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Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

consider how it can be misunderstood or misrepresented
Looks at definition of modern war and how it has evolved
Considers the impact of modern warfare, including its social and cultural legacy

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Description

Warfare is the most dangerous threat faced by modern humanity. It is also one of the key influences that has shaped the politics, economics, and society of the modern period. But what do we mean by modern war? What causes modern wars to begin? Why do people fight in them, why do they end, and what have they achieved?

In this accessible and compelling Very Short Introduction, Richard English explores the assumptions we make about modern warfare and considers them against the backdrop of their historical reality.

Drawing on the wide literature available, including direct accounts of the experience of war, English provides an authoritative account of modern war: its origins, evolution, dynamics, and current trends.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

Author Information

Richard English, Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Politics, and Director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St Andrews

Richard English is Director of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, and Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Politics in the School of International Relations, at the University of St Andrews. His books have won numerous Awards and include Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA (2003), Irish Freedom: The History of Nationalism in Ireland (2006), and Terrorism: How to Respond (2009). He has written and lectured widely on political violence, terrorism, nationalism, and religion, and on Irish and British politics and history. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, a Member of Royal Irish Academy, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

Reviews and Awards

"... what this book achieves would be remarkable in one several times its length... The book as a whole is notable for the careful throught and sound judgement that are on display, with the result that it does not at all feel like a superficial skim over the material." - Political Studies Review, Tim Benbow

"The book as a whole is notable for the careful thought and sound judgement that are on display, with the result that it does not at all feel like a superficial skim over the material." - Tim Benbow, Kings College London/UK Defence Academy, Political Studies Review

"English has developed a cogent and useful introduction to modern war. An understanding of war is a key element of civic education, and English has made the subject accessible. Modern War will be of particular value not just to students but to educators considering how to teach the topics of war and modern military history." - H.R. McMaster, Survival

"Profound thought and a compelling text explain why and how states, societies and peoples resort to "the awfulness of war". English avoids glib generalisations because he knows too much and thinks too deeply. ... Anyone who wants to understand wars and their legacies should read it, twice." - Times Higher Education

Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

From Our Blog

Very short talks

By Chloe Foster We have seen an abundance of Very Short Introductions (VSI) authors appearing at UK festivals this year. Appearances so far have included at Words by the Water festival in Keswick, Oxford Literary Festival, and Edinburgh Science festival. The versitility of the series and its subjects means our author talks are popular at a variety of different types of festivals

Posted on April 18, 2014

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What have we learned from modern wars?

Richard English War remains arguably the greatest threat that we face as a species. It also remains an area of activity in which we still tend to get far too many things wrong. For there's a depressing disjunction between what we very often assume, think, expect, and claim about modern war, and its actual historical reality when carefully assessed.

Posted on July 19, 2013

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Modern War: A Very Short Introduction

Richard English

Very Short Introductions

Reading Guide

PDF download Download this VSI Reading Guide as an Adobe PDF (28 KB)

Questions for Thought and Discussion

What are the defining elements of 'modern' as opposed to pre-modern war?
Can war ever be considered justified, given the scale of human cost which it involves?
Have we exaggerated the justness of Britain's motivation in the Second World War, and underestimated the justification for Britain going to war in 1914?
How important has religious belief been in causing wars in the modern period?
Do states make war more likely, or limit the likelihood of war's occurrence?
Did the existence of nuclear weapons make the world safer or more dangerous during the late-twentieth century?
How significant has the role of key individuals been in bringing about modern wars?
Knowing that so much of what occurs in warfare involves the deliberate use of terrifying violence for political purposes, should we continue to consider 'war' and 'terrorism' as separate categories of violence? Why?
“The twenty-first-century wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have proved overwhelmingly counter-productive.” Discuss.