Imponderable but Not Inevitable: Warfare in the 20th Century (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780313378829)

This book fills an important gap in the literature of modern warfare by focusing on random elements in warfare often overlooked in both the planning and execution of military operations--factors that can turn certain success into devastating failure.

By definition, the unforeseeable cannot be seen, but one way to bring more variables under consideration when planning a military action is to review those instances where the unforeseeable changed everything. For professionals and enthusiasts alike, Imponderable But Not Inevitable: Warfare in the 20th Century does just that, reviewing specific instances in 20th-century warfare when things did not go according to plan.

Imponderable but Not Inevitable uses case studies to expose the "Inevitability Syndrome," exploring the role of luck, fate, and randomness in influencing both victory and defeat. In essays drawn from World War II, Konfrontasi, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf War, a distinguished set of military experts looks at real scenarios of inexplicable losses, illustrating why nothing--nothing--should be taken for granted in war.

Author: Malcolm H. Murfett
ISBN-10: 0313378827
ISBN-13: 9780313378829
Publisher: Praeger
Language: English
Published: 11/01/2009
Pages: 224
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.10w x 1.00d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 02/01/2010 pg. 36