Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare (Phoenix Press) [Paperback]

Colin S. Gray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007 | Series: Phoenix Press

Colin S. Gray has advised governments on both sides of the Atlantic about military affairs, and he looks into the future to provide some intriguing answers about the ways Western armed forces—which have traditionally been trained to fight conventional, not guerrilla, warfare—may have to evolve.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“For anyone serious about the dynamics of strategy, the risks of future conflict, and the variables impacting American defense policy, this book is simply indispensable.”  —Armed Services Journal

About the Author

Colin Gray is Professor of Politics & Strategic Studies at the University of Reading. He has dual British/American nationality and has been an advisor to British and American governments for twenty-five years. He has shaped policy on nuclear strategy, arms control and special forces. From 1982-87 he was on the President's General Advisory Committee on arms control and disarmament.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0304367346
• ISBN-13: 978-0304367344
• Product Dimensions: 1.5 x 5.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A realist's conversation on the future, August 28, 2010

By 

Trav Hallen (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare (Phoenix Press) (Paperback)

A great book written in the form of a frank discussion on what the future history of warfare will be. I would strongly recommend this for all interested in international relations, politics or military operations. Though it can be confronting at times, it offers all who read it a chance to re-examine their ideas of what the future will hold.

The book aims to look at the future through the lens of history in order to understand what may be the shape of things to come. Gray clearly states his intellectual position as a realist and the case he presents, though compelling, may challenge the sensibilities of liberal internationalists.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the almost conversational style with which it was written. This writing style creates the impression that Gray is actually sitting down with the reader to have a frank discussion about the subject. Such a style is useful in getting the reader to take in what is being argued and form their own opinion on the subject.

In all, a book well worth reading.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Explores the idea that while war is ever changing, its basics remain the same, June 22, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare (Hardcover)

ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY: FUTURE WARFARE explores the idea that while war is ever changing, its basics remain the same: it'll always be with us, it has an unchanging nature and character, it's driven by politics, and it embraces strategic surprises. That said, ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY narrows the focus to strategic prediction's problems, the fallacies inherent in the idea of a foreseeable future when warfare is involved, and futuristic types of warfare mechanisms which argues that in practice war is a controlled process. Any who would understand warfare's evolution and future must consider the basic tenants observed in ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY: FUTURE WARFARE, which looks under the hype for the realities.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read - provocatively stimulating, compellingly argued..., November 15, 2008

By 

Urey W. Patrick (Maine, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Another Bloody Century: Future Warfare (Phoenix Press) (Paperback)

This is a theoretical/philosophical/logical/historical/pragmatic look at war and warfare to come, and is one of the most engaging books I have read in quite some time. The author has a superb, and often wickedly delightful sense of humor that emerges unexpectedly throughout his text - he is particularly unkind to the multi-national, soft and fuzzy make peace not war can't we all be friends crowd. The book is worth buying just for the final two chapters - The Control of War and A Warlike Future - but I strongly recommend you read all the preceding chapters, nevertheless. Gray lays out, and eviscerates, the various grand theories of war - also those for controlling and eliminating war - and covers factors that do in fact limit war, if unevenly and unreliably. Throughout I found myself thinking how much I wish I had written THAT, or how intellectually satisfying it is to learn THAT.

There is much to be learned here. Very satisfying, very stimulating, very provocative of serious thought...