This text focuses on the history of the Prussian army from the Thirty Years War to the unification of Germany in the Franco-Prussian War. The author uses an entertaining format to describe the rise of militarism in Prussia. Readers will find that they are not bogged down in overly technical jargon; they are, rather, brought into the colourful stories of Prussian kings and military leaders. The book focuses on Frederick William’s role in Prussian military history, providing special attention to descriptions of land battles and combat for non-technical readers. It concludes with a brief analysis of militarism in Germany and a comment on the fate of common Prussian soldiers in peace and in war. The Adolescence of Militarism serves as an introductory text. It should be appropriate for a variety of disciplines, incuding history, political science, and sociology. More specifically, it should provide beneficial reading in ROTC programmes and education programmes on military or peace studies. In addition, anyone at all interested in pre-20th century German military affairs should enjoy the entertaining look at history in The Adolescence of Militarism .