In "The Allure of Battle: A History of How Wars Have Been Won and Lost" (OUP, 2017), Cathal Nolan, a historian at Boston University argues that battles rarely decide the outcome of wars. “Exhaustion of morale and material rather than finality through battles marks the endgames of many wars.” He does not dismiss the importance of combat engagements, he just sees them as part of the process of one opponent grinding down another. It is also worth noting: “There was room in the past, as there appears to be in the present and likely will be in the future, for quick and complete victory if circumstances and events work out just right.”
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