Is there a book about how a technological advantage wins wars?

Question

I'm fascinated by the role a technological advantage plays in military victories.In other words, I could defeat the best strategists in history (Napoleon, Caesar, Alexander) and their armies if I have a big technological advantage (e.g. atom bomb).There are thousands of strategy books out there, but I haven't found a single book that talks about how important (and decisive) a technological advantage is.The closest I've seen is Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Accessory to War" (which I loved!), but it was primarily about the relationship between the astrophysics community and the military community.Is there a book that talks exclusively about technology being the decisive factor in victories throughout history? (and ideally gives several examples) This can go all the way back to bronze weapons losing to iron weapons, to more recently WWII being won by the first country who developed nuclear weapons.

PaulHoule · Accepted Answer

Germany was defeated without the atomic bomb.
Japan could have (and would have) been beaten without the atomic bomb at a high cost in American and Japanese lives.
The atomic bomb changed the arc of history because it intimidated the Soviets. Even after VJ-day planners thought it very possible that the US would go to war with the Soviet Union -- since the Korean war involved mainland China it also could have become an unlimited conflict.
See also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superiority_(short_story)
and the ironic use of
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wunderwaffe
To be positive here is a very good example of technology winning the war
https://www.amazon.com/Britains-Shield-Radar-Defeat-Luftwaff...

tharne · Answer

> Is there a book about how a technological advantage wins wars?
Probably not. There are loads of examples of less technologically advanced groups defeating more advanced opponents (or at least forcing them to give up). A few examples:
- Vietnam against the French, then the Americans
- Afghanistan against the British, the Soviets, and the Americans
- Haiti against the French
- America vs. the British
- Germanic Barbarians vs. the Roman Empire
- IRA vs. the British
Some writers (Gladwell comes to mind) have even suggested that the opposite is true, namely that the number of times a more technologically advanced power has been defeated or at least held off by a less powerful, less technologically advanced opponent is actually much higher than one would expect looking simply at the capabilities of each party involved.

dartharva · Answer

If it's history you seek, William Dalrymple's The Anarchy is a fantastic read. It talks about how a private enterprise managed to dominate and rule over the richest part of the world in its time. Guns, Germs and Steel may also for your requirement.

simne · Answer

Technological advantage is not playing much role in real life, because it is usually very expensive, and (mostly) logistics and resources scarcity limit its usage.
Much more play geography and psychology, also extremely important economics, but to be strict, all these three things are strongly tied.
For this I know two excellent books: 1. Revenge of geography. Kaplan. 2. The strategy of indirect approach. Basil Liddell Hart. (He argues for indirect moves, but for me, all his examples about effective using geography and psychology).
And sure, best book on war for all times - the Art of war Sun Tzu, but should read from few translations simultaneously, because some missing important things and others are written too knotted.

jarl-ragnar · Answer

I&rsquo;d highly recommend Most Secret War which covers the role of Scientific Intelligence in Britain&rsquo;s battle with Germany during WWII.https://www.amazon.com/Most-Secret-Penguin-World-Collection/...

lnwlebjel · Answer

I can think of parts of books that do this.
The Splendid and The Vile goes on a 1-2 chapter tangent about the very interesting use of radar during WW2 for targeting London and the many counter measures developed by the British. It seems that there must be great books out there about this.
Similarly the book Cadillac Desert has a chapter about how the large Damns built in the Pacific Northwest had a massive surplus of electricity, which enabled the smelting(?) of aluminum in quantities so large that it allowed the allies to outproduce the Germans and win the air war because of it. Planes were being shot down at a similar rate.

credit_guy · Answer

Firepower by Paul Lochart. Published late last year. It only covers Europe (and the US) between 1300 and 1950. So it does not covers all the times and places, but it&rsquo;s a great read.

phendrenad2 · Answer

Steve Blank - The Secret History of Silicon Valley https://youtu.be/ZTC_RxWN_xo(Sadly not a book)

claudiulodro · Answer

I think The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss covers this topic pretty well, as well as the one-sentence street book "never bring a knife to a gun fight".

Is there a book about how a technological advantage wins wars?

If it's history you seek, William Dalrymple's The Anarchy is a fantastic read. It talks about how a private enterprise managed to dominate and rule over the richest part of the world in its time. Guns, Germs and Steel may also for your requirement.

I’d highly recommend Most Secret War which covers the role of Scientific Intelligence in Britain’s battle with Germany during WWII.
https://www.amazon.com/Most-Secret-Penguin-World-Collection/...

Firepower by Paul Lochart. Published late last year. It only covers Europe (and the US) between 1300 and 1950. So it does not covers all the times and places, but it’s a great read.

Steve Blank - The Secret History of Silicon Valley https://youtu.be/ZTC_RxWN_xo
(Sadly not a book)

I think The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss covers this topic pretty well, as well as the one-sentence street book "never bring a knife to a gun fight".