Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare

Author: [USA] Geoffrey Parker
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-24
Features: Whether it's a clash of cold weapons or the strike of high-tech weaponry, war is a cruel and eternal topic for humanity. War is an eternal topic for humanity, involving almost all disciplines and historical periods. Books on war are as abundant as carp crossing a river, but Geoffrey Parker, a war history expert and professor at Yale University, as the lead editor of The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare, stands out among similar works and is worth reading for Chinese readers, especially Chinese military personnel, war history researchers, and enthusiasts. Although the book is titled The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare, it is not a "history of world war." To be precise, it is a comprehensive general history of Western warfare. Therefore, its proper title should be "The Cambridge Illustrated History of Western Warfare." So why is a Western war history titled broadly "warfare"? Mr. Parker's reason is that a single-volume book cannot encompass the vast and diverse history of global warfare. If the main focus is on Western warfare while giving only a cursory introduction to the indigenous military traditions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, it might be incomplete or even distort the history of those regions. Additionally, the authors believe that regardless of the outcome, one undeniable fact is that the Western model of war has dominated the world since modern times. In light of this, the author has framed this 500,000-word The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare within the scope of "Western warfare."
What sets this The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare apart from previous war histories? First, it adopts a visually rich format. Most other war histories are purely textual, with a single mode of expression, often failing to fully reflect the richness and specific details of war history. For many scenes, especially war situation maps, fortifications and stronghold diagrams, illustrations of military equipment, and intense battle scenes, purely textual descriptions are never as concise, clear, and vivid as images. It is no exaggeration to say that the 296 illustrations in this book are carefully selected by the author and editor, and they are as important as the primary sources of the text. The illustrations enhance the book, making it more engaging and visually appealing.
Second, as a comprehensive general history of Western warfare, this book has a broad perspective and extensive research.“”， spans from the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece in 490 BCE to the Gulf War in 1990, covering the major military conflicts in Western history and tracing their origins and developments. When the development of Western warfare history in chronological order, the book introduces numerous war-related topics from different eras, such as weapons and technology, strategies and defense, discipline and espionage, mercenaries and regular armies, cavalry and infantry, knightly orders and guerrilla warfare, blitzkrieg and nuclear arsenals. The authors demonstrate strong ability to handle complex issues, ensuring that the vast war history is presented in a balanced manner.
Many male readers enjoy war-themed movies, finding them thrilling and captivating. However, the war on screen is not the same as the war that actually occurs. As I read this book, the concepts and practices of Western warfare instilled in me a profound fear of war and deepened my understanding of the Western saying, "War is a way for men to communicate with death." Since ancient times, the Western approach to war has been to destroy the enemy's combat power and achieve decisive victory, including forcing the enemy to surrender unconditionally. In the eyes of Westerners, soldiers are tools of war for the state, and soldiers on the battlefield are butchers who kill without hesitation, showing no mercy toward the enemy. Battles in India that lasted seven years without killing seven people, or victories in China achieved without fighting, are considered utterly unbelievable by Westerners. Thus, when Westerners came to China in the late Qing Dynasty and saw the mild temperament and lack of the typical resilience of Qing soldiers, they were utterly astonished.
The authors of this book do not delve deeply into why Western soldiers are so brutal and bloody on the battlefield. Instead, they simply state that this is the result of Western military tradition, which has rarely been influenced by religious beliefs or other ideologies. This military tradition existed long before Christianity spread to Europe and remains unchanged today. In ancient times, the brutality of Greek heavy infantry and Roman legionaries was condemned by classical writers. In modern times, the ruthless Western war model and ideology were strongly opposed by many conscientious Westerners. After the two bloody world wars of the 20th century, the Western world reflected on its war traditions and imposed some limitations on the rules of war. However, even so, the destructive nature of the Western war model remains one of its most evident characteristics.
Throughout this book, the authors consistently argue that war behavior has shaped the dominant global position of Western civilization. Although this view is still debated today, there is at least a consensus that Western military power played a significant role in the "rise of the West." In other words, over the past 2,000 years, what made the West dominant on the battlefield was not its resources or values, nor its economic structure, but its superior land, sea, and air military capabilities. This military advantage meant that the West rarely paid a high price for its successes. Armies from Asia and Africa rarely invaded the European mainland. Even when the armies of Xerxes, Hannibal, Attila, Arabs, and Turks temporarily succeeded in invading Europe, their presence was brief. To this day, no invader has completely destroyed the West. I agree with the view that war was the vanguard of Western civilization's global expansion. Whether it was the earlier "sword and cross" or the later "stick and dollar," military force has always been a trump card in Western expansion.
War is a timeless topic for humanity, involving almost all sciences and historical periods. The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare vividly and detailedly records the wars related to the West from ancient times to the present. It stands out among similar works because it is not only visually rich but also presents a controversial argument in Western society: war, in its unique way, has laid the foundation for the Western global dominance. From the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece to the modern Gulf War, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare narrates the origins and developments of major Western military conflicts in a visually engaging format, covering all aspects of land, sea, and air battles: weapons and technology, strategy and defense, discipline and espionage, mercenaries and regular armies, cavalry and infantry, knightly orders and guerrilla warfare, blitzkrieg and nuclear arsenals. The book explores when war evolved into a modern global phenomenon and examines the social consequences of war, particularly its relationship with politics and the economy, presenting a comprehensive picture of highly organized, ordered, yet terrifyingly destructive human warfare behavior.
? Authored by world-class authoritative scholars and experts, with thorough research and a broad perspective;
? Concise text complemented by over 300 precious illustrations (including paintings, photographs, maps, and diagrams), creating a dynamic interplay of words and visuals;
? Detailed chronology, glossary, bibliography, and comprehensive indexes (including name, place, and other subject indexes);
? Carefully revised and edited, with an affordable price aimed at readers with moderate and low incomes.