The War Chronicles: From Chariots to Flintlocks: From Chariots to Flintlocks - Hardcover

Grade 10 Up—This volume, the first of a planned set of two, covers major conflicts from 500 BCE to CE 1783, with discussion of 22 wars in all parts of the world. Some of them, such as the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Crusades, and the American Revolution, are widely covered elsewhere, while others, such as the first Jewish-Roman War, the Imjin War, and the Manchu conquest of China, are less well known. Each chapter includes a "chronicle" that surveys the conflict; a time line; a lengthy "turning point" section that describes a decisive battle; biographical sketches of the commanders; and a "dossier" of several short articles that discuss weapons, tactics, and the national or religious cultures of the combatants. Cummins is objective about the conflicts and incorporates recent scholarship into his commentary, but provides only limited analysis of how they changed history. The text is illustrated with large color reproductions of classical paintings of battles and leaders. Although this book does provide concise discussions of these conflicts, it has some significant weaknesses. The biggest problem is the lack of either geographic or battlefield maps, which will make it difficult for students to locate the warring countries or groups or understand the action of the turning-point battles. Also, Cummins uses military jargon that will be unfamiliar to many students. These factors make the volume an additional choice for libraries that need research material on military history.—Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
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