Carnage and culture

In 'Carnage and Culture', Victor Davis Hanson explores how Western culture and values, such as dissent, inventiveness, and citizenship, have consistently produced superior military forces.

The book examines landmark battles to demonstrate how armies reflect the cultures that produce them, highlighting the advantages of armies from free cultures.

Hanson's thesis challenges explanations based on geography or technology, emphasizing instead the role of cultural factors in Western military success.