ISBN: 9780891419013 - the changing face of war: lessons of combat, from the marne to iraq (12 Ergebnisse)

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. One of the most influential experts on military history and strategy has now written his magnum opus, an original and provocative account of the past hundred years of global conflict. The Changing Face of War is the book that reveals the path that led to the impasse in Iraq, why powerful standing armies are now helpless against ill-equipped insurgents, and how the security of sovereign nations may be maintained in the future. While paying close attention to the unpredictable human element, Martin van Creveld takes us on a journey from the last century's clashes of massive armies to today's short, high-tech, lopsided skirmishes and frustrating quagmires. Here is the world as it was in 1900, controlled by a handful of great powers, mostly European, with the memories of eighteenth-century wars still fresh. Armies were still led by officers riding on horses, messages conveyed by hand, drum, and bugle. As the telegraph, telephone, and radio revolutionized communications, big-gun battleships like the British Dreadnought, the tank, and the airplane altered warfare. Van Creveld paints a powerful portrait of World War I, in which armies would be counted in the millions, casualties-such as those in the cataclysmic battle of the Marne-would become staggering, and deadly new weapons, such as poison gas, would be introduced. Ultimately, Germany's plans to outmaneuver her enemies to victory came to naught as the battle lines ossified and the winners proved to be those who could produce the most weapons and provide the most soldiers. The Changing Face of War then propels us to the even greater global carnage of World War II. Innovations in armored warfare and airpower, along with technological breakthroughs from radar to the atom bomb, transformed war from simple slaughter to a complex event requiring new expertise-all in the service of savagery, from Pearl Harbor to Dachau to Hiroshima. The further development of nuclear weapons during the Cold War shifts nations from fighting wars to deterring them: The number of active troops shrinks and the influence of the military declines as civilian think tanks set policy and volunteer forces decouple the idea of defense from the world of everyday people. War today, van Crevald tells us, is a mix of the ancient and the advanced, as state-of-the-art armies fail to defeat small groups of crudely outfitted guerrilla and terrorists, a pattern that began with Britain's exit from India and culminating in American misadventures in Vietnam and Iraq, examples of what the author calls a long, almost unbroken record of failure. How to learn from the recent past to reshape the military for this new challenge-how to still save, in a sense, the free world-is the ultimate lesson of this big, bold, and cautionary work. The Changing Face of War is sure to become the standard source on this essential subject.…

Hardback. Zustand: Good. One of the most influential experts on military history and strategy has now written his magnum opus, an original and provocative account of the past hundred years of global conflict. The Changing Face of War is the book that reveals the path that led to the impasse in Iraq, why powerful standing armies are now helpless against ill-equipped insurgents, and how the security of sovereign nations may be maintained in the future. While paying close attention to the unpredictable human element, Martin van Creveld takes us on a journey from the last century's clashes of massive armies to today's short, high-tech, lopsided skirmishes and frustrating quagmires. Here is the world as it was in 1900, controlled by a handful of great powers, mostly European, with the memories of eighteenth-century wars still fresh. Armies were still led by officers riding on horses, messages conveyed by hand, drum, and bugle. As the telegraph, telephone, and radio revolutionized communications, big-gun battleships like the British Dreadnought, the tank, and the airplane altered warfare. Van Creveld paints a powerful portrait of World War I, in which armies would be counted in the millions, casualties-such as those in the cataclysmic battle of the Marne-would become staggering, and deadly new weapons, such as poison gas, would be introduced. Ultimately, Germany's plans to outmaneuver her enemies to victory came to naught as the battle lines ossified and the winners proved to be those who could produce the most weapons and provide the most soldiers. The Changing Face of War then propels us to the even greater global carnage of World War II. Innovations in armored warfare and airpower, along with technological breakthroughs from radar to the atom bomb, transformed war from simple slaughter to a complex event requiring new expertise-all in the service of savagery, from Pearl Harbor to Dachau to Hiroshima. The further development of nuclear weapons during the Cold War shifts nations from fighting wars to deterring them: The number of active troops shrinks and the influence of the military declines as civilian think tanks set policy and volunteer forces decouple the idea of defense from the world of everyday people. War today, van Crevald tells us, is a mix of the ancient and the advanced, as state-of-the-art armies fail to defeat small groups of crudely outfitted guerrilla and terrorists, a pattern that began with Britain's exit from India and culminating in American misadventures in Vietnam and Iraq, examples of what the author calls a long, almost unbroken record of failure. How to learn from the recent past to reshape the military for this new challenge-how to still save, in a sense, the free world-is the ultimate lesson of this big, bold, and cautionary work. The Changing Face of War is sure to become the standard source on this essential subject. …

Hardcover. Zustand: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Hardcover. Zustand: Very Good. First Edition. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting.

Hardcover. Zustand: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Hardcover. Zustand: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Hardcover. Zustand: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

Hardback. Zustand: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged.

Hardcover. Zustand: As New. Leichte Kratzer / Abnutzungen / Druckstellen. One of the most influential experts on military history and strategy presents an original and provocative account of the past century of global conflict. This work reveals the path to the impasse in Iraq, the helplessness of powerful standing armies against ill-equipped insurgents, and the future of national security. Martin van Creveld explores the unpredictable human element in warfare, tracing the evolution from massive armies in the last century to today's high-tech skirmishes and frustrating quagmires. He describes the world of 1900, dominated by a few European great powers, where warfare was conducted with traditional methods. The advent of the telegraph, telephone, and radio revolutionized communication, while innovations like the Dreadnought battleship, tanks, and airplanes transformed combat. Van Creveld provides a gripping portrayal of World War I, highlighting the staggering casualties and the introduction of deadly weapons like poison gas. Germany's failed strategies led to a stalemate, favoring those who could produce the most weaponry. The narrative progresses to World War II, where advancements in armored warfare and airpower, alongside breakthroughs like radar and the atomic bomb, complicated warfare further. The Cold War shifted focus from fighting wars to deterrence, leading to a decline in active troops and military influence. Today, state-of-the-art armies struggle against small guerrilla groups, illustr.…

Unknown binding. Zustand: Very Good. Likely ex-military library - likely lighter use with corresponding military stamp. Likely condition is Fair-Good if not stated. All other info as listed. NB note this is a placeholder description and my entire list is being regularly updated with photographs and information. Please enquire for further details for this copy.…

Hardcover. Zustand: Brand New. 304 pages. 9.50x6.00x1.25 inches. In Stock.

hardcover. Zustand: New. In shrink wrap. Looks like an interesting title.