<DIV><DIV>This is a quick and reliable reference book for land battles in Europe ranging from the Great Peloponnesian War to the Second World War. Each entry gives the physical characteristics of the confrontations, such as the terrain, weaponry, the statistics of troops involved, and the casualties, as well as naming the commanders and explaining the tactics they employed. Going beyond the military information there is also a vital summing up of the political background of each battle which helps the reader to understand its contemporary significance and the historical implications of its outcome.</DIV></DIV>