Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine - Hardcover

by David Petraeus (Author), Andrew Roberts (Author)New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, and Publishers Weekly bestseller Book of the Year: Aspects of History, The Critic, Octavian, and Modern War Institute Two leading authorities--an acclaimed historian and the outstanding battlefield commander and strategist of our time--collaborate on a landmark examination of war since 1945. Conflict is both a sweeping history of the evolution of warfare up to Putin's invasion of the Ukraine, and a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past--and anticipate in the future--in order to navigate an increasingly perilous world. "Not since Clausewitz’ On War has a book provided so much insight into the nature of warfare. Deeply researched, brilliantly constructed and thoroughly entertaining, Conflict gets to the heart of why some nations win and others lose during war. Conflict could only have been written through the unique collaboration of General Dave Petraeus and Lord (Andrew) Roberts. It is a book that will shape the thinking of policy makers and military strategists for generations to come." — Admiral William H. McRaven, US Navy (Ret.); former Commander of US Special Operations Command and the Counter-Terrorist Task Force that brought Osama bin Laden to justice; author of the best sellers Make Your Bed, Sea Stories, and The Hero Code “There is much to learn from this book. Not only will it be studied by military officers for generations to come, it will also be enjoyed by those who simply appreciate military history. I can’t think of two people better qualified to identify the key lessons from conflict in the modern era - I just hope that our leadership will take the time to read this book and follow its advice.” — General Sir Nick Carter GCB CBE DSO, former UK Chief of Defence Staff; UK Chief of the General Staff; former Deputy Commander of the International Security Assistance Force, Commander of Regional Command-South in Afghanistan, and Commander of 20th Armoured Brigade in Iraq "Most books are recommended as a good read, an informed insight or just necessary; Conflict is simply essential. It will be as relevant tomorrow as it is today. General Petraeus brings statesman, scholar, businessman and soldier credentials to bear to the challenge, while Lord Roberts adds a notable and noteworthy historian perspective. The result is essential reading. Conflict highlights the complexities and challenges of conflict wrapped up as they always are as a truly wicked and more than often an unresolvable problem, but one about which we still must make choices." — Lieutenant General Sir Graeme Lamb British Army (Retd) KBE, CMG, DSO; Former Commander of the UK Field Army, Deputy Commander of the Multinational Force-Iraq during the Surge, Commander of the 3rd Mechanised Division in Iraq, and Director of UK Special Forces In this deep and incisive study, General David Petraeus, who commanded the US-led coalitions in both Iraq, during the Surge, and Afghanistan and former CIA director, and the prize-winning historian Andrew Roberts, explore over 70 years of conflict, drawing significant lessons and insights from their fresh analysis of the past. Drawing on their different perspectives and areas of expertise, Petraeus and Roberts show how often critical mistakes have been repeated time and again, and the challenge, for statesmen and generals alike, of learning to adapt to various new weapon systems, theories and strategies. Among the conflicts examined are the Arab-Israeli wars, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the two Gulf Wars, the Balkan wars in the former Yugoslavia, and both the Soviet and Coalition wars in Afghanistan, as well as guerilla conflicts in Africa and South America. Conflict culminates with a bracing look at Putin's disastrous invasion of Ukraine, yet another case study in the tragic results when leaders refuse to learn from history, and an assessment of the nature of future warfare. Filled with sharp insight and the wisdom of experience, Conflict is not only a critical assessment of our recent past, but also an essential primer of modern warfare that provides crucial knowledge for waging battle today as well as for understanding what the decades ahead will bring. About the Author General DAVID PETRAEUS is a retired United States Army general and widely respected as a leading warrior intellectual. He graduated with distinction from the US Military Academy and earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University. He served for 37 years in the US Army, culminating his time in uniform with 6 consecutive commands as a general officer, 5 of which were in combat, including Command of the Surge in Iraq, US Central Command, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. He then served as Director of the CIA. He has held academic appointments at six universities and currently is a Senior Fellow and Lecturer at Yale. He is a prominent commentator on contemporary security issues, military developments, and global affairs. He is currently a Partner in a major investment firm and chairs that firm’s Global Institute. ANDREW ROBERTS is a biographer and historian whose books include the New York Times bestsellers Churchill: Walking With Destiny and Napoleon: A Life (winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize), Masters and Commanders, The Storm of Warand Salisbury: Victorian Titan (winner of the Wolfson Prize for History), among others. His most recent book, The Last King of America: The Misunderstood Reign of George III, was published in November 2021. Roberts is a Fellow of the Royal Societies of Literature and the Royal Historical Society, and a Trustee of the International Churchill Society. He is currently Visiting Professor at the Department of War Studies at King's College, London, and the Roger and Martha Mertz Visiting Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.