The Dark Path: The Structure of War and the Rise of the West

by Williamson Murray

The Dark Path examines the last five hundred years of conflict and war, primarily in Europe and The West, though also offering insight elsewhere when required. Williamson Murray proposes that fundamentally, the nature of war is unchanging, however it is the intense competition for power and instability unique to Europe over the last few centuries which have constantly and unequivocally changed the character of war through the adaptation of new technology and methods to gain an advantage over the endless stream of adversaries present in Europe. The book investigates the journey of this changing character of war through the lens of five military and social revolutions which war equally set the conditions for, and was altered by, ultimately leading to the rise of Western societies.

Revolutions might not always be as glamorous as you initially expect when beginning the book, as Murray highlights through many examples; winning at war is mostly about attrition and overwhelming numbers. While new technology and methods to outsmart enemy defences are important, the early military and social revolutions are less about superior tactics or generalship, which Murray quickly proposes are not particularly relevant in the grand scheme of war, than they are about ensuring larger armies are raised, kept readily supplied, and willing to fight for longer.

Whilst this is of course something we would largely take for granted now, the innate ability of humanity to adapt meant a new method of fighting rarely held an advantage on the battlefield for long before an adversary engineered something to counter it, meaning often the winner was whoever could endure the longest to be the last man standing. This was inherently influenced by the key revolutions Murray explores, from the introduction of taxation and bureaucracy ensuring disciplined standing armies were actually paid and national economies sustained, to the arrival of mass industry to supply them with superior logistics, faster. Whilst reading however, it becomes apparent that each military revolution explored makes war increasingly deadly, with outright victory ever more elusive and costly.

Promising not to be an in depth play by play analysis of the battles and campaigns it examines as part of the military and social revolutions discussed, sometimes it did feel like certain elements could be explored further for a better understanding, with Murray often favouring focus on the relevance of attrition and its contributing factors.   

However, five hundred years is a lot of history to cover, and the book still manages to provide a satisfying summary of historical events, allowing even an unfamiliar reader to understand why the outcomes of the wars describe relate to the consequences of the wider themes of revolution and change explored. It is well cited and some of the statistics mentioned are quite impressive, notably the staggering tonnage of supplies of the industrial revolution and weapons productions of WW1 which leave you with few reservations if Murray is correct about war being down to attrition.

Overall, it was an interesting and enjoyable tour through the progression of war in Europe which blended military and social history, offering a fascinating insight into how the international organisation and status quo we appreciate today, and war each owe their existence to the other. With the perpetual cycle of war influencing society, and society influencing the ever more complex technology and means with which war is fought, you are left questioning if the path of war will allow this status quo to remain for much longer.

Cpl J Thomson

Published by: Yale University Press, 25 Nov. 2025. 488 pages.

ISBN-13: 978-0300285536