This volume covers all the major conflicts of the 18th century. In the west, this includes the Wars of European Succession, the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. In the east, it covers China's conquests of Mongolia, Sinkiang and Tibet, Russia's advances against Islam in the Balkans, and the Afghan invasion of Persia and India. The conflict between Native Americans and settlers is also studied. It is an account of how the art of warfare developed over the century - from the restrained military practices of Marlborough and Frederick the Great, and the hideous bloodletting of the Afghans, right through to the guerrilla tactics used by the American colonists in the first successful ideological war of 1776-81. The detailed descriptions of each individual conflict are brought to life with 150 photographs, illustrations and computer-generated maps.