Summary: Civilization and Conflict
Page 1: Birth of Civilization
After 300,000 years in the dark, the development of agriculture leads stone-age man to develop the first civilizations, in broad river valleys
Page 2: Bronze Age Awakening
The discovery of metals hard enough to make good tools and weapons leads to the first big cities, but also the first wars
Page 3: Persian Empire is the First
As civilization continues to develop, the contest between neighboring cultures evolves into the first wars of conquest, starting with the Persians, Greeks and Romans
Page 4: Rome Moves East
With Barbarians closing in, the Romans move their capital to Constantinople, in the Middle East, where they engage the rising Muslims in centuries of struggle
Page 5: Crusades, Mongols and Castles
Christians strike back during the Crusades, are nearly overwhelmed by horsemen from Asia, and then retreat behind walls for safety from wide-ranging conflict
Page 6: Gunpowder Revolutionizes Warfare
After 4,000 years fighting with Bronze-age weapons, the arrival of cannons and firearms transforms warfare from noble struggles into titanic battles and naval brawls
Page 7: Siege Warfare
Wars are increasingly fought over the wealth concentrated in cities, which are besieged over and over, in a struggle between surrounding armies and beleaguered defenders
Page 8: Emerging Great Powers
As European trade revives from the mayhem of the Dark Ages, warfare gradually solidifies into a contest between a few great powers, headed by kings
Page 9: Warships Grow Up
Just as cannons transform battlefields, they alter the nature of naval warfare, which transitions from tangles of water-born soldiers into the conquest of any territory with a shoreline
Page 10: Searching for Gold
Columbus sets sail for the treasures of East India, running into America instead, where the Spanish find gold and silver, but the English and French find only disappointment
Page 11: Religious Control
Until the Protestant Reformation gains strength, Catholics are able to control behavior by punishing heresy, using their wealth to build great cathedrals, but also wield political power
Page 12: European Reach Extended
European powers seek distant colonies, and fight over trade in both the East and West Indies, with sprawling naval engagements that eventually leave Britain on top
Page 13: Napoleon Rises and Falls
The French Revolution ends with Napoleon in control, subduing all of Europe before losing it all again, while America and the new German Empire are both on the rise
Page 14: Communists, Fascists, and Bigger War
World War One leaves Europe stunned and disillusioned, leading to a chaotic period that leaves Stalin in control of Russia, Hitler atop Germany, and the world again at war
Page 15: Mass Destruction
World War Two sets a new standard for death and destruction, with motorized armies clashing in great tank battles, while bombs and rockets compound the carnage
Page 16: Nuclear Standoff
Americans get increasingly serious about containing communism, but are forced to accept the Soviets as equals in nuclear menace, fueling an escalating arms race
Page 17: Living With Threat
America's ability to shape world events gradually dwindles, and military interventions fail, as terrorism becomes the more immediate threat