The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation

by Victor Davis Hanson

In this “gripping account of catastrophic defeat” (Barry Strauss), a New York Times–bestselling historian charts how and why some societies chose to utterly destroy their foes, and warns that similar wars of obliteration are possible in our time

“In The End of Everything, Hanson tells compelling and harrowing stories of how civilizations perished. He helps us consider contemporary affairs in light of that history, think about the unthinkable, and recognize the urgency of trying to prevent our own demise.” — H. R. McMaster, author of Battlegrounds

War can settle disputes, topple tyrants, and bend the trajectory of civilization—sometimes to the breaking point. From Troy to Hiroshima, moments when war has ended in utter annihilation have reverberated through the centuries, signaling the end of political systems, cultures, and epochs. Though much has changed over the millennia, human nature remains the same. Modern societies are not immune from the horror of a war of extinction. 
 
In The End of Everything, military historian Victor Davis Hanson narrates a series of sieges and sackings that span the age of antiquity to the conquest of the New World to show how societies descend into barbarism and obliteration. In the stories of Thebes, Carthage, Constantinople, and Tenochtitlan, he depicts war’s drama, violence, and folly. Highlighting the naivete that plagued the vanquished and the wrath that justified mass slaughter, Hanson delivers a sobering call to contemporary readers to heed the lessons of obliteration lest we blunder into catastrophe once again. 

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

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 7, 2024

About the author

Victor Davis Hanson was educated at the University of California, Santa Cruz (BA, Classics, 1975), the American School of Classical Studies (1978-79) and received his Ph.D. in Classics from Stanford University in 1980. He lives and works with his family on their forty-acre tree and vine farm near Selma, California, where he was born in 1953.

Reviews

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stupendous work by the always brilliant Victor Davis Hanson. it is an extremely well written, readable and fascinating history of four civilizations that were completed destroyed by their enemies (Thebes, Carthage, Byzantium and the Aztecs), and is both informative and instructive. Hanson is a scholar so it is well documented with notes and sources.

[Sud666 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Hanson's "The End of Everything" is a rather specialized book. It looks at how wars can descend into annihilation. To show how this has occurred in the past, we will look at four times this happened.

The first case study looks at the destruction of Thebes in 335 BC by Alexander the Great. We will learn about not only the campaign and the actors but also the flaws in Thebean's thinking that led to this disaster.

The second case study Is a study of the destruction of Carthage between 149-146 BC at the hands of Scipio Aemilianus. From Carthage, we move on to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottoman Empire. Finally, we end with the annihilation of the Aztec Empire in 1521 at the hands of Cortes and his Conquistadores.

The analysis of the 4 scenarios, separated by time and geography, finds certain common traits such as:
-As a general rule, the besieged vainly counted on help that rarely appeared-especially if they were seen as likely to lose.

-Those surrounded looked to their own bastions and their past impregnibility, rather than assessing realistically the unique and existential danger below the walls.

-Prior discord often explained the vulnerability of the besieged and its contribution to their defeat.

- The defenders rarely equate their present existential peril with the enemy military genius who reduced them to such straits. Nor can they accurately assess in comparison the mediocrity of their own leadership.

-The Targeted never fully grasped that the antebellum negotiations and diplomacy that had allowed a final and brief respite no longer applied, either because politics had changed in the powerful party, or the technological and organizational capabilities of the enemy had evolved.

-The effort to destroy rather than merely defeat a trapped enemy ensures unprecedented savagery. And the zeal necessary to resist overwhelming odds eventually ensures a level of counter-violence that seals the fate of the defeated.
-Once the victors are unleashed-and they always are- their commanders post facto express regret over their nihilistic cruelty, without any sense that they would do anything different in the future. Education and pretenses of high culture empowered rather than limited the retribution of the conquerors,

A very interesting, knowledgable, and fascinating military history that looks at how case studies of societies that ended due to annihilation.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 2 out of 5]

”Пазете се от убийци с претенции за просветен интелект.”

