War and Power: Who Wins Wars – and Why

A bold study and review of history that challenges modern misconceptions about the origins of power and the operations of war, by a professor of strategic studies. War and power are two of the most widely discussed issues in human history, yet they are repeatedly misunderstood, often with disastrous consequences. While we may think that the outcome of war is determined by so-called “great powers” ​​who dominate their opponents with their sheer size and military power, the reality of modern conflict, as the famous strategic historian Professor Phillips Payson O’Brien shows, is very different. Instead, he urges us to look for “universal forces.” If we think about how strong a country is and who will win the war. We need to focus less on weapons, and more on the economies and societies that produce them; It is less about individual battles, and more about the sustainability of campaigns and alliances within which countries operate. Using fascinating examples from the late 19th century to the present day. War and Power explains how misunderstandings of war and power have led to horrific and even avoidable conflicts—such as the war in Ukraine—and how a more nuanced analysis can help us examine potential conflict between the United States and China. War and Power offers a bold new approach to understanding the dangerous world around us.