ABSTRACT
Technology has a major impact on morale: in particular the sense that better arms are available than those wielded by opponents. Interpretations that suggest a near-automatic search for best practice in technology, and its subsequent diffusion, make best practice seem easier to understand, and change appear far less difficult, than was the case, and distract attention from the importance of understanding new opportunities. A stress, both on the role of perception in the understanding of best practice and on changing notions of legitimacy, directs attention again to 'cultural' factors in military history. Indeed, faith in weaponry and technology, rather than hard analysis of their effectiveness, frequently contributes to their designated role in military history. Fitness for purpose is a crucial concept when judging the applicability of weaponry, but such fitness is frequently misunderstood by putting the stress on the capacity for employing force, rather than the ends that are sought by the use or availability of this force.
