World History of Warfare

By: Christon I. Archer, John R. Ferris, Holger H. Herwig, Timothy H. E. Travers

Narrated by: Scott Carrico

World History of Warfare covers worldwide military history from ancient times to the present and is designed for college courses. Its principal theme is an exploration of change and continuity, revolution and tradition, in three thousand years of warfare. It teaches students and general listeners how warfare evolved and how that evolution affected human society, with emphasis on major turning points in the conduct of warfare rather than a superficial general history of wars.

Although the volume addresses traditional subjects such as generals and tactics, each chapter also includes discussion of the idea of war, the role of the common soldier, and the changing interpretations of the military’s place in society and politics. Of special value is the authors’ treatment of non-Western societies and the role military forces have played in shaping societies worldwide.

©2002 University of Nebraska Press (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Belongs on the bookshelves of anyone interested in the phenomenon of human conflict." (Dennis Showalter, past president, Society for Military History)

"An outstanding reading text on the history of warfare from its origins to the twenty-first century." (Air Power History magazine)

Read this book!!!

War may well be the “Oldest Profession”.
The historical insights put forth outline a clear path through human history in which war seems to have been ever present. The role war has played in economies, technological advancement, and societal development for thousands of years is both eye opening and frightening. Kudos to the narrator on his ability to navigate a mine field of words from dozens of languages, and his beautiful pacing throughout the 28- hour long production. Well done!
Again, everyone should listen to this book.

Fascinating tour de force of warfare

Overall, a worthwhile read, some parts are stronger than others, but it builds upon the preceding sections, culminating in the latter part (around chapter 22, I believe), where it really gives sharp conclusions to the whole continuum of warfare through the ages. This particular section was the gem of the whole book, which can really be appreciated in the context of the preceding chapters.
Importantly, book covers both east and west in good detail.

Few parts of the book are based on outdated scholarship, but are not critical drawbacks in the context of the aim of presenting overall history of warfare. Nevertheless, be mindful that some details here are considered inaccurate by contemporary scholars.

Valuable read, fairly engaging (though not exceptionally so), with few small flaws.

World History of Warfare

The "World History of Warfare" is a textbook designed for introductory college courses in military history. The book explores different aspects of warfare, such as tactics, technology, and the socio-political impact of conflicts throughout history—from ancient battles to modern warfare. It provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of how warfare has evolved. Particularly eye-opening were the sections on World War II, which provided a succinct, unemotional, non-political, cost-benefit analysis of that war.

The audio was technically good and was competently read by Scott Carrico, although his words-per-minute pacing was sometimes inconsistent.

Loved it!

Definitely a great book to read or listen to. Especially if you do not know much about world conflicts.

Awesome Book for History Fans

This was a great read from start to finish. The format and information flowed seamlessly and made it really easy to picture the battles and engagements in your head. I recommend this to anyone who wants to study warfare and it’s impact on our history.