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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Defence strategy, planning & research
“From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron
curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie
all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern
Europe. Warsaw, Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade,
Bucharest and Sofia” – Winston Churchill, 5 March 1946
Following the Allies’ victory in World War II, the European
continent was soon divided into two broad zones of influence, with
Eastern Europe coming under communist Soviet control, and the west
under the oversight of the liberal democracies led by the United
States. What developed over the next 40 years was a military and
ideological stand-off that defined Europe and much of the world
until 1989. In countries such as Germany, the Cold War divided
families between the two zones of control. The two opponents
competed for global dominance, building up ever greater arsenals of
nuclear weapons, funding and fighting costly proxy wars in
Southeast Asia, Africa and Central America, deploying espionage and
trade embargoes, and even seeking technological advantage in space
exploration, which became known as the “Space Race”. The Cold
War provides a pictorial examination of this crucial era in 20th
century history, offering the reader an instant understanding of
the key events and figures in this 40-year period through 150
dramatic photographs.
In an increasingly complex and unpredictable world, a growing
number of observers and practitioners have called for a
re-examination of our national security system. Central to any such
reform effort is an evaluation of Congress. Is Congress adequately
organized to deal with national security issues in an integrated
and coordinated manner? How have developments in Congress over the
past few decades, such as heightened partisanship, message
politics, party-committee relationships and bicameral relations,
affected topical security issues? This volume examines variation in
the ways Congress has engaged federal agencies overseeing our
nation's national security as well as various domestic political
determinants of security policy.
This rare 10th anniversary edition (published in 2007) contains a
new introduction by expert Soviet historian David M. Glantz. In
addition all maps and graphics have been enhanced from the 1996
edition. "When the Soviet Union decided to invade Afghanistan, they
evaluated their chances for success upon their experiences in East
Germany, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Unfortunately for their
soldiers, as well as the people of Afghanistan, they ignored not
only the experiences of the British in the same region, but also
their own experience with the Basmachi resistance fighters in
Central Asia from 1918-1933. Consequently, in Afghanistan the
Soviet army found its tactics inadequate to meet the challenges
posed by the difficult terrain and the highly motivated mujahideen
freedom fighters. To capture the lessons their tactical leaders
learned in Afghanistan and to explain the change in tactics that
followed, the Frunze Military Academy compiled this book for their
command and general staff combat arms officers. The lessons are
valuable not just for Russian officers, but for the tactical
training of platoon, company and battalion leaders of any nation
likely to engage in conflicts involving civil war, guerrilla forces
and rough terrain. This is a book dealing with the starkest
features of the unforgiving landscape of tactical combat:
casualties and death, adaptation, and survival." (From the original
foreword by Hans Binnendijk, 1996)
The book examines Bernard Brodie's strategic and philosophical
response to the nuclear age, embedding his work within the
classical theories of Carl von Clausewitz. Bernard Brodie
(1910-1978) was a leading 20th century theorist and philosopher of
war. A key architect of American nuclear strategy, Brodie was one
of the first civilian defense intellectuals to cross over into the
military world. "State of Doom" explores Brodie's evolution as a
theorist and his response to the technological innovations that
transformed warfare from WWII to the Vietnam War. It situates his
theoretical development within the classical theories of Carl von
Clausewitz (1780-1831), as Brodie came to be known as "America's
Clausewitz." While his first influential works focused on naval
strategy, his most lasting impact came within the field of nuclear
strategic thinking. Brodie helped conceptualize America's strategy
of deterrence, later taking into account America's loss of nuclear
monopoly, thermonuclear weapons, and intercontinental missiles.
This in-depth exploration of Brodie's strategic and philosophical
response to the nuclear age and of his effort to reconcile
Clausewitz's theories to the new challenges of the nuclear era will
make this book a must read to anyone in strategic studies,
international relations, and philosophy of war.
In 2015, the United States Department of Defense published its
long-awaited Law of War Manual making a significant statement on
the position of the US government on important military matters.
Whilst readers recognise the Manual's legal and strategic
importance, they may question whether particular statements of law
are legally accurate or complete. This book offers a unique
in-depth review of the complete Manual, including revisions, on a
paragraph-by-paragraph, line-by-line and word-by-word basis. The
authors offer their personal assessment of the DoD's declared view
as to the law that regulates the conduct of warfare, a subject of
unparalleled current importance. William H. Boothby and Wolff
Heintschel von Heinegg offer a balanced, articulate and
authoritative critique for readers perusing the Manual in whatever
capacity.
As David Vine demonstrates, the overseas bases raise geopolitical
tensions and provoke widespread antipathy towards the United
States. They also undermine American democratic ideals, pushing the
U.S. into partnerships with dictators and perpetuating a system of
second-class citizenship in territories like Guam. They breed
sexual violence, destroy the environment, and damage local
economies. And their financial cost is staggering: though the
Pentagon underplays the numbers, Vine's accounting proves that the
bill approaches $100 billion per year. For many decades, the need
for overseas bases has been a quasi-religious dictum of U.S.
foreign policy. But in recent years, a bipartisan coalition has
finally started to question this conventional wisdom. With the U.S.
withdrawing from Afghanistan and ending thirteen years of war,
there is no better time to re-examine the tenets of our military
strategy. Base Nation is an essential contribution to that debate.
