In this brilliantly researched, deeply humane work of history, Michael Stephenson traces the paths that have led soldiers to their graves over the centuries, revealing a wealth of insight about the nature of combat, the differences among cultures, and the unchanging qualities of humanity itself. Behind every soldier's death lies a story, a tale not just of the cold mathematics of the battlefield but of an individual human being who gave his life. What psychological and cultural pressures brought him to his fate? What lies – and truths – convinced him to march towards his death? Covering warfare from prehistory through to the present day, The Last Full Measure tells these soldiers' stories, ultimately capturing the experience of war as few books ever have.