Battles that Changed Warfare

The development of new weapons technology has always had a decisive impact on the outcome of military encounters, often changing the way that battles are fought for generations to follow. Battles that Changed Warfare features 20 key battles in which new weapons have had a revolutionary impact on the battlefield. Beginning with the battle of Megiddo (1457 BC), where Pharaoh Tuthmosis III’s chariots defeated the Canaanites, and finishing with the first Gulf War (1991), where the F-117 “Stealth” fighter helped the US-led Coalition to beat the Iraqi army with minimal losses, the most important examples from the history of warfare are featured. From the success of Roman legions at Cynoscephalae in 197 BC to the introduction of the cannon at Castillon in 1453 to the use of tanks at Cambrai in 1917 to the use of carrier-borne aircraft at Pearl Harbor in 1941, each battle includes a contextual introduction, a description of the action, and an analysis of the aftermath. A specially commissioned colour map illustrating the dispositions and movement of forces brings the subject to life and helps the reader grasp the course of each battle. Authoritatively written and with more than 200 colour and black-and-white maps, artworks and photographs, Battles that Changed Warfare is an essential companion for anyone interested in military history.