Published by Longman (1995), 417pp, No Illustrations, 8 Maps - paperback £ 14.99

Longman's latest series, 'Modern Wars in Perspective', is designed to look at the socio-economic and political forces underlying a specific military conflict, followed by some assessment of the period's influences on later history. Here, Esdaile considers the Imperial part of our period from 1803 to 1815.

Aimed at Sixth Form school students and first-year history undergraduates, this book is a starting point for further reading on the period. Given the average British and American person's limitations of language, it is no surprise that the bibliography contains entirely English language material, (albeit too many seminar papers in less accessible journals). Although that provides a helpful list for the next stage, inevitably there is a bias towards France's rise, followed by Britain's part in the Wars.

Following an opening survey of the Wars, two chapters look at the developments in France and the creation of its Empire, before going on to the other nations. There is too much detail on Spain, which is Esdaile's specialist interest, (although nothing much about how the collapse of the Madrid government prompted her colonies to realise how little they needed Spain's ruie).

In contrast and speaking volumes for the lack of available material in English, the assessment of the Continental Allies is rather thin. This is made worse by the curious idea that these major powers looked to follow the example of Spain, when their attitude was that whatever the backward Spaniards could do, they could do better.

Nevertheless, after seeing the chapter title 'Emulation of the French' and expecting to hear those tired old myths about how the Continentals could do nothing until after 1805-7, it was a pleasant surprise to see Esdaile explode that fiction by outlining the reformist forces and personalities already at work.

However, the way various social forces and interest groups inter-reacted depended on the nature of the state concerned from the homogeneous Prussia to the multi-national Russia and Austria, which Esdaile does not distinguish clearly. Similarly the impression given is that the rot had set in around 1812 for Napoleon. The seeds of the Emperor's downfall, both internal and external, can be traced from some years before.

The author does not care much for Napoleon, which is probably as good a reason as any for avid Bonapartists to read this! Whilst it is going too far to blame Napoleon for the Wars, the book dispels many of the romanticised myths about Napoleon's motivation for extending French hegemony and establishing the Code Napoleon.

Both grew out of a need to harness the available resources of men and material for his wars, rather than a desire to liberate the peoples of Europe from autocratic rulers. Similarly, the 1813-15 legends of patriotic war are revealed as being as misty-eyed as the be)ief in Napoleon, democrat and liberator.

Wars speed up existing trends, especially in involving the people affected by war in post-war arrangements. They give reformers the opportunity to implement their ideas, as well as driving technological improvement and methods of mass production. Whilst these developments are surveyed, there is little said about underlying conflicts, especially the Anglo-French colonial rivalry and the Continental Powers' struggles to control the weaker parts of central Europe.

These would have driven wars on a more local scale, alongside the real impact of the Industrial Revolution, before concentrating on the dynamic introduced by the actual conflict. Esdaile is right to emphasise the swift policy U-turns conducted by the major powers in 1815 and the unemployment problems caused by mass demobilisation. However, the points about the lasting effects of the Wars up to World War 1 are too simplistic.

In addition to eight general European maps, there is a long chronology of events during the period. which is a useful cross reference. The book is fluently written in understandable terminology. This assessment of the influences at work in the period is certainly worth reading as a quick venture away from military subjects for those interested in Britain and France, notably on the background to the Peninsular War.

However, there are too many holes and preconceptions in the parts on the Continental Allies for it to be any more than a start point for the key central European theatre. This is especially so as no foreign language references are given.

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