The Illusion Of Victory: The True Costs of Modern War

(Paperback)

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Description

The Illusion of Victory demonstrates that most of the rewards of victory in modern warfare are either exaggerated or false. When the ostensible benefits of victory are examined a generation after a war, it becomes inescapably evident that the defeated belligerent rarely conforms to the demands and expectations of the victor. Consequently, long-term political and military stability is denied to both the victorious power and to the defeated one. As a result, neither victory nor defeat deter further outbreaks of war. This sobering reality is increasingly the case in the 20th and 21st centuries. Ian Bickerton persuasively argues that as the rhetoric of victory becomes more hollow all countries must adopt creative new approaches to resolving disputes.

Reviews

The Illusion of Victory is Australia's wake up call. This book should be compulsory reading for politicians and voters alike. --Joseph M. Siracusa, professor of Human Security and International Diplomacy, Associate Dean of International & Justice Studies, RMIT
Facts are marshaled by the legion and well deployed for the argument. . . . This is an interesting polemic that deserves to provoke debate. --Canberra Times (May 14, 2011)
Ian Bickerton persuasively argues that as the rhetoric of victory becomes more hollow all countries must adopt creative new approaches to resolving disputes. --Campus Review (April 5, 2011)
This is not just another book on the history of warfare. It's instead a clever and unusual analysis of how we have come to define 'victory.' --Daily Telegraph and Courier Mail

Author Bio

Ian J. Bickerton is internationally known for his writings on the Arab-Israeli conflict, and he recently co-authored Unintended Consequences: The United States at War.