The Face Of Battle

** THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION ** 'The book which changed how military history was written' BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Keegan shows us the true nature of war – it was never a chess game calmly between two masters, it was always bloody chaos’ ANTONY BEEVOR This is military history at its best – from the battlefield. Powerful and gripping, The Face of Battle is an imperishable account of the direct experience of individuals at the point of maximum danger. It examines the physical conditions of fighting, the particular emotions and behaviour generated by battle, as well as the motives that impel soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away. In this stunningly vivid reassessment of three key battles, leading military historian John Keegan conveys their reality for the participants, whether facing the arrow cloud of Agincourt, the levelled muskets of Waterloo or the steel rain of the Somme. 'The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time' C. P. SNOW 'In this book, which is so creative, so original, one learns as much about the nature of man as of battle' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'This, without any doubt, is one of the half-dozen best books on warfare to appear in the English language since the end of the Second World War' SUNDAY TIMES

** THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION ** 'The book which changed how military history was written' BERNARD CORNWELL ‘Keegan shows us the true nature of war – it was never a chess game calmly between two masters, it was always bloody chaos’ ANTONY BEEVOR This is military history at its best – from the battlefield. Powerful and gripping, The Face of Battle is an imperishable account of the direct experience of individuals at the point of maximum danger. It examines the physical conditions of fighting, the particular emotions and behaviour generated by battle, as well as the motives that impel soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away. In this stunningly vivid reassessment of three key battles, leading military historian John Keegan conveys their reality for the participants, whether facing the arrow cloud of Agincourt, the levelled muskets of Waterloo or the steel rain of the Somme. 'The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time' C. P. SNOW 'In this book, which is so creative, so original, one learns as much about the nature of man as of battle' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'This, without any doubt, is one of the half-dozen best books on warfare to appear in the English language since the end of the Second World War' SUNDAY TIMES

John Keegan's groundbreaking portrayal of the common soldier in the heat of battle -- a masterpiece that explores the physical and mental aspects of warfare The Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at the "point of maximum danger." Without the myth-making elements of rhetoric and xenophobia, and breaking away from the stylized format of battle descriptions, John Keegan has written what is probably the definitive model for military historians. And in his scrupulous reassessment of three battles representative of three different time periods, he manages to convey what the experience of combat meant for the participants, whether they were facing the arrow cloud at the battle of Agincourt, the musket balls at Waterloo, or the steel rain of the Somme. The Face of Battle is a companion volume to John Keegan's classic study of the individual soldier, The Mask of Command together they form a masterpiece of military and human history.

John Keegan's groundbreaking portrayal of the common soldier in the heat of battle -- a masterpiece that explores the physical and mental aspects of warfare The Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at the "point of maximum danger." Without the myth-making elements of rhetoric and xenophobia, and breaking away from the stylized format of battle descriptions, John Keegan has written what is probably the definitive model for military historians. And in his scrupulous reassessment of three battles representative of three different time periods, he manages to convey what the experience of combat meant for the participants, whether they were facing the arrow cloud at the battle of Agincourt, the musket balls at Waterloo, or the steel rain of the Somme. The Face of Battle is a companion volume to John Keegan's classic study of the individual soldier, The Mask of Command together they form a masterpiece of military and human history.