Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War against the Taliban [Paperback]

Stephen Tanner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0306818264 | ISBN-13: 978-0306818264 | Edition: First Edition, Revised Edition

For over 2,500 years, the forbidding territory of Afghanistan has served as a vital crossroads for armies and has witnessed history-shaping clashes between civilizations: Greek, Arab, Mongol, and Tartar, and, in more recent times, British, Russian, and American. When U.S. troops entered Afghanistan in the weeks following September 11, 2001, they overthrew the Afghan Taliban regime and sent the terrorists it harbored on the run. But America’s initial easy victory is in sharp contrast to the difficulties it faces today in confronting the Taliban resurgence.

Originally published in 2002, Stephen Tanner’s Afghanistan has now been completely updated to include the crucial turn of events since America first entered the country.

Editorial Reviews

Review

HistoryWire.com, 5/18/09
“In an age in which events in the Middle East threaten increasingly to spin out of control, few books could be as timely as this history of Afghanistan.”

The Middle East, June 2009
“Illuminates the broad historical context into which our forces have been drawn…[A] carefully researched account.”

About the Author

Stephen Tanner is a New York-based military historian who has written several highly regarded books, including Epic Retreats: From 1776 to the Evacuation of Saigon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; First Edition, Revised Edition edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306818264
• ISBN-13: 978-0306818264
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,978 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > History > Asia > Central Asia
  • #38 in Books > History > Asia > Afghanistan

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the Fall of the Taliban, April 1, 2006

By 

D. Rensema - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Afghanistan: A Military History From Alexander The Great To The Fall Of The Taliban (Paperback)

This book was very well researched and written. Even if you have very little knowledge of Afghanistan, you can understand and easily read this book. It is full of interesting history, along with it's excellent explanation of the military information that is the center if it's purpose.

Not being a military history buff, I was pleased to see that some of this country's history, it's native peoples, and some their customs were also covered.

It is good reading.

You must be interested in Afghanistan and it's history to read this book, and if you are this book is a winner for you.

The only drawback is that you can get lost in all of the names, battles and locations happening at once, especially during the Alexander period. If you have the patience to reread some passages over again, you'll be fine.

Lots of good information.

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good for the first 90%, then downhill rapidly., March 1, 2005

By 

James H. Boschma III (Alaska) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Afghanistan: A Military History From Alexander The Great To The Fall Of The Taliban (Paperback)

This book is an excellent introduction to the "big" history of modern-day Afghanistan, providing an overview of empire building and collapsing (either Afghans pushing outward or others pushing inwards), succeeding waves of tribes and armies moving through the region, etc. For anyone interested in having an understanding of Afghanistan with some historical depth to it, this book is one I would, consequently, recommend.

Where the author falls flat, in my opinion, is when he begins to pontificate on how the United States should have pursued its intervention in that nation. In this instance he betrays a minimal level of understanding ("where were the light parts of the 1st Infantry Division?" being a question he asks, apparently unaware that the current answer is that such don't exist, for instance).

The book does redeem itself a bit in looking at the future of Afghanistan, with the author proposing a rather novel notion of modelling the Afghan government on that of Switzerland. The author makes a decent case for the idea, even if it might sound a bit odd.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overall Hostory of Afghanistan, March 1, 2008

By 

Ada Quartermaster - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Afghanistan: A Military History From Alexander The Great To The Fall Of The Taliban (Paperback)

I wanted to study up on the region while I was assigned there, and I read many books from Amazon.com. Many had bits and pieces of the history, but this book had a grand view from early times of Alexander the Great, the Muslim invasions, the Mongol conquest to later times during the Soviet invasion and the later rise of the Taliban. This book is essential and provides a basic understanding of many of the key players, which I was largely unable to find elsewhere. If I were given one choice of a book to read to understand Afghanistan for a Westerner before visiting there, this book would be it, especially for the price. Other books may provide some more detailed analysis of a smaller scale (Great Game, British Wars, Soviet War, etc.) but a whole history is most informative.