Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, this volume argues that although the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars are often understood as laying the foundations for total war, many eyewitnesses continued to draw upon older interpretative frameworks to make sense of the armed struggle and attendant political and social upheaval.

The impact of Napoleon on France and on Europe was immediate and enduring. He dominated his age as his armies dominated the continent; and no European country was untouched, or unchanged, by the events of these turbulent years. Keeping one's bearings geographically, militarily, politically and chronologically in the prevailing turmoil is no easy matter, even for the specialist, and Clive Emsley's concise but authoritative guide to the Napoleonic age will be a boon to students, scholars and general readers alike.

No other soldier has provoked as much anger or as much fervour as Napoleon Bonaparte. Was he a monster, driven on by an endless, ruinous quest for military adventure – or was he a social and political visionary, brought down by petty reactionaries clinging to their privileges? Charles Esdaile’s major new work reframes our understanding of Napoleon. Napoleon’s Wars looks beyond the insatiable greed for glory to create a new, genuinely international context for Napoleon’s career. The battles themselves Esdaile sees as almost side-effects, the consequences of rulers being willing to take the immense risks of fighting or supporting Napoleon – risks that could result in the extinction of entire countries and regimes.

Almost two centuries since his death, Napoleon Bonaparte remains the subject of vigorous debate. On one side are those with a romantic attachment to ideals of liberty and democracy, on the other are those who would rather see him as an ambitious warlord, bent on establishing a colonial empire in the heart of Europe. 30-Second Napoleon takes in both viewpoints, presenting an engrossing introduction to one of the most recognizable figures in history and one of extraordinary interest whichever point of view you take, romantic or pragmatic: one who did much to modernize Europe, and who stood for both a powerful state and for rational and efficient government, plus such principles as equality before the law and the career open to talent—achievements that explain his continued fascination for so many people.

This Guide to the Study and Use of Military History is designed to foster an appreciation of the value of military history and explain its uses and the resources available for its study. It is not a work to be read and lightly tossed aside, but one the career soldier should read again or use as a reference at those times during his career when necessity or leisure turns him to the contemplation of the military past.

Since the earliest days of warfare, military operations have followed a predictable formula: after a decisive battle, an army must pursue the enemy and destroy its organization in order to achieve a victorious campaign. But by the mid-19th century, the emergence of massive armies and advanced weaponry - and the concomitant decline in the effectiveness of cavalry - had diminished the practicality of pursuit, producing campaigns that bogged down short of decisive victory. Great battles had become curiously indecisive, decisive campaigns virtually impossible.

Higher level commanders on both sides were forced to create and develop a personal art of command while actually putting it into practice on campaign and on the battlefield. In so doing - however well or badly managed - the typical commanders under observation developed a pragmatic art that has left a legacy that still provides paradigms for military leaders in the late 20th century.

A collection of essays on British and American maritime relationships in the 20th century together with details on the British organization of warfare, Anglo-American maritime theory, their rivalries and coalitions and their plans for dealing with a future war in the nuclear age.

This compelling alternate history, brilliantly written by fourteen leading international authors, presents the great maybes of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars The Napoleon Options focuses on some of the pivotal episodes of these catastrophic wars, giving them a resounding twist, and explores in detail an alternative sequence of historical events. Rooted firmly in reality, and projected from entirely factual events, these dramatic and plausible possibilities are played out as though they actually happened in vivid and dramatic narratives.The Napoleonic Options presents ten scenarios spanning the years between 1796 and 1815. These include a full-blown French invasion of Ireland, a very real danger in the 1790s; Napoleons successful conquest of Egypt and the Middle East; Junots victory at Vimerio; the Austrian invasion of Bavaria in 1809; the Russian success at Borodino, and what might have happened at Waterloo. Amongst the addition contributions in this new extended edition are alternative outcomes to the battles of Essling, Austerlitz, Fuentes d Ooro, and New Orleans.These captivating scenarios colourfully illustrate how alternate results might have radically re-shaped events and demonstrate the far-reaching consequences minor changes could have had upon the future course of history.