Includes index.

Introduction : understanding force -- pt. 1: Interstate industrial war. Foundation : from Napoleon to Clausewitz -- Development : iron, steam, and mass -- Culmination : the world wars -- pt. 2: The Cold War confrontation. Antithesis : from guerrillas to anarchists to Mao -- Confrontation and conflict : a new purpose for the use of force -- Capabilities : the search for a new way -- pt. 3: War amongst the people. Trends : our modern operations -- Direction : setting the purpose for the use of force -- Bosnia : using force amongst the people -- Conclusion : What is to be done?

"War no longer exists," writes General Sir Rupert Smith, reminding us that the clash of mass national armies--the system of war since Napoleon--will never occur again. Instead, he argues, we must be prepared to adapt tactics to each conflict, or lose the ability to protect ourselves and our way of life. General Smith draws on his experience as a commander to give us a probing analysis of modern war and to call for radically new military thinking. Why do we use armed force to solve our political problems? And how is it that our armies can win battles but fail to solve the problems?--From publisher description.