"This brief, provocative, and accessible book offers snapshots of seven
pernicious myths in military history that have been perpetrated on
unsuspecting students, readers, moviegoers, game players, and
politicians. It promotes awareness of how myths are created by 'the
spurious misuse and ignorance of history' and how
misleading ideas about a military problem, as in asymmetric warfare, can
lead to misguided solutions.
"Both scholarly and engaging, this book is an ideal addition to military
history and historical methodology courses. In fact, it could be
fruitfully used in any course that teaches critical thinking skills,
including courses outside the discipline of history. Military history
has a broad appeal to students, and there's something here for everyone.
From the so-called 'Western Way of War' to its sister-myth,
technological determinism, to the 'academic party game' of once-faddish
'Military Revolutions, ' the book shows that while myths about history
may be fun, myth busting is the most fun of all."
--Reina Pennington, Norwich University
