Part 1. Military history : the orphaned discipline: Why study war? -- Classical lessons and post-9/11 wars -- Raw, relevant history : from the 300 Spartans to the history of Thucydides -- Part 2. War writing: Thalatta! Thalatta! -- The old breed -- The war to begin all wars -- Don Juan of Austria is riding to the sea -- Part 3. The postmodern meets the premodern: The end of decisive battle for now -- "Men make a city, not walls or ships empty of men" -- The American way of war : past, present, and future -- Part 4. How western wars are lost and won: Your defeat, my victory -- The odd couple : war and democracy -- Who is the enemy?