The Logic of War

by Anders Puck Nielsen

In this book, military analyst Anders Puck Nielsen explores the most consequential conflicts of the modern era. Drawing on research from defense academies around the world, he presents a clear and accessible account of what everyone should know about modern warfare, structured across eleven concise chapters.

Along the way, you will discover:

– How Finland can field more than ten times as many soldiers as Denmark – Why North Korea’s dictator keeps appearing in photos next to enormous missiles– How the F-35 could end up as the Danish Air Force’s last manned fighter jet– And why nuclear weapons might just be the ultimate deterrent against a global war

THE LOGIC OF WAR is an eye-opening guide for everyone—from armchair generals and armed men and women to flower power children and anyone who’s ­recently begun to question what they thought they knew about war and peace. Packed with concrete examples, it gives readers a clear look at war on land, at sea, in the air—and now in space and cyberspace. You will gain a deeper understanding of what drives the actors in the war in Ukraine and discover how new battlefield tech­nologies, like drones, are changing the rules of war for soldiers and civilians alike.

Genres: Danish, Nonfiction, Politics

304 pages, Paperback

Published December 17, 2025

Reviews

[Jan Kovář · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction into the warfare of the 21st century and the logic behind it. It will not only give you an understanding of the basic military concepts, branches and strategic decision making, but also an occasional historical insight into the past wars and conflicts across the globe.

Given the current geopolitical climate and trends, I'd highly recommend even people not particularly interested in warfare to read this book. Because as Anders writes in one of his final paragraphs: "... I do think we should all have a basic understanding of war, and that we need to learn what's happening around us, so that we can live in and with this new security reality", and I couldn't agree more with him.

As a military geek, I do wish that in certain aspects Anders went further in-depth, but I also understand that the book aims at a more general audience. In addition to that, I wish the book was updated with the events after its original writing and before its translation to English, as there have been critical developments politically as well as militarily since.

Overall, I'd rate a solid 4/5 and I am looking forward to his any new books of his coming out in English!

[Oskar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Krigens logik giver militæranalytiker Anders Puck Nielsen en grundlæggende introduktion til forskellige emner inden for militær- og krigsstudier med særligt fokus på krigen i Ukraine. Nielsen mener, desværre nok med rette, at et basalt kendskab til logikken på slagmarken i stigende grad er relevant for at forstå international politik i disse dage. Til dette formål synes jeg bogen er ganske god, selvom den efter min mening også har et par mindre strukturelle mangler.

Bogens indledende del om Clausewitz' krigsforståelse og Vinterkrigen er fremragende, og der kan efter min mening her trækkes paralleller til mange af den nyere histories militære konflikter. I kapitlet om krigens love frustrerede det mig dog, at Nielsen understreger vigtigheden af at skelne imellem 'krigsforbrydelser' og 'brud på krigens love,' men aldrig præcist forklarer hvordan han forstår forskellen på de to begreber. Henimod bogens slutning giver han desuden en redegørelse for beslutningsproceduren bag affyring af atomvåben i henholdsvis USA og Rusland med en høj detaljegrad, som jeg var lidt skeptisk overfor. Overordnet set synes jeg dog, at bogen er en god og letlæselig introduktion til mange facetter af krigens logik og herved kan siges at leve op til sit formål.

[Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting and accessible introduction for the civilian to the logic of war.

In the last years, I've come to regard A.P.N. as my expert of choice when it comes to military and strategic matters concerning the war in Ukraine and geopolitics in general. This book lends such expertise to explaining fundamental military structures, divisions and strategic/tactical considerations to the layman, and he does so with an easy style and relevant examples from military history.

In a world where too many reporters seem to take the statements of politicians and geopolitical players at face value, being able to read between the lines and think critically, with an understanding of basic military decision-making as a basis, is an undervalued skill and no doubt will only become more relevant in the coming years.

As a minor note, a few typos slipped into the last two chapters (English translation).

[Iben_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manglede lige 50 sider, men blev nødt til at aflevere den på biblo:(
Den blev hård at læse til sidst:( det blev meget det samme, bare forskelligt, men så alligevel det samme, men der var en rød tråd. Synes helt klart den har potentiale, for den er virkelig historisk og forfatteren nævner en masse krige gennem flere årtier, hvilket er virkelig lærerigt - det kan jeg godt lide! Men det blev for kedeligt til sidst og jeg slog desværre hjernen fra, øv://

[Asger Posborg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay bog. giver en basis viden, uden at gå helt i dybden med emnerne. kunne dog godt lide de historiske begivenheder som skulle illustrere forfatterens pointer.

[Agnė · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Tobias · Rating 4 out of 5]

God bog.

[Jens Mathiesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krigens Logik er en fremragende gennemgang af militære forhold og sikkerhedspolitik. Det slog mig under læsningen, at forfatterne har ramt et klart "hul i markedet" – bogen er nødvendig, fordi forsvar og sikkerhedspolitik længe har været et underbelyst emne i den offentlige debat. Ofte har det været forbeholdt eksperter, debattører og akademikere, mens resten af offentligheden har haft begrænset adgang til nuanceret viden på området. Ruslands invasion af Ukraine i 2022 har ganske vist skabt en øget interesse for krig og konflikt, men debatten er stadig præget af misforståelser, forenklede analyser og en generel mangel på viden. Her rammer Krigens Logik plet – den giver læseren en solid forståelse af, hvordan militæret fungerer, hvad der driver moderne krigsførelse, og hvilke grundlæggende sikkerhedspolitiske dynamikker, der er på spil. Alt sammen formidlet på en lettilgængelig og engagerende måde.

