Michael Roberts's Military Revolution

A military revolution is generally defined as a "rapid change in how warfare is conducted with results so significant that hey change the course of historical development far beyond the military sphere" (Morillo 77). In the 1955, Michael Roberts made the argument that art of war in modern Europe was entering a great period of change along with the advancing government, technology, and society. I think his belief was that military developments such as tactics and organization seemed to extend even further and influence on society. In a way, Roberts saw this "Military Revolution" as a kind of starting point of modern European history.

Military revolution was defined by Michael Roberts in four significant parts. The first was that linear formations

The speed and maneuverability of these units would revolutionize tactics but require substantially more drill and training as well as leadership from noncommissioned officers and officers than ever before. Governments would now be required to devote more resources and develop the administrative ability to maintain these large professional armies.

Secondly, a revolution in strategy occurred as a result of the afore mentioned tactical changes which allowed these new highly trained and drilled infantry to campaign in armies that were capable of simultaneously being directed using complex maneuvers by a central command against one or more objectives at a time.

The third part is that because of the greater scale of warfare in Europe, it results in a much greater increase in the size of the army.

Finally, the impact war had on society accentuated a far greater destructiveness and a greater economic burden. It now became incumbent on the State to develop logistics and administrative support to maintain and operate these large standing armies. The emergence of mass armies, strict discipline, control by the State and submergence of the individual had