From the Battle of Actium to Zhukov, this is a wide-ranging, international reference book of new military history. It deals with the people, battles, campaigns, wars, countries, weapons and institutions which have fundamentally affected the nature and development of warfare. The book has a particular concern with civil-military relations and the role of armed forces in society. Its principal strength lies in the broad, thematic entries which synthesize modern interpretations of the history of such topics as naval and air warfare, strategy, pensions, mobilization, recruitment, losses of life, economic warfare, military families, and chemical and biological warfare.Originally published in French under the title Dictionnaire d'art et d'histoire militaires , the new English version has been completely revised and updated. Additional entries and new material have increased its length by over 20 per cent. All entries now carry full lists of recommended reading drawn from the latest literature. In addition to the expansion of the original articles, many biographical entries have been added, as well as accounts of campaigns and battles. From the Hittites and Assyrians to the Gulf War, the Dictionary presents a broad coverage of military history for students, scholars, specialists and general readers.