World History of Warfare (Tactics & Strategies) [Hardcover]

Christon I. Archer (Author), John R. Ferris (Author), Holger H. Herwig (Author), Timothy H. E. Travers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0803244231 | ISBN-13: 978-0803244238 | Publication Date: October 1, 2002 | Edition: 1st ed

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.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Review

"A captivating account of how ancient empires and modern nations advanced their civilizations through the evolution of warfare. Very well written, this book is an excellent source for the average reader as well as the student of military history."—Tim Boxer, 15 Minutes

(Tim Boxer 15 Minutes )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 626 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press; 1st ed edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803244231
• ISBN-13: 978-0803244238
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #525,183 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warfare coverage with perspective, January 19, 2004

By 

"chalkisltd" (frozen wastelands of Upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World History of Warfare (Tactics & Strategies) (Hardcover)

World History of Warfare
by Christon I Archer, John R. Ferris, Holger H Herwig, Timothy H. E. Travers

Review by Michael W. Brandt

The World History of Warfare is designed to be a textbook for introductory college courses in military history. I think that the authors have exceeded this modest goal.

It should be understood that the authors of this book took on an enormous task. They condensed the history and evolution of thousands of years of warfare into 591 pages of text.For someone who needs a reference book on the development and evolution of warfare, this is a very useful text. It presents the development of arms, weapons and tactics of warfare against the flow of history. This process enables the student of history to have a background understanding of the effect of warfare on the period he is studying. It is worldwide in scope and gives a perspective which should be kept in mind by any historian.

There are four authors, and if you read carefully you can sense different tones between them. I personally found the last section about more recent warfare a bit weaker than the preceding three. It is a superior book for someone who needs a reference book covering the development and evolution of warfare.

One thing which I did not find recognized was the fact that despite the terrible effects of warfare, such periods were often times of enormous creativity in a variety of areas. I would also stress the fact that each of these four authors could have written a 500 page book on the period they covered.

It is therefore a valuable book for any library. The book is also organized and concise enough for the reader to quickly find and identify the periods he wishes to investigate with regard to warfare. I also think it is a book few could read without learning a great deal from.

Warfare is more and more treated as an unpleasant business that should simply go away. There is no indication that this is going to happen, but if it does a clear understanding of its history, circumstances, development, and causes will be the key to such a change. This book is an invaluable aid to any who are seriously interested in warfare, its affects, and a possible solution.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Survey of the History of Warfare, December 28, 2008

By 

Nathan Albright (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World History of Warfare (Paperback)

While the book is somewhat slow going at first, it offers a broad-scoped and excellent view of a few themes of war across a large scope of space and time, looking at the experience of soldiers, the interaction of armies and the societies that wield them, as well as the problems of technology, tactics, and force projection. Especially excellent are the stories told about non-Western or peripheral nations (for personal reasons, I am particularly fond of reading about the Chilean way of war, for example), which compliment the well-worn paths over more commonly discussed military topics. That said, this book is not as well-organized as it should be, and jumps from sub-topic to sub-topic way too quickly. Its case studies are well done, though often a bit repetitive, and though it is quite nice to discuss both land and sea (as well as, more recently, air) warfare within the same book, the book is a lot to take in in one reading. That said, if one is looking for a comprehensive history of warfare which is incisive as well as as balanced in perspective, this book is an excellent place to start, flaws and all.

2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very well done, July 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: World History of Warfare (Tactics & Strategies) (Hardcover)

This is a great overview of the history of warfare from earliest times to 2001. Non-western military matters are also included. A good mix of theory and examples, nicely written.
My only complaint isthat the chapter on post 1945 warfare is very broad, and leaves out detail. Very little was included on the problems the Soviets faced in Afghanistan, or the Bosian conflict.