The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern War (Oxford Illustrated Histories)
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
From 18th-century fortifications to nuclear submarines to guerrilla combat, The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern War is a thorough treatment of how warfare has evolved over the last three centuries. The bulk of the book focuses on the 20th century, but it also effectively shows how the past influences the present and may affect the future. A well-chosen illustration on almost every page makes this an exceedingly attractive volume. The list of contributors is heavily English (what else would you expect from Oxford University Press?), and this slightly colors (or, perhaps more accurately, "colours") some of their interpretations--but certainly not in a bad way. Make some extra room on your shelf for this one, right beside books by Karl von Clausewitz and John Keegan.
Book Description
"The musket made the infantryman and the infantryman made the democrat," according to General J.F.C. Fuller. In short, modern war and modern society are inextricably linked. But just how has war shaped society and vice versa? How has war changed over the centuries between the introduction of
firearms and the invention of the atom bomb? How--and why--is war waged today?
In The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern War, the techniques, technology, and theory of warfare are insightfully and engagingly investigated, from the military revolution of the seventeenth century--the widespread adoption of the standing army--to the present day battalion of high-tech weaponry
and satellite technology. The expert contributors explore major developments and themes, including the extraordinary achievements of Napoleon's armies; the role of nationalism in battlegrounds as various as the American Civil War and the former Yugoslavia; colonial wars; the concept and reality of
"total war"; guerrilla warfare and "people's wars." This lavishly illustrated volume offers a comprehensive overview of military conflict over several centuries, with fascinating thematic chapters covering air and sea warfare, combat experience, technology, and even opposition to war. A
particularly important and trenchant analysis leads to a conclusion that should concern anyone with an interest in modern society: today we face a scenario in which the military professionalism that has fostered modern war is eroding under the pressures of low-intensity conflict--from civil
protest to civil disobedience to domestic terrorism to open battle--so that no purely military approach can wage an effective response to many of our violent social ills.
From a historic overview of the evolution of modern war, through an engaging analysis of the elements of modern war, no aspect of this most-studied and most-argued element of modern life is left unexplored. This volume will be of interest to a wide range of readers, scholars, political thinkers,
and historians.
The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern War (Oxford Illustrated Histories),Jeremy Black,John Bourne,John Childs,Jean Bethke Elshtain,Alan Forrest,David French,Charles Townshend,Oxford University Press, USA,0198204272,History,History - Military / War,History: World,Military - General,Military - Other,Military History - Modern,Military Science,Military history, Modern,War,War And Peace,War and society,20th century,Reference works,Warfare & Defence,World history: c 1500 to c 1750,c 1700 to c 1800,c 1800 to c 1900
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