Tools of Violence

The tools of lethal force have always attracted controversy and fascination. In the modern media age, however, they are also surrounded by confusion and misunderstanding. McNab and Keeter cut through mythology and misinformation and comprehensively lay out the facts, often revealing startling gaps in our everyday knowledge.
"Tools of Violence" unravels the myths of modern weaponry. Not only explaining how a weapon system works, the authors explore how it is applied by soldiers, police or civilians under pressure, what happens when innocents get in the way, its effect on the human body or physical structures, its political controversies, and its place in international law. Judgments are backed up by interviews with those directly engaged with weapons technology, including frontline soldiers, police officers, academics, weapons specialists and defense analysts.
Accessible and absorbing, "Tools of Violence" is essential reading for those wanting to understand the weapons technology of today and how and why it is used.
CONTENTS
Introduction; Hand-Held War - Small Arms; Perfect Destruction - Explosives; Mechanized Muscle - Battlefield Armor; Death from a Distance - Artillery: Power from Above - Military Aviation; Firepower at Sea - Naval Weapon Systems; Shadow Threat - Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Weapons / WMD "The authors, experts on military technology, discuss everything from hand-held firearms to the newest missiles employed by today's military. The book contains a wealth of informationon the rifles, grenades and ammunition carried by infantrymen. Mines, tanks, rockets, grenade launchers, fighter aircraft, and attack helicopters are also examined. There is even a section on the simplest form of weapon widely used today--the suicide bomber." -"Military Heritage," (October 2008)
"I think that this book is a perfect read for the military enthusiast such as I, or just someone who wants to learn about a subject they never knew about before. I highly recommend you set up a place on your shelf for this one."-Kevin Powers, "modelingmadness.com "(April 2008)
"TOOLS OF VIOLENCE packs in analysis of physical, political and psychological effects of weaponry, backing up analysis with interviews with those engaged in weapons technology, from soldiers and police to researchers, weapons sp