The impact of war on England and France in the late middle ages, and the reaction to the conflict between them, is fully explored through the evidence and commentary presented here. The Hundred Years War forms the framework for the chosen documents, all from the fourteenth and fifteenth century. Extracts illuminate how men thought about war and how they faced up to it in practice, the problems of manpower, and the effects of the military needs of the day on society. The importance of economic motives in going to war is considered, together with the changing methods used in fighting the war and the role of the noncombatant who contributed financially, materially and morally towards his country's war effort. Finally, the attempts at peace-making are illustrated, showing how war did not end suddenly, since its effects - social, economic and political - were felt for many years after it was officially over.