Volume IV of The Cambridge History of War offers a definitive new account of war in the most destructive period in human history. Opening with the massive conflicts that erupted in the mid nineteenth century in the US, Asia and Europe, leading historians trace the global evolution of warfare through 'the age of mass', 'the age of machine' and 'the age of management'. They explore how industrialization and nationalism fostered vast armies whilst the emergence of mobile warfare and improved communications systems made possible the 'total warfare' of the two World Wars. With military conflict regionalized after 1945 they show how guerrilla and asymmetrical warfare highlighted the limits of the machine and mass as well as the importance of the media in winning 'hearts and minds'. This is a comprehensive guide to every facet of modern war from strategy and operations to its social, cultural, technological and political contexts and legacies.

'This final volume of The Cambridge History of War poses perhaps a greater challenge to its editors than any of its predecessors, but they have met it with total success. The years it covers, from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day, have seen the greatest transformationin society in the history of mankind, and war has been transformed with it … It would be invidious to single out individual chapters for commendation. All are by well-chosen experts … but the real credit must go to the editors who planned the book, selected a team so uniquely well qualified to write it and provided an excellent bibliography.'

Source: International Affairs

'This is a pretty amazing book … The speed of this ambitious romp through history is sometimes breathtaking.'

Thomas Ricks Source: Foreign Policy (foreignpolicy.com)

'A cultural history of war that is based on the latest scholarship and state-of-the-art conceptualization. … an outstanding collective achievement.'

Benjamin Ziemann Source: H-Soz-u-Kult