Western Warfare, 1775-1882 (review)

An amazingly prolific military and diplomatic historian, Professor Black has never written a bad book and this slim but ambitious and erudite volume continues the practice. It is a continuation of his earlier book, European Warfare, 1660-1815 (1994) but in contrast with the earlier work with its emphasis on continuities it stresses change. Its emphasis remains global and inclusive. It expands the term European to Western Warfare, that is conflicts in which the West was involved. This includes developments in the New World, not only in North America but also the much-neglected Latin American wars, covering not only conflicts between states but also civil wars and insurgencies The book examines the impact of Western warfare on non-western societies. The discussion includes land and sea warfare and consideration of military capabilities in terms of organization, strategy and tactics, weaponry and fighting techniques, and the industrial and social factors of waging the various types of war, noting that military capability is not an absolute but a relative concept. Within this context the author questions whether military "modernity," regarded by most military historians as the product of a deterministic and linear development, or whether a more complex and dynamic process stressing relative capabilities, provides the best approach to understanding the military past.

The scope of the book, covering the period from the American Revolution to the British defeat of the Zulus in 1879 and the conquest of Egypt in 1882, described as "two of the dynamic non-Western forces of the century" (xiiii), perhaps a questionable assessment, requires a high degree of condensation. Even so the author is able to outline and comment on major conflicts and developments, imperial, national, and civil wars. This is achieved by two chapters outlining the global context in 1775-1815 and 1815-82, a chapter on "Social and Political Contexts," and a conclusion entitled "Revisiting Modernity." His discussions of the various major conflicts, ranging from the American War of Independence to the Prusso-German victory over France in 1870-71, follow the generally accepted views. Then there is an excellent chapter on "Naval Power and Warfare," describing the decline of the nonwestern world's capability for high seas engagements, technological changes, the growing predominance of the Royal Navy and the impact of sea power on various conflicts. The ensuing chapter covers the unprecedented global colonial expansion during the nineteenth century, providing experience for future senior commanders.

If the preceding chapters are mainly narrative with some analysis, the final two chapters, "Social and Political Contexts" and "Conclusions: Revisiting Modernity," are predominantly analytic and cover types of army organization from recruitment and command to military-civilian relationships throughout the entire period. Finally, the conclusion challenges the notion of a linear progress towards modern warfare and suggests a more complex treatment taking into account differences in location or type of wars. Neither of these two chapters is easy to read and both require careful study of the earlier chapters and a good knowledge of geography, difficult because the book unfortunately lacks maps.

In short, this is a bold effort and a most useful and often thought-provoking book highly recommended to everyone interested in military history and affairs.