---
product_id: 468206619
title: "Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500"
price: "VT29681"
currency: VUV
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.vu/products/468206619-iron-and-blood-a-military-history-of-the-german-speaking
store_origin: VU
region: Vanuatu
---

# Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500

**Price:** VT29681
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500
- **How much does it cost?** VT29681 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vu](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/468206619-iron-and-blood-a-military-history-of-the-german-speaking)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500 [Wilson, Peter H.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500

Review: Amazing Book - This is a tremendous book. It covers the military history of the German-speaking peoples (defined as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) over the last approximately 500 years. It is not a narrow war/battle book. Each of the sections, which cover about 100 years, gives an overview of the conflicts during the period of interest, but then discusses governments and how military decisions are made, military technology, recruitment of forces, how finances were handled, and the sociology of the military forces and polities. There are subsection titles like "Welfare, Medical Care, and Mortality" and "The Politics of Recruitment." The book has 763 pages of text (including the Introduction), 20 excellent maps (which are not well integrated into the text), and 36 figures (which appear fairly random). I counted 1598 end notes spread over 73 pages. The end notes are almost, but not completely, references and citations. There are a very few clarifying/amplifying end notes. The end notes are not separated, but use a run on format. I have a few nits. The text seems to strongly imply that the fortress of Przemysl fell in a siege starting in September 1914, when it was relieved in October and then later rebesieged (not only did the Austrians not resupply the fortress, they took some of its its supplies for field forces). Wilson refers to US troops in the 1970s as occupiers, when occupation is usually considered to have ended in the 1950's. Finally, Wilson sometimes presents his conclusions was facts. Given the 1598 end notes, I suspect he is largely correct in his conclusions, but my personal preference is to be given facts (which he certainly does give) and be permitted to draw my own conclusions. This is a very valuable book, but be warned that is is extremely dense in information. Although very well written, this is not a quick and easy read.
Review: Important resource for anyone interested in knowing more about the history of warfare. - Excellent academic discussion of military history of German speaking countries. This work provides an understandable history of how armies and war developed throughout Europe. The book also provides a wealth of associated historical topics. I first discovered this in the library of a Viking cruise ship; bought it when I returned and found it very engaging and informative.,

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #551,748 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #87 in German History (Books) #2,054 in World War II History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (178) |
| Dimensions  | 6.12 x 2.3 x 9.25 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0674987624 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0674987623 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 976 pages |
| Publication date  | February 14, 2023 |
| Publisher  | Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press |

## Images

![Iron and Blood: A Military History of the German-Speaking Peoples since 1500 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71aSReTApQL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing Book
*by N***D on June 5, 2023*

This is a tremendous book. It covers the military history of the German-speaking peoples (defined as Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) over the last approximately 500 years. It is not a narrow war/battle book. Each of the sections, which cover about 100 years, gives an overview of the conflicts during the period of interest, but then discusses governments and how military decisions are made, military technology, recruitment of forces, how finances were handled, and the sociology of the military forces and polities. There are subsection titles like "Welfare, Medical Care, and Mortality" and "The Politics of Recruitment." The book has 763 pages of text (including the Introduction), 20 excellent maps (which are not well integrated into the text), and 36 figures (which appear fairly random). I counted 1598 end notes spread over 73 pages. The end notes are almost, but not completely, references and citations. There are a very few clarifying/amplifying end notes. The end notes are not separated, but use a run on format. I have a few nits. The text seems to strongly imply that the fortress of Przemysl fell in a siege starting in September 1914, when it was relieved in October and then later rebesieged (not only did the Austrians not resupply the fortress, they took some of its its supplies for field forces). Wilson refers to US troops in the 1970s as occupiers, when occupation is usually considered to have ended in the 1950's. Finally, Wilson sometimes presents his conclusions was facts. Given the 1598 end notes, I suspect he is largely correct in his conclusions, but my personal preference is to be given facts (which he certainly does give) and be permitted to draw my own conclusions. This is a very valuable book, but be warned that is is extremely dense in information. Although very well written, this is not a quick and easy read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Important resource for anyone interested in knowing more about the history of warfare.
*by S***M on December 19, 2025*

Excellent academic discussion of military history of German speaking countries. This work provides an understandable history of how armies and war developed throughout Europe. The book also provides a wealth of associated historical topics. I first discovered this in the library of a Viking cruise ship; bought it when I returned and found it very engaging and informative.,

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Detailed and well researched
*by R***N on February 21, 2025*

This is an extremely detailed and well researched survey of Germanic military history from the 1500s to the present. The only reason I gave it a four is because it's not particularly readable. It's an excellent reference after you wade through it the first time, but don't expect compelling novel-like reading.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vu/products/468206619-iron-and-blood-a-military-history-of-the-german-speaking](https://www.desertcart.vu/products/468206619-iron-and-blood-a-military-history-of-the-german-speaking)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Vanuatu*
*Store origin: VU*
*Last updated: 2026-03-15*