Professor Szabo challenges the well-established myth that the Seven Years War was won through the military skill and tenacity of the King of Prussia, often styled Frederick "the Great". Instead he argues that Prussia did not win, but merely survived the Seven Years War and did so despite and not because of the actions and decisions of its king. With balanced attention to all the major participants and to all conflict zones on the European continent, the book describes the strategies and tactics of the military leaders on all sides, analyzes the major battles of the war and illuminates the diplomatic, political and financial aspects of the conflict. - Publisher.

Frederick's Failed Gamble: August 1756-October 1757 -- The Resurgence of Prussia: September 1757-June 1758 --The Balance Restored: June 1758-November 1758 -- The Predator Cornered: December 1758-December 1759 -- The Elusive Peace: July 1759-May 1761 -- The Defeat of Prussia: February 1761-January 1762 -- Unexpected Denouement: January 1762-February 1763.