The Human Face of War

Published in 2009 by retired British Infantry officer Jim Storr, The Human Face of War seeks to analyse current military thought and in doing so, derides many of the key military ideas and theories that have underpinned contemporary military debate in the last thirty years. Rather than posit an alternative, Storr argues war is so chaotic and fundamentally human that any attempts to confine it to a theoretical framework are doomed to failure – instead, we should approach each situation with perfect openness of mind so we may make better decisions, faster…and win. The supporting examination of key combat factors such as shock, attrition, command and the role of leaders is centred in conventional combat, but the analytical techniques at work are robust enough to provide valuable insight regardless.  In seeking to render accessible those key concepts of warfare that are often confusing and contradictory, Storr presents an invaluable new way to consider war and warfare that will enrich the understanding of those who read it.