"Castles, Battles, and Bombs" reconsiders key episodes of military history from the point of view of economics with dramatically insightful results. For example, when looked at as a question of sheer cost, the building of castles in the High Middle Ages seems almost inevitable: though stunningly expensive, a strong castle was far cheaper to maintain than a standing army. The authors also reexamine the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II and provide new insights into France s decision to develop nuclear weapons. Drawing on these examples and more, Brauer and Van Tuyll suggest...