Many theories have been offered regarding why Western culture has spread so successfully across the world, with arguments ranging from genetics to...
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Jul 27, 2008
R.
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Brave indeed is the academic prepared to take on the cultural relativists in todays academy, but Hanson, like the Westerner he is, suits up here for a massive ground assault straight up the gut. He will surely piss off the fashionably PC crowd who have been reared to despise just about anything Western simply with his first chapter heading, 'Why the West Won.' Based upon his observation that for over 2500 years, the chief military worry of Westerner armies has been other Western armies, Hanson
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Sep 13, 2007
Gavin
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Written as a rebuttal of Mr Jared Diamond's book Guns, germs and Steel. Mr. Hanson is trained as a Classicist, though he only started academic work after his Californian raisin farm failed. It is well written. Diamond's (I have not read it) thesis is that cultures become superior through accidental circumstances like, Europe and Asia being mostly along similar latitudes, so farming tech can be transferred East-West, but because the Americas are not, it is harder to transfer tech North-South b
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Aug 06, 2011
Hanson argues for a distinct western strategic culture through the retelling of 9 historical battles. The Greek naval victory against Persia at Salamis demonstrates the efficacy of "free" soldiers against "slave" eastern soldiers, Alexander's victory against the Achaemenids at Gaugamela demonstrates a Western preference for decisive battle, the Roman recovery after the defeat to Hannibal at Cannae shows the unique resilience of a Western army of citizen soldiers, Charles Mart
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Jul 25, 2011
Justin
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This book is drivel, plain and simple. Hanson selects nine battles from history and pairs them with what he imagines to be the characteristics of Western civilization that, when combined in a test tube, have proved to be an elixir of invincibility, carrying the world before them.
The Greeks defeated the Persians in 480 B.C. The lesson? A free citizenry was decisive in the conflict. Unfortunately, the slave laborers and women who were considered little more than property and who underp More...
The Greeks defeated the Persians in 480 B.C. The lesson? A free citizenry was decisive in the conflict. Unfortunately, the slave laborers and women who were considered little more than property and who underp More...
Jan 10, 2009
Mike
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It seems fashionable to place this book as a counterpoint to Guns, Germs and Steel. In fact, the author seems to want it viewed that way and talks briefly at the end about his debate with Jared Diamond.
This need by the author to stake out this position, as opposed to providing perspective on the argument, is what kept it from being a better book in my opinion.
First, the books are really looking at two separate issues which intersect. Second, even Hanson can't fail to me More...
This need by the author to stake out this position, as opposed to providing perspective on the argument, is what kept it from being a better book in my opinion.
First, the books are really looking at two separate issues which intersect. Second, even Hanson can't fail to me More...
Sep 27, 2008
Old-Barbarossa
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Interesting in bits but I'm not sure about the conclusions he draws.
Based on a western idea of "victory" though he's right, unfortunately as Afraqistan is showing not everyone plays by the same rules.
Based on a western idea of "victory" though he's right, unfortunately as Afraqistan is showing not everyone plays by the same rules.
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Feb 08, 2010
Dave
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Hanson's thesis as to why western style armies are so deadly and effective (note - not necessarily more moral - Hanson is careful to stress this point) is superbly defended. I especially liked the Midway and Salamis chapters.
All of his examples, however, are for conventional wars, traditional battles (perhaps his Cortes section is an exception). For his Vietnam chapter he seems to blame the press, a conclusion with which I almost completely disagree. I would love a follow up volum More...
All of his examples, however, are for conventional wars, traditional battles (perhaps his Cortes section is an exception). For his Vietnam chapter he seems to blame the press, a conclusion with which I almost completely disagree. I would love a follow up volum More...
Nov 20, 2009
Christopher
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This was a very thought-provoking book. At first, I was expecting more of a historical survey "12 Greatest Battles of World History" and there was an homage to those sorts of volumes dating back to Gibbon and beyond.
Instead, this book is a rebuttal to Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel and the larger geographical argument to historical analysis. Hanson's thesis is that a collection of complimentary memes (though he never uses the term)in military, political, and economi More...
Instead, this book is a rebuttal to Jared Diamond's Guns Germs and Steel and the larger geographical argument to historical analysis. Hanson's thesis is that a collection of complimentary memes (though he never uses the term)in military, political, and economi More...
Mar 07, 2011
Kevin
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VDH clearly knows his military history. However, I could not shake the feeling as I was reading that he developed his conclusions first and then went through military history to find examples to prove his case. His reasoning and logic is sound as a descriptive view of the Western Way of War. I'm not convinced his thesis can provide the predictive analysis he tries to force from the basic premise, as in "this is why the Western Way of War has worked in the past, and therefore this is why it
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May 23, 2010
Mark
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Hanson hits a homerun here!
His premise that all cultures are not created equal is startling considering the orthodox "I'm OK, you're OK" line on comparative cultural thinking these days. I think reading this book marked a milepost for me in that it helped convince me that I'm not exactly on board with the multiculturist point of view that all cultures are more or less equal. While I love to consider diverse cultural viewpoints and I love the celebration of many cultures f More...
His premise that all cultures are not created equal is startling considering the orthodox "I'm OK, you're OK" line on comparative cultural thinking these days. I think reading this book marked a milepost for me in that it helped convince me that I'm not exactly on board with the multiculturist point of view that all cultures are more or less equal. While I love to consider diverse cultural viewpoints and I love the celebration of many cultures f More...