Bogen dykker ned i krigens domæner, de forskellige militære værn, deres roller og de typer af krig, der føres i dag. Undervejs bliver læseren ført gennem en række historiske eksempler – fra Koreakrigen og Vietnam til Irak, Afghanistan og annekteringen af Krim – samt en aktuel analyse af krigen i Ukraine. Det hele er skarpt skåret til: Ingen unødige gentagelser, ingen overflødig information. Man får en reel indsigt i den militære tænkning og de logikker, der styrer moderne krigsførelse.

Jeg håber, der kommer en efterfølger. Med forfatternes formidlingsevne og indsigt kunne flere områder fortjene en dybdegående behandling – eksempelvis en bog om det danske forsvar og dansk forsvarspolitik, eller en analyse af internationale operationer i forskellige rammer (NATO, FN, EU). Også emner som specialoperationsstyrker og efterretningstjenestens rolle ville være oplagte at udforske videre.

[Nikolaj Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

En rigtig positiv læseoplevelse. Det er god fagformidling og fine historiske cases, der ikke bliver unødvendigt detaljerede.

Det eneste minus er, at der godt kunne have være mere nyt og mere kompliceret materiale. Langt det meste af bogens stof var ret velkendt for mig.

[Tobias Madsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book with a lot of military discussions based on real theories and events. I think this book is written for people who know very little about military technology, war, and the political decision making regarding this. I, on the other hand, was looking for more. I wanted to learn something I couldn’t find on a few Wikipedia pages. I think the book is well executed but it was not what I was looking for. To mention something good, I now know where to look to become more educated on the areas mentioned in the book.

If you have a superficial interest in the subject, this book is perfect. On the other hand, if you if want to go deep, this book is too simple.

[Steve]

In a day where we have immense access to information, I feel challenged to find calm, rational analysis to satisfy my desire to understand the unending questions of how and why. I came across Mr. Nielsen’s remarkable YouTube presentations on the Russia-Ukraine conflict a few years ago – I cannot remember what led me there, though. My wife and I have been watching his videos consistently since. They are notable for two reasons. First, they are brief – the sincerest show of respect toward an audience. Second, they are removed of emotional hyperbole, with a consistent grounding in careful logic that separates knowledge from speculation. He does not pretend to see the future, but he does a superb job of framing the current environment. My wife gave me a copy of this book recently as a result of my appreciation for his presentations. I am glad she did.

While originally written in Danish, and with an understandable tilt toward Danish culture and history, it reads well in English translation. There are no footnotes, nor is there a bibliography, in deference to simplicity. While I was familiar with much of the details in Mr. Nielsen’s work, he provided an education on several important topics, making this a worthwhile read.

Essentially, Mr. Nielsen argues that wars are here to stay, as unbelievable as that may sound. Further, despite the reliance on nuclear weapons at the state level – and the anxiety I have experienced as a result of that fact – they will never be used because of the potential retaliatory consequences, unless a terrorist group or deranged political leader pushes the button. The chapters on future technologies and hybrid warfare are well constructed and helpful in understanding the frontiers of military conflict. If you do not have an interest in reading foundational military writers like Carl von Clausewitz, an author that Mr. Nielsen mentions several times, or Alfred Thayer Mahan, an author that Mr. Nielsen never mentions once, I suggest that you begin your initiation into military strategy and tactics of the modern era here; there is likely no better starting point.

[heartofdarkness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like 199 000 other subscribers, I discovered Anders through his excellent English language you tube channel. I enjoy his plain speaking, well thought out content covering specifically, the war in Ukraine and geopolitics in general. Since I read Danish as a second language, I was excited to read Krigens Logik too.
I found it to be what I would call a basic primer on all things military. From the tactical to the strategic, the political to the theoretical and the 19th century through to drones and cyber warfare. In easily approachable and digestible chapters Anders guides you to an understanding of the methods and thinking that has gotten us where the world of today is militarily. Although not a ground breaking work, I learned quite a bit and understand what i already knew better. In todays world, feeling eerily like July 1914 or 1938-39, Krigens Logik is good starting point for facing the new, adversarial world we increasingly find ourselves in.

[Rasmus Engholm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hvis du som jeg har leget med plastic soldater som barn, limet helikoptermodeller, brugt utallige timer på store slag i børneværelset og ikke mindst på computeren, så er denne bog en booster pack af viden.
Med klar struktur og kendte og mindre kendte historiske referencer gennemgåes mekanismer i krig, fra de mindste droner til atombomber - fra hybridkrig til guerillakrig. Alle burde nok læse denne bog 😟

[Nico Ambelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fagligt velfunderet og fint formidlet gennemgang af det, som titlen fortæller at bogen handler om.
Velskrevet og værd at læse.

Desværre alt for aktuel.

Det er ikke vigtigt, men hardback-udgaven findes ikke på Goodreads?

[MICHAEL LADUSAU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent discussion of the rational underlying warfare, for those of us who want a better understanding of why people and nations go to war. The chapters on International Humanitarian Law and Weapons of Mass Destruction are particularly well written.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tjah, jeg blev overrasket over, hvor meget jeg ved i forvejen

[Brian Østergaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bogen er mest for dem der ikke rigtig ved noget i forvejen. Jeg havde håbet, at der blev gået lidt mere i dybden, især med det vi lære at krigen i Ukraine.

[Henning Bøgh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stjerner. Vidste meget i forvejen, en kommenteret litteraturliste med forslag til videre læsning ville have givet lidt ekstra.

God formidling af stoffet.

[Janus Jespersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meget lærerig bog

[Tobias Nissen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fin gennemgang af militære og sikkerhedspolitiske forhold samt diskussioner af relevante begivenheder der gav anledning til refleksion

[Remi Thomsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire små stjerner. Lidt smal og referende men informativ og velstruktureret