The Paramilitary Turn

The Paramilitary Turn, written by Ryan T. Reynolds, explores the evolution of American law enforcement as a core component of national security during the twentieth century. As the first volume in the Battlegrounds: Cornell Studies In Military History Series, this history book examines how police institutions adopted military structures and strategic thinking while retaining their civilian identities. Reynolds traces this transformation from the Progressive Era through the Cold War, illustrating how the rise of paramilitary policing reshaped the boundaries between civilian and military power in the United States.

By analyzing archival records from federal agencies and intelligence organizations, The Paramilitary Turn demonstrates how domestic policing became linked to overseas counterinsurgency and internal security campaigns. This volume in the Battlegrounds: Cornell Studies In Military History Series argues that the American garrison state emerged through civilian institutions performing military functions. It reframes civil-military relations and expands the study of grand strategy to include the critical role of law enforcement.