MICHAEL D. HOBKIRK retired from the Ministry of Defence in 1982, and since then he has been a Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. During his career in the Civil Services he was Principal Establishment and Finance Officer in the Lord Chancellor's Department and Senior Civilian Director at the UK National Defence College. His publications include contributions to The Management of Defence and Reorganising for America's Defence, and to various journals and seminars on defence organisation and management.

• List of Maps - Acknowledgements - Strategic Choices - The Ancient World - The Ottoman Assault on the West - The Rise and Decline of the Dutch Republic - Britain and France: The Whale and the Elephant - Before the First World War - Planning for the Second World War - The Cold War: and After? - Bibliography - Index

MICHAEL D. HOBKIRK retired from the Ministry of Defence in 1982, and since then he has been a Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. During his career in the Civil Services he was Principal Establishment and Finance Officer in the Lord Chancellor's Department and Senior Civilian Director at the UK National Defence College. His publications include contributions to The Management of Defence and Reorganising for America's Defence, and to various journals and seminars on defence organisation and management.

• List of Maps - Acknowledgements - Strategic Choices - The Ancient World - The Ottoman Assault on the West - The Rise and Decline of the Dutch Republic - Britain and France: The Whale and the Elephant - Before the First World War - Planning for the Second World War - The Cold War: and After? - Bibliography - Index

MICHAEL D. HOBKIRK retired from the Ministry of Defence in 1982, and since then he has been a Senior Research Fellow at the National Defense University in Washington, DC. During his career in the Civil Services he was Principal Establishment and Finance Officer in the Lord Chancellor's Department and Senior Civilian Director at the UK National Defence College. His publications include contributions to The Management of Defence and Reorganising for America's Defence, and to various journals and seminars on defence organisation and management.

• List of Maps - Acknowledgements - Strategic Choices - The Ancient World - The Ottoman Assault on the West - The Rise and Decline of the Dutch Republic - Britain and France: The Whale and the Elephant - Before the First World War - Planning for the Second World War - The Cold War: and After? - Bibliography - Index