A War of Nerves: Soldiers and Psychiatrists in the Twentieth Century

By Benjamin Heim Shepard and Ben Shephard

Book Overview

A War of Nerves is a history of military psychiatry in the twentieth century--an authoritative, accessible account drawing on a vast range of diaries, interviews, medical papers, and official records, from doctors as well as ordinary soldiers. It reaches back to the moment when the technologies of modern warfare and the disciplines of psychological medicine first confronted each other on the Western Front, and traces their uneasy relationship through the eras of shell-shock, combat fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder. At once absorbing historical narrative and intellectual detective story, A War of Nerves weaves together the literary, medical, and military lore to give us a fascinating history of war neuroses and their treatment, from the World Wars through Vietnam and up to the Gulf War. Ben Shephard answers recurring questions about the effects of war. Why do some men crack and others not? Are the limits of resistance determined by character, heredity, upbringing, ideology, or simple biochemistry? Military psychiatry has long been shrouded in misconception, and haunted by the competing demands of battle and of recovery. Now, for the first time, we have a definitive history of this vital art and science, which illuminates the bumpy efforts to understand the ravages of war on the human mind, and points towards the true lessons to be learned from treating the aftermath of war.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674011198
• ISBN13: 9780674011199
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.7" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Well recommended history of war psychology

A fine, well researched history of military psychological practices in the 20th century and easily comprehensible by the layman. As an American, I found the English spelling and punctuation annoying (honourable British writers reverse the use of single and double quotations, don't you know, Love), but you can get past that. I'm sure the British have similiar feelings about the American writing style. I can best compliment War of Nerves by telling you that I am citing it in a book on mental disorders during the American Civil War. Aside from that, I was intrigued by Shephard's thoughts on the creation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a recognized mental condition, i.e., that it came into the lexicon as much or more from social and political reaction to Vietnam as a step forward in mental evaluation.

A Must Read

Any person interested in traumatic neurosis should read this book. It is meticulously researched, clearly written, and presents a balanced report of the struggles of the military psychiatrists of the 20th century to deal with the dilemma of war and its impact on soldiers. Any therapist, soldier, or veteran will finish much the wiser. Thanks, Ben Shephard!