Women at war

the long version

As long as there have been wars, there have been women soldiers. Women have fought openly and also in disguise. Their achievements have variously been hailed, ignored, and deliberately concealed. As the nature of combat changes, law and policy must change to place women in official combat roles. Such factors as physical ability, emotional readiness for combat, family relationships, and unit cohesion must be considered in a new light. The author examines these factors and more in this revealing history and analysis of the female warrior role from ancient Greece to the post-Persian Gulf era.