Perilous Glory - The Rise of Western Military Power

ThisexpansivebooksurveysthehistoryofwarfarefromancientMesopotamiatotheGulfWarinsearchofadeeperunderstandingoftheoriginsofWesternwarfareandthereasonsforitseminencetoday.HistorianJohnFranceexplorestheexperienceofwararoundtheglobe,inEurope,Asia,Africa,andAmerica.Hisboldconclusionscastdoubtonwell-entrenchedattitudesaboutthedevelopmentofmilitarystrength,theimpactofcultureonwarfare,thefutureofWesterndominance,andmuchmore.Takingintoaccountwarswagedbyvirtuallyallcivilizationssincethebeginningofrecordedhistory,Francefindsthatdespiteenormousculturaldifferences,warwasconductedindistinctlysimilarwaysrightuptotheMilitaryRevolutionandthepursuitoftechnologicalwarfareinthenineteenthcentury.Sincethen,EuropeanandAmericanculturehasshapedwarfare,butonlybecausewehaveachievedasenseofdistancefromit,Franceargues.HewarnsthatthepresenteminenceofU.S.powerismuchmoreprecariousandaccidentalthancommonlybelieved.Thenotionthatwarisadistantphenomenonisonlyanillusion,andourculturalattitudesmustchangeaccordingly.