War Since 1945 (CONTEMPORARY WORLDS) - Softcover

Black, Jeremymorni

2.95

22 ratings by Goodreads

9781861892164: War Since 1945 (CONTEMPORARY WORLDS)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861892160 ISBN 13: 9781861892164

Publisher: Reaktion Books, 2004

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Much writing on modern warfare pivots on discussion of the period beginning with the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1792, with an emphasis on World Wars I and II, and a postscript on the Cold War. For conflicts since 1945, the Cold War thesis has been dominant, subordinating other events, especially in the developing world, to the confrontation between East and West. Now, however, it appears less convincing to analyse the second half of the century in these terms, and more necessary to search for new approaches and concepts. Jeremy Black's provocative new book re-evaluates modern warfare in recent times. Moving beyond the Cold War paradigm, the book focuses instead on the variety of post-1945 conflicts and the diversity of goals and methods that have been employed. Central to the book is its global coverage and, in particular, its emphasis on the importance of the Third World in any account of this period. Black argues that the Cold War narrative, so securely located within the Western intellectual tradition, pays insufficient attention to the diversity of military force structures, methods, goals and cultures that have existed in modern times. Rather than the familiar supply-side assessments that view improvements in weaponry or increases in numbers without adequately considering the wider context, Black presents a demand-led account of warfare that focuses on the tasking' of the military. As such, this book provides an original interpretation of modern warfare. Concluding with a consideration of the current war on terror', this topical, accessible and clearly argued book will be important to all those interested in conflict and military history.

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Review:

"Many of Black's insights . . . taken together challenge a key component of the military revolutions/RMA paradigm: that Great Power wars are the driving force of modern military history. . . . As Black suggests, however, it may be time to consider new approaches and concepts to military history, if not an entirely new paradigm."

"Many of Black''s insights . . . taken together challenge a key component of the military revolutions/RMA paradigm: that Great Power wars are the driving force of modern military history. . . . As Black suggests, however, it may be time to consider new approaches and concepts to military history, if not an entirely new paradigm."--;i>Journal of World History""" --Jefferson P. Marquis"Journal of World History" (12/01/2006)

"Jeremy Black is a scholar of courage and spirit."--Vernon Bognador"Times Higher Education Supplement" (09/10/2004)

"A detailed and invaluable guide to the variety of military experience since World War II . . . a good deal of very interesting information in this book on the evolution of war-fighting capabilities, from the development of nuclear deterrence at the beginning of the Cold War to the revolutionary changes brought by the increased application of computer networking and the advent of 'smart' munitions that can be targeted with greater precision and lethality. . . . Perhaps the most significant contribution of this slender volume . . . is the attention Mr. Black pays to the many conflicts that have not involved the Great Powers. . . . They provide a fresh context for understanding the nature and causes of war in the 20th and 21st centuries. . . . Mr. Black is a serious scholar in a field that is imperfectly understood outside a small fraternity of specialists. His accessible account of a deadly serious human activity deserves wider attention that it is likely to receive."--Christopher Willox"New York Sun" (04/12/2005)

"Many of Black's insights . . . taken together challenge a key component of the military revolutions/RMA paradigm: that Great Power wars are the driving force of modern military history. . . . As Black suggests, however, it may be time to consider new approaches and concepts to military history, if not an entirely new paradigm."--Jefferson P. Marquis"Journal of World History" (12/01/2006)

"Many of Black's insights. . .taken together challenge a key component of the military revolutions/RMA paradigm: that Great Power wars are the driving force of modern military history. . . . As Black suggests, however, it may be time to consider new approaches and concepts to military history, if not an entirely new paradigm."--Jefferson P. Marquis"Journal of World History" (12/01/2006)"

About the Author:

One of Britain's leading military historians, Jeremy Black is Professor of History at the University of Exeter. His many books include Maps and Politics (Reaktion, 1997), Why Wars Happen (Reaktion, 1999) and Britain since the Seventies (Reaktion, 2003).

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