A war of attrition is usually conceptualized as a bloody slogging match, epitomized by imagery of futile frontal assaults on the Western Front of the First World War. As such, many academics, politicians, and military officers currently consider attrition to be a wholly undesirable method of warfare. This first book-length study of wars of attrition challenges this viewpoint. A historical analysis of the strategic thought behind attrition demonstrates that it was often implemented to conserve casualties, not to engage in a bloody senseless assault.

The straw man of attrition --Attrition and the advent of total war -- Seasons in the abyss 29 -- The Kokoda Trail -- Undertow -- The Burma Campaign -- t New roots, Korea 1950-1951 -- Coercing communist concessions -- Losing momentum -- Attrition after Korea -- Attrition as an operational strategy.