Tyner James A. Military Legacies: A World Made by War

Routledge, 2009. — 248 p.Tyner’s book provides a compelling and meticulous global geographical account of the many ways in which 'war is hell.' From landmines to napalm, from radiation sickness to agent orange, Tyner brilliantly dissects the wartime cruelties of humans to other humans and to the living material world they inhabit. Refreshing, salient, and erudite. Tyner has clearly highlighted the emergence of a twentieth century industrial militarism that has irrevocably altered the conduct of warfare and by extension, made our world ever more dangerous – not only for states but for the civilian populations that inhabit the militarized landscapes of the present. Landmines, cluster-bombs, chemical pollutants, and other remnants of war continue to cause death to humans and damage to the environment long after the guns have fallen silent. From the jungles of Vietnam to the arctic tundra of Russia, no region has escaped the legacy of warfare. To understand the legacy of modern militarism, this book presents an overview of post-conflict societies, with an emphasis on the human toll exacted by modern warfare.