Stupid Wars: A Citizen's Guide to Botched Putsches, Failed Coups, Inane Invasions, and Ridiculous Revolutions Book

1 Valens and the End of the Roman Empire: AD 377 1

2 The Fourth Crusade: 1198 17

3 The Whiskey Rebellion: 1794 44

4 The War of the Triple Alliance: 1865 63

5 The War of the Pacific: 1879 81

6 The U.S. Invasion of Russia: 1918 102

7 Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch: 1923 116

8 The Chaco War: 1932 137

9 The Winter War between Russia and Finland: 1939 154

10 Romania Fights Both Sides in World War II: 1941 174

11 The Generals' Coup against Hitler: 1944 189

12 The Bay of Pigs Invasion: 1961 205

13 The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan: 1979 224

14 The Falkland Islands War: 1982 242

15 The U.S. Invasion of Grenada: 1983 258

16 The Soviet Coup against Gorbachev: 1991 281

Acknowledgments 299

Sources 301

About the Authors 307

Index 309