Warfare in the Western World, 1882-1975

This third volume in the author's series on Western warfare (European Warfare, 1660-1815, CH, Feb'95, and Western Warfare, 1775-1882, 2001) follows the earlier books in its focus on the global dimension of conflict and attempts to situate military considerations within a larger social and political context. Black (Univ. of Exeter) briefly examines the important military events and processes from Western colonialism in the late 19th century through the Cold War, offering separate chapters on naval and air warfare. A major concern is the relationship of change to military capabilities over time, with a rejection of a linear conception of military progress. Black does an admirable job of describing the interplay of tactical and strategic concerns of belligerents as well as examining the reciprocal effects of these issues on the broader concerns of technological change, force structures, war aims, and resource availability, among others. He concludes that we must attend to issues of variety and unpredictability when looking at military actions during the period under study. While the book provides a solid, basic history of Western warfare, there is nothing new here for the serious student of such matters. All levels.R. A. Garnett, Marshall University, Choice, September 2002 "Black does an admirable job of describing the interplay of tactical and strategic concerns of belligerents as well as examining the reciprocal effects of these issues on the broader concerns of technological change, force structures, war aims, and resource availability, among others... the book provides a solid, basic history of Western warfare..." -Choice, September 2002