Хенсън поставя в прав текст четири - удачни според него - примера от световната история, че във война е важно да си силен, а не прав. Оръжията и ресурсите, а не моралът, печелят победи. И който се предовери на морала, го избиват до крак, защото обикновено се съпротивлява по-ожесточено.

Девизът на книгата би бил цитатът от “Облакът “Атлас” “The weak are meat the strong do eat” или родната “поговорка” “Преклонена главица сабя не я сече.” Хенсън е почитател на сабята.

Като първи пример е поднесена древната Тива, осмелила се да въстане срещу Александър Македонски, в резултат на което той я разрушава до основи, населението на града е избито и малцината оцелели са продадени в робство, а цялата култура на елинските градове-държави си отива заедно с митичния град на Едип. Тук тезата на Хенсън е, че тиванците почиват на стари лаври, без да искат да си дадат сметка, че нямат вече нито подготовката, нито съюзниците да се опълчат срещу македонците. Не мога да преценя доколко аргументът е валиден - описанието на събитията е някак твърде повърхностно и пълно с повторения. Вероятно има някакво основание - в крайна сметка правилната преценка кога да се биеш, когато си в неизгодна позиция, е решаваща. Но много фактори изглеждат пропуснати или просто са се загубили във времето, и картината е крайно смътна. Цялата част звучи някак спекулативно.

Вторият поднесен пример е пунически Картаген, изравнен със земята през 146 г. пр.н.е. от Рим. Поуката тук, доколкото схващам, е че щом една велика сила във възход е вдигнала мерника на бивша сила в упадък, последната няма никакъв шанс. Никаква дипломация и аргументи не помагат, тъй като агресорът изначално не иска нито мир, нито дори подчиняване - а единствено унищожение и разграбване. Логично. Предходните две пунически войни и Ханибал Барка с неговата армия пред портите на Рим твърде много са ужасили Рим, и той сграбчва първия шанс, когато се сдобил със силата да унищожи напълно Картаген. В този случай борбата е за предпочитане… Отново повърхностен поглед, но тук той е с повече детайли и по-увлекателен.

Третият пример (Константинопол) почти ме отказа да чета четвъртия (Теночтитлан). За падането на Константинопол под ботуша на Мехмед Фатих през 1453 г. са изписани тонове литература. Хенсън за пореден път доказва, че англоезичните автори не могат да се справят с феномена “Византия”, който им се явява някак противоестествен - римска империя, но без Рим; християнска, но не католическа; благоденстваща, а не разграбена; ловка, а не грубиянска; и най-страховитото - с предимно азиатска част… Наистина не мога да разбера неприязънта на западните историци, включително на Хенсън. Макар да се опитва да се сдържа, тук тезата му е, че византийците през 1453 г. до последно били пълни наивници и не били вярвали, че ще паднат. Бабини-трънкини глупости. Последните императори прекрасно са знаели реалността, но са предпочели да се опитат да се защитят докрай. Така че тезата на Хенсън тук е безумна. Разбира се, той оневинява Запада и свенливо отмива вината на четвъртия кръстоносен поход - юначните бандити все пак са горди представители на Запада. И твърди, че православието се осмелило да се отдели от католицизма, гаче баш католицизмът е “оригинал”… Останалите факти са интересни, но цялото послание звучи тенденциозно.

За Теночтитлан не ми се чете вече. Ще вземе да ги изкара и конкистадорите някакви пратеници на провидението да накажат грешните диваци…
Корекция: все пак прочетох главата. Отлична поука как по-малочислен, но технологично по-напреднал враг, който гъвкаво привлича мнозинство недоволни местни съюзници, в крайна сметка надделява над далеч по-многочислена, но неадаптивна империя. Ацтеките падат заедно със столицата си едва две години след като авантюристът Ернан Кортес ги е зърнал за първи път. Нелоша част, но отново имаше нещо липсващо, контекстът беше недостатъчен, а испанците бяха повече от леко героизирани.

