Deception in War: The Art of the Bluff, the Value of Deceit, and the Most Thrilling Episodes of Cunning in Military History, from the Trojan Horse to the Gulf War

Rating:
Summary: Engaging and lively, this is the best book on the subject
Review: As an armchair historian I was intrigued when I saw this book on a topic not widely written on or understood in western military thinking. Covering deception from ancient history to the 20th century (and beyond) Latimer examines the theory and practice of deception in war.

Dividing the book into sections dealing with air, land, naval, tactical and operational deception and then providing a detailed look at how deception works at each level has proved an excellent way to break down this complex topic. Each chapter is also full of colorful examples of deception efforts in history (eg. the British in WW2 observed the Germans building a intricate wooden mock-up airfield. On the day of its completion they sent over a lone Lancaster and dropped a large wooden bomb on it!). The lessons from history serve to illustrate each point Latimer brings up and keep the book lively and interesting.

Latimer has excelled at making this a very accesabile book which while it provides the detail a military buff wants is interesting enough to capture readers with a more general interest. I was genuinely disapointed when I completed the book, wishing there was more to read!