Smithsonian: Battles that Changed History (DK History Changers)

So far I am loving this book, and hating its formatting for the Kindle. Probably because of all the maps and illustrations, it is hard to enjoy on my Kindle, and I have to awkwardly change the size of the page 3-4 times on every page while I try to read it. My guess is I would really love it as a physical book. LATER: As noted I was very disappointed trying to read this on a small Kindle, but the book looked so promising that I repurchased it in hardback. WOW what a difference. Wonderful illustrations, maps, the works. Given the number of important battles chosen, it would not be possible to go into great detail on any single one, but most people are not going to remember all those details anyway, and this book gives you what you really need, and the level of detail you are likely to remember and to help you appreciate the importance of the event. Strongly recommended in hardback.

My brother-in-law is kind of hard to buy for, but I know that he’s a history buff, so I purchased this book. He loved it! If you have someone in your life that is difficult to buy for or just a history buff I highly recommend this book. It is great value easily understood and has beautiful pictures.

"Battles that Changed History" from the DK History Changers series is an absolute gem for history enthusiasts of any age. The book offers a captivating journey through pivotal moments, providing in-depth insights into the strategies, key figures, and circumstances that shaped the course of history. The visual richness of DK's signature style, combined with well-researched content, makes this book not only informative but also visually stunning. Each battle is presented with clarity, making complex historical events accessible and engaging. Whether you're a seasoned history buff or a casual reader, "Battles that Changed History" is a must-have for its educational value and the sheer pleasure it brings to exploring the world's transformative conflicts.

As most books published under the DK banner, this is a visually excellent book that is a pleasure to look at. It is well written and chock-full of outstanding illustrations and maps. I do have a few minor "ding" though. First, I think that the book should have included a "why" the battle changed history. While in most cases, this rationale is included in the text, in a few cases one has to wonder "why" this battle was important; for example, they chose the World War I battle of Verdun, but they also said that the battle was "inconclusive"; if so, how did it change history? Second, I have to question the choice of some of the battles. For example, the editors list "Arnhem", which ended up as a costly allied failure, but fail to mention the wildly successful Soviet "Operation Bagration", which destroyed the German Army Group Center. Third, there were some minor factual inaccuracies. The battles of Passchendaele and Dunkirk were both shown on a map as being located in Northern Italy instead of northern France, while Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of France, was shown on a map as being more at Pas de Calais vice the beaches of Normandy. In spite of these nits, this is a good book worthy of belonging in you library. Four stars.

