Battlefield Detectives

Rating:
Summary: The Fog of War
Review: Everyone who is interested in military history has read about Hastings, Agincourt and Little Bighorn and has some idea of what happened at each of those battles. But what if the history books are wrong, or at least a bit off? What if the key elements of these and other battles are actually different from what we've come to believe?

Wason explores the myths and realities about several major battles, looking at each with the aid of modern archaeology, psychology, meteorology and other disciplines. Among the topics explored:

What were the management styles of William the Conqueror and King Harold, and how does that help to explain who won at the Battle of Hastings?

Was Agincourt really decided by the vaunted long bow, or did the English victory have more to do with crowd dynamics and the viscosity of French mud?

Was the Spanish Armada lost because the fleet's navigators mis-judged its position by hundred of miles? What role did English guns and ship design play in the outcome?

Was Marshal Ney fit for command on the day of Waterloo, or did combat fatigue put an end to The Hundred Days?

Did Custer's batallion fight a disciplined "last stand" against an overwhelming force of Native Americans, or was it quickly routed by a healthier, better-equipped foe?

"Battlefield Detectives" offers an interesting exploration of these and other engagements, including Balaklava and Gallipoli. All in all, a well written and enjoyable critique of the myths surrounding these famous struggles.

If you enjoy reading about what modern science can tell us about old battles, consider reading Hugh Miller's "More Secrets of the Dead" (which provides an interesting perspective on the Battle of Isandlawana), the "Two Men in a Trench" series, and "The Battle that Stopped Rome" (about the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest).