire and missile blast from Lexington to Baghdad. In Dispatches from the Front, Nathaniel Lande brings together a ground-breaking collection of dispatches from ten American wars. Through these unique writings we learn firsthand how the profession of journalism grew, the changes in the way war is reported, and the gradual advances in combat technique that characterized each war. Historic background information is included for each conflict and report, as well as photographs and illustrations that lend graphic testimony to the reporters' words. The tone and character of American press coverage shaped the nation's understanding of itself. Dispatches from the Front offers insight into the culture of the United States at each crisis point, from its beginnings to the present day.