Modern War A Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

Warfare is the most dangerous threat faced by modern humanity. It is also one of the key influences that has shaped the politics, economics, and society of modern times. But what do we mean by modern war? What causes modern wars to begin? Why do people fight in them, why do they end, and what have they achieved?

In this accessible and compellingVery Short Introduction, Richard English explores the assumptions we make about modern warfare and considers them against the backdrop of their historical reality.

Drawing on the wide literature available, including direct accounts of the experience of war, English provides an authoritative account of modern war: its origins, evolution, dynamics, and current trends.

About the Series:
Oxford'sVery Short Introductionsseries offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. EveryVery Short Introductiongives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, theVery Short Introductionsseries has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

Acknowledgements
List of illustrations and maps
Introduction
1. What is modern war?
2. What causes modern wars to begin?
3. What has the experience of modern war involved?
4. What have modern wars achieved?
Conclusion:lÒ