War Since 1945 (CONTEMPORARY WORLDS) - Tapa blanda

This book is not intended to provide detailed accounts of any single conflict. Its aim is to argue for a broader view of warfare and to back this with examples from throughout the postwar era ... useful as a broad introduction to or overview of the full range of post-1945 warfare ... it will be read with interest by those engaged in military history or strategic studies who might relish a fresh approach to their subject. Military History Perhaps the most significant contribution ... is the attention Mr. Black pays to the many conflicts that have not involved the Great Powers. These have received too little attention over the years, yet they are extremely instructive on the role of culture and ethnicity in warfare. And they provide a fresh context for understanding the nature and causes of war in the 20th and 21st centuries. New York Sun

Much writing on modern warfare pivots on discussion of the period beginning with the outbreak of the French Revolutionary Wars in 1792, with an emphasis on World Wars I and II, and a postscript on the Cold War. For conflicts since 1945, the Cold War thesis has been dominant, subordinating other events, especially in the developing world, to the confrontation between East and West. Now, however, it appears less convincing to analyse the second half of the century in these terms, and more necessary to search for new approaches and concepts. Jeremy Black's provocative new book re-evaluates modern warfare in recent times. Moving beyond the Cold War paradigm, the book focuses instead on the variety of post-1945 conflicts and the diversity of goals and methods that have been employed. Central to the book is its global coverage and, in particular, its emphasis on the importance of the Third World in any account of this period. Black argues that the Cold War narrative, so securely located within the Western intellectual tradition, pays insufficient attention to the diversity of military force structures, methods, goals and cultures that have existed in modern times. Rather than the familiar supply-side assessments that view improvements in weaponry or increases in numbers without adequately considering the wider context, Black presents a demand-led account of warfare that focuses on the tasking' of the military. As such, this book provides an original interpretation of modern warfare. Concluding with a consideration of the current war on terror', this topical, accessible and clearly argued book will be important to all those interested in conflict and military history.