"It is tempting, sitting in comfortable surroundings with all the facts at one's disposal, to be critical of many of the plans which have unrolled across the battlefields of history. After all, their impact has been horrific at the human level ... But one of the virtues of this book is to show just what a complicated business war really is, and just how few of its bets are safe...While some of history's senior commmanders still emerge as impressive, even sympathetic, figures, others seem far less appealing, and from our perspective the self-confidence and bombast which often formed part of their stock in trade are more likely to irritate than inspire. Yet there are times when, dare I say, they deserve our compassion. By the time that they were called upon to lead greate armies, many had become more worriers than warriors, weighted down by the burden of command, and well aware of the human consequences of their plans." -- From the introduction.

This edition first published in the UK 1998. "This edition first published in the UK 1998"--T.p. verso.

The classic ploys : --Cannae 216 BC, the double envelopment / Sean KcKnight -- Chancellorsville 1863, the flank attack / Ian Hogg -- The second battle of Alamein 1942, the proper application of overwhelming force / Niall Barr -- Surprise : -- Crécy 1346, surprise against the odds / Matthew Bennett -- Cambrai 1917, the new invention / Lloyd Clark -- Blitzkrieg 1940, the shock of surprise / Sean McKnight -- Misunderstanding : -- Waterloo 1815, the limits of enterprise / Niall Barr -- Balaklava 1854, the misunderstood order / Andrew Lambert -- Gallipoli 1915, too many commanders / G. D. Sheffield -- Mission impossible : -- Kunersdorf 1759, the failure of reconnaissance / Tim Bean -- The first day of the Somme 1916, the great illusion / Lloyd Clark -- The battle of the bulge 1944, progressive unreality / Stephen Badsey -- Understanding the enemy : -- Austerlitz 1805, underestimating Napoleon! / Tim Bean -- Isandlwana 1879, dividing your forces / Edmund Yorke -- Singapore 1942, the impregnable fortress / Duncan Anderson -- Narrow margins : -- Gettysburg 1863, the high tide of the confederacy / G.D. Sheffield -- The first battle of Ypres 1914, the narrowest margin / Stephen Badsey -- Crete 1941, the defeat of both sides / Ian Hogg.