How to Fight a War

Recommended — ‘Absolutely brilliant’ — by Marina Hyde on The Rest is Entertainment podcast‘An illuminating and enjoyable account of warfare and guidelines to achieve lasting peace. How to Fight a War is also written in an engaging style, rich in personal and historical anecdote, that lays out complex issues in an absorbing and logical way.’ — Financial Times An indispensable guide to understanding modern warfare, especially the decisions made by politicians and generals—both good and bad.Has any war in history gone according to plan? Monarchs, dictators and elected leaders alike have a dismal record on military decision-making, from over-ambitious goals to disregarding intelligence, terrain, or enemy capabilities. This not only wastes the lives of civilians, the enemy and one’s own soldiers, but also fails to achieve geopolitical objectives, and usually lays the seeds for more wars down the line.Conflict scholar and former soldier Mike Martin takes the reader through the hard, elegant logic to fighting a conclusive interstate war that solves geopolitical problems, and reduces future conflict. In cool and precise prose, he outlines how to orchestrate military forces, from infantry to information, and from strategy to tactics.How to Fight a War explains the unavoidable, yet seemingly elusive, art of using violence to force your enemies to do what you want. It should be read by everyone seeking to understand today’s wars, as well as those wishing to lead us through the coming decades of conflict.Having served as a British Army officer in Afghanistan, Dr. Mike Martin is currently a Liberal Democrat MP, member of the Defence Select Committee and well-regarded expert on War Studies. Explores the complexities of warfare and highlights overlooked elements such as the importance of psychology and maintaining esprit de corps Modern warfare is changing at an alarming pace, and this book guides you through