The Art of War

Synopsis

The classic renaissance study of military combat. In medieval warfare, such seemingly elementary conventions as army organization, staff services, hierarchy of command, and codes of military law were nonexistent. Niccolo machiavelli changed all that. Among other improvements, he instituted the systemic concept of troop formation and proclaimed discipline to be of supreme importance. War was war, he believed, and victory the primary aim to which all other considerations must be subordinated.