Combined Arms Warfare in the Twentieth Century

Modern War Studies

by Jonathan M. House

For centuries, the world has witnessed the development and use of increasingly complex and powerful military systems and technologies. In the process, the "art of war" has truly become the art of combined arms warfare, in which infantry, artillery, air support, intelligence, and other key elements are all coordinated for maximum effect. Nowhere has this trend been more visible than in the history of twentieth-century warfare.

Originally published as an essential "in-house" study for U.S. Army officers during the 1980s, this much revised and expanded edition remains the most complete study available on the subject. Rewritten with a much wider readership in mind, it both retains its enormous practical utility for military professionals and provides a valuable and appealing introduction for scholars and general readers.

Jonathan House, author of the original work, brings the story of combined arms up to the present, covering among other things Desert Storm, the war in Chechnya, and the rise of "smart weapons" and related technologies. He traces the evolution of tactics, weapons, and organization in five major militaries—American, British, German, Russian, and French—over 100 years of warfare. Revealing both continuities and contrasts within and between these fighting forces, he also provides illuminating glimpses of Israeli and Japanese contributions to combined arms doctrine. Expanding his insightful analysis of the world wars and the wars in Korea and Vietnam, House also offers much new material focused on the post-Vietnam period. Throughout, he analyzes such issues as command-and-control, problems of highly centralized organizations, the development of special operations forces, advances in weapons technology—including ballistic and anti-ballistic missile systems—the trade-offs involved in using "heavy" versus "light" armed forces, and the enduring obstacles to effective cooperation between air and land forces. (His strong critique of the "air superiority" propaganda that came out of the Gulf War is sure to spark some heated debates.)

Rigorously comparative, House's study addresses significant questions about how nations prepare for war, learn or don't learn its harsh lessons, and adapt to changing times and technologies. Unique in the annals of the literature on warfare, it will be the standard work on this subject for a long time to come.

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

372 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2001

About the author

Jonathan M. House is an American military historian and author. He is a professor emeritus of military history at the United States Army Command and General Staff College. House is a leading authority on Soviet military history, with an emphasis on World War II and the Soviet influence upon modern operational doctrine. Together with David M. Glantz, he wrote multiple books on the Red Army operations on the Eastern Front, most notably When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler.

Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historical study of the development of combined arms warfare in the recent past. Well written and an easy read, the thesis is as simple as it is obvious - if you are better at combining military systems in a complementary manner, the more likely you will destroy your enemy - just like archers, cavalry, and infantry in the days of antiquity. In short, nothing new.

[Jedi Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very clear, readable overview on the development of combined arms. Covers the immediate pre-war context of WWI, the Great War itself, interwar period, WWII, limited wars of the Cold War and the 1990's.

I read this so I'd have a better understanding of basic military concepts in my first semester of grad school. While I let my eyes glaze over the diagrams and a few more detailed passages, I came out of the book with a better vocabulary and a better appreciation of recent and historical conflicts from a tactical perspective. It's good to know how the development of new tech and doctrine shape, and are shaped by, wars.

This book is very complimentary to any study of major conflict or international relations in general.

[Sean Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

More readable than one would expect. The analysis is overall good and balanced between the importance of training and technology, with the conclusions being sober and prescient. The book does lag after World War II as it lacks a clear focus and driving arc, itself a sign of the ambivalence over the possibility of major combat operations after Desert Storm.

[Raymond Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really detailed account of the evolution of Combined Arms Warfare from WWI to the current method of combined arms deployment originally developed during the Cold War. Theoretical discussions are nicely paired with historical accounts and contexts.

[Eskild Walnum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched and written book, the book is kind of an encyclopedia of combined arms. The book contains different chapters which describes principles and consepts, with conclusion at the end of every chapter.
I recommend the book, it could be read from A - Z or as part of your own research - time and again.

[Yong Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Modern War Studies from the University of Kansas press is well regarded series. The book is chock full of insight but could have used a better editor. It wavers between a narrative, a case study, and a chronology. An approachable book for professionals as well as general interest readers.