A history of warfare john keegan book

One of the world s foremost military historians offers a sweeping view of the place of warfare in civilization. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read a history of warfare. John keegan was for many years senior lecturer in military history at the royal military academy, sandhurst, and has been a fellow at princeton university and a professor of history at vassar college. Perhaps the most remarkable study of warfare that has yet been written. It also talks about the conquests of the horse peoples, first under the assyrians, then the achaemenids, parthians and sassanids. He examines every branch of warfare in its history, psychology, metallurgy, genetics, logistics, archaeology. After graduation, he went to the united states on a grant to study the civil war. A history of warfare book by john keegan thriftbooks.

For the past half century, john keegan, the greatest military historian of our time, has been returning to the scenes of americas most bloody and wrenching war to ponder its lingering conundrums. Starting with the premise that all civilizations owe their origins to warmaking, keegan probes the meanings, motivations, and methods underlying war in different societies over the course of more than two thousand years. Buy a history of warfare by john keegan online at alibris. John keegan, an englishman widely considered to be the preeminent military historian of his era and the author of more than 20 books, including the masterwork the face of battle, died. March 21, 2000 the impact of wwii on the future of warfare. In this book, the history of warfare, john keegan has turned what is in general a difficult idea, that of warfare, and turned it into a subject the lay reader can understand. A history of warfare project gutenberg selfpublishing.

Buy a history of warfare new ed by john keegan isbn. Military historian john keegan spoke about his book the second world war. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, the mask of command, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most recently, intelligence in war. John keegan is perhaps one of the most famous historians of war today. Following the progress of human aggression in its full historical sweep, from the strangely. Sir john desmond patrick keegan obe frsl 15 may 1934 2 august 2012 was an english military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. A history of warfare is a book by military historian john keegan, which was published in 1993 by random house. A history of warfare by john keegan free pdf ebooks. John keegan, who has written twenty books about warfare, especially world war ii, talked about his book, a history of warfare. Sep 19, 2012 the acclaimed author and preeminent military historian john keegan examines centuries of human conflict. The acclaimed author of the face of battle examines centures of conflict in a variety of diverse societies and cultures.

It also recognises, however, that man has consistently sought to limit the effects of his own capacity for violence and that now, in the nuclear age, he has no alternative to making. It is an enjoyable book, but somewhat of a letdown if. John keegan s masterpiece is a work of breathtaking scope that not only chronicles the history of warfare, but unearths lessons on the nature of humanity. Taking immediate aim at clausewitzian theory, the author argues that culture has frequently proved as powerful as politics in decisions to wage war most notably, perhaps, in prehistoric societies, where the state was an alien concept. Despite some graceful writing and pointed observations, a history of warfare fails to live. It works well as a valuable addition for any military historian, as well as serving as a great primer to the vast scope of military history.

A history of warfare is a book by military historian john keegan, which was published in 1993 by random house it discusses early warfare, the proliferation of bronze age warfare and then iron age warfare greek hoplites and phalanxes, roman legions and maniples. Despite some graceful writing and pointed observations, a history of warfare fails to live up to the titles promise or the authors. A history of warfare stresses that warmaking, for all its destructiveness, has been an inescapable feature of human culture since organised societies emerged. In this encyclopedically learned and immensely gripping book, one of our foremost military historians demolishes the famous dictum that war is the continuation. It discusses early warfare, the proliferation of bronze age warfare and then iron age warfare greek hoplites and phalanxes, roman legions and maniples. A history of warfare by john keegan, paperback barnes. It is not a history of intelligence in war, it is a history of war with a bit of intelligence stuff thrown in for spice. Keegan inspired the sociomilitary, common soldieroriented school of thought that has rejuvenated the study of warfare in the last few decades. Buy this book in his sweeping new study, keegan the face of. Keegan traces the history of warfare from premodern times to today or, 1993, when the book was first published. Wellresearched and skillfully delivered, a history of warfare follows humanitys warmaking tendencies from the tribal times up to the nuclearweapons realities of the cold war. John keegans masterpiece is a work of breathtaking scope that not only chronicles the history of warfare, but unearths lessons on the nature of humanity. He is the author of twenty books, including the acclaimed the face of battle and the second world war.

