New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) From primitive clashes to nuclear superpowers, a new instalment in publishing house Pan Macmillan India’s ‘Shortest History’ series traces warfare from prehistory to the world’s first cities and on to the thousand-year ‘classical age’ of combat.
“The Shortest History of War” explores the shift from limited to total war interrupted by Hiroshima’s nuclear impact, until the Cold War and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ended the longest peace among major powers since World War II.
It is written by London-based acclaimed military historian Gwynne Dyer.
“This is not a military history in the usual sense… It is a study of war as a custom and tradition, as political and social institution, and as a Problem. Mostly, though, it’s a book about why we do this thing, and how might we stop doing it now that we really need to,” writes Dyer in the book.
The book features 10 chapters in total, ranging from “How Combat Works”, “Classical War” (1500 BC-1400 AD), “Total War” to “Mass Warfare” (1790-1900) and “Trifurcation’: Nuclear, Conventional, Terrorist”.
Besides explaining how the invention of the atomic bomb transformed modern warfare, the book also aims to examine what the developments in robot weaponry portend for the future of mankind.
According to the publishing house, Dyer delves into anthropology, psychology and other relevant fields to unmask the drivers of conflict, making “The Shortest History of War” a book for anyone who wants to understand the role of war in the human story — and how we can prevent it from defining our future.
The previous titles in the series include “The Shortest History of India” by John Zubrzycki, “The Shortest History of China” by Linda Jaivin, “The Shortest History of the Crown” by Stephen Bates and “The Shortest History of the Universe” by David Baker.
“The Shortest History of War” is currently available for purchase across online and offline stores. PTI MG SHD SHD
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