Richard Hobbs examines one of society's greatest problems: the need for reconciliation between the democratic dislike of war and the appropriate use of the military instrument in world politics. He questions whether the results obtained in war are worth the expenditures made and contends that victory gained from total war—war pushed to its outer limits—is illusory and not commensurate with the terrible cost.

The first part of his book surveys victory in past wars, through World War I, and discusses total war, strategic bombing, and psychological warfare. World War II is covered in Part Two, along with the policy of unconditional surrender, and the results and costs of the surrenders of Italy, Germany, and Japan.

In Part Three Dr. Hobbs deals with victory in the nuclear age, reviewing the spectrum of conflict and then focusing on Korea, the Cold War, and Viet-Nam; he looks also at the differing concepts of victory in the world.

Attempting a response to the question "Is war the solution?" the author reviews total victory in Part Four of the book, and reaches some conclusions about victory in war.