World History of Warfare

by Christon I. Archer, John R. Ferris, Holger H. Herwig

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.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, War, Military Fiction, Historical, World History

626 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2002

Reviews

[Matt Hasquin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was a chore and took me much longer than it should have, but I didn't want to give up on it. For a world history of warfare, it should have been a Western World History of Warfare. Very light on Non-Western civilizations. More of a survey than anything with any depth to it. Not enough to refer back to for anything that I'm covering in my classes.

[Koray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Etkileyici bir savaş tarihi, çok ayrıntılı.

[Ozgur Senogul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farklı dönem uzmanlarının elinden çıktığı çok bariz, anlatım dili, detay derinliği ve yorumlama açısı dahi farklılığı ortaya koyuyor. Savaş tarihi konusunda ilgisi olan okuyucu için çok yeni şeyler barındırmasa da, savaş kavramının tarihsel dönüşümü konusunda fikir açıcı olabilir. Özellikle bölüm sonlarındaki okuma önerileri katkı sağlayabilir.

[Yasin Ustabaş · Rating 5 out of 5]

Üffff... okuması acayip ağır. Ama değer

[Alek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good textbook surveying the topic. Repeats some bad info in modern section and leaves some stuff out, but very good overall imo

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I didn't always agree with the author, I really appreciated the contrasts with Clausewitz.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This college textbook is quite detailed and yet very readable. It covers warfare from the ancient world through the current period and particularly covers non-Western societies and nations. One major theme is the way(s) that military forces (land, sea, and, latterly, sky) have shaped their societies and vice versa. The role of technology is another theme as well as how societies have viewed the role of armed forces in their society and politics. It is sparsely illustrated, but each chapter has at least one "case study" that sums up, or exemplifies, the themes of that chapter. My western civilization history courses emphasized politics, economics, and intellectual history. I felt as though I was seeing through from the other side of the mirror. This book explains why wars are won, lost, or end in a tie and discusses how the military influenced the civilian sides of history. It has enlightened my understanding of our current involvement in the mideast.

[Ctny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a concise history of the phenomenon of warfare and the development of militaries within cultures across the globe. What I find tremendously helpful about this book is the attention paid to non-western cultures, the detail of weaponry and technology, and the bibliographical suggestions at the end of each chapter. This is a great starting point for those who want to gain a foundational knowledge of global military history.

[Kaui · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my textbook for a class on Military History. This book is engagingly written, well organized and served as a thought provoking prompt for each 2 hour class. Not for the casual reader, but more for someone sincerely interested in Military things such as what is war, and how does one define a total victory? I really enjoyed this book and have kept it on my bookshelf for reference.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

An incredible feat this book is, but it is still just a history book. I believe the information to be sound and in an easy to read fashion but it reads more like a textbook than a novel. I want to give it more stars but I did not enjoy the read.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

6+ months later and I've *finally* finished this book. An interesting read, but difficult to get through. Too many names, dates, and unfamiliar terms for someone who isn't a history/warfare nerd. I think most of what I read went in one eye and out the other.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

If anyone wants to borrow this, its from a history of war class I took in college and is absolutely amazing.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best one-volume survey of military history from the ancients to the late 20th century.