Great Strategic Rivalries: From the Classical World to the Cold War

ISBN-13: 9780190620462 / Angielski / Twarda / 2016 / 680 str.

James Lacey

Opis

From the legendary antagonism between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War to the Napoleonic Wars and the two World Wars of the twentieth century, the past is littered with long-term strategic rivalries. History tells us that such enduring rivalries can end in one of three ways: a series of exhausting conflicts in which one side eventually prevails, as in the case of the Punic Wars between ancient Rome and Carthage, a peaceful and hopefully orderly transition, like the rivalry between Great Britain and the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, or a one-sided collapse, such as the conclusion of the Cold War with the fall of the Soviet Union. However, in spite of a wealth of historical examples, the future of state rivalries remains a matter of conjecture.

Great Strategic Rivalries explores the causes and implications of past strategic rivalries, revealing lessons for the current geopolitical landscape. Each chapter offers an accessible narrative of a historically significant rivalry, comprehensively covering the political, diplomatic, economic, and military dimensions of its history. Featuring original essays by world-class historians--including Barry Strauss, Geoffrey Parker, Williamson Murray, and Geoffrey Wawro--this collection provides an in-depth look at how interstate relations develop into often violent rivalries and how these are ultimately resolved. Much more than an engaging history, Great Strategic Rivalries contains valuable insight into current conflicts around the globe for policymakers and policy watchers alike.

Recenzje

[A] forceful look at many of the notable rivalries of history....Among the strengths of the work overall is that the chapters, whose topics are distinct and can be read independently, nonetheless allow a reader to encounter both thematic patterns between rivalries and complementary vantage points of different powers' strategic positions....Great Strategic Rivalriesusefully examines over two millennia of military history in an informative and useful way....[A]n effective work that is well organized and expertly written, and the result is a worthwhile resource.

O autorze

James Lacey is Course Director and Professor of both Strategic Studies and Political Economy at the Marine Corps War College. His previous books include The Shaping of Grand Strategy: Policy, Diplomacy, and War Diplomac, The Moment of Battle: Twenty Clashes that Changed the World, and The First Clash: The Miraculous Greek Victory at Marathon and Its Impact on Western Civilization.