Разбира се, в една война винаги има победени - и горко им! Историята се пише от победителите, а победител е (почти) винаги по-силният. Затова и в историята често той е обявен за прав. Похвално е усилието да се покаже поражението, което е можело да бъде избегнато с повече ловкост, подготовка, привидно подчинение и изчакване или привличане на активни силни съюзници. Но примерите ми се струват нагласени за целите на тезата, а не тезата естествено да произлиза от фактите. Знаех си аз, че няма да се спогодя с автор, чиято използвана литература е единствено на родния му английски… Дали изобщо знае други езици?…

Хенсън твърдо застъпва гледната точка, че всеки от тези четири града е трябвало да капитулира, а не да се се съпротивлява, т.е. трябва да се приемат каквито и да е условия, само и само да се оцелее. Което не е толкова ужасно, колкото звучи, ако има основания да се смята оцеляването за реална възможност. Авторът сам си противоречи на места:
✔️За Тива така и не ми се изясни картината. По-скоро обаче съм съгласна с Хенсън.
✔️За Картаген не съм съгласна с Хенсън. Картагенците вече са били капитулирали. Рим просто е искал да ги унищожи, съпротивата само е отложила унищожението. Но то вече е било планирано. Нищо е нямало да спаси града и жителите му.
✔️За Константинопол решително съм против тезата на Хенсън. Градът-призрак неизбежно е щял да падне, и е бил населяван от съвсем малко жители (останалите вече са били измрели или избягали). Също така неизбежно е щял да бъде разрушен, за да се построи като османски град.
✔️Теночтитлан пък е можел да победи испанците - ако е бил променил военната си тактика. Но са били твърде закостенели и самоуверени. Защо обаче да капитулират, след като са имали добри шансове? Не са имали късмет с кадърен военачалник, това е. А съвсем накрая - дори да са били склонни даде предадат, решението за града е било взето от по-силния…

Епилогът е в стил “да си дойдем на думата” с послания към Украйна и други съвременни конфликти (но много малко избрани) - “ако не можете да победите, предайте се, защото във войната няма логика и морал, а съпротивата води до по-голяма жестокост.” Спорно послание! Точната преценка е дяволски важна, но има различни стратегии все пак!… Авторът определено е тръмпист в по-мека форма (т.е. единственият морал е силата, слабите да ближат подметки и да казват “Благодаря!”), което заедно с липсата на детайлен контекст на поднесените събития (умишлен похват във всяка една глава, където се скача направо в центъра на клането) и дългите повторения, не го класира високо в моя списък с интересни исторически автори.


2,5⭐️ - махам закръглянето нагоре, авторът просто е такъв супремасист, че не става, просто не става…

[LPosse1 Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Civilizations Fall When Arrogance Blinds Them

Victor Davis Hanson’s The End of Everything popped up on my Libby library feed, and I jumped at the opportunity to give it a read. I’m glad I did.

Hanson structures the book around a powerful and sobering theme: great civilizations often fall not simply because of enemy strength, but because of their own arrogance, overconfidence, and failure to recognize the true intentions of their adversaries.

The narrative centers on the total destruction of four ancient powers:

Thebes — annihilated by Alexander the Great

Carthage — wiped out by Rome

Constantinople — overrun by the Ottoman Empire

Tenochtitlán — destroyed by Hernán Cortés and the Spanish

I’ve spent a lot of time over the years studying ancient history — particularly the Romans and Carthaginians — so much of that material felt familiar. But the section that stood out most for me was the fall of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital.

Cortés was drastically outnumbered, yet the Aztecs initially viewed the Spanish almost as divine figures. They were awed by their weapons, armor, horses, and technology. Hanson does an interesting job explaining how Aztec mythology — and their belief systems around human sacrifice — shaped their early interpretation of the Spanish presence.

Of course, military hardware wasn’t the only factor. The Spanish leveraged alliances with indigenous tribes who had long suffered under Aztec domination. Disease — especially smallpox — devastated the Aztec population as well, weakening their ability to resist. What looked at first like an impossible conquest became tragically inevitable.

