oa Militaire geschiedschrijving in de 21^e eeuw

Military History in the 21^stCentury

The field of military history has undergone profound changes in recent decades, the main feature of which has been to broaden the narrow traditional operational military historiography in terms of theme, perspective and methodology. This article very briefly discusses the position of the field in the academic and non-academic world. Then – the main body of the article – it explores the new historiographic paths military historians have taken over time, and analyzes the benefits and opportunities of these new practices, as well as the associated risks. Finally, a hopeful look is taken at the future of the field. It is argued that military historians with a comprehensive approach are best able to explain how the course of military action has influenced the general course of history and can thus make a full contribution to general historiography.