War in the Modern World

By: David R. Stone, The Great Courses

Narrated by: David R. Stone

Great powers no longer fight great wars. But how exactly did countries like the United States go from confronting powerful adversaries in 1914 and 1939 Europe to waging lengthy counterinsurgency campaigns in places like Iraq and Afghanistan? The answer lies in the profound geopolitical and technological changes that came in between. After Germany and Japan surrendered to the Allied powers in 1945, the very nature of war—how it is fought and by whom—had changed, culminating in a series of proxy battles, civil conflicts, and insurgencies that came to define the global landscape after World War II.

A 24-episode course designed by US Naval War College professor David R. Stone, War in the Modern World has two complementary goals. The first is to explore modern war through conflict from the end of the Second World War up to the present day and the second is to zoom out of the trenches to examine the characteristics that tie wars since 1945 together. It is not just about the dates and details; it is about the big picture, about our modern conception of war. When you are finished with War in the Modern World, you will be familiar with the causes, effects, major players, and histories of modern conflicts, as well as the broad contours of warfare after 1945.

You will learn about the key figures of modern war, from Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara to US General Douglas McArthur. You will define insurgency, counterinsurgency, and civil war. You will become familiar with modern weapons like IEDs and guided missiles that have transformed warfare and empowered rebel groups on virtually every continent. You will study violent conflicts within empires, and see how large imperial powers like Britain, France, and the USSR struggled to contend with insurgency. You will analyze the causes and effects of major, history-defining conflicts, from the Korean War to Russia’s War in Chechnya. And you will emerge a sharper and more informed student of history and contemporary affairs overall.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2022 The Great Courses (P)2022 The Teaching Company, LLC

Bloody history

Great telling of modern military history though I did not personally enjoy the narrator all so much.

not what I expected but very interesting

I was hoping to understand how modern wars work but this book is just an informative overview of the wars that happened after world war II around the world.
if you look at it for what it is, it's definitely worth listening to it.

Better than expected!

Objective detailed presentation.
Kind of a sad commentary on human nature when you hear about violent ethnic conflicts in almost every culture.

One of the Best courses on audible

This course managed to explain to me a century of complex global political and military confrontation in a clear manner. Also it was balanced and non-judgmental To a very good degree which meant that you would get a clearer prospective.

Thanks

Wonderfull explanation of how war has evolved

I have always believed that the potential use of nuclear weapons has actually become a deterant to war between nations. The author explains in great detail how this has come to pass.

The many faces of war and conflict since WW2

Narration is crystal clear and engaging.

Organization of content is logical and facilitates comprehension.

Explanatory style is simple, but not simplistic, and elegant: short, not overly long sentences, accessible vocabulary, solid, well developed paragraph structures. When technical terms are introduced, Professor Stone patiently describes their meaning, importance, and relationships with other pertinent concepts.

Take always are clearly and meaningfully explained. Emerging from this is an overarching theory of both national and international armed conflict. Stone does not identify his conceptual framework as theory per se, but that is where he is heading, and an elegant theory it is indeed.

Highly recommended for its substance, insight, exposition, tone, importance, and felicity.

Note: the video analogue is easier to understand because it includes visuals. The colorful, clearly labeled maps are especially helpful.

What delights are Professor Stone’s works!

General Overview of Conflicts Post World War 2

Good general view of conflicts post World War 2 but nothing super detailed on a particular conflict.

Narrater does an excellent job talking. Very easy to follow and understand him.

Pacing of the Lectures is a bit off. Example: French involvement in Vietnam is the subject of Lecture 9 but American involvement in Vietnam does not happen till Lecture 15. You can do Lectures out of order and it still makes sense if that helps anyone.

If you not generally familiar with conflicts post World War 2, then this is a good audible book. Otherwise, you can probably skip purchasing this book or wait till it is on sale.