Cannae 216 BC Hannibal Smashes Rome's Army

In 216 B.C. Hannibal brought about the destruction of the Roman army at Cannae using the classical maneuver of the double envelopment. In 1941 the German commander von Runstedt brought off a similar maneuver against the Russians at Kiev and won an equally crushing victory. Drawing fascinating parallels between the military maneuvers of the ancient world and successful tactics in modern wars, David Chandler sets out to demonstrate the constant factors that have underlain the strategies and tactics of the great commanders, from Alexander the Great to Marshal Zhukov. Each chapter includes information on: -- The seven classical maneuvers and the eighth gambit, guerilla warfare -- Advances in weaponry, fortification, communications, army organization and administration -- Strengths and weaknesses of commanders of the period -- Analytical descriptions of two major battles from each period