The Future of War

By Lawrence Freedman,

Book cover of The Future of War: A History

Book description

For as long as there have been wars there have been fears about the next war. Where are the new dangers? What is the best defence? How might peace come about? This is the history of how over the last 150 years we have tried - rightly and wrongly -…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Future of War as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Sir Lawrence Freedman sets the standard for erudite but accessible writing about strategy, and this is another wonderful book. It analyzes how smart people in many historical settings have predicted the future of war, and why their predictions then succeeded or failed. The broader political, economic, or social context was often more important than popular concepts of the day—things like short war, decisive battle, the “RMA,” or revolutionary technology. Freedman also reminds us that influential analyses of war’s future change how that future unfolds. Reading this book helped me see beyond popular predictions, to be more discerning about change and…

Want books like The Future of War?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 89 books like The Future of War.

Browse books like The Future of War

Book cover of The Gunpowder Age: China, Military Innovation, and the Rise of the West in World History
Book cover of Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War
Book cover of Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,188

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in war, Afghanistan, and presidential biography?

War 2,052 books
Afghanistan 91 books