Throughout my teaching career I have continuously confronted what can only be described as an ‘anti-military history’ crowd, an elitist bunch who look down their noses at all things military, professors and teachers who laugh at student interest in learning about military affairs, and, perhaps worst of all, DC policy-makers who have little to no understanding whatsoever of diplomatic/military history. The following list shows just some of the advancements that were made because of war or the preparation for it.

• Blood-transfusion: Spanish Civil War
• First Central Bank (Amsterdam, 1609), Megacorporation (the VOC, 1602) and the first Stock Market: Eighty Years War