Published: 1 June 03
Air & Space Power Journal - Summer 2003

European Warfare, 1815–2000 edited by Jeremy Black. Palgrave Macmillan (http://www.palgrave- usa.com), 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010, 2002, 272 pages, $69.95 (hardcover), $22.95 (softcover).

Jeremy Black, a professor of history at the University of Exeter in England, is one the most innovative, respected, and prolific military historians of his generation, with well over 30 books and many articles to his credit. Clearly, any serious discussion of sources of European military history must refer to his impressive body of scholarship. Black’s recent works, most notably his War and the World: Military Power and the Fate of Continents, 1450–2000 (Yale University Press, 1998), aim to steer our understanding of the nature of military history in new directions. He strives to move military history away from an almost xenophobic fascination with large European armies fighting major campaigns to a more balanced examination of what the military experience has actually been.

With his book European Warfare, 1815–2000, Professor Black continues his penchant for cutting-edge scholarship, intending this collection of essays to serve both as a summary of trends in the European art of war since the end of the Napoleonic era and as a challenge to our understanding of its written history. His introduction raises serious issues about our approach to evaluating conflicts- issues made weightier by America’s current involvement in its war on terror. Although many commentators argue that this conflict is a nontraditional one since the foe is a shadowy extranational organization rather than a nation-state, this author maintains that the definition of the history of modern war does not confine itself to conflict between regular armed forces. Perhaps, as Black asserts, we have become complacent in accepting a "Whiggish" or elitist approach to military history- one that focuses on the grand accounts of nations with organized political forces in conflict with one another. In most cases, the story is about events such as the Napoleonic Wars, the Wars of German Unification, or World War I- a linear approach that emphasizes the progress of military art. Is that approach, however, the correct paradigm for studying military history? Perhaps as, Black argues, it is not. It is one that emphasizes the great dramas and ignores or underrates the events that occur between these conflicts, the role of the military as an internal security force, and conflicts between lesser powers.

Seven prominent military historians join the editor in surveying European military history since 1815 and in attempting to improve our perspective on that subject. Dennis Showalter’s lead essay "Europe’s Way of War, 1815–1864" sets the tone for this innovative collection. Past president of the Society for Military History and one of our finest scholars, Showalter identifies several "dialectics" that have shaped and characterized European history: internal security versus power projection, quality versus numbers, experience versus theory, technology versus tempo, and Europe versus overseas. Examining Europe’s story of conflict in these terms rather than focusing on big battles and chronology proves much more rewarding and is likely to provide new insights into what on the surface is a well-known story.

Black’s article "European Warfare, 1864–1914" attempts to steer us away from the traditional concern with the wars of German unification to a more comprehensive view but finds it difficult to escape the scenario that emphasizes the growth of large, Moltkean-inspired armies during this period. As one would expect in a survey of late nineteenth- and twentieth-century military history, we have solid articles on World Wars I and II, by Spencer Tucker and S. P. Mackenzie, respectively. Linking them is a thoughtful essay by Francisco J. Romero Salvado, arguing that the period from 1917 to 1939, in many ways, represented both a European civil war and an unprecedented period of popular upheaval. Essays by Bruce Vandervort and Lawrence Sondhaus provide perspectives on colonial and naval warfare, respectively- the kind of activity that dominated the European military experience throughout this period.

Finally, Warren Chin evaluates European war since 1945 and provides us hints as to the future of war on a European and, perhaps, global scale. Although the previous articles describe almost constant warfare on the European continent since 1815, Chin argues that only one significant regional conflict occurred during this period- the Bosnian wars of 1992–95. Certainly, one can quibble with this interpretation and point to the Soviet suppression of uprisings in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus regions, and the Greek-Turkish conflict over Cyprus, among others. However, the author’s essential arguments require serious consideration. More civilians than soldiers have died in these post–Word War II conflicts. He argues that a changing strategic environment exists, especially in Europe, in which national survival is no longer an issue- the international community simply will not tolerate the disappearance of a nation-state. In addition, intervention in smaller conflicts is often driven by the media revolution, which has brought commentary and images into both European and American homes. Furthermore, since wars are not fought over national survival, the population and government have little tolerance of casualties. Wars no longer fit the conventional model of large ground-air-naval forces maneuvering to attain operational and strategic objectives; they are no longer clean (if they ever were) but involve ethnic cleansing and classic guerilla warfare. Finally, the last 50 years have witnessed American military power eclipse that of the Continental powers to a degree unimaginable in 1815.

This thought-provoking collection of essays has its limitations, however. As Professor Black points out, it is about ideas. To benefit from the challenges each essayist presents, the reader needs to be grounded in the basic chronology and issues of the period. Readers of Aerospace Power Journal will also be annoyed with the dearth of attention paid to aviation issues. Nevertheless, when used along with a standard text such as Warfare in the Western World: Military Operations since 1871 (D. C. Heath, 1996) by Robert Doughty and Ira Gruber, European Warfare, 1815–2000 can serve as an excellent source for alternative interpretations that stimulate discussion and research. It is well worth including in most professional libraries.

Dr. Stephen A. Bourque
California State University, Northridge

Disclaimer

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.