Paradoxically, the 20th century bore witness to our bloodiest and most destructive conflicts, yet for those

of us in the developed world, it also ushered in one of the longest periods of uninterrupted peace in human history. For three generations, our wars have been wars of choice, not necessity. "20th Century Battlefields" is a brave attempt to show how we came to have that choice, and how those choices have affected our world. It is adequate as a primer, but surprisingly dull for a book based on a TV series, and lacks the level of detail to appeal to history enthusiasts. "20th Century Battlefields" was published as a companion to a 2007 British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) series of the same name. While the TV series also included segments where father-and-son authors Peter and Dan Snow participated in training or observed military exercises, the book sticks to a strictly historical account. The book covers eight twentieth century battles that, in the Snows' opinion, had a "critical impact on the course of history". In each section, the authors begin with the background to the campaign, events leading up to the battle, the battle itself, and then a discussion of its aftermath and implications. Battle accounts mix strategic-level descriptions of events with eyewitness accounts from soldiers. These accounts are rounded out with numerous photographs and, let's give credit where it is due, generally clear and informative maps. Here's a quick list of what makes the cut: Amiens, August 1918 (First World War) A British Commonwealth (mainly Canadian and Australian) offensive against the Germans in Northern France. Selected as the first instance of effective "combined arms" tactics, including infantry, tanks, artillery and airplanes. Midway, June 1942 (Second World War) An aircraft carrier battle between the Imperial Japanese and American navies. This battle marked the ascendancy of air power over traditional battleships and cruisers in naval battles. Stalingrad, Sept. 1942 to Feb. 1943 (Second World War) The German assault on the Soviet Russian city. The high-water mark of German advances--after Stalingrad, the Germans were in steady retreat. Imjin River, April 1951 (Korean War) A battle between British and Chinese forces following the latter's intervention in the Korean War. The book contends that the British defense slowed the Chinese enough to ensure the survival of South Korea as an independent country. Tet Offensive, Jan. to Feb. 1968 (Vietnam War) Viet Cong guerilla and North Vietnamese Army offensive against South Vietnamese and American forces. The account focuses on the attack on the US embassy in

Saigon and the battle for Vietnam's ancient capital, Hue. Caused the US to lose faith in their ability to win the war, and had lasting effects on US foreign policy for decades afterwards. Yom Kippur, October 1973 (Yom Kippur War) The surprise attack by Egypt and Syria to regain territory lost to Israel seven years earlier. Set the current borders of Israel and neighboring Arab states. Falklands, Apr. to Jun. 1982 (Falklands War) Argentinean occupation of South Atlantic islets owned by Great Britain, and the British counterattack to liberate them. The book suggests the war demonstrated the ability of modern forces to operate far from their bases. Kuwait, Aug. 1990 to Mar. 1991 (First Gulf War) The UN (primarily US and UK) invasion to liberate Kuwait from occupation by Iraqi forces led by Saddam Hussein. Arab humiliation fueled the rise of Al Qaeda and set the stage for the 9/11 terrorist attacks, as well as the Second Gulf War and the ongoing US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's far too easy to second-guess these kinds of lists, and there are always dozens of valid reasons for advancing one favorite over another, but in this case there is a clear bias towards the inclusion of British battles at the expense of perhaps more important ones. Was the Imjin River really more important than Chosin Reservoir or other battles against the Chinese? Did the Falklands War really "change history"? Perhaps this is just what you should expect from a BBC series, but readers looking for a coherent theory of military history should look elsewhere. Individual battle accounts are clearly aimed at a general audience rather than history buffs; there is little new material, but the authors do a competent job of summarizing the key points and providing a clear chronology. The Snows are light on details, but that's to be expected given the constraints of fitting eight battles into a 300-page book. Doubtless there is some oversimplification as a result. Despite these limitations, their reporting is generally fair and even-handed, and gives voice to combatants on both sides. The first-hand testimony from frontline soldiers, however, is less well-judged, and the authors show little instinct for picking up on telling details that might bring the stories to life. Instead, we get a range of rather bland, uninformative or outright baffling commentary that adds little to our understanding. "We were going to stuff this bloke and he deserved it," says Wing Commander Jerry Witts of his bombing run over Iraq. "And it was going to be OK because we were all there." Charmingly inarticulate, yes, but not terribly informative. I can't help but feel that a more personal account from the Snows, such as a diary of the filming of the series, would have made a better accompaniment to the TV

series. There simply isn't enough insight or detail to make the accounts worthwhile for anyone even moderately informed about the battles. There are better, more complete histories elsewhere; what this movie could have offered was the author's unique insights into their experiences visiting the battlefields they describe. It's an opportunity sadly wasted, and makes it difficult to recommend this book to anyone other than total beginners.