Originally published during the early part of the twentieth century, the Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature were designed to provide concise introductions to a broad range of topics. They were written by experts for the general reader and combined a comprehensive approach to knowledge with an emphasis on accessibility. Military History by J. W. Fortescue was first published in 1914. Formed from a series of four lectures delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge, the volume focuses mainly on the development of the British army and its campaigns.