Throughout history, military engagements have changed the course of historical events, causing major changes not only on a global scale (the battle of Yarmouk and al-Qadisiyya in 636 set the religious / linguistic direction of the Middle East that continues to this day) but also in individual cultures (the 1836San Jacinto Battle brought the United States almost one-third of its continental territory). For these reasons, the study of pivotal battles is a very useful analytical tool and an important component of understanding world history.
About the Book
Many of the decisive turning points in world history have been battles. More often than not, they have meant not just confrontations between armies, but fundamental clashes between opposing religious, cultural, social, political, and economic systems. The outcome of such battles has dramatically altered and shaped the course of history.
This course will focus on more than 30such pivotal events, high lighting and clarifying the key events and figures responsible for these important shifts. How the Battle of Yarmouk contributed to the establishment of Islam in the Middle East; how the Battle of the Taras River curbed the expansion of the Tang Dynasty in China; how the Battle of Boyaca brought about South American independence from Spain; how the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, fought on the Mongol-Manchu border How it influenced the overall direction of World War II in Europe and the Pacific will be discovered in the course of the lecture.