THE ALLURE OF BATTLE: A HISTORY OF HOW WARS HAVE BEEN WON AND LOST

摘要

Cathal Nolan's The Allure of Battle is an ambitions book and an important contribution to military history. Across 700 pages, the Boston University-based author's scholarship is thorough and convincing. In citing broad historical examples-from Roman times, to Napoleon's campaigns, to the 20th century's World Wars-he challenges conventional thinking about the role of "decisive battles." Tactical wins on any glorified battlefield, Nolan writes, rarely equate to lasting strategic gains. And the mythology that surrounds famous battles, and their storied generals, further complicates a more honest and objective assessment. Attrition, Nolan argues, is the better watchword and historical measure when nations send their armies into battle.