The European Rupture focuses on the consequences of the end of the
Cold War for defence sectors in Europe. It offers a theoretical
framework supported by country case studies from both Western
Europe and formerly centrally planned economies.The discussion in
the first part of the book analyses the connection between security
and the Cold War economy, arguing that the defence sector
profoundly shaped the technological development and industrial and
social policy in both East and West. It considers some of the
issues that have to be confronted in the transition periods,
focusing on the new challenges to our perceptions of security,
changes in technology and problems of defence conversion. The final
part considers the need for new institutional arrangements and how
these have to be constructed in order to re-establish a system of
international security and economic regulation. It proposes that
there should be a shift away from national or bloc security
policies towards a more internationalist security policy, and
appropriate measures of economic adjustment, especially defence
conversion. This book will be of special interest to academics and
students interested in European studies, international affairs,
international policy and policymakers.
This provocative book seeks to answer a most crucial-and
embarrassing-question concerning the U.S. military: why the United
States is so often stymied in military confrontations with
seemingly weaker opponents, despite its "superpower" status. This
fascinating book examines a question that continues to puzzle
soldiers, statesmen, and scholars: why do major powers-including
the ostensible superpower United States-repeatedly perform poorly
against seemingly overmatched adversaries? And what can they, and
the United States, do to better achieve their military objectives?
How Wars are Won and Lost: Vulnerability and Military Power argues
that beyond relying solely on overwhelming military might, the
United States needs to focus more on exploiting weaknesses in their
adversaries-such as national will, resource mobilization, and
strategic miscues-just as opposing forces have done to gain
advantage over our military efforts. The author tests the
"vulnerability theory" by revisiting six conflicts from the
Philippine War of 1899-1902 to the ongoing actions in Iraq and
Afghanistan, showing again and again that victory often depends
more on outthinking the enemy than outmuscling them. Interviews and
data drawn from the author's personal experiences as a U.S. Army
officer Six case study chapters on U.S. conflicts where military
superiority alone was not the decisive factor in the outcome (the
Philippines, World War II, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Iraq, and
Afghanistan)
Reports of NATO's death have been greatly exaggerated.
Characterizations of NATO as a "relic" of the past do not square
with the fact that the Alliance is busier today than at any time in
its history. As Europe has become more unified and more democratic,
NATO has assumed new layers of significance in the global security
environment. In a post-September 11 world, the old 1990s debate
about what is "in area" and what is "out of area" is a luxury that
the Alliance can no longer afford. Decisions made at the 2004
Istanbul summit aimed at enhancing NATO's partnerships with the
states of Central Asia and extending the partnership concept to the
Greater Middle East reflect the Alliance's new, more global
presence as do new military missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Sudan. Moore argues that a careful analysis of NATO's new, more
global focus suggests that it's not the nature of NATO's mission
that has changed, but rather its scope. NATO is approaching its new
"out of area" missions with the political tools developed after the
Soviet threat faded in the early 1990s when the Allies agreed that,
rather than merely defend an old order, they would now create a new
one grounded in liberal democratic values, including individual
liberty and the rule of law. Indeed, the mission of projecting
stability eastward was understood to be inextricable from the
promotion of these values. This new mission required that NATO
devote greater attention to its political dimension. In fact, as
the United States turned to promoting democracy around the world in
the wake of September 11, it ultimately sought to enlist NATO in
its mission of extending democracy beyond Europe to Central Asia
and the Middle East. AsMoore demonstrates in her attempt to provide
a full and comprehensive understanding of the new NATO, while
divisions within the Alliance persist as to just how global NATO
should be, the post-September 11 security environment ensures that
NATO's survival depends upon its willingness to project security
beyond Europe. That mission will be as much political as it is
military.
The Army version "Map Reading and Land Navigation" is the simplest
and most straightforward explanation of how to get around with just
a compass and a map. This guide is perfect for any outdoorsman or
for teaching Boy Scouts how to use a compass.
The United States faces a small number of rogue states that either
have or are working to acquire weapons of mass destruction. These
NASTIs, or NBC-Arming Sponsors of Terrorism and Intervention,
include such states as North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Libya, and Syria.
U.S. nonproliferation programs and policies have helped to keep
this number small, but U.S. and allied counterproliferation
programs are essential to reduce the danger. It is up to
deterrence, active defenses, passive defenses, decontamination, and
counterforce to turn enemy weapons of mass destruction into
instruments of limited destructive effect. Warfighters will also
have to adopt a different strategy and concept of operations in
fighting an adversary that is so heavily armed. This strategy will
feature a combination of deception, dispersion, mobility and
maneuver, diffused logistics, remote engagement, missile defense
bubbles, non-combatant evacuation operations, and large area
decontamination. It will also involve upgrades to NBC passive
defense measures and equipment, as well as a counterforce
capability that can find and destroy a variety of adversary
targets, including mobile launchers and deeply buried and hardened
underground structures.
