| Military Honour and the Conduct of War: From Ancient Greece to Iraq Contributor(s): Robinson, Paul (Author) |
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ISBN: 0415392012 ISBN-13: 9780415392013 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $190.00 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: May 2006 Annotation: This book analyses the influences of ideas of honor on the causes, conduct, and endings of wars from Ancient Greece through to the present-day war in Iraq. It does this through a series of historical case studies. In the process, it highlights both the differences and the similarities between the various eras under study, and draws conclusions about the relevance of honor to war in the modern era. Each chapter looks at a particular period in history and is divided into nine sections: Honor and virtue in the relevant period; Honor and the causes of war; Honor as a motivation for fighting; Honors and rewards; Death and honor; Honor and the conduct of war; Honor and the enemy; Honor and the ending of wars; Women and honor. The book makes use of original archival research and interviews with serving military officers, as well as secondary source material. Its subject will be of interest not merely to students of military history, military ethics, security studies and international relations, and anthropology/sociology/philosophy/history of ideas. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Military - General - Technology & Engineering | Military Science |
| Dewey: 172.42 |
| LCCN: 2005031287 |
| Series: Cass Military Studies |
| Physical Information: 0.7" H x 6.08" W x 9.52" (1.08 lbs) 228 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: This study presents the first examination of the influence of ideas of honour on the causes, conduct and ending of wars from Ancient Greece to the present day. Paul Robinson begins with a theoretical examination of the concept of honour, to clearly explain the many contradictions and tensions inherent within honour systems. He then shows how honour has often contradictory and paradoxical effects on the conduct of war and illustrates this through seven case studies: Classical Greece; Ancient Rome; mediaeval Chivalry; Elizabethan England; the American Civil War; the British Empire; and the Western world after World War II (including the Vietnam War and the current conflict in Iraq). Key topics covered include:
This book reveals that the often contradictory behaviour of soldiers during war is a product of the contradictions inherent in the concept of honour. This book will be of great interest to all students of military ethics, military history, politics, international relations, anthropology, sociology, philosophy and the history of ideas. |