This book explores the causes, operations, endings, and justifications of war. In the process, it demolishes many currently fashionable illusions, such as that peace is always preferable to war, that wars occur because of accidents or misunderstandings, and that technology changes the nature of war. Abundant historical and contemporary examples show, the authors contend, that all wars are deliberate political choices, that military operations follow timeless principles, and that, as Aristotle taught, the natural aim of war is victory. This new edition of the book that Eugene Rostow called "a gem," Michael Howard called "shrewd and trenchant," and Library Journal called "persuasive" devotes substantial attention to the wars of the post-Cold War period, including "the war on terrorism."

About the Author
Angelo Codevilla is a professor of international relations at Boston University and the author of The Character of Nations, among other works. He lives in Wayland, Massachusetts. The late Paul Seabury was a professor of political science at the University of California, Berkeley.


Book Information
ISBN 9781574886108
Author Angelo Codevilla
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Potomac Books Inc
Publisher Potomac Books Inc
Weight(grams) 526g