A Military History of the Western World: From the Earliest Times to the Battle of Lepanto (Da Capo Paperback)

Rating:
Summary: admirable balance of tactics and historical context.
Review: Ginn from Arizona has written a fitting summary for Fuller's book. I would like to add my appreciation for the author's balance of the historical context with a complete account of the tactics, battle plans, decisions, and actions that carried the battles for one side over another.

I teach history on the college level, and while most textbooks teach the causes and effects of wars or battles, they sacrifice the details due to consideration of space. In many cases, the details of military conflicts pique students' interest in the event, and aid in remembering the impact of particular clashes or struggles. Yet most military histories overload readers on detail, as if the battle is the whole story. Fuller strikes a wonderful balance between the two purposes, and his book has earned a place of considerable importance on my reference shelf.

Rating:
Summary: A must-read for anyone interested in western civilization.
Review: War is perhaps the one social aspect that has influenced history more than any other. From the Greeks, to Alexander, to the Roman Empire, entire civilizations have been established or toppled by war. As such, any person who wishes to truly understand human history, and in particular, the history of western civilization, should at least be familiar with the military aspect.

Fuller was a general in the British army, and he displays complete mastery of the causes, strategies, and the repercussions of the most important battles in history. This first volume concentrates on ancient warfare up to the naval battle of Lepanto in the 15th century.

What makes the reading so fascinating is that Fuller not only summarizes the important battles, but he frames them within their context in how they influenced and changed history. Preceding each major military struggle is a short summary of the conditions which laid the groundwork for the battle. Additionally, Fuller concludes each chapter with a short analysis of the historical repercussions of the battle. It is here where you will learn why Alexander the Great's victory over Darius and the Persian Army was the most influential battle ever fought, or how how Rome slowly disintegrated after the reign of Julius Caesar, or what the effects of the fall of Constantinople were on Europe at the end of the Middle Ages.

This is the first volume of a three-volume set which chronicles the major wars up to World War II. I can think of no other written account of military history which is at once so encompassing, and yet so readable. Highly recommended!