'This is, simply, the best survey of the history of warfare in half a century. It explains what the Western way of war is, whence it came, and how it dominated the planet down to the present day. The product of the collaboration of some of the best military historians now writing, it offers judgements as well as a compelling narrative, an argument as well as a story. There can be no better introduction to the study of military history.' Eliot A. Cohen, Robert E. Osgood Professor, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies
Preface; Introduction. The Western way of war Geoffrey Parker; Part I. The Age of Massed Infantry: 1. Genesis of the infantry, 600–350 BC Victor Davis Hanson; 2. From phalanx to legion, 350–250 BC Victor Davis Hanson; 3. The Roman way of war, 250 BC–AD 300 Victor Davis Hanson; Part II. The Age of Stone Fortifications: 4. On Roman ramparts, 300–1300 Bernard S. Bachrach; 5. New weapons, new tactics, 1300–1500 Christopher Allmand; 6. The gunpowder revolution, 1300–1500 Geoffrey Parker; Part III. The Age of Guns and Sails: 7. Ships of the line, 1500–1650 Geoffrey Parker; 8. The conquest of the Americas, 1500–1650 Patricia Seed; 9. Dynastic war, 1494–1660 Geoffrey Parker; 10. States in conflict, 1661–1763 John A. Lynn; 11. Nations in arms, 1763–1815 John A. Lynn; Part IV. The Age of Mechanized Warfare: 12. The industrialization of war, 1815–1871 Williamson A. Murray; 13. Towards world war, 1871–1914 Williamson A. Murray; 14. The West at war, 1914–1918 Williamson A. Murray; 15. The world in conflict, 1919–1941 Williamson A. Murray; 16. The world at war, 1941–1945 Williamson A. Murray; 17. The post-war world, 1945–1991 Williamson A. Murray; 18. The new world disorder, 1991–2019 Peter Mansoor and Geoffrey Parker; Epilogue. The future of Western warfare Geoffrey Parker and Leif Torkelsen; Reference guide; Chronology; Glossary; Bibliography; The contributors; Notes; Index.