In this concise history of war, Jeremy Black ranges widely, giving due attention to non-western as well as western traditions. Black probes the diverse character of military capability and the varied nature of military change. The history of war is inextricably bound to the history of the world and for us, as human beings, warfare has often proved to be the pivotal cause, means and consequence of change within society. Through a detailed exploration of 'world-scale' issues of warfare, presented within a chronological framework that spans human history, Jeremy Black skilfully illustrates this fact whilst providing the reader with other astute insights and compelling interpretations of war. "War: A Short History" is a dramatic move away from the formulaic, western approach to military history. Too narrow in its focus on wars specific to the west and too simple because of an over-reliance on a technologically-deterministic reading of warfare, this approach has been rejected by Jeremy Black in favour of a global model that takes all factors into account when considering the strengths and weaknesses of a particular military tradition. Examining wars on five continents, Jeremy Black expertly introduces readers to all of the major themes of warfare. This is a book that is as important for its relevance to current world issues of conflict as it is for its thorough consideration of a monumentally significant aspect of human history....

The War of 1812 is etched into American memory with the burning of the Capitol and the White House by British forces, The Star-Spangled Banner, and the decisive naval battle of New Orleans. Now a respected British military historian offers an international perspective on the conflict to better gauge its significance.

In The War of 1812 in the Age of Napoleon, Jeremy Black provides a dramatic account of the war framed within a wider political and economic context than most American historians have previously considered. In his examination of events both diplomatic and military, Black especially focuses on the actions of the British, for whom the conflict was, he argues, a mere distraction from the Napoleonic War in Europe.

Black describes parallels and contrasts to other military operations throughout the world. He stresses the domestic and international links between politics and military conflict; in particular, he describes how American political unease about a powerful executive and strong army undermined U.S. military efforts. He also offers new insights into the war in the West, amphibious operations, the effects of the British blockade, and how the conflict fit into British global strategy.

For those who think the War of 1812 is a closed book, this volume brims with observations and insights that better situate this "American" war on the international stage....

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This book provides an accessible and up-to-date account of the rich military history of the nineteenth century. It takes a fresh approach, making novel links with conflict and coercion, and moving away from teleological emphases. Naval developments and warfare are included, as are social and cultural dimensions of military activity.

Leading military historian Jeremy Black offers the reader a twenty-first century approach to this period, particularly through his focus on the dynamic drive provided by different forms of military goals, or "tasking". This allows echoes with modern warfare to come to the fore and provides a fuller understanding of a period sometimes considered solely as background to the total war of 1914-45. Alongside state-to-state warfare and the move toward "total war", Black's emphasis on different military goals gives due weight to trans-oceanic conflict at the expense of non-Europeans. Irregular, internal and asymmetric war are all considered, ranging from local insurgencies to imperial expeditions, and provide a deliberate shift from Western-centricity.

At the very cutting edge of its field, this book is a must read for all students and scholars of military history and its related disciplines.

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Dealing with reasons for the end of the slave trade and of slavery, this volume emphasizes abolitionism, and discusses the persistence of the trade, particularly to Brazil and Cuba....

A penetrating examination of the British Empire's relationship with America from its heyday to its decline

Britain and the United States have helped define much of world history in recent centuries and the relationship between the two is crucial to this history. Crisis of Empire focuses on a key period in the relationship, one that molded the character of the British Empire and of the United States and thus the way they would relate to one another in the future. The rise and crises of empires will always fascinate the observer because in their fate we see much of human history. Certainly, the struggle of and for empire in the 18th Century was key to the fate of North America and more generally to that of the West Indies and North Atlantic.

British victory followed by the American Revolution help to define and delimit the modern world. At the European level, the players were Britain, France and Spain, all eager for predominance and for trappings such as trade, land and prestige. Within North America, there were the local agents of these powers but also their subjects, who held their own interests and views. In addition, the Native Americans were more than simply the passive victims of European expansion. Essential reading for history buffs and students of political science alike, Black ably weaves an enchanting tapestry from these fascinating and complex strands of history, spanning the earliest days of the British Empire to the American Revolution and its aftermath....