'Wars have often determined the character of society. Society in exchange has determined the character of wars. This is the theme of Michael Howard's stimulating book. It is written with all his usual skill and in its small compass is perhaps the most original book he has written. Though he surveys a thousand years of history, he does so without sinking in a slough of facts and draws a broad outline of developments which will delight the general reader.' - A. J. P. Taylor, "Observer".
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Wars have often determined the character of society. Society in exchange has determined the character of wars. This is the theme of Michael Howard's stimulating book. It is written with all his usual skill and in its small compass is perhaps the most original book he has written. Though he surveys a thousand years of history, he does so without sinking in a slough of facts and draws a broad outline of developments which will delight the general reader."--A.J.P. Taylor, Observer
"Michael Howard...shows that he can spread his range of historical vision as far as an eagle surveying a mountain chain. He covers, in a fewer than 150 pages of text, warfare over a thousand years; and he covers it comprehensively, without trying to be encyclopaedic. He has the true historian's gift for combining the general view and the illuminating detail...This is a book that, for all its brevity, broadens and deepens our understanding of how the world we live in came to be the shape it is."--The Economist
"The beginning undergraduate will find this book a superb introduction; the specialist will find it a stimulating review. Highly recommended for all college libraries."--Choice
"A marvel of concise erudition."--John Shy, University of Michigan
About the Author
Sir Michael Howard is Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford. He is a noted writer on the subject of war and his publications include: The Franco-Prussian War (1961) (Duff Cooper Memorial Prize, 1962); The Theory and Practice of War (1965); Grand Strategy, Vol IV (in UK History of 2WW, Military series, 1971) (Wolfson Foundation History Award, 1972); The Causes of Wars (1983).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Comprehensive, Unique, and Dry,
By A Customer
This review is from: War in European History (Opus) (Paperback)
This is the first first book I have come across that really delves into the political and economic aspects of military history while not losing a beat in discussing the tactics. Howard does a great job of leading one subject into another, but if you do not have some background in European History, this is not the book to start with. Howard's thematic tool is combatants, such as "War of the Knights," "War of the Mercenaries," etc. While this is effective in converying how one group becomes more important than the previous, he does not really give you a full flavor for why it is changing, concentrating more on weaponry and politics. Overall: read it if you haven't, but make sure you have some background in European history first.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential Reading,
By Hoke (USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: War in European History (Paperback)
A friend of mine recommended this book to me. At the time it was required reading at West Point and it very well may still be. No other book displays the history of war in Europe in such a concise and complete way. It also shows how the nations of Europe developed and what gave them thier defining characteristics. Anyone with an interest in Western history or military history should own a copy of this book.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very quick read.,
By "jennaratrix" (Alexandria, VA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: War in European History (Opus) (Paperback)
A very good, very quick military history overview - hits all the main points without belaboring any, gives the reader a good list of authors to look at after finishing Howard.
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First Sentence:
"The origins of Europe', a historian of the Middle Ages has recently reminded us 'were hammered out on the anvil of war'; and indeed 'war' is really too benign a term to describe the condition of the European continent once the precarious Pax Romana had disintegrated and waves of invaders swept over it; Goths and Vandals from the east, Moslems from the south and finally, most terrible of all, vikings from the north. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Middle Ages, United States, United Provinces, Great War, Frederick the Great, Royal Navy, French Revolution, Second World War, Thirty Years War, Indian Ocean, East Indies, First World War, French Navy, Habsburg Empire, West Indies, American Civil War, New World, West Africa New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
"The origins of Europe', a historian of the Middle Ages has recently reminded us 'were hammered out on the anvil of war'; and indeed 'war' is really too benign a term to describe the condition of the European continent once the precarious Pax Romana had disintegrated and waves of invaders swept over it; Goths and Vandals from the east, Moslems from the south and finally, most terrible of all, vikings from the north. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Middle Ages, United States, United Provinces, Great War, Frederick the Great, Royal Navy, French Revolution, Second World War, Thirty Years War, Indian Ocean, East Indies, First World War, French Navy, Habsburg Empire, West Indies, American Civil War, New World, West Africa New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 48
books:
See all 48 books this book cites
100
books
cite this book:
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- Art of War by Niccolo Machiavelli in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- The Art Of War by Niccolò Machiavelli in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Vom Kriege. Ungekürzter Text. by Carl von Clausewitz on page 95, and Back Matter
- The Use of Force: Military Power and International Politics by Robert J. Art in Back Matter
- War and Trade in the West Indies by Richard Pares in Back Matter
See all 48 books this book cites
- Marching through Chaos by John A. English on 14 pages
- War and Society in Europe 1870-1970 (War and European Society) by Brian Bond on 8 pages
- The Austro-Prussian War: Austria's War with Prussia and Italy in 1866 by Geoffrey Wawro on 4 pages
- Sources of Military Doctrine: France, Britain and Germany Between the World Wars (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs) by Barry R. Posen in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
- War, Strategy and Intelligence (Studies in Intelligence) by Michael I. Handel in Front Matter, page 90, and page 119
See all 100 books citing this book
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