Machines of War: The Definitive Visual History of Military Hardware

Lavishly illustrated history of military hardware, including weapons and air, sea, and ground vehicles. Pre-industrial Weapons: From the first primitive weapons fashioned out of wood and flint to the introduction of bronze and iron weaponry to the first cannons. The Industrial Era 1815 to 1914: Gradual replacement of swords, bayonets, and knives with pistols, rifles, and later, machine guns, as well as the development of field artillery. World War 1914-18: A highly mechanized war of rifles, machine guns, field guns, and howitzers, alongside the new technology of aircraft, tanks, and armored motorized vehicles. Between the Wars 1918-39: How the lessons of World War I were applied to the development of improved rifles, machine guns, and personal weapons, and tanks, aircraft, and armored cars. World War II 1939-45: A global war saw changes in the design of tractors, tanks, fighter and bomber aircraft, submarines, and artillery, as well as the development of bombs and missiles.The Cold War 1945-91: The standoff between the two superpowers, resulting in the introduction of long-range nuclear bombers and submarines, new helicopters, fighter aircraft, tanks, and other combat vehicles. The Modern World 1991-present: In a period of insurgency and terrorism, modern warfare has become increasingly technological, with unmanned drones watching from the skies and new classes of submarines patrolling the seas.