War and the World: Military Power and the Fate of Continents, 1450-2000In this brilliant history of warfare, Jeremy Black is the first to approach the entire modern era from a comprehensive global perspective. He provides a wide-ranging account of the nature, purpose, and experience of war over the past half-millennium and argues the importance of viewing the rise of European power within a wider international context. Investigating both land and sea warfare, Black examines weaponry, tactics, strategy, and resources as well as the political, social, and cultural impact of conflict. The book takes issue with established interpretations, not least those that emphasize technology, and challenges the view that European military and naval forces were dominant throughout the period. European mastery at sea did not always translate into equivalent success on land, says Black, and many non-European military systems—the Ottomans in their expansionist years, Babur and the Mughals in sixteenth-century India, and the Manchu in China in the following century, for example—were formidable in their own right. The author contends that in the nineteenth century, the focal period of Europe’s military revolution, the international military balance shifted decisively. Black shows how military developments, combined with political, economic, and ideological shifts, influenced the nature and success of European imperialism. Linking debates on early modern history with those of more recent centuries, he offers a fundamental reexamination of the role of war in the progress of nations. |
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
War and the World: Military Power and the Fate of Continents, 1450-2000 Jeremy Black Limited preview - 2000 |
War and the World: Military Power and the Fate of Continents, 1450-2000 Jeremy Black Limited preview - 2000 |
War and the World: Military Power and the Fate of Continents, 1450-2000 Jeremy Black No preview available - 1998 |
Common terms and phrases
able advance Africa allies American armed army artillery Asia attack attempt Austrian base battle became Britain British Cambridge campaign cannon cavalry Central century China Chinese Civil colonial command conquest crucial defeated developed Dutch early East effective empire especially Europe European example expansion fighting fire firearms firepower fleet followed forces France French Frontier gained German granted greater guns heavy helped History imperial important increased India industrial infantry Italy Japanese land leading least less limited London major military Mughal muskets native naval navy North operations opponents Ottoman period Persia Persian played political Portuguese position problems publication refer region resistance Rights role Russian Second ships siege sixteenth Society sought South Soviet Spanish strategy success tactics territorial trade troops Turks units victory viii warfare wars warships weaponry weapons West Western World