A History of Military Thought: From the Enlightenment to the Cold War

by Azar Gat

From the ideas of Clausewitz to contemporary doctrines of containment and cold war, this is a definitive history of modern military thought. A one-volume collection of Azar Gat's acclaimed trilogy, it traces the quest for a general theory of war from its origins in the Enlightenment. Drastically re-evaluating B.H. Liddell Hart's contribution to strategic theory, the author argues that in the wake of the trauma of the First World War, and in response to the Axis challenge, Liddell Hart developed the doctrine of containment and cold war long before the advent of nuclear weapons. He reveals Liddell Hart as a pioneer of the modern western liberal way in warfare which is still with us today.

Genres: History, War, Military Fiction, Military History, Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction

906 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jon Klug · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a long slog, it was worth it. A tour de force of military thought, I found Gat's book to be balanced and pretty comprehensive. This will serve as an interim review, as there is much to consider after 828 pages of material. I can see why this was published as three books, and probably would have been much easier to digest.

[Ray Packham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is heavy but very interesting for those interested in military history.