Jul 31, 2008
Kaan
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Like all proper historians of war, Hanson never spares the reader the horrible gore, pain, and loss from combat. Indeed, I believe war historians, like Stephen Ambrose, have a duty to convey the experience of war such that the regular civilian will never see--that there may be no illusions about what war actually does. It spills the blood of the innocents and combatants alike; it maims countless others; it leads to rape, famine, and disease; it stimulates the economy, but only until it evapora
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Mar 18, 2008
Robert
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Argument why western values have triumphed. His explanation is its all because of property ownership and a free society. The term "free" may be stretching it a bit. The occasions used to prove the author's theory stretch from the naval victory of the Greeks at Salamis (480BC), through Gaugamela (331BC) Alexander, Cannae - Rome defeated by Hannibal 216BC, Poitiers 732AD Charles Martel, Tenochitian 1521 Cortex, Lepanto 1571, Rorke's Drife 1879, Midway 1942, to the Tet Offensive 1968.
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Dec 31, 2008
Kevin
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Hanson is desperately trying to prove that his thesis on the Western Way of War has continuity over 2500 years. He picks battles that on the surface seem to support his theory, but he is really is picking battles that are more the exception than the rule for most of the periods he covers. The book is well written but extremely biased in its presentation; interesting theory though.
Mar 01, 2010
Phil
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Oh VDH! You rock man. This book uses famous battles from throughout history to show how certain attributes have made western power nearly unstoppable. Its not just technological advantages, but also the emphasis on having field commanders able to make their own decisions, flexibility, etc.
Sep 20, 2008
Al
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The best way to describe this book is to quote from the back of the book: "Examining nine landmark battles from ancient to modern times.....Hanson explains why the armies of the West have been the most lethal and effective of any fighting forces in the world...... Hanson argues that is in fact Western culture and values -- the tradition of dissent, the importance placed on inventiveness and adaptation, the concept of citizenship -- which have consistently produced superior arms an
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Aug 05, 2011
Another superb work by VDH - he and John Keegan are the "must read " authors of military historians. Provocative, and I think credible, thesis as to the direct relationship between freedom and ultimate battlefield supremacy.
Mar 29, 2011
Bob
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The author's thesis is that our Western liberal tradition advances only through brutal competition in the crucible of war. He traces the evolution of warfare through 9 historic battles, and in so doing demonstrates the evolution of human societies.
The book shows that while the "good guys" don't always win, the evolutionary edge always goes to the society that enables and empowers individuals.
Whether you realize it or not, the daily freedoms and attitudes we take for More...
The book shows that while the "good guys" don't always win, the evolutionary edge always goes to the society that enables and empowers individuals.
Whether you realize it or not, the daily freedoms and attitudes we take for More...
Jul 26, 2011
Ronald
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The perfect antidote to the "war is bad" mantra and the "all cultures are equal" crowd. A beautiful blend of history, politics, and military science.
Aug 04, 2010
Nan
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I'm not qualified to analyze this book, though I found the accounts of these battles that support the author's thesis to be very interesting, esp Salamis and Lepanto.
Dec 22, 2008
Gordon
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This book is heavy on details, but a great read. You will almost certainly learn some interesting things about some amazing battles.
Dec 16, 2009
Owen
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A precise rebuttal to Guns Germs and Steel. One of the three books I tell people to read that will reshape their worldview.
Feb 21, 2009
Chris
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This guy is my favorite author on western civilization. Read anything by Hanson and your safe
Oct 19, 2010
Timothy
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I really enjoyed the historical detail in the book. I'm not sure Hanson did a great job of convincing me that his overall thesis is true. He attempts to prove that the establishment of democracy and citizenship are the driving forces behind Western Culture prevailing throughout history. He openly challenges the concept of environmental determinism, I'm not sure that he was sufficiently thorough in his attempt to do so.
I would recommend this book to anyone who has read Guns Germs and Stee More...
I would recommend this book to anyone who has read Guns Germs and Stee More...
Nov 14, 2009
Griff
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Discussion of impact of culture on success in battle - finished through p 303
Jun 30, 2009
Robert
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Excellent book detailing the cultural heritage which props up western militaries so effectively. Hanson thinks he's refuted Jared Diamond, but nothing could be further from the truth. The two of them are working on radically different timescales. Hanson is only looking at the last 2500 years, Diamond looks at patterns that have emerged over tens of thousands of years. Both visions are actually complimentary in large part. I'm interested in hearing their "debate" over NPR from a few yea
Mar 04, 2011
Mark
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Let me be straight and state I'm a fan of VDH's musings online as well as one who enjoyed A War Like No Other: How the Athenians & Spartans Fought the Peloponnesian War...he has a similar world-view to me and presents a wonderful counter point to the politically correct crowd, who push the concept of cultural relativism as did Jared Diamond in Guns, germs and Steel...if all cultures are relative, then why do we not celebrate those that practice cannibalism???
Jul 19, 2011
Pesha
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I probably shouldn't be too harsh on this book. My attention span is about on par with a gnat's these days, so anything that's even remotely dense tends to lose my attention pretty quickly. Will try again once I'm in a calmer environment.
