Technology and War: From 2000 B.C. to the Present

In tracing the history of technology in the service of war from early times to the present, van Creveld organizes this major study by epochs: the Age of Tools, the Age of Machines, the Age of Systems and the Age of Automation. Chapters within each section explore the impact of technology on particular aspects of warfaresieges, mobilization, military professionalism, command of the air, naval warfareto cite but five of 20 categories. Major military inventions from chariots to ballistic missiles, and their integration with other arms, are discussed in chronological order, along with ``civilian'' inventions adapted to the military realm, such as the timepiece, the telegraph, the railway. Van Creveld ( Command in War ) goes beyond the hardware to examine how technology has affected strategy and tactics, intelligence, logistics, communications and command. With laudable clarity, he explains the application of nuclear energy and computer technology to the military, as well as the latest developments in electronic warfare and their possible deployment on future battlefields. (Dec.)