I went into this book expecting not to enjoy it as much as I did — largely because of my political differences with Hanson. But credit where it’s due: I couldn’t let that get in the way of the work itself. The book reads at times almost like a true-crime drama — methodical, tense, and relentlessly moving toward catastrophe.

My only real critique is the postscript, which felt a bit forced and less compelling than the historical narratives that preceded it.

Still, if you’re interested in ancient warfare, collapsing empires, or want a different interpretive lens on how civilizations end, this is absolutely worth your time.

Final Verdict: 4 Stars — A gripping, cautionary look at how power, pride, and miscalculation can bring even the greatest societies to ruin.

[Христо Блажев · Rating 4 out of 5]

Краят на всичко за Тива, Картаген, Константинопол и Теночтитлан: https://knigolandia.info/krayat-na-vs...

Уроците на историята най-често са поучителни, но в немалко случаи са направо ужасяващи – и в „Краят на всичко: Как войните се превръщат в пълно унищожение“ военният историк Виктор Дейвис Хенсън е събрал четири примера под общия знаменател на пълната разруха и поголовното клане. Или както сам авторът пише: „Всички разгледани в книгата примери – разрушаването на Тива от Александър Велики, заличаването на Картаген от Сципион Емилиан, завладяването и трансформацията на Константинопол от султан Мехмед II и унищожаването на Теночтитлан от Ернан Кортес – бележат края на цели култури и цивилизации.“ В този контекст той търси някои паралели с нашето време и фактически се противопоставя на основното послание на Стивън Пинкър в „По-добрите ангели на нашата природа“, че насилието всъщност намалява. Всяка от тези истории заслужава отделна книга (като например „1453. Падането на Константинопол“ на Роджър Кроули), но Хенсън умело успява в под стотина страници да обедини фактологичната основа на всяко от завоеванията с анализ на причините и последствията от тях.

Ozone.bg
https://knigolandia.info/krayat-na-vs...

[William Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Victor David Hanson's "The End of Everything: How Wars Descend Into Annihilation" (I am working from an ARC graciously provided by the publisher, Basic Books), the noted historian examines the fate of four cities from our cultural past: Classical Thebes, Carthage, Constantinople, and finally Aztec Tenochtitlan. In four fascinating chapters he examines each of these in some detail focusing on the immediate events which precipitated the collapse of the Culture and Civilization which each centered and the cataclysmic nature of their respective ends. His thesis, most clearly revealed in his epilogue, is that there are lessons that we should be aware of in how things came to pass, often through naivety, hubris, and misunderstanding as well as a deliberate and fanciful dependence on real or presumed allies exacerbated by a willful refusal to recognize the power and intent of their enemies (underestimation of both capabilities and intentions). The respective tales are written with the verve and mastery of his research materials characteristic of this distinguished historian, and they. make, collectively, for a sad tale of human folly. There is a lot to learn from Hanson's treatise with immediate applications in our increasingly violent world; there are clear implications for the Ukraine and Israel; and we ignore them at great peril. This book belongs in most collections.

[John Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have often heard Victor Hanson speaking on cable TV as a classical and military historian and was impressed with his knowledge, so I gave his latest book a try. Hanson describes how four historical nations/empires, all once powerful and proud came to be sieged and overrun by their enemies resulting in their peoples, language and cultures being totally destroyed. Hanson vividly describes the destruction of ancient Thebes by the Macedonian Alexander the Great, Carthage by the Roman Republic, Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire and the Aztecs by the Spanish conquistador Cortes.

Having known very little about these histories I found the book very interesting, but I had to work at it by googling for some background info and some word definitions. I don't regret reading this book but was anxious to finish and get to the author's main point. He only briefly explains his premise that such an end of everything could again occur in modern times. Hanson does (as noted by some other reviewers) often repeats himself in each section.

