Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine – Petraeus David (2023)

Two leading authorities, a bestselling historian and an outstanding battlefield commander and strategist, collaborate on a landmark examination of war since 1945. Conflict traces the evolution of warfare up to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and offers a penetrating analysis of what we must learn from the past, and anticipate in the future, to navigate an increasingly perilous world. General David Petraeus, former CIA director and commander of the US-led coalitions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and prize-winning historian Andrew Roberts examine more than seventy years of conflict, drawing lessons and insights from their analysis of the past. They show how critical mistakes are repeatedly made and explore the challenge facing statesmen and generals as they adapt to new weapon systems, theories and strategies. The conflicts discussed include the Arab-Israeli wars, the Korean and Vietnam wars, the two Gulf wars, the Balkan wars in the former Yugoslavia, the Soviet and Coalition wars in Afghanistan, and guerrilla conflicts in Africa and South America. The book culminates in an examination of Putin’s disastrous invasion of Ukraine, another example of the tragic results when leaders refuse to learn from history, and an assessment of the nature of future warfare. Filled with sharp insight and the wisdom of experience, Conflict assesses the recent past and provides essential knowledge for understanding modern warfare and the decades ahead.