War in the Modern World [TTC Audio]

Great powers no longer fight great wars. But how exactly did countries like the United States go from confronting powerful adversaries in 1914 and 1939 Europe to waging lengthy counterinsurgency campaigns in places like Iraq and Afghanistan? The answer lies in the profound geopolitical and technological changes that came in between. After Germany and Japan surrendered to the Allied powers in 1945, the very nature of war—how it is fought and by whom—had changed, culminating in a series of proxy battles, civil conflicts, and insurgencies that came to define the global landscape after World War II.

A 24-episode course designed by US Naval War College professor David R. Stone, War in the Modern World has two complementary goals. The first is to explore modern war through conflict from the end of the Second World War up to the present day and the second is to zoom out of the trenches to examine the characteristics that tie wars since 1945 together. It is not just about the dates and details; it is about the big picture, about our modern conception of war. When you are finished with War in the Modern World, you will be familiar with the causes, effects, major players, and histories of modern conflicts, as well as the broad contours of warfare after 1945.

You will learn about the key figures of modern war, from Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara to US General Douglas McArthur. You will define insurgency, counterinsurgency, and civil war. You will become familiar with modern weapons like IEDs and guided missiles that have transformed warfare and empowered rebel groups on virtually every continent. You will study violent conflicts within empires, and see how large imperial powers like Britain, France, and the USSR struggled to contend with insurgency. You will analyze the causes and effects of major, history-defining conflicts, from the Korean War to Russia’s War in Chechnya. And you will emerge a sharper and more informed student of history and contemporary affairs overall.