[Dylan Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

True defeat in modern warfare has not been seen. The total defeat of one’s enemy to the point where they cannot regroup or they are deterred to counterattack is a concept from antiquity and the medieval world. One does not need to look too far back to see that this point is correct ( resurgence of the Taliban and ISIS for instance). It takes a classical scholar to point this out and Victor Davis Hanson is the one for this job. Taking his knowledge of the classical world, he has reintroduced to the reader what defeat can look like especially when conflicts are becoming more large scale and old adversaries build themselves up again.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting premise on singular sieges that destroyed civilizations where the examples don't quite pay off.

Classics historian Victor Davis Hanson became super popular following the 9/11 attacks as his "Carnage and Culture" - published in January 2001, became a primer for the War on Terror as western societies sought to understand this very "foreign" enemy and ideology.

Hanson's book was a survey of how the western democratic cultural tradition made it more effective at warfighting than non-western anti-democratic/authoritarian societies. Hanson's approach was to present a quick overview of a number of (successful) pivotal battles between western and non-western forces (Greeks vs Persians / Brits vs Zulus / Europeans vs Muslims / etc.). It made for great reading, was instructive, insightful, and highly influential in the philosophical underpinnings of the War on Terror.

Hanson became something of a go-to source for all things "West vs East" in mostly conservative media during the GWOT given his status as a respected historian of classical Greece and the "Western Way of War" (the title of one of his earlier books about infantry battle in classical Greece). While he would still periodically publish increasingly "popular" military histories (usually with a foot still in the classical Greek tradition) -- his bread and butter quickly became reliably conservative political pundit/columnist.

Nothing wrong with that, but Hanson began to branch out to opine on anything and everything under the political sun. Usually via weekly columns or collections of essays with the results being decidedly…mixed (i.e. if you agreed, he was prophetic. If you didn't, meh.).

So here we are in 2024 with "The End of Everything,", a full 7 years after the Hanson's last military history (2017's "The Second World Wars") and 11 years after his last history with a classical Greek component ("The Savior Generals"). "The End of Everything" has an interesting premise covering major sieges that marked the "end" of four civilizations: Thebes (by Alexander), Carthage (by Rome), Constantinople (by the Ottomans), and Tenochtitlan (by Cortes).

It's a great premise where a polis/people/culture are ended in a single instant -- but the examples don't quite pay off. Structurally, with the exception of the siege of Tenochtitlan, Hanson doesn't waste ANY time telling the reader HOW we got to the point of this ultimate civilization-ending siege/battle. He drops us right in to the specifics of which walls were manned and where forces were arrayed. Even for those familiar with the history, some scene-setting context would have been appreciated.

That critique aside, only the siege of Tenochtitlan really seems to fit the premise of a singular event utterly ending/dispersing/destroying a culture/society. While Thebes and Carthage were certainly destroyed (though they eventually came back in some form or fashion) -- their destroyers were not so culturally distinct to really fit the premise that the dominant culture/people ceased to exist. Quite simply, there was not enough cultural daylight between Alexander's Macedonians and Thebans or between the Romans and Carthaginians to support Hanson's premise. It'd be like saying if Los Angeles wiped San Francisco off the map that "San Franciscan" culture was destroyed. While true, there's still too much similarity between the two to really make an interesting point.

Similarly, the Ottoman siege of Constantinople was really the culmination of a centuries long decline of the Byzantine empire and while the fall of Constantinople meant the fall of the city as center of the Byzantine Empire, the people and its cultural traditions still endured.

Only the fall of Aztec Tenochtitlan at the hands of Cortes' conquistadors really fits Hanson's premise given the suddenness of the introduction of Spanish arms to the area and taking of the city, the centrality of the city to Aztec culture, and the wholly different cultures of the Spanish and Aztecs.

Overall, "The End of Everything" has a great premise that doesn't quite deliver.

[Mad Hab · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Armenian living in Armenia and feeling existential treats every day, i can relate too much to this book.
This is very well written and thorough analysis, it is like looking at the mirror. The author is very knowledgable, you can see and feel it, but is also very emotional: this combo rarely works well, and here it does.
An absolute must recommended book.

