A presentation of the book The War for Karabakh: Strategy, Technology, and Victory was held at the Baku Book Center on November 3, 2026.
According to Report, the authors, Liam Collins and John Spencer, provided detailed information about the book's development, its main research areas and key findings.
The book, which examines Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day Patriotic War, took approximately two years to complete.
The publication is one of the first comprehensive, large-scale foreign military studies of Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day war. The involvement of experts from the United States Military Academy at West Point, which specializes in military studies, further enhances the academic and analytical value of the work.
The book covers a broad historical period, from the historical roots of the Garabagh conflict and the First Garabagh War to Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day Patriotic War and the subsequent military and political developments. Separate chapters analyse Azerbaijan's grand strategy and preparations for large-scale warfare, Operation Iron Fist and the key stages of the 44-day Patriotic War, military operations by the Azerbaijani Army in the directions of the Hadrut, Fuzuli, Zangilan and Gubadli districts, the battles for Shusha, as well as the anti-terrorist measures conducted in 2023.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of the book is its critical examination of the widespread view that Azerbaijan's victory was due solely to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The authors argue that a much broader set of factors contributed to the victory, including national power, state-building, economic development, sound military planning and the adoption of modern warfare concepts.
The study identifies Azerbaijan's mastery of the concept of employing modern combat systems as one of the key reasons for its military success. This concept encompasses concealing military positions, dispersing forces, effectively using the manoeuvrability of small units, suppressing enemy firepower and coordinating joint operations between different branches of the armed forces.
The research draws on interviews with approximately 100 military and civilian experts. The authors also visited areas where major battles took place and conducted field research.
The authors' main conclusion is that military victory is achieved not only on the battlefield. Such an outcome is underpinned by factors including national power, consistent state and military development policies, economic capacity, an effective communications strategy and ideological efforts.
The book places particular emphasis on the role of Azerbaijan's Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Ilham Aliyev, in the strategic management of military operations, his active communication efforts at home and internationally, and the fight against disinformation.
Even before the book's publication, the authors conducted in-depth research into the battles for the cities of Hadrut and Shusha during the 44-day war and published articles on the subject.