Seven Myths of Military History

This brief, provocative, and accessible book offers snapshots of seven pernicious myths in military history that have been perpetrated on unsuspecting students, readers, moviegoers, game players, and politicians. It promotes awareness of how myths are created by 'the spurious misuse and ignorance of history' and how misleading ideas about a military problem, as in asymmetric warfare, can lead to misguided solutions. Both scholarly and engaging, this book is an ideal addition to military history and historical methodology courses. In fact, it could be fruitfully used in any course that teaches critical thinking skills, including courses outside the discipline of history. Military history has a broad appeal to students, and theres something here for everyone. From the so-called 'Western Way of War' to its sister-myth, technological determinism, to the academic party game of once-faddish Military Revolutions, the book shows that while myths about history may be fun, myth busting is the most fun of all. Reina Pennington, Norwich University