The Peloponnesian war, the decisive English victory at Agincourt, the brilliant sea battle of Trafalgar, the bloody three-day struggle at Gettysburg, the ferocious fighting on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day--this exciting book tells the stories of the most dramatic, memorable, and important conflicts in world history.This superb, one-volume reference begins with the battle of Megiddo, fought by the ancient Egyptians, and takes the reader through to the Second Gulf war of 2003. On the way it describes almost 300 battles from around the world--from the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, as well as from Europe and the Americas. All the battles are grouped in chapters which tell the wider story of a particular era or region, whether it be the ancient world (the campaigns of Alexander the Great or the Punic Wars) or Asia and the Middle East (the Vietnam War, the Second Gulf War). Each chapter includes an introduction that sets out the historical, tactical, and technological context, and looks at current debates among military historians. In addition, individual battles are placed clearly within the wars and campaigns of which they formed a part, allowing readers to follow the details of the battle and understand its military and historical implications.With detailed maps, a wide range of illustrations, and an extensive index that gives the reader instant access to historical figures, locations, battle formations, and much more, Battlefield offers a gold mine of information for everyone interested in world or military history.