War and Technology
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- 11,99 €
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- 11,99 €
Publisher Description
“[A] scholarly overview of military technology throughout history—starting roughly in the 15th century and extending into the future . . . insightful.”—Publishers Weekly
In this engaging book, Jeremy Black argues that technology neither acts as an independent variable nor operates without major limitations. This includes its capacity to obtain end results, as technology’s impact is far from simple and its pathways are by no means clear. After considering such key conceptual points, Black discusses important technological advances in weaponry and power projection from sailing warships to aircraft carriers, muskets to tanks, balloons to unmanned drones—in each case, taking into account what difference these advances made. He addresses not only firepower but also power projection and technologies of logistics, command, and control. Examining military technologies in their historical context and the present centered on the Revolution in Military Affairs and Military Transformation, Black then forecasts possible future trends.
“Clear, concise, and thoughtful. An eminently readable synthesis of historical literature on technology and war.”—John France, author of Perilous Glory: The Rise of Western Military Power
“An interesting, thought provoking work by a major military historian . . . whose depth and wide range of knowledge across the entire sweep of world military history is without parallel.... Those who read this book closely will be richly rewarded for it is a mine of useful information and grist for discussion.”—Spencer C. Tucker, author of The European Powers in the First World War
“A most useful introduction to a very complex subject, and particularly valuable for its notes and references to other works. Provocative and vigorously argued . . . Highly recommended.”—Choice
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Whenever a new weapon is developed, there's bound to be heated debate regarding the ethical implications and possible repercussions of its increased lethality. In this scholarly overview of military technology throughout history starting roughly in the 15th century and extending into the future Black (Fighting for America) expands the typical focus of those arguments to include not just the killing power of a new weapon, but also the cultural, historical, and strategic forces that led to its invention and how its deployment affected history. Early modern (1450 1700) European naval advances superior sails, hulls, navigation instruments, and cannon propelled the West to primacy, and though China was the first to develop gunpowder and guns, a Western focus on efficiency, coupled with the advent of the printing press and thus a proliferation in military literature, kept Europe in the lead. The 20th century brought aircraft and computers into the equation, and kicked off the widely heralded Revolution in Military Affairs, a theoretical framework for increasing military efficiency that Black condemns as too vague, multivalent, and idealistic (proponents look forward to an age of "empty battlefield" and satellite-controlled combat) to be useful. Black's turgid academic prose will turn off the bulk of lay readers, but specialists will appreciate his insightful analysis.