There are several themes that run throughout keegans book. With his usual fluent mastery, keegan the price of admiralty, 1989, etc. The book is structured around the great technological developments in military history from stones to swords, forts to horses and guns to bombs, but keegan also considers social and economic influences upon warfare, psychological and anthropological drives and factors such as climate and terrain. John keegan, may 15, 1934 august 2, 2012 john keegan was born in london, england on may 15, 1934. Stretching across centuries and continents, from the empire of babylon to the somme, a history of warfare studies civilisations, psychology, archaeology, genetics, history and strategy. Our finest military historian has produced a book of breathtaking scope. A history of warfare, john keegan, good condition, book. A history of warfare by john keegan requirementsmp3 reader, 252 mb overview. When john keegan published the face of battle in 1976, military history in. Probing the meanings, motivations, and methods underlying war throughout history, john keegan suggests why, in 2,000 years, humanity has not advanced far beyond the acceptance of violence on honorable terms. John keegans masterpiece is a work of breathtaking scope that not. A history of warfare by john keegan in fb2, rtf, txt download e book.

He is the author of thirteen previous books, including the acclaimed the face of battle and the second world war. Sep 19, 2012 a history of warfare ebook written by john keegan. A history of warfare by john keegan penguin books australia. Keegan the prophet, alas, seized control of this book, and uses it as a high.

The acclaimed author of the face of battle examines centures. John keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. Oct 07, 2004 in this book, the history of warfare, john keegan has turned what is in general a difficult idea, that of warfare, and turned it into a subject the lay reader can understand. He also talks about the conquests of the horse peoples, first under. A history of warfare is perhaps the most remarkable study of warfare that has yet been written. John keegan was knighted in the millennium honours and is still not quite used to. The work is indispensable for a contemporary understanding of warfare. He lived in wiltshire, england until his death in 2012. Aug 03, 2012 john keegan, an englishman widely considered to be the preeminent military historian of his era and the author of more than 20 books, including the masterwork the face of battle, died. Acclaimed military historian john keegans anthology of war writing from 25 centuries of battle in the book of war, john keegan marshals a formidable host of war writings to chronicle the evolution of western warfare through the voice of the most eloquent participantsfrom thucydides classic account of ancient greek phalanx warfare to a blowbyblow description of. He received a degree in history from balliol college, oxford in 1953.

Keegan is at once the most readable and the most original of living military historians. John keegan was for many years senior lecturer in military history at the royal military academy, sandhurst, and has been a fellow at princeton university and a visiting professor of history at vassar college. The definitive history of warfare told by britains foremost military historian. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. He wrote many published works on the nature of combat between prehistory and the 21st century, covering land, air, maritime, intelligence warfare and the psychology of battle. A history of warfare by john keegan in fb2, rtf, txt download ebook. What is a summary of john keegan s a history of warfare.

The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, a history of warfare awarded the duff cooper prize, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most recently. The book of the month club chose the face of battle as its main selection. John keegans books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of. From primitive man in the bronze age to the end of the cold war in the twentieth century, keegan shows how armed conflict has been a primary preoccupation throughout the history of civilization and how deeply rooted its practice has become in our cultures.

In his book on the first world war, keegan shows how the schlieffen plan. John keegan, a renowned military historian known for the face of battle. What makes this book a classic is its incisive analysis of the shortcomings of the battle history. Keegan discusses early warfare, the proliferation of bronze age warfare and then iron age warfare greek hoplites and phalanxes, roman legions and maniples. Keegan, who has written twenty books about warfare, especially world war two, talked about his recently released book, a history of warfare. Although very different in execution, keegans topic here is similar to the same ground covered by max boot. John keegan, a renowned military historian known for the face of battle, a superb study of combat in the western world, and more recently his excellent overview of world war ii, has a taste for large topics. Perhaps the most influential work of military history published in the past half century. The aspect itself is so broad and allencompassing that it.

Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. What is a summary of john keegans a history of warfare. The acclaimed author and preeminent military historian john keegan examines centuries of human conflict. Keegan picks representative civilizations in each era and shows how their cultureenvironment shaped their concept of war and the way it was carried out eg. The reith lecturer in 1998, he is the author of many bestselling books including the face of battle, six armies in normandy, battle at sea, the second world war, a history of warfare awarded the duff cooper prize, warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and most. Widely recognized as one of the seminal works on warfare keegan does not disappoint here and he goes on a romp through history demonstrating its history. This book attempts to summarize the story of war over the past 40,000 years.