For centuries, paintings of warfare were celebrated, glorified, and romanticized-until the invention of photography in the 1850s revealed war's true face. Here, captured in some of the most dramatic photos ever taken, is the story of modern warfare, the photographers who risked their lives to tell it, and the ever-improving photographic technology that made their achievements possible. From the American Civil War, World War II, and the Vietnam War, right up to the War on Terror, this is an exciting and informative journey for military history buffs as well as those interested in visual culture.