[Peter Tillman]

WSJ review by Robert D. Kaplan: https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/book...
(Paywalled. As always, I'm happy to email a copy to non-subscribers.) :
Excerpt:
"This book is about flourishing civilizations cut down in their prime, often with relatively little warning, with vast geopolitical consequences. ....
In this context, one has to think of the fate of the U.S. and the West, and how—and if—it will come to an end: whether by internal decay or by a sudden cataclysm. Rather than saying it can’t happen to us, for the sake of our own self-defense we should always contemplate that it very well might."

Indeed.

[Michael Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a history of how 5 cities and their cultures were wiped out by war. Hansen then makes some observations in the final chapter regarding what we can learn from them. It was nice to have an assortment of historical accounts complied like this, as I would not normally read a detailed account of the fall of Tenochtitlan and the Aztecs.

[Thomas George Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with Dr. Hanson's previous books and novels, the readers would be advised to carry a dictionary.

Reading "The End of Everything, How Wars Descend Into Annihilation," was similar to me as a history major listening to a historical lecture in college.

In these stories Dr. Hanson narrates on the demise of Thebes, Carthage, Constantinople, and Tenochtitlan.

[Simms · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay work of history, focusing on the annihilatory wars between Macedon and Thebes, Rome and Carthage, the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, and Spain and the Aztecs. In each section Hanson spends some time (somewhat repetitiously) detailing the historical context for the total destruction of the losers, with a little coda on the subsequent rebuilding or continued use of the conquered city by the conquerors. It's reasonably interesting, if lacking in the sweeping takeaways for contemporary life that the jacket copy promises.

However, one big thing jumped out to me that undermined the whole experience: during the section on the Punic Wars, Hanson straight-facedly cites the Caledonian leader Calgacus as the source of the famous "they make a desert and call it peace" quote. The thing is, I happen to know a little about that, specifically that the speech attributed to Calgacus is generally agreed by historians to probably be an outright invention of the historian Tacitus (in the way that anybody would question long verbatim quotations in histories of that era written by people who weren't there). Hanson's point would be equally served by discussing the questionable provenance of the quote (that opinion being held by a Roman historian is arguably more consequential than the opinion of one of Rome's supposed foes), but he makes no mention of it. I hate when I happen to find scholarly errors in the parts of history books that I have some familiarity with, because then I have to question the trustworthiness of all of the parts that are new to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for the ARC.

[Bill Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well-written and informative history of the destruction of four empires (Thebes, Carthage, Byzantium, and the Aztecs) and how this relates to similar current geopolitical possibilities. I highly recommend it!

[Zhouyang Lian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as the topic, the book itself can sometimes feel repetitive. It focused a bit too much on the military strategy side of things to my liking.

[Reid Eberwein · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite history books I’ve ever read. An enticing premise of examining civilizations that have had their population either completely killed or enslaved, and the descent into barbarism that leads to such an end.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dense and insightful. Highly recommend for those wanting to understand how societies end up in defeat. Will make for an interesting book club discussion and a great reference book for anyone’s shelf as an authoritative and detailed source on the subject matter.

I would like to thank Basic Books for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

The Story
The uniqueness is that it focuses on the wartime situation as the factor in ending a civilization, extensive research, in a compilation form which compares:

-Macedon and Thebes
-Rome and Carthage
-Byzantine and Ottoman Empires
-Spain and the Aztecs

The defining factors ending a civilization, along with the limiting factors to recognize the downfall, with notable endeavors to destroy a community, what moral decline looks like, to fain power and wealth, and an evaluation from an individual and collective viewpoint.

The outlook on life, destruction, the conquering, brutality, occupying forces, and the reigning forces that were present within leadership and those imposed upon people, whether stealthily employed, ignored, viewed as a salvageable society, or overtly divided from within.

I liked how the verbiage was explained as sorted by past application and today’s standard of comparison.

Whether principles of democracies and structures of government warring with other democracies and brutality in what would be considered an “advanced society.” Civilized in terms of properness. Of what would be degrading and gruesome, was common and even exalted practice. I loved the way it gave scale to armies and land area. Brought attention to the enumeration of casualties.

