What If...? Vol 3: The World's Foremost Military Historians Imagine What Might Have Been

Written by Robert Cowley

Narrated by Murphy Guyer

Historians and inquisitive laymen alike love to ponder the dramatic what-ifs of history. In these never-before-published essays, some of the keenest minds of our time ask the big, tantalizing questions: Where might we be if history had not unfolded the way it did? Why, how, and when was our fortune made real? The answers are surprising, sometimes frightening, and always entertaining.

This provocative collection of essays features today's foremost historians speculating on these "what ifs", providing a fascinating new perspective on history's most pivotal events. The essays include:

* Infectious Alternatives: The Plague that Saved Jerusalem

by William H. McNeil

* No Glory That Was Greece: The Persians Win at Salamis

by Victor Davis Hanson

* Conquest Denied: Alexander the Great's Premature Death

by Josiah Ober

* Furor Teutonicus: The Teutoburg

by Lewis Lapham

* The Dark Ages Made Lighter: The Consequences of Two Defeats

by Barry S. Strauss

* The Death that Saved Europe: The Mongols Turn Back

by Cecilia Holland

* If Only It Had Not Been Such a Wet Summer

by Theodore K. Rabb

* The Immolation of Hernán Cortés

by Ross Hassig

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Jun 1, 2000
• ISBN: 9780743561358

Reviews for What If...? Vol 3

[maboeln · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I liked this, but I did gradually grow weary of the American preoccupation. There are some fascinating concepts, but I think I would have liked a little more insight into how far things could have changed, instead of emphasis on the pivotal moments themselves.

[John Bethea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting speculations and better paced than Volume One. There were a few delays in recording though.

[fnielsen_18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first read in what-if history this counterfactual military history presented makes me wonder if the hinges of history are all related to military decisions and incidences to military leaders...? Of the group of essays written by different historians one that I find striking is Cecilia Holland's Mongol conquest of Europe in the 1240's under general Sabotai. It was not so probably only due to the death of the khan Ogadai thousand of kilometer away: In Holland's words "a stroke of blind luck". Later in 1258 the Mongols would destroy Bagdad. The two essays on events in the USA civil war gave me too little introduction and context. The Battle of Midway is also treated. American cryptanalysis sometimes gets credits for the victory, but as the essay as well as John Keegan book 'Intelligence in War' explain the victory may come down to minutes of American luck.

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Less satisfying than other exercises in this genre, notably the original If, or History Rewritten.

[mbmackay · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Essays on what might have happened if historic events had turned out differently. Some arresting scenarios hanging on simple premises ? different winds and the Spanish Armada could easily have been successful? the Mongols could easily have ravaged Europe if they hadn?t gone home when their leader died; etc. Variable quality writing but a great concept. Read December 2007

[toniry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Overall average; several chapters are very interesting

[jpsnow · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This series of counter-factual essays provides some interesting potential scenarios -- some that very nearly happened. The historians also present varying views on how far counter-factual history can go and what parameters make it credible. Weather is a frequent theme, as is the near miss, and the phenomena of a key player being taken out before their time. I found the cases of Salamis, the American Revolution, and the Civil War most interesting.

[johnthefireman · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book was not as good as I expected. The ancient history was pretty good, but the stuff on the American war of independence and the American civil war just seemed to go on and on. I would have liked to see more on World Wars I and II, and I think I would have expected more than a single chapter on Napoleon to deal with all the European wars between the 16th and 20th centuries. Basically this book is very USA-oriented, even in its treatment of World War II. The final chapter on China is interesting.

[dinadansfriend · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This has some good points but others are quite weak as Alternate starting points. The section on WWI alternatives was very interesting, but I don't think the complete lack of a socialist / communist alternative history is anything but American Exceptionalist hope. the idea that Hitler may have won the European War is very intriguing. The last good one is the view of China divided into a North and South , one Communist, the other Nationalist, is also worth exploring further.

[worldsedge · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Counterfactual" history from many famous historians. Very well done, even if this work didn't stray too far from the beaten path of the US Civil War (What if the North had won after at First Bull Run/What if the South had won, period), World War II (D-Day Fails, How Hitler could have won), various World War I scenarios, the Greeks lose to the Persian Empire. The most intriguing to me was the Mongols succeeding in overrunning Europe and Alexander the Great dying before he conquers the Near East. The narrators were acceptable, but nothing that really wowed me as I listened.

[borhap-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Quite fascinating mainly, but you really have to be a history buff and own a great detailed background knowledge, since background info is rarely given.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As some other commentators have pointed out, quite Amero-centric but in many ways quite interesting all the same. Though I did glaze over the American revolution and Civil war bits somewhat. I would have liked more variety. It was still interesting to read and to see how history can hinge on small incidents, I found a more interesting read in The Hinge Factor.