'... the book is highly readable, thought provoking and should provide readers with a useful background on the century in which Europe prepared itself for self-destruction' - Michael Crawshaw, British Army Review, no. 131, 2003'... stimulating, balanced and original' - Michael Crawshaw, British Army Review, no. 131, 2003

• 1 Napoleon and the road to Waterloo 2 Restoration and revolution, 1815–49 3 Napoleon III and the militarization of Europe, 1848–66 4 The rise of Prussia and Italy, 1861–6 5 The Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1 6 New weapons and the ‘new imperialism’, 1877–1905 7 Sea power and popular navalism, 1890–1914 8 War plans and armaments: the deadly spiral, 1911–14 9 The outbreak of World War I in 1914, Bibliograph

'... the book is highly readable, thought provoking and should provide readers with a useful background on the century in which Europe prepared itself for self-destruction' - Michael Crawshaw, British Army Review, no. 131, 2003'... stimulating, balanced and original' - Michael Crawshaw, British Army Review, no. 131, 2003

• 1 Napoleon and the road to Waterloo 2 Restoration and revolution, 1815–49 3 Napoleon III and the militarization of Europe, 1848–66 4 The rise of Prussia and Italy, 1861–6 5 The Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1 6 New weapons and the ‘new imperialism’, 1877–1905 7 Sea power and popular navalism, 1890–1914 8 War plans and armaments: the deadly spiral, 1911–14 9 The outbreak of World War I in 1914, Bibliograph