A West Won by 'Blood and Thunder'

NPR

Published October 14, 2006 at 2:51 PM EDT

The acquisition of the West made America into a transcontinental power -- a country straddling two oceans, filling with immigrants from around the world.

It seems like there should have been room for everybody. In the end, there was really only enough space to accomodate the white man's sense of Manifest Destiny -- the notion that the mission of the United States was to cover the territory between the two continents.

One emblematic story of the conquest of the West is told in Hampton Sides' new history Blood and Thunder. He focuses on the 20-year battle for control of Navajo country... a story of bloodshed and deceit.

Sides discusses his book with Scott Simon.

More from WGCU

Environment

Florida wildlife under threat from Trump administration rule

Nicolás Rivero/The Florida Trib

Weaker protections could also allow more development of wild land.
Health

Boil water notice for Babcock Ranch community has been rescinded

WGCU Staff

A precautionary boil water notice issued for the entire Babcock Ranch Community Friday has been rescinded.
Weather

Heat dome expands across the central United States, creating dangerous conditions for millions

The Associated Press

A heat dome is set to expand across much of the central United States, pushing temperatures above 100 degrees from Dallas to North Dakota. About 70 million people will face heat advisories. Forecasters say the heat will stretch from the desert southwest to the Gulf Coast and into the Midwest and Great Plains. Some areas, like the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, won't be hit by such severe weather. The elderly and children are especially at risk of heat-related illnesses. People are advised to seek air conditioning and stay hydrated. Relief might come to the central U.S. toward next weekend.

Accessibility Note

A West Won by 'Blood and Thunder'

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning