Book Three: War after Ukraine
What the readers say…
‘…Educational, rigorous, and thought-provoking – a powerful conclusion to Pike’s Making Sense of War trilogy.’…
‘…Pike bridges history, politics, and strategy without ever losing sight of the human dimension of conflict.’…
‘…An authoritative, sobering reminder that the consequences of this conflict stretch far beyond the frontlines.’…
‘…A fascinating and well-constructed exploration of war’s psychology – a must-read for anyone interested in history, politics, or human nature.’…
The final instalment in Pike’s fascinating Making Sense of War series – and the hardest-hitting yet.’…
‘…Meticulously researched and laid out in a way that’s accessible and easy to follow.’…
A gripping conclusion to the Making Sense of War trilogy – timely, necessary, and deeply insightful.’…
War after Ukraine, the trilogy’s conclusion, brings the analysis into the twenty-first century. Beginning with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, I examine how European security has been reshaped, how NATO’s role has been tested, and how nuclear strategy remains contested. Beyond Ukraine, the book explores the resilience of the nation-state, the fragility of international institutions, and the prospects for peace in an age of renewed great-power rivalry. It closes by advancing seven perspectives on war, distilled from the trilogy as a whole, and insists on the neglected trinity of Victory, Peace, and Justice as the only basis for durable settlements.
Chapters
| Part One: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine | |
| 1 | The Story So Far |
| 2 | Putin’s Point of View and the Western Position |
| 3 | The Russian Use of Force |
| 4 | The Russian Federation’s Use of Force |
| 5 | The Russian Army and its Shortcomings |
| 6 | Putin and Nuclear Weapons |
| 7 | Strategic Consequences for the West |
| 8 | Diagnosis and Prognosis |
| Part Two: The Nation, the State and the Nation-State; the Nation-State and War | |
| 9 | The Nation, the State and the Nation-State Post-Empire |
| 10 | Polities, Nations, States, Countries and the Nation-State |
| 11 | The Nation-State |
| 12 | Conclusions: Prospects For the Nation-State, Alliances and the World |
| Part Three: European Security Architecture, NATO and Ukraine | |
| 13 | European Security Architecture |
| 14 | NATO and Wider European Security |
| 15 | NATO’s Role in Ukraine |
| The Future for NATO and Europe’s Vision: Seven Dimensions | |
| Part Four: Past Decisions, Future Questions: the Prospects for Nuclear Weapons | |
| 16 | Nuclear Weapons: Provenance, (Non-) Use and Future Use |
| 17 | The Third and Current Phase of the Nuclear Age: Enduring Themes |
| 18 | The Future for Nuclear Weapons |
| 19 | Can There be a Nuclear Strategy? |
| 20 | Conclusions: Nuclear Weapons Have no Future |
| Part Five: War after Ukraine | |
| 21 | What Have We Learned from the War in Ukraine? |
| 22 | What Have We Learned, or Not, about War in General? |
| 23 | Conclusions About War |
| 24 | What then is the Future for War? |