A number of details I was less familiar with. I definitely took my time with this one. Looking up more historical events, which led me to interactive maps and watching several documentaries and episodes namely on Kings and Generals YouTube channel, then onto archeological sites, and weaponry. Then finally much time looking at combat and dress uniforms, and the fashion influences of the day, whether as a result of scarcity, abundance, tactic, function, identification, aesthetic appeal, homage, and legacy with subsequent art and cultural nuance reflected in a changing society.

Gleaned a lot from this book in relevance to today.

The Writing
I appreciated the direct quotes used, with the in-paragraph direct references, and the poetry.

The translational efforts and etymology of words was a nice touch.

I was grateful for the diagrams and maps.

Well-organized.

Loved the epilogue.

Lots to garner from in this book. One I would enjoy revisiting.

Looking forward to more from this author, as his work is always a great source for reference material.

Blog post

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victor Davis Hanson is both a Classical scholar and a military historian. When he ventures into commentary on contemporary political iussues, I sometimes find it difficult to share his opinions, but when writing about the past, he is always insightful and original. This book describes the fall of one Greek city state and three empires, the Carthaginian, Byzantine, and Aztec. And for both an amateur classicist and military history buff, I particularly enjoyed learning not only what happened to the losers, but also why the victors won. One thing struck me is that whilst the winners were thoroughly unattractive - especially in their unquestioned assumption that extirpating or enslaving the defeated is simply the right of a victor - both the Carthaginians and the Aztecs with their human sacrifices make the Roman and Spanish Empires look positively beneficent by comparison. Indeed Hellenism and Roman civilization were arguably great contributions to human history (especially from a Christian viewpoint). And in the case of the Aztecs, the Spanish Inquisition looks positively enlightened in contrast.

[Brett Bricker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and thoughtful read about some very dark subject matter. Hanson presents an interesting case study and background history into these doomed civilizations and their destroyers. Not overly academic or laborious, this is a quite approachable read and is certainly eye-opening. Highly recommend.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa, this was an incredible,thorough, very detailed recounting of four separate civilizations that were annihilated through war and attack.
It took me a month to work through this as my knowledge of these old civilizations was definitely lacking, (but this is why I read—to learn).
VDH is brilliant.

[Robert E. Metzger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything Can End

I personally consider VDH the equal of most great Historians I’ve read over the last 60 years. The End of Everything is about how classical civilizations ended because they ignored the realities of total war. It is a truly fascinating read and I recommend it strongly.

[Allen L. Appell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful

Insightful analysis of past devastation that portends what is possible today in the U.S. Prior devastated countries were annihilated while feeling secure.

[Grace M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobooked

[William Dury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horrifying and fascinating by turn. Constantinople was destroyed by a 21 year old (Sultan Mehmed Il) and Thebes an 18 year old (Alexander the Great). Weirdly unsurprising. Kids have so much energy. And Cortes was able to destroy the Aztec empire with a minuscule force because the Aztecs waged war by capturing their foes, not killing them until later. Savoring it, I guess. That they pulled the still beating heart out of the captured is not in dispute. The extent of the subsequent (and also undisputed) cannibalism is. The disagreement is whether the cannibalism was strictly ceremonial or whether it was a reliable and steady protein source for the upper classes in a protein challenged environment. Oh, and when Constantinople fell there was hardly anyone there. The murder and looting part must have been a little bit of a letdown. Carthage was pretty much as you would expect. They were no threat to the Romans. The Romans did it just because they could. Nice guys finish last, murderous jerks are world conquerors. You heard it here first.

[Wyatt Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and obviously well researched book by VDH (of course!). I will say that after having read several of Mr Hanson's book, they tend to lean a bit towards redundancy on occasion but overall great reads. I did notice at least 2 typos in the text which is always kind of a bummer to find!

[Jared · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
Boring

[Croix · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why in the past have great civilizations been sometimes wiped off the face of the earth? Under what circumstances—political, environmental, sometimes personal—lead a civilization, a person (e.g., Alexander the Great), to want another civilization to perish?

