Synopses & Reviews
Centuries of warfare that changed the world are captured in History’s Greatest Wars. This book acts as a perfect primer for novices while offering seasoned history readers new perspectives on many famous and some not-so-well-known conflicts. Each chapter includes a quick-reference summary, a timeline, an overview of the war, essays on its principal leaders, a series of short, often offbeat features on aspects of the conflict, and a detailed account of a pivotal battle.
Author Joseph Cummins highlights pivotal victories that changed nations, from the Norman invasion of England in 1066 to the Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1521 and the first fervid days of the French Revolution of 1789 to the bloody stalemate that ended the Iran-Iraq War in 1988. Each chapter delineates defining moments in the development of political philosophies, from Athens’ defense of democracy against Persian despotism to the championing of equal rights for all in the American Revolution. It recounts the heroism of armies and individuals, from the Spartans’ fight to the death against the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BC to the Korean admiral who inspired his country to repel a massive Japanese invasion in the 1590s. It traces the transformation of battle tactics, from the prearranged set-piece encounters of the Napoleonic Wars to the massive naval landings and aerial bombardments of World War II, explains the scientific innovations that yielded the machine gun, the tank, and the atom bomb, and vividly renders the key victories that turned the tide of war, from Waterloo to Gettysburg and D-Day. At the same time, it reiterates the constants of conflict: the slaughters and massacres, including the Holocaust and the little-known Taiping Rebellion, which killed up to forty million Chinese; the personal sacrifices made by those battling tyranny, among them the rebels of revolutionary France, Greece, and Mexico; and the extraordinary influence of charismatic leaders, ranging from Napoleon and Pancho Villa to Mao Zedong and Hitler.
Sweeping in its scope, yet intimate in its insights into the motivations of politicians, strategists, commanders, and soldiers, this is a collection that will enhance your understanding of the modern world and your own place in it.
Review
“Cummins’ main goal of illustrating the law of unintended consequences is nimbly achieved with gripping stories and lively writing.” --Library Journal
Synopsis
Centuries of warfare that changed the world are captured in History s Greatest Wars. This book acts as a perfect primer for novices while offering seasoned history readers new perspectives on many famous and some not-so-well-known conflicts. Each chapter includes a quick-reference summary, a timeline, an overview of the war, essays on its principal leaders, a series of short, often offbeat features on aspects of the conflict, and a detailed account of a pivotal battle.
Author Joseph Cummins highlights pivotal victories that changed nations, from the Norman invasion of England in 1066 to the Spanish conquest of Mexico in 1521 and the first fervid days of the French Revolution of 1789 to the bloody stalemate that ended the Iran-Iraq War in 1988. Each chapter delineates defining moments in the development of political philosophies, from Athens defense of democracy against Persian despotism to the championing of equal rights for all in the American Revolution. It recounts the heroism of armies and individuals, from the Spartans fight to the death against the Persians at Thermopylae in 480 BC to the Korean admiral who inspired his country to repel a massive Japanese invasion in the 1590s. It traces the transformation of battle tactics, from the prearranged set-piece encounters of the Napoleonic Wars to the massive naval landings and aerial bombardments of World War II, explains the scientific innovations that yielded the machine gun, the tank, and the atom bomb, and vividly renders the key victories that turned the tide of war, from Waterloo to Gettysburg and D-Day. At the same time, it reiterates the constants of conflict: the slaughters and massacres, including the Holocaust and the little-known Taiping Rebellion, which killed up to forty million Chinese; the personal sacrifices made by those battling tyranny, among them the rebels of revolutionary France, Greece, and Mexico; and the extraordinary influence of charismatic leaders, ranging from Napoleon and Pancho Villa to Mao Zedong and Hitler.
Sweeping in its scope, yet intimate in its insights into the motivations of politicians, strategists, commanders, and soldiers, this is a collection that will enhance your understanding of the modern world and your own place in it.
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Synopsis
Centuries of warfare that changed the world are captured in History's Greatest Wars. Each chapter includes a quick-reference summary, a timeline, an overview of the war, essays on its principal leaders, a series of short, often offbeat features on aspects of the conflict, and a detailed account of a pivotal battle. Author Joseph Cummins highlights victories that changed nations. Each chapter delineates defining moments in the development of political philosophies, and recounts the heroism of armies and individuals. It traces the transformation of battle tactics and explains the scientific innovations that yielded the machine gun, the tank, and the atom bomb. At the same time, it reiterates the constants of conflict: the personal sacrifices made by those battling tyranny; and the extraordinary influence of charismatic leaders. Sweeping in its scope, yet intimate in its insights, this is a collection that will enhance your understanding of the modern world and your place in it.
Synopsis
Written in an accessible and engaging style by veteran history writer Joseph Cummins, this book spans most of recorded history and much of the globe in recounting the invasions, battles, and revolutions that have had the greatest effect on human affairs. Weaving together spellbinding narrative and startling facts and striking, frequently poignant images, these enthralling accounts yield new perspectives on the conflicts that created our contemporary world.
The best and worst of humanity is on display here, in a collection that will act as a perfect primer for novices while offering seasoned history readers new perspectives on many famous and not so well known conflicts. Sweeping in its scope, yet intimate in its insights into the motivations of politicians, strategists, commanders, and soldiers, this is a collection that will enhance your understanding of the modern world and your own place in it.
About the Author
Joseph Cummins (Maplewood, NJ) is the author of The War Chronicles, History’s Great Untold Stories: Larger Than Life Characters and Dramatic Events That Changed the World. His other books include Turn Around and Run Like Hell: Unconventional Military Strategies That Worked, History’s Greatest Hits, and Anything for a Vote: Dirty Tricks and October Surprises in America’s Presidential Campaigns.