How Armies Grow: The Expansion of Military Forces in the Age of Total War 1789-1945

This anthology of historical war studies looks at military expansion from the French Revolution to WWII—and the enduring lessons for today.

In the years after the Cold War, many governments sought to reduce the sizes of their armed forces. Along with this general reduction came a shift in military doctrine away from conventional warfare and toward counterinsurgency operations. But in light of new geopolitical developments, the pendulum is swinging back. Once again, armies are growing in...