This handbook reveals the techniques and tactics that make the U.S.
Army Special Forces some of the most elite and highly skilled
soldiers in the world. Trained to succeed in specialized operations
such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and
counter-terrorism, these soldiers undergo a rigorous selection
process and operate under the principles of self-sufficiency,
stealth, speed, and teamwork. Here readers will discover how
guerrilla forces differ from special forces and how unconventional
warfare relates to both; how to conduct a raid; how to improvise
explosive devices; and how special forces carry out air operations.
The first complete reference on the military-industrial complex,
from its Cold War era expansion to the present. The
Military-Industrial Complex and American Society addresses the
broad subject of the political economy of defense research and its
wide-reaching effects on many aspects of American life. Ranging
from the massive arms buildup of the Cold War to the influx of
private contractors and corporations such as Halliburton, it
reveals the interconnectedness of the military, industry, and
government within the history of this public/private enterprise.
The Military-Industrial Complex and American Society offers over
100 alphabetically organized entries on a wide of range of
significant research bodies and government agencies, as well as
important people, events, and technologies. In addition, a series
of essays looks at such essential topics as propaganda, think
tanks, defense budgeting, the defense industry and the economy, and
the breakdown of the military-industrial complex in Vietnam. With
this work, students, policymakers, and other interested readers
will understand the ramifications of the relationships between
industry, scientific and technological communities, the government,
and society. Over 100 alphabetically organized entries on the
government agencies, defense contractors, academic institutions,
individuals, historic events, and technological breakthroughs
relevant to the emergence and growth of the military-industrial
complex Contributions from over 25 accomplished scholars and
experts on various aspects of the military-industrial complex and
its wide-ranging influence on Cold War and post-Cold War America A
detailed chronology of key events in the development of the
relationship between industry, science and technology, and the
government An extensive bibliography guiding readers to a wealth of
additional print resources for further investigation
As the sole remaining superpower, shouldn't the United States be
able to call the tune on establishing a secure world to our liking?
While most international strategists conjure up history and theory
of international relations from the past to examine such a
question, Sy Deitchman, in "On Being a Superpower, " focuses on
today's changing conditions and attitudes. He starts by addressing
hypothetical situations that keep US international security experts
awake at night. What would the United States do, he asks, if, in
Saudi Arabia, an armed rebellion by Islamic fundamentalists were
about to topple the House of Saud while demanding that the US get
out of the Middle East? Would the United States go to war to try
stop China's invasion of a democratic Taiwan that declares its
independence? Could the US really win such a war against a
determined country that has over a billion people and nuclear
weapons? If a Central American drug cartel gained de facto control
of the Panama canal and turned it into a smuggling lynchpin, what
would the United States do?Deitchman examines these and other
scenarios and then pictures how the US would likely respond, based
on our society's current moral concerns, political rhetoric, and
overall world view. After reviewing the challenges the world will
present to us and examining the current state of our nation and its
armed forces, Deitchman describes the strategy for preserving US
security that appears to be emerging without explicit planning. He
shows how trends in the armed forces parallel the trends in
society, and how our argumentative political system is affecting
our ability to build and use military power to support our
strategy. Deitchman's synthesis of all these themes shows that the
existing trends in the nation and the world are not favorable for
our future security. Can they be changed? And if so, how? That's
the conundrum readers of this book are invited to ponder.
A no-nonsense treatment of information operations, this handbook
makes clear what does and does not fall under information
operations, how the military plans and executes such efforts, and
what the role of IO ought to be in the "war of ideas." Paul
provides detailed accounts of the doctrine and practice of the five
core information operations capabilities (psychological operations,
military deception, operations security, electronic warfare, and
computer network operations) and the three "related" capabilities
(public affairs, civil-military operations, and military support to
public diplomacy). The discussion of each capability includes
historical examples, explanations of tools and forces available,
and current challenges faced by that community. An appendix of
selected excerpts from military doctrine ties the work firmly to
the military theory behind information operations. Paul argues that
contemporary IO's mixing of capabilities focused on information
content with those focused on information systems conflates
"apples" with the "apple carts." This important study concludes
that information operations would be better poised to contribute to
the war of ideas if IO were reorganized, separating content
capabilities from systems capabilities and separating the
employment of "black" (deceptive or falsely attributed) information
from "white" (wholly truthful and correctly attributed)
information.
Increasingly the Middle East and its growing population face a
highly complex and fragile security system. The rich deposits of
natural resources, such as oil and gas, suffer from a strained
renewable resource base that includes water and arable land. This
leads to water scarcity, desertification, and land degradation.
Increasing population, industrialization, and urbanization put more
and more demand on the food supply. Energy insecurity may not be
generally associated with the Middle East, but the countries in the
eastern Mediterranean part have been traditionally vