Acts of War by Richard Holmes
This ambitious, wide-ranging, exhaustively researched book is a compelling attempt to grasp the very nature of war. It takes us through the soldier's experience in its entirety - from the humiliation of basic training and the intense comradeship of army life, to the terror, isolation and exhaustion of battle. What does it feel like to be in the firing line? How does killing change a man? And what do the extreme conditions of war reveal about a man's basic instincts, his courage or his fear, his urge for self-preservation or self-sacrifice? Covering several centuries of warfare, and including the personal recollections of veterans from two World Wars, from Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands and the Arab-Israeli conflicts, Richard Holmes gives us a powerful picture of what motivates the soldier and enables him to maintain the struggle in conditions of extreme degradation and danger.
'.. a powerful, thought-provoking picture of how the conditions of war affect a man. His sources are several centuries of warfare and the personal recollections of veterans of conflicts across the world. Holmes presents the results of his ambitious and exhaustive research in a very readable form, carefully balancing fact and emotion, detachment and compassion which adds considerable depth to the wisdom expressed.' ARMOUR (Nov/Dec '03) 'Mr Holmes makes a convincing case that the human being remains the central weapon of military conflict, technology notwithstanding. What emerges is a compelling and very human portrait of war.' THE ECONOMIST (21/2/04)
Richard Holmes is the author of numerous books including The Firing Line, Soldiers and Riding The Retreat, published both in the UK and in North America. He is the author and presenter of the BBC War Walks series and their accompanying books. Another recent television series for the BBC and the History Channel is The Western Front, also accompanied by a bestselling book. Richard Holmes is Professor of Military and Security Studies at Cranfield University and the Royal College of Military Science, Shrivenham and Britain's senior serving reserve officer.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780297846680 |
| ISBN 10 | 029784668X |
| Title | Acts of War |
| Author | Richard Holmes |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Orion Publishing Co |
| Year published | 2003-10-09 |
| Number of pages | 448 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |