The Army of Flanders and the Spanish Road 1567-1659: The Logistics of Spanish Victory and Defeat in the Low Countries' Wars (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)

The publication of The Army of Flanders and the Spanish Road in 1972 marked the birth of the "new military history", which emphasized military organization--mobilization, pay, supply, morale and, above all, logistics--rather than military "events" such as sieges and battles. Constantly cited since its first publication in English (with translations into Spanish and Dutch), this revised updated second edition includes new sources and references but otherwise remains faithful to the original edition. First Edition Hb (1972): 0-521-08462-8 First Edition Pb (1975): 0-521-09907-2 This book marks the birth of the "new military history", which emphasized military organization-- mobilization, pay, supply, morale and, above all, logistics-- rather than military "events" such as sieges and battles. The author has been able to show how Europe's largest army was assembled and commanded, as well as how it behaved in action and under stress. It demonstrates how easily a great power can become involved in a ruinous war which it cannot manage to win but cannot bear to abandon. It shows a picture of war and military life in the 16th and 17th centuries The transformation of the size and composition of armies in Europe after 1530 compelled all governments at war to recruit far more troops than before. Geoffrey Parker. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 297-299) And Index.