Turning the Tide of War: 50 Battles That Changed the Course of Modern History

Basically I bought this book just to have access to a couple of illustrations in it. However, as it was in hand, I ended up flipping through it more than expected. I usually view these books as knock offs for general consumption at the discount book stores, but I think this one surpassed that level, at least at the price it can be purchased for. Great illustrations peppered with diagrams and photographs. The chapters were short, which is about all I wanted them to be on some of the battles chosen. I found interest in battles/wars that I never thought I would have. The biggest challenge the author had was in which battles to chose. Personally I would have picked a number of different ones, but never-the-less, for the price, it is worth some causal reading.

A surprisingly detailed and attractive introduction to military history, this book, as the title suggests, offers an insight into 50 pivotal battles. Each 'chapter' gives a written account of the event, and is complimented by illustrations, photographs (where applicable) and color maps. Each written descriptions is certainly more detailed than a simple synopsis, often including tactical observations, quotations and eyewitness accounts from those involved, mentions of the political impact of each engagement and references to the larger picture, which is especially useful in the WW1 and WW2 sections. The maps are large, detailed and clearly readable, and are closely tied to the rest of each chapter, meaning that it is easy to refer to them. Some chapters include 3D maps that help to clarify the particular strategic and geographical difficulties of the battle.There is a pleasingly diverse selection of battles offered, ranging from the Byzantine crusades through the two world wars and into modern day events such as Somalia and Desert Storm. Also included are perhaps 'lesser known' battles such as the British recapture of Port Stanley, the struggle for Stalingrad, and particular engagements in Bosnia - events that recieved less popular media attention, but are no less important. Particular care is given to explaining what role each of these battles played in the course of history, and the book feels rounded and consistent.Its fair to say that not every battle recieves the same amount of coverage, and these are by no means definitive accounts...those seeking an in-depth examination should probably look elswhere. Still, this would make a great starting point for a budding military historian, war-buff or, like me, amateur wargamer, and offers a lot of detail for a low price.