Conflict between humans has been a natural part of history for millenia, going back to our Neanderthal cousins in Ice Age times. Why humans would fight each other, whether it be with rocks and sharp tools or missiles and mustard gas, is a question that has stumped sociologists and historians. It seems that war and conflict will be a part of future stories of humankind as long as we exist.
Richard Overy, a historian known for World War II research, tackles the central question of the aptly titled book Why War?. Overy answers the question through eight different topics - a range of physiological, environmental, and sociological categories that show why people fought people, tribes fought tribes, and states fought states throughout recorded history. While the book is not a comprehensive account of warfare in the classic sense, it does discuss different examples to showcase each of the eight topic areas, including examples from Asia, Africa, and the Americas before European settlement.
Why War? is a book that will not provide answers to how to prevent future war from occurring. However, it does provide a smart, thoughtful analysis of the elements of human nature that drive some of us, as well as those who lead us to violence as a means of survival.
MY RATING: 5
