War has been the defining theme of this century. This book analyzes almost every aspect of the impact of war on 20th-century society and ideology. Western culture has been deeply influenced, both consciously and unconsciously, by its experience of conflict, in particular the two World Wars and the Cold War that followed them. This book forms a total retrospective of 20th-century warfare, and illustrates why, in the course of this century, war became the accredited theme of modern life. Christopher Coker is the author of "A Nation in Retreat?".