- Hardcover: 512 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber (22 Oct 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571204171
- ISBN-13: 978-0571204175
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 4.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 903,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Daily Telegraph, October 6, 2001
His latest book can only enhance his reputation among readers with common sense.
Sunday Telegraph, October 21, 2001
At the heart of this big, combative and gutsy book there is an argument which is powerful and convincing.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
34 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Even if you are not particularly interested in history or the military, this book will fascinate you right from the beginning. It gives you insight into nine great battles fought between 480 B.C. (Salamis) and 1968 (Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War). All battles described are encounters between western and non-western armies and almost all have been won by western countries. Hanson asks himself what factors eventually contributed to these western victories and he comes up with very convincing answers. He maintains that the keystone for military success was laid in ancient Greece. The old Greeks fought uniquely differently from their adversaries (e.g. the Persians or Carthaginians) in so far as their soldiers fought on a sense of personal freedom, superior discipline, matchless weapons, egalitarian camaraderie,, individual initiative, constant tactical adaption and flexibility, preference for shock battle of heavy infantry. All these positive aspects could have only developed in the constitutionally governed Greek city-states where ordinary people voted for their representatives, where there was equality among classes, where soldiers had a say in military affairs, where even the small farmer owned property etc.
Hanson never merely describes the battles, but always gives insight into the economic, social, cultural and political conditions under which soldiers lived and stood up for their countries.
I have never read a better book in terms of military history.
Hanson never merely describes the battles, but always gives insight into the economic, social, cultural and political conditions under which soldiers lived and stood up for their countries.
I have never read a better book in terms of military history.
5 of 7 people found the following review helpful
This is a bold declaration of the supremacy of the Western way of war, by the respected Greek historian Victor Hanson. It details 9 major pivotal events which underpin the key role that Western tactics and technology, that eventually triumphed to shape the world we live in today. The book does not at all claim moral superior of Western morals, just superior force of arms.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
This book suffers, in my view, from failing to ever define very much what is meant by "the West". Most readers will understand this term in a Cold War context: but its meaning in previous centuries is somewhat unclear. It is interspersed with "European" fairly frequently in these chapters - a term which would usually include Russians and Turks: which is presumably not intended.
In fact, the whole effort of the book divides the world into 2 blocs: "West" and "non-West". It is as if the Cold War began in 500 BC!
The central thesis : that Western armies have consistently beaten non-Western armies because of their democratic tradition, is backed up by a series of carefully-picked battles, taking a notable holiday for most of the 1000 years or so between the fall of Rome and the Renaissance. Phenomena such as the Mongol invasions of Europe are ignored totally, and the repulse of Abd al-Rahman's Islamic raiding party at Poitiers is heralded as "Western victory" with no discussion of the fact that he was in France at all and the Islamic world was sweeping all before it at the time.
The "democratic tradition" argument is also somewhat questionable. It is built around the deeds and arrangements of Ancient Greek Hoplite warriors but little effort is made to re-make it in the light of later, somewhat less democratic societies also claimed as "the West". It is just assumed that the "tradition of the West" was carrying on. The Conquistadors in Mexico were hardly winning because of their free, democratic society - the Inquisition was in full swing at the time.
Despite all this, it's fairly easy to read and provides some good background information on the chosen battles.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Well written..........but
In his book Why the West Has Won Victor David Hanson presents a clear and cogent argument that various practices intrinsic to western society have enabled the west to maintain... Read more
Published on 22 Aug 2006 by O. Wakefield
Quality writing but propaganda nevertheless
Hanson's ideas are certainly appealing but he doesn't countenance any alternative viewpoint, as if his views are established facts rather than just one analysis of warfare. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2005 by "rashed_huq"
Triumphalist and rather smug
The book comes across as a bit of a cheerleading piece for the western superiority, real or otherwise. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2003 by JasonC
Superb
A brilliant book. Covers the reasoning behind western military and cultural success, in an easy to digest form. Read more
Published on 5 Mar 2002 by Julian E Foot
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