THE CITIZEN ARMY

A ""new citizen"" of the USA, Frederick Martin Stern still has the zest for convincing the recalcitrant of the belief to which he has been converted. Last time (in 1951) it was evident in his Capitalism in American (Rinehart). Now it is an impassioned defense of the citizen- as opposed to the professional- army. This is an extensive survey, an historical analysis of citizen vs professional armies in France, Germany, Great Britain, the United States and Switzerland, -- particularly Switzerland for whose citizen army he has the profoundest admiration. The study goes back several hundred years- and forward to universal military training as a priceless asset of democracy. He seen ""vigilance as the price of liberty"" -- and fears the ascendancy of the professional army as a threat to liberty. The citizen must be in control. To this thesis he lends almost religious ferver in a book which should- but probably won't- have much influence on our current military thinking.