This work investigates the evolution of military strategy and the nature of conflict during the century spanning from 1850 to 1950. Cyril Falls, a noted military historian and former professor at Oxford, utilizes his extensive knowledge of European conflicts to analyze how technological advancements and shifting political landscapes fundamentally altered the conduct of war. The text argues that this period represents a distinct era of total war, characterized by the mobilization of entire societies and the rapid industrialization of weaponry.

Historians and military scholars frequently cite this work as a comprehensive overview of the rapid modernization of warfare during the industrial age. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of strategic shifts for those interested in the history of military thought.