Thomas S. Langston's Uneasy Balance

In Uneasy Balance: Civil- Military Relations in Peacetime America Since 1783 by Thomas S. Langston, Langston successfully conveys the challenges faced in the United States in regards to the civilian-military relations once an American war is resolved. Langston’s purpose in the writing of this book is to help American’s realize that this never ending struggle between civilian-military relations cannot look for one side to be right and the other wrong. Instead, the thesis he presents in his book is that there must be a balance found between the two. Langston successfully presents this thesis in a precise manner that illustrates the times where civilian-military relations were at the worst in the country and why there is still no balance in the United States today. When presenting support for his thesis, Langston started by talking about the worst postwar times for civilian-military relations. He also talks about how when there is a clear threat to the American way of life, it is easy for the civilian-military relations to coexist for the greater good of the nation, but once there is no clear threat to the nation, the interest of the civilian and military leaders collide. First, Langston proved his …show more content…
After the Cold War, Langston talks about how military policy changed dramatically with new Commander-in-Chiefs who were much more civilian-minded than militarily. With this change, America spread it shrinking post-war forces into more areas of the world. Many conflicts that were to follow, would lead to the events on September 11, 2001, and the war on terrorism still ongoing today. As America continues its cycle of back and forth favoritism between civilian populous and the military, Langston’s thesis holds true that the country needs to stop attempting to please each side fully and find a balance between the needs and wants of both the civilian and military