A Century of Conflict: War, 1914-2014

by Jeremy Black

Overview

The centenary of the start of World War One in 1914 provides an opportunity to assess the role and impact of conflict in the history of the last century, and also to consider how warfare has changed. A Century of Conflict offers a clear, global study of these topics that is both conceptually and methodologically up to date. Renowned historian Jeremy Black gives special consideration to Asia, Africa, and Latin America, placing the more conventional cast of conflicts—namely the two World Wars and the Cold War—into wider geographical and social contexts.

Analyzing the multiple dimensions and spheres of war, Black contends that there is no one true type of warfare or one single pattern of development. Instead, he emphasizes the wide scope of conflict ranging from regular warfare between large, professional forces to loosely defined battles. While Black acknowledges that war is often a consequence or product of other developments—notably political, economic, or technological—he argues that war can also have autonomous characteristics. Amply illustrated with nineteen full-color maps, A Century of Conflict provides room for debate concerning the different ways that historians interpret military history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199372324
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	10/31/2014
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Jeremy Black is Professor of History at the University of Exeter. He is the author of more than 100 books including European Warfare in a Global Context, 1660-1815 (2006), The British Seaborne Empire (2004), and War and the World, 1450-2000 (2000).

Table of Contents

Preface
1. The Importance of Military History
2. Industrial War as the Human Experience: World War One, 1914-18
3. A Multitude of Conflicts, 1918-39
4. A Global War: World War Two, 1939-45
5. Decolonisation and the Early Cold War, 1945-60
6. The Cold War: The Middle Years, 1960-75
7. The Later Cold War, 1975-89
8. From the Cold War to the War on Terror, 1989-2001
9. The 2000s
10. The 2010s
11. Into the Future
12. Conclusions

Editorial Reviews

"Jeremy Black's name is a guarantee of cutting-edge scholarship and trend-setting analysis. A Century of Conflict is a model demonstration of war's protean nature and its global significance."—Dennis Showalter, Colorado College

"A Century of Conflict is a clear, focused, and insightful survey of warfare since the outbreak of World War I. Black sets wars in their political, economic, diplomatic and social contexts, showing the relevance of military history for policy making and resource allocation."—Stephen Morillo, Wabash College

From the Publisher