The Asian Military Revolution

The Asian Military Revolution PDF Author: Peter A. Lorge
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521846820
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
Records show that the Chinese invented gunpowder in the 800s. By the 1200s they had unleashed the first weapons of war upon their unsuspecting neighbours. This extraordinarily ambitious book traces the history of that invention and its impact on the surrounding Asian world - Korea, Japan, South East Asia and South Asia - from the ninth through the twentieth century. As the book makes clear, the spread of war and its technology had devastating consequences on the political and cultural fabric of those early societies although each reacted very differently. The book, which is packed with information about military strategy, interregional warfare and the development of armaments, also engages with the major debates and challenges traditional thinking on Europe's contribution to military technology in Asia. Articulate and comprehensive, this book will be a welcome addition to the undergraduate classroom and to all those interested in Asian studies and military history.

The Asian Military Revolution

The Asian Military Revolution PDF Author: Peter A. Lorge
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521846820
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 202

Get Book Here

Book Description
Records show that the Chinese invented gunpowder in the 800s. By the 1200s they had unleashed the first weapons of war upon their unsuspecting neighbours. This extraordinarily ambitious book traces the history of that invention and its impact on the surrounding Asian world - Korea, Japan, South East Asia and South Asia - from the ninth through the twentieth century. As the book makes clear, the spread of war and its technology had devastating consequences on the political and cultural fabric of those early societies although each reacted very differently. The book, which is packed with information about military strategy, interregional warfare and the development of armaments, also engages with the major debates and challenges traditional thinking on Europe's contribution to military technology in Asia. Articulate and comprehensive, this book will be a welcome addition to the undergraduate classroom and to all those interested in Asian studies and military history.

The Asian Military Revolution: From Gunpowder to the Bomb

The Asian Military Revolution: From Gunpowder to the Bomb PDF Author: Peter Allan Lorge
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780511411861
Category : Asia
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description


The Asian Military Revolution: From Gunpowder to the Bomb

The Asian Military Revolution: From Gunpowder to the Bomb PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780511414404
Category : Asia
Languages : en
Pages : 188

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Book Description


Chinese Martial Arts

Chinese Martial Arts PDF Author: Peter A. Lorge
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521878810
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 281

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Book Description
In the global world of the twenty-first century, martial arts are practised for self-defense and sporting purposes only. However, for thousands of years, they were a central feature of military practice in China and essential for the smooth functioning of society. This book, which opens with an intriguing account of the very first female martial artist, charts the history of combat and fighting techniques in China from the Bronze Age to the present. This broad panorama affords fascinating glimpses into the transformation of martial skills, techniques and weaponry against the background of Chinese history, the rise and fall of empires, their governments and their armies. Quotations from literature and poetry, and the stories of individual warriors, infuse the narrative, offering personal reflections on prowess in the battlefield and techniques of engagement. This is an engaging and readable introduction to the authentic history of Chinese martial arts.

War, Politics and Society in Early Modern China, 900–1795

War, Politics and Society in Early Modern China, 900–1795 PDF Author: Peter Lorge
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134372868
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
The first book in English to study this period of Chinese history, this comprehensive survey sets out the major military events in chapters and argues that war was the most important tool used by the Chinese in building and maintaining their empire.

The Reunification of China

The Reunification of China PDF Author: Peter Lorge
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 110708475X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
A groundbreaking work examining the military and political events that shaped the Song dynasty (960-1279) in China. Peter Lorge examines the centrality of warfare and politics in the struggle for internal and external power, as well as the influence of individuals and their relationships in political processes.

The Dynamics of Military Revolution, 1300-2050

The Dynamics of Military Revolution, 1300-2050 PDF Author: MacGregor Knox
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521800792
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 236

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Book Description
This book studies the changes that have marked war in the Western World since the thirteenth century.

The Gunpowder Age

The Gunpowder Age PDF Author: Tonio Andrade
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691178143
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Book Description
A first look at gunpowder's revolutionary impact on China's role in global history The Chinese invented gunpowder and began exploring its military uses as early as the 900s, four centuries before the technology passed to the West. But by the early 1800s, China had fallen so far behind the West in gunpowder warfare that it was easily defeated by Britain in the Opium War of 1839–42. What happened? In The Gunpowder Age, Tonio Andrade offers a compelling new answer, opening a fresh perspective on a key question of world history: why did the countries of western Europe surge to global importance starting in the 1500s while China slipped behind? Historians have long argued that gunpowder weapons helped Europeans establish global hegemony. Yet the inhabitants of what is today China not only invented guns and bombs but also, as Andrade shows, continued to innovate in gunpowder technology through the early 1700s—much longer than previously thought. Why, then, did China become so vulnerable? Andrade argues that one significant reason is that it was out of practice fighting wars, having enjoyed nearly a century of relative peace, since 1760. Indeed, he demonstrates that China—like Europe—was a powerful military innovator, particularly during times of great warfare, such as the violent century starting after the Opium War, when the Chinese once again quickly modernized their forces. Today, China is simply returning to its old position as one of the world's great military powers. By showing that China’s military dynamism was deeper, longer lasting, and more quickly recovered than previously understood, The Gunpowder Age challenges long-standing explanations of the so-called Great Divergence between the West and Asia.

Firearms

Firearms PDF Author: Roger Pauly
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 0801888360
Category : Antiques & Collectibles
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
With graphic prints, photographs, a timeline, and a glossary, this engaging and insightful technography sheds light on one of the most important inventions in the history of the human race.

A History of the Modern Chinese Army

A History of the Modern Chinese Army PDF Author: Xiaobing Li
Publisher: University Press of Kentucky
ISBN: 0813172241
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 434

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Book Description
Since the establishment of the Red Army in 1927, China’s military has responded to profound changes in Chinese society, particularly its domestic politics, shifting economy, and evolving threat perceptions. Recently tensions between China and Taiwan and other east Asian nations have aroused great interest in the extraordinary transformation and new capabilities of the Chinese army. In A History of the Modern Chinese Army, Xiaobing Li, a former member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), provides a comprehensive examination of the PLA from the Cold War to the beginning of the twenty-first century that highlights the military’s central function in modern Chinese society. In the 1940s, the Chinese army was in its infancy, and many soldiers were rural conscripts and volunteers who had received little formal schooling. The Chinese military rapidly increased its mobility and weapon strength, and the Korean War and Cold War offered intense combat experience that not only allowed soldiers to hone their fighting techniques but also helped China to develop military tactics tailored to the surrounding countries whose armies posed the most immediate threats. Yet even in the 1970s, the completion of a middle school education (nine years) was considered above-average, and only 4 percent of the 224 top Chinese generals had any college credit hours. However, in 1995 the high command began to institute massive reforms to transform the PLA from a labor-intensive force into a technology-intensive army. Continually seeking more urban conscripts and emphasizing higher education, the PLA Reserve Officer Training and Selection program recruited students from across the nation. These reservists would become commissioned officers upon graduation, and they majored in atomic physics, computer science, and electrical engineering. Grounding the text in previously unreleased official Chinese government and military records as well as the personal testimonies of more than two hundred PLA soldiers, Li charts the development of China’s armed forces against the backdrop of Chinese society, cultural traditions, political history, and recent technological advancements. A History of the Modern Chinese Army links China’s military modernization to the country’s growing international and economic power and provides a unique perspective on China’s esttablishment and maintenance of one of the world’s most advanced military forces.