
The Shortest History of War
From Hunter-Gatherers to Nuclear Superpowers - A Retelling for Our Times
Gwynne Dyer(Author)
The Experiment LLC (Publisher)
Published on 2. August 2022
Book
Paperback/Softback
256 pages
978-1-61519-930-3 (ISBN)
Description
War has changed, but we have not. From our hunter-gatherer ancestors to the rival nuclear powers of today, whenever resources have been contested, we've gone to battle. Acclaimed historian Gwynne Dyer illuminates our many martial clashes in this brisk account, tracing warfare from prehistory to the world's first cities-and on to the thousand-year "classical age" of combat, which ended when the firearm changed everything. He examines the brief interlude of "limited war" before eighteenth-century revolution ushered in "total war"-and how the devastation was halted by the nuclear shock of Hiroshima.
Then came the Cold War and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which punctured the longest stretch of peace between major powers since World War II. For all our advanced technology and hyperconnected global society, we find ourselves once again on the brink as climate change heightens competition for resources and superpowers stand ready with atomic bombs, drones, and futuristic "autonomous" weapons in development.
Throughout, Dyer delves into anthropology, psychology, and other relevant fields to unmask the drivers of conflict. The Shortest History of War is 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 Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.
Then came the Cold War and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which punctured the longest stretch of peace between major powers since World War II. For all our advanced technology and hyperconnected global society, we find ourselves once again on the brink as climate change heightens competition for resources and superpowers stand ready with atomic bombs, drones, and futuristic "autonomous" weapons in development.
Throughout, Dyer delves into anthropology, psychology, and other relevant fields to unmask the drivers of conflict. The Shortest History of War is 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 Shortest History books deliver thousands of years of history in one riveting, fast-paced read.
Reviews / Votes
"An incisive and well-informed overview of how warfare has evolved. . . . sheds light on how new technologies, from the composite bow to drones, have altered battlefield and geopolitical strategies." -- Publishers Weekly "From the first armies to clashes of drones and dirty bombs, this is eye-opening, big-picture stuff." -- BBC History Magazine "Readable and sharp . . . does what it says on the tin." -- Independent "Dyer writes with eloquence and authority . . . particularly effective in painting in broad strokes the evolution of warfare." -- Irish Examiner "Underwrite an overview of a complicated topic with one of these new short-and-sweet distillations . . . with maps, charts, sidebars, and illustrations to bring it alive." -- Mosaic, Morgan Stanley "This book is unique because, rather than examining any individual war, it looks at the 'How': how wars and conflicts were enacted and how that evolved over time." -- City Book ReviewMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Illustrations
80 B&W images
Dimensions
Height: 194 mm
Width: 130 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
248 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-61519-930-3 (9781615199303)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Gwynne Dyer
The Shortest History of War
From Hunter-Gatherers to Nuclear Superpowers - A Retelling for Our Times
E-Book
08/2022
The Experiment
€12.49
Available for download
Person
London-based Gwynne Dyer is a renowned journalist, columnist, broadcaster, and lecturer on international affairs. His documentary television series on the history of war was nominated for an Academy Award. His twice-weekly column on international affairs appears in 175 newspapers in 45 countries and is translated into more than a dozen languages.
Content
Foreword
1. Origins
2. How Combat Works
3. The Evolution of Battle 3500–1500 BCE
4. Classical War 1500bc–1400 CE
5. Absolute Monarchs and Limited War 1400–1790
6. Mass Warfare 1790–1900
7. Total War
8. A Short History of Nuclear War, 1945–1990
9. Trifurcation: Nuclear, Conventional, Terrorist
10. The End of War
Endnotes
Image Credits
1. Origins
2. How Combat Works
3. The Evolution of Battle 3500–1500 BCE
4. Classical War 1500bc–1400 CE
5. Absolute Monarchs and Limited War 1400–1790
6. Mass Warfare 1790–1900
7. Total War
8. A Short History of Nuclear War, 1945–1990
9. Trifurcation: Nuclear, Conventional, Terrorist
10. The End of War
Endnotes
Image Credits