A Western Way of War?

One of the most heated debates in the historical field, and not just military history, is the Western Way of War debate. So the argument goes, something about Europe that emerged/developed in the early modern era allowed its countries to master warfare, export its penchant for violence, and establish global empires that lasted for over 300 years. Indeed, by 1600 Europe controlled 34% of the global inhabitable land mass, and most of these empires did not unravel until two world wars facilitated their deconstruction.

How this happened is a matter of intense debate.

Some historians argue that Europe developed a specific style of warfare, the origins of which can be traced back to Ancient Greece and the citizen-soldier phalanx model. This is the so-called "Western Way of War". Other historians might not support that aspect of the debate but do support that there is something distinctly "European" that allowed states to successfully establish their empires, often against much larger indigenous populations. Still other historians disagree with the concept entirely, arguing that European empires were the product of luck, circumstance, or other factors outside something distinctly "Western".

If you wish to learn more about this debate, start with reading the following books/articles in their listed order. Be aware that this is a debate, and while Dr. D has her own thoughts on the matter, and there are certainly wrong answers (ex: no, it wasn't aliens!), there is not necessarily a right one.

• Victor Davis Hanson, The Western Way of War (1989)

• David Ralston, Importing the European Army (1990)

• Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (1997)

• Victor Davis Hanson, Carnage and Culture (2001)

• John Lynn, Battle (2003)

• Geoffrey Parker et. al., The Cambridge Illustrated History of Warfare (2021)

• Toni Andrade, The Gunpowder Age (2016)