Rethinking Military History Book

In this fascinating book, Jeremy Black sets out to challenge much of the current mainstream approach to military history. He highlights the overwhelming emphasis in published works on narrow studies focused on combat between Western conventional armies, with a concentration on technology as the decisive factor.

Black notes that this serves military history as a discipline, and its readers, poorly for three main reasons. First, battles are won by far more than technology, such that concentration on this factor above all others hinders our understanding of the true nature of victory. Second, combat represents only a small fraction of the experience of armies, so we may overlook most of influence. Third, treating the development of warfare as essentially a Western experience, with the non-West appearing only as inferior enemies to be defeated, not only exaggerates the Western contribution to military development, it also distorts the role of Western powers in the history of the non-West, where conflicts between non-Western states were often of far greater relevance. Finally, to focus on the West is to forgo much that is rich and fascinating in military history.

Black then moves on to an examination of the study of military affairs over the past five hundred years, exploring both how the subject was studied at the time and also how each period has been treated by subsequent military historians.

Overall, the book is a thought-provoking and chellenging work, which displays an extraordinary breadth of knowledge and understanding of the field of military history and the factors affecting both how it is written and how it is sold and read. Even if your interest is on the conduct of war by Western armies, this readable and thoroughly referenced volume will cause you to reflect and consider the subject with a more rounded judgement.