This study investigates the anticipationof war amongst the French and British militarymilieux before the First World War.Military observation reports on early 2OthCentury extra-Occidental wars (the BoerWar, Russo-Japanese War, and Balkan Wars)provide insights into the attitude of theFrench and British armies to the new violenceof war and shed light on the centralrole of violence in military culture and perceptions.The construction of models of anticipation is influenced by the experience of combat, but observations are quickly instrumentalised in the service of doctrine. The process of assimilating the new battlefield violence reveals the role played by modern armament and colonial wars in the radicalization of combat practice. This study aims to elaborate the history of anticipation, whilst underlining the fact that in armies the preparation for new war resides first and foremost in the anticipation of future combat violence.