This compendium of the context of conflicts through the ages highlights in a single volume the commonalities of why men, nations and beliefs wage war. That said, there are many scenarios that set these conflict wheels in motion, but the common threads are there and we, as a human race, consistently refuse to recognise the warning signs and steadfastly do little to prevent the inevitable. This book highlights our current conflict in Europe albeit it was written shortly after Russia (Putin) invaded Ukraine but makes the point of the similarities to the triggers of WWI and WWII.
This book should be read by all generations and hopefully by those who aspire to join our Armed Forces, to realise that there has never been prolonged ‘peace’ anywhere on this planet in recorded history. This thought-provoking book just shows what humanity is up against but all our governmental diplomatic and preventative negotiations are never strong enough to overcome the triggers that lead to war.

This review is written after reading and reviewing ‘About War’, the first in a planned three volume series. An initial thought might be that, apart from what would then be an unduly long book, it’s not entirely clear why the author felt that there were really two books here. There is significant overlap and duplication and the different foci of the two books are perhaps not as clear as the titles would suggest. Finally, whilst picking out the less secure aspects of the titles this reviewer felt that, at times, the author indulged in a degree of polemical narrative, rather than restricting himself to facts and conclusions that drew on the facts presented.
Having got all that off my chest it should be noted that Christopher Pike pulls together a lot of data and relevant case studies to illuminate his writing. The many different sections are well described and will serve to inform most readers of the many different aspects of modern war and modern warfare (the author drawing a clear distinction between the two), although nervous readers may wish to skip the chapters relating to nuclear weapons.
However - and this issue cannot be placed at the door of the author - this review is written just fifty days or so into the Trump presidency. Pike’s reflections on the possibility of a lessening of the NATO support for Ukraine can hardly have had in mind the way in which the Ukrainian position has been weakened by the changes in the Russia/US relations and the fracturing of arms and intelligence supply from the US to Ukraine. Whilst this has potentially devastating consequences for Ukraine, it also demonstrates the difficulty (impossibility?) of using previous history to predict future action.
Overall, then, what to make of ‘War in Context’? It undoubtedly provides a useful review of the history of war and wars, the weapons systems that have been deployed and the importance of political decision making. The author is rightly critical of many military deployments and of the failure of politicians and/or senior military personnel to follow the advice of the great historical military writers in ensuring that there is clarity over the aims of any war before committing resources. The coverage is comprehensive without being dense, and most readers will find the text a useful guide in this complicated aspect of relations between different states or polities.
Recommended