Military Tradition of United States Before 20th Century: Forming and Development of Anti-Military Tradition

United States had had unique tradition of supporting local volunteer militia and avoiding large scale standing army, the Anti-Military Tradtion, since colonial time to the early 20th century. United States had enjoyed relatively much security for more than 100 years after its independence because the country is blocked by the two great oceans from major European powers and during the most part of 19th century European countries were focused on severe competitions among them under balance of power condition. Under these circumstances, United Stated had developed a series of traditions to abhor the building of the sizable regular army, and nation-wide military mobilization system, which doesnt correspond to one of the basic rules of modern international system, struggle for power. The tradition originated in the colonial period and had developed through 19th century and finally had been incorporated into the major part of the national political philosophies and identity. After the Civil War, United States created the foundation for political integration, and experienced record increase of economic power, and population during the second half of 1800s and finally during the first 16 years of 20th century United States military and mobilization system was changed into much developed modern one after a series of reform efforts. However, the Anti- Military Tradition has its own vitality with certain fixed conditions of the country and has influenced American society and political and defense policies