World History of Warfare (Tactics & Strategies) - Hardcover

Archer, Christon I.; Ferris, John R.; Herwig, Holger H.; Travers, Timothy H. E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0803244231 ISBN 13: 9780803244238

Publisher: University of Nebraska Press, 2002

Synopsis

World History of Warfare is designed as a textbook for introductory college courses in military history. The text covers worldwide military history from ancient times to the present. Its principal theme is an exploration of change and continuity, revolution and tradition, in three thousand years of warfare. The work teaches students and general readers how warfare evolved and how that evolution affected human society, with emphasis on major turning points in the conduct of warfare rather than a superficial general history of wars.

This volume addresses traditional subjects such as generals and tactics, but each chapter also includes discussions of the idea of war, the role of the common soldier, and the changing interpretations of the military's place in society and politics. Of special value is the authors' treatment of non-Western societies. Too often military history has meant the study of warfare in England, France, and Germany, especially as it was shaped by the Napoleonic conflicts. In contrast, the authors of this volume examine the role that military forces have played in shaping societies worldwide.

About this title

About the Author:

All four authors are professors of history at the University of Calgary. Christon I. Archer is the editor of The Wars of Independence in Spanish America. John R. Ferris is the author of The Evolution of British Strategic Policy, 1919-1926. Holger H. Herwig is a coauthor of The Grand Illusion: The Prussianization of the Chilean Army (Nebraska 1999). Timothy H. E. Travers is the author of Gallipoli 1915.

From Library Journal:

Archer, John Ferris, Holger Herwig, and Timothy Travers (all professors of history at Univ. of Calgary) have designed this work as a text for introductory college courses in military history. It is divided into specific time periods: the ancient empires; the classical West; migration and invasions; the age of chivalry; the Eastern style of warfare; gunpowder and sail; industrial warfare; and modern Third World wars. In each era certain themes are emphasized: society and the idea of war; the impact of technology; organization of armies; and the experience of war from the soldiers' perspective. Finally, for each era there is a case study of a specific battle. These authors follow the trend among some younger military historians (e.g., Bevin Alexander, Victor Davis Hanson) by describing not only the raw detail of battle but sprinkling it with some philosophic insight, emotion, and the impact of war on society as a whole. Not a complete, detailed military history of the world, this is a broad history of man at war, the effect of technology on approaches to battle, and the consequences of war for future epochs. Equal weight is given to Middle Eastern and Asian battles; the case studies presented are battles that one usually finds in standard military histories. Each chapter has a slightly dated bibliography that nevertheless includes the important references. The maps of battles are sparse and simplistic a fault of many such histories. This thoughtful, philosophical, multicultural work is recommended for most libraries. Richard Nowicki, formerly with Emerson Vocational H.S., Buffalo, NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0803244231
• ISBN 13: 9780803244238
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 626