Gwynne Dyer chronicles the advent of warfare in the first cities; the rise of inequality and tyranny as humans multiply; the 1000-year classical era of combat until the firearm and the Thirty Years' War, which changed everything. He traces how the brief interlude of limited war before the popular revolutions of the eighteenth century ushered in total war - and how the devastation was halted, for now, by the shock of Hiroshima.

We are in the longest stretch of peace between major powers in modern history. It marks a precarious balance, as the looming threats of nuclear proliferation, climate change and superpower rivalry threaten our world. This concise, vivid and clear-sighted book is vital reading for anyone who wants to understand the role of war in the long human story - and how we can stop it from dominating our future.

'Provocative and very well argued, with an "aha!" moment on every page.' —Kirkus Reviews

Contents:
1. Origins
2. How Combat Works
3. The Evolution of Battle 3500–1500BC
4. Classical War 1500bc–1400AD
5. Absolute Monarchs and Limited War (1400–1790)
6. Mass Warfare (1790–1900)
7. Total War
8. A Short History of Nuclear War, 1945–90
9. Trifurcation: Nuclear, Conventional and Terrorist
10. The End of War