Warmongers: How Leaders and Their Unnecessary Wars Have Wrecked the Modern World

by R.T. Howard

In 1945, did President Truman really need to use two atomic bombs against Japan—and could he not have given Japan advance warning about the terrifying "device" his scientists had developed? After 9/11, could not President George W. Bush have targeted only Osama bin Laden instead of toppling the entire Taliban regime in Afghanistan? Why, in 2011, did David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozy use military force to remove a Libyan leader, Colonel Gaddafi, who had repeatedly offered peace talks and compromise? They were all, in their different ways, "Warmongers" who waged unnecessary wars, or used a grossly disproportionate amount of force. In modern times (since 1648), many other leaders across the world have also been "warmongers" for the same reasons. Some of these individuals were bloodthirsty, some reckless, but most were badly informed or just foolish. An underlying theme is that all these shows of force have rebounded on the perpetrator (or, in one case, very nearly did so). The warmongers also share other features, and five in particular that are identified in this book, which explain why they fought unnecessary wars, and which will give clues to when unnecessary wars of the future will be fought. Warmongers is designed to challenge assumptions and to provoke discussion about when and in what circumstances force is ever really justified—so pertinent at a time of ongoing war in, and war-weariness about, Syria and Afghanistan.

296 pages, Hardcover

Published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains interesting albeit brief analysis of a selection of historical and modern conflicts which the author has selected as worthy of the title "Unnecessary Wars". Each of these conflicts is viewed separately as an independent event with the author choosing to judge each individually. Lacking either the bravery or desire to draw parallels and critique patterns, preferring to single out leaders, as opposed to a culture of conflict.

Definitely contains some fascinating details about the "Road to War", but don't expect any particularly profound insights into the nature of power.