Victor Davis Hanson considers four historical cases (Thebes, Carthage, Byzantium, and Aztec) to answer this question. In each of them, the reasons are different, but Hanson draws out similarities between them. He distills some themes/lessons we can learn from these historical accounts that might inform what could lead a future civilization to wipe out another. In my interpretation of the book the folly of the fallen nation can be categorized by one of the following: naivete, hubris, underestimation of the other power, overestimation of one’s own power, assumption that one’s allies will save you, incompetence, and other factors.

“...usually the fate of the vanquished can be calculated in advance and more mundanely by their numerical or military inferiority, their prior or present naivete, their long decline, their incompetence, or the sheer military genius and resources of their attackers.”

The case of the Aztecs was the most interesting in my opinion. Large gaps in technological and cultural differences—not to mention the catastrophic introduction of small pox by the Spanish to the Aztecs—contributed to the Aztec empire’s downfall. Of the four cases, the annihilation of the Aztec empire was the most one-sided and unique.

I learned about Hanson from Dan Carlin’s podcast. He obviously comes from a military history background, which colored the writing of this book and led to military history details that might not have been present in any other history non-fiction book.

I also recommending this book with the conversation with Prof. Hugh White on the Joe Walker Podcast. They paired well together.

[Jakob Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Victor Davis Hanson's “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” offers a detailed and gripping exploration of historical sieges, weaving a narrative that is both informative and thought-provoking. As far as history books go, Hanson excels in setting up the big siege scenarios that frame each of the four chapters. This structure allows readers to delve deep into the strategic and human elements of warfare.

Rated at 4 out of 5 stars, the book stands out for its descriptive realism, vividly detailing the brutal realities of siege warfare. Hanson's meticulous attention to what transpired during these intense conflicts brings history to life, making the reader feel almost present at the scenes of battle.

One of the book's strengths lies in its analysis of why defenders ultimately failed. Hanson does not merely recount events; he provides a nuanced examination of the underlying reasons for these failures, tying them to broader themes and lessons applicable to contemporary society. This connection is particularly compelling, as Hanson suggests that the same vulnerabilities that led to historical defeats could have parallels today if we are not vigilant.

Some readers may find it a bit wordy, and the flow of the narrative can feel somewhat disjointed at times. This might be a challenge for those who prefer a more streamlined storytelling approach (or for those who are not the most intellectually capable like myself). Nonetheless, these issues do not significantly detract from the overall value of the book.

Overall, “The End of Everything: How Wars Descend into Annihilation” is a commendable work for history enthusiasts. Its detailed recounting of sieges, insightful analysis, and connections to contemporary issues make it a valuable read.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victor Davis Hanson's "The End of Everything" isn't your average war chronicle. It's a descent into the abyss, a terrifying exploration of how wars can spiral into the complete annihilation of civilizations. Hanson, a military historian with a knack for gripping narrative, uses four chilling case studies: the sacking of Troy, the razing of Carthage, the fall of Constantinople, and the Aztec conquest of Tenochtitlan. Each chapter is a masterclass in tension, building from the initial hubris of the doomed cultures to the horrifying brutality of their demise. Hanson exposes the arrogance that blinds societies to the true cost of war. He warns against the intoxicating allure of vengeance, showing how the victors, consumed by rage, become as barbaric as the vanquished. The prose is both elegant and unflinching, refusing to shy away from the gruesome realities of these conflicts. But "The End of Everything" isn't merely a morbid spectacle. It's a stark warning for our own time. Hanson argues that human nature, despite the veneer of progress, remains susceptible to the same primal urges that drove these ancient wars. He urges readers to confront the potential for modern warfare to escalate into unthinkable devastation. This book is not for the faint of heart. It's a brutal wake-up call, a reminder that the path to annihilation is paved with good intentions and historical amnesia. Yet, within the darkness, Hanson offers a sliver of hope. By understanding the past's devastating mistakes, we might just avoid repeating them in our own future. Be prepare to be shaken to your core.