If you have any interest in the subject matter, buy this book, it is fantastic. Many beautiful paintings and maps, some on full pages. One comment. In various parts of this book it has something called "Directory," which is just paragraphs on events that the writer did not see deserving a full page in the book. On page 42 we have "Directory: Before 1000 CE," and included is a paragraph on "Teutoburg Forest, Roman-Germanic Wars, 9 CE" The paragraph ends with: "Although there were subsequent expeditions to Germany, the Roman frontier became fixed at the Rhine (River)." Surely, this is one of the greatest battles and results in European history and should have had a full two pages in this book instead of just a short paragraph. See the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, 9 CE. Another short fall of this book is no mention of Boudica, who in AD 60 0r 61, was defeated by the Romans (commander- Suetonius Paullinus), who went on to "rule" England and Wales to about AD 410. This is my review of Graham Webster's book "Boudica: The British revolt against Rome in AD 60: Lucid, well written on Boudica, queen of the East Anglian kingdom of the Iceni tribe, and much more. Sixteen pages of black and white photographs. Contents (all of these Chapter headings have sub-headings)1. Sources 2. The Opposing Forces and the State of Britain 54 B.C. 3. Britain between the Invasions 54 B.C.-A.D. 43 4. The Conquest of A.D. 43 5. The Storm Breaks A.D. 60 6. The Evidence from the Ground 7. The Trail of Destruction Epilogue References Bibliography Glossary of Latin Terms and Words Index 24 Plates 8 Maps and Diagrams The Epilogue, a timeless piece of writing, should be read by everyone, young and old. The last sentence of the book in the Epilogue reads: "They may help us to see more clearly what is happening in the world today, and even help us prevent some of the worst excesses of human folly and greed for power, which brings incalculable misery and suffering to the innocent majority." Re: Boudica and the final battle with Suetonius Paullinus and the approximately 12,000 men under his command and Boudica's warriors, which could have been as great as 100,000, page 99, (but could be less); we apply "O2S4 MEC:" Objective (Simplicity); Offensive, Sprit of; Superiority at Point of Contact (Economy of Force); Surprise (Security); Security (Surprise); Simplicity (Objective); Movement (Mobility); Economy of Force (Superiority at Point of Contact); Cooperation (Unity of Command) On pages 98-99 in the book we have Fig. 5-, (if this is indeed the place of the final battle took place) "The battle between Boudica and Paullinus in its possible Mancetter context," it is clear that Paullinus had chosen the place of the battle and his position to force Boudica's warriors to a frontal attack and thereby creating "Superiority at Point of Contact." And this is probably what happened, as Boudica's warriors attacked and were funneled into the Roman Legion "buzz saw" due to their "simple" frontal attack. From Fig. 5 again, it is clear that there was forest behind Paullinus and his men and the River Anker in front of them. I do not know if it would have possible to attack Paullinus from the rear by going through the forest. However, again from Fig. 5, it is apparent that Boudica's warriors probably could have attacked Paullinus from the right and left flanks (even though the Roman cavalry was on both flanks), creating a three pronged attack, negating some of the Roman's "Superiority at Point of Contact." It is clear that Boudica lost "Cooperation (Unity of Command)," or never had it in the first place, leading to the rout by Paullinus' much smaller force over a much larger force and the fate of Britain for about the next 400 years. The Roman brutality that caused this uprising and Boudica's, and her warriors response, are part of history. Paullius' (whatever you think of him), choice of the battlefield was tactically brilliant, and no one, including Boudica, could match it on the field of battle that day.

I have several of the DK series books and they never disappoint. They are full of well illustrated pictures and information on many historical events and it is all done in a very organized fashion. I am a huge fan of history and I love to collect history books and I plan on buying more of the DK series. They are well worth adding to any collection. Although on their own they are not quite as informative, with other sources to back them they can be a very useful added source and great for helping to get younger people into history and learning more about it. They are well worth the investment.

The book looks great, both the dust jacket and the book cover are printed with the cover image. The dust jacket is textured with a matte finish and shiny silver text, while the book cover looks exactly like the front cover image provided here on Amazon (with a glossy finish). In my opinion, the dust jacket looks better. The book itself looks great. The texts are a bit too short for my taste though, as I would've like to read more detailed descriptions of each battle. Read the sample of the Battle of Marathon that's provided here. It will give you a good idea of the level of detail provided for each battle. Also, some of the battles that didn't get the full 2 page treatment were, in my opinion, significant and were deserving of getting it (Battle of Kadesh for example), while some less significant battles did get it, oddly enough. All in all, I'd definitely recommend the book, but it does have a few shortcomings mentioned above. PS. Also, Amazon, please work on your packaging. Add a few of those (styro)foam pieces with the book or something. My book did arrive mostly ok, and mostly unscathed, but when I picked up the package, the book was moving freely inside the banged up package. I'd say I got lucky it didn't get damaged too badly (apart from a few minor impact traces -- I'd say condition it arrived in was 9/10).

Each war looks to have 1-2 pages each, some have more. Written very well, perfect art work.

Es un buen libro de mesa para leer si te interesa el tema de la guerra.

Excelente literatura

Very informative and well-written. The content is engaging without being overwhelming, making it easy to understand key historical events. Great for learning or refreshing history knowledge.

I bought it as a gift to a 10 years old boy. it's such a beautifully printed book, now I want one for myself.

This book only gives you a general outline into the importance and placement in history of each battle. It is beautifully presented giving fine paintings or photographs to illustrate each engagement. Thoroughly Recommended.