War and Technology

July 1, 2013
Whenever a new weapon is developed, there’s bound to be heated debate regarding the ethical implications and possible repercussions of its increased lethality. In this scholarly overview of military technology throughout history—starting roughly in the 15th century and extending into the future—Black (Fighting for America) expands the typical focus of those arguments to include not just the killing power of a new weapon, but also the cultural, historical, and strategic forces that led to its invention and how its deployment affected history. Early modern (1450–1700) European naval advances—superior sails, hulls, navigation instruments, and cannon—propelled the West to primacy, and though China was the first to develop gunpowder and guns, a Western focus on efficiency, coupled with the advent of the printing press and thus a proliferation in military literature, kept Europe in the lead. The 20th century brought aircraft and computers into the equation, and kicked off the widely heralded Revolution in Military Affairs, a theoretical framework for increasing military efficiency that Black condemns as too vague, multivalent, and idealistic (proponents look forward to an age of “empty battlefield” and satellite-controlled combat) to be useful. Black’s turgid academic prose will turn off the bulk of lay readers, but specialists will appreciate his insightful analysis.

October 1, 2013

Black (history, Univ. of Exeter; Fighting for America: The Struggle for Mastery in North America) explores technology's role in the evolution of armed conflict, noting that while technology is undeniably a factor in wars won and lost, the evidence indicates that we can neither simply make "bold claims for technology" nor "minimize its role." From 15th-century gunpowder to today's complex air power, Black examines weaponry production, use, and impact. While the introductory chapter may be demanding for lay readers, subsequent chapters are more engaging, as they cover the military effects of the move to steam and firepower, the internal combustion engine, railways, radio, and air power, extending up to today's drones in the fight against terrorism. Technology alone, Black shows, has not determined success in a war. He cites, for example, German U-boat failures as compared with American submarine successes in World War II. Something other than technology was at work. Black notes how today's conflicts demonstrate new means of strategizing and waging war owing to profound cultural global shifts, making battlefield technology of relatively less import. VERDICT Black's academic prose will challenge general readers, but for those interested in diving into these realities behind military history, this book is thoughtful and valuable.--Rebecca Hill, Zionsville, IN

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