A Brief History of Modern Warfare: The changing face of conflict, from the Falklands to Afghanistan (Brief Histories

by Richard M. Connaughton

Presents an insight into modern warfare. This book features conflicts including Goose Green in the Falklands, the invasion of Grenada, Operation Desert Storm - the first Iraq War, Operations in Mogadishu as well as events at Fallujah, Iraq, and in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.

Genres: History, War, Military Fiction, Nonfiction

476 pages, Paperback

First published September 11, 2008

Reviews

[Lawrence -ISB · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non-fiction book. It introduces important modern warfares from Falklands to Afghanistan with a detail. There are ten chapters, including an introduction which sets out the author's understanding of the rules of the modern warfare, reflection of the author, and eight separate chapters about the nature of modern warfare.
This book describes modern wars in detail; also, there are many illustrations that help readers to understand the content. I've always wanted to know about the first Gulf Conflict (1990-1991) and this book really helped me understanding what happened and the consequences of it. Also, this book makes connection between different events that it helped me to understand the complexity of those modern warfare.
For me, the language of this book was little bit too hard. There are many jargons about politics. However, I really recommend this book to readers who want to understand modern conflicts deeply.

[An Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sustains:
+Solid review of major/strategically impactful military engagements from the Falkland Wars to Helmand Province
+ Highlights important points on connection between use of military force and political objectives in strategic thinking
+ Considers the impact of events on the tactical level can have on the strategic and political

Improves:
- The author is understandably too British-centric as he is a former British soldier and officer.
- Ignores wars and conflicts not involving Western powers that fall within the category of modern warfare (e.g. Chechen Wars, 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War, Mexican drug wars, various wars in Africa)

[Kym Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a concise and a comprehensive review of some select conflicts between 1982 to 2007, starting with the battle of Goose Green in the Falklands right up to Helmand, Afghanistan 2006-07. The book has the perspective of a military man who translates his experiences and opinions in a very readable manner.

The strength of the book is that it maintains an objectivity, perhaps due to the fact that it is written by a non American. Because of this much of the common language of jingoism and patriotic bluster is void from the pages. Honest conversation is had in regards to the failures and successes of the examples covered in the book.

Connaughton looks at Goose Green 1982, Grenada 1983, Iraq conflict 1990-91, Mogadishu 1992-93, Gorazde 1995, Operation Barras in Sierra Leone 2000, The Battle for Fallujah 2003-04 and Helmand 2006-07. This gives the reader a broad comprehension of mostly Anglo-American interactions with the rest of the World.

I found that the book would have benefited if it had of included the US invasion of Panama in 1989 while also looking at some of the conflicts outside of Western perspectives. That being said what is covered is addressed well.

The books strength is an analysis at the political down to unit realities of the many situations, while considering the hubris the continues to befall the world of military conduct.

At times Connaughton breaks into a first person perspective while discussing incidents that he had an opinion directly on or which he had engaged with the principles himself only to then return to a more traditional narration. This is neither a strength or weakness it is just a mild quirk. The book comes with an abbreviations page, a select bibliography and a decent notes section to help inspire further reading for those that seek a wider understanding of the subjects covered.

This is a book that is most relevant to this day and will provide the veteran reader of military matters with a good amount to consider while also being an idle introduction to those who are less familiar with warfare and the military.

77 %

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant book if you don’t know much about modern conflicts, but have some understanding of military jargon and theory. Relatively comprehensive accounts on the Falklands, Grenada, Gorazde (Bosnian conflict), the Gulf War, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan – both on the politics and the actual battles. I ended up knowing much more about why there was military involvement in these situations and why sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t. Connaughton’s analysis on the importance of force and when/how to use it, especially in modern-day Islamist conflicts, is fantastic.
However, there are times when Connaughton tries to mesh too much into one chapter; the origins of the war, the political situation and the military situation from tactical, operational and strategic views. Often you end up with an incomplete understanding of the war, but an in-depth understanding of a particular battle. This is fine for conflicts like Sierra Leone, Somalia and the Gulf War – essentially one-battle wars, but not for conflicts like Bosnia, which are multi-stage, multi-faceted conflicts.
But it is a good read, and I do recommend it. Will definitely make you want to dig deeper – it is, after all, just a taster!

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic analysis of some recent battles invoving the Western World, which encompass both the tactical level and the grand strategy component - but does not make for very comforting situation given the micromanagement, tangled lines of command, the absurd rules, the total absence of interoperability mostly, the blundering or in short, the total fog of war at its most virulent and thick.... Were it not for their technological superiority and air power, these guys would be hard-pressed to win wars. Also gives a useful peek into how the UN failed in Somalia and Bosnia - mostly due to various nations' cross-purpose thinking and action, ambitious plans without the wherewithal, and muddled priorities. A most valuable account.....

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want a good NON American view of warfare in the last 50 years, this is for you. I really enjoyed it particularly as it was not the same old breathless american style of history. New information is shared and an American will learn a great deal about the way foreigners view our military methods...