Women and War: the Impact of Feminization on Our Military

This paper sought to understand what the impact of the integration of women has been to our nation's military. A history of the performance of women in basic training, their specialized military occupation, combat, and our highest military institutions was analyzed. There was then a comparison between the physical, psychological, and psychosocial differences between men and women using the fields of evolutionary biology, neurology, social anthropology, psychology, and the controlled observation of children. The evidence unanimously and irrefutably demonstrates that the differences between the sexes are based in nature through biological roots, and therefore are not socially constructed and cannot be educated or wished away. The traits which are most desirable in soldiers are characteristically male: physical strength and endurance, aggressiveness, willingness to be trained to kill an enemy, and willingness to expose oneself to risk. Integration of women in combat forces, and in the military overall, has had the impact of a weaker, less efficient, and less cohesive military.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Defense and Strategic Studies

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Defense and Strategic Studies

Year

2009

Author dc:creator

• Cavere, Kristia Natalia

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bradley Thayer

• military
• war
• national security
• women's studies
• sex differences
• Defense and Security Studies

Statement dc:rights

• © Kristia Natalia Cavere

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1445

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2446