War Through the Ages

by Lynn Montross

Covering all of the major military historical topics of Europe, this book offers an excellent range of information combined with an effective writing style. A must-read for all those interested in military history.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Military History, War, Nonfiction, Historical

1063 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

Lynn J. Montross (1895-1961) was a United States Marine Corps historian and specialist in military history. He served in the American Expeditionary Forces for three years during World War I and was a freelance writer for the Chicago Daily News.

Reviews

[Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book 30 years ago. Montross was a US Marine in WW1. He became a journalist after that. Wrote the book after WW2, and the second edition included the Korean War.

It’s a good introduction to war in Western Europe, from the time of the ancient Greeks onward. US Wars are included, as well as South American wars of liberation (but not enough, IMO).

It’s Eurocentric, although the Mongols and initial conquests of the Arabs are covered. It does a good job with the usual suspects of Greece, Rome, the Crusades, but also stuff not usually well covered like Byzantium, the high Middle Ages, and the 30 Years War.

Written in a very easy to understand way. Probably 10th grade level or so.

It’s a good addition to someone’s library for the military section, and really a good starting spot, but it can’t serve as the single book on war in a library due to things not covered

[Ron Me]

First off, this is a very long book, 1000 pages (sic). It's certainly the most thorough world history I've read that deals exclusively with warfare. And that was also a downside for me---in usual history book they mention other things (Plato wrote philosophy, Maxwell discovered electromagnetism), but this book has 100o pages ONLY of warfare. After four or five hundred pages I found myself depressed at these thousands of years of killing, and started wondering if there wasn't some better way.

[Josiah Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best and most thorough history of warfare that I have ever read or will ever read again. Written by a WW1-era Marine who knows exactly what he is talking about. This book is legendary and should be more popular amongst war nerds.

[Bill Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambitious 1000 page history of warfare from the ancient Greeks to the aftermath of the Korean War.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

First real military book I have ever read. A vast summary. It started the passion with me. All types of history have interested me since this book. In fact the last 15 years have been essentially me filling in the holes and correcting the inaccuracies as well as learning the social economic and intellectual history of the period covered by this book. The work is not done.

[Rdb]

Read it again July 1982.

[Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice summary of strategy, tactics and equipment from classical times to WWII.