This book highlights five key aspects of the Western practice of war: a combination of technique, discipline and aggressive military tradition, plus an extraordinary ability to respond quickly to challenges and use of economic resources, more than human to succeed. Although, throughout its pages, the book focuses on the West and the role of violence in its day each chapter also examines the military effectiveness of their opponents and the areas in which Western military advantage has been and continues to be questioned.
Between 1500 and 1800, the West achieved hegemony over all the oceans of the world and increased its extensive ground control. In this book, Geoffrey Parker examines the "military model" that facilitated this overwhelming development and identifies four key elements: the creation in France during the fifteenth century, the heavy artillery sieges equally suitable for land and sea battles. The evolution Italian style fortress capable of withstanding the big guns and the creation of the galleon Atlantic Europe, both in 1520 and finally, the invention in the Netherlands of a new system with muskets and muskets fire around 1590. Each of these innovations spread rapidly across Europe, which was a real 'military revolution'. This new military model gave an enormous advantage to the Europeans in their contacts with the outside world. Between 1500 and 1800, first invaded America, the Philippines and Siberia, then South Asia and, finally, the Far East and Africa. At the same time, European ships also gained control over the seas. We can say that in the three centuries, before the industrial revolution, the rise of the West was the result of "military revolution.
The middle Ages (when enemies of the West were to triumph) and the Modern Age (when the West used military force to take over vast territories that had never possessed, first in America and Siberia and then off the coast of Asia and Africa), and reaches the world wars and conflicts. It highlights five key aspects of the Western practice of war: a combination of technique, discipline and aggressive military tradition, plus an extraordinary ability to respond quickly to challenges and use of economic resources, more than human succeed.
The development and evolution of the different ages of man goes hand in hand with the development and evolution in the way of making war. From the oldest and first empires, from Sumer and the city states of Mesopotamia to the present day in Iraq and Afghanistan war has marked the time of kingdoms and civilizations. This book is a chronological journey through the major stages of the human and how the war has developed in each of them.
With a much focused view on the Westernization of the war, Parker is clear that the Western states, from ancient times until today have mastered and developed the war and its history at your convenience. States ruled in 1914 nearly 85% of land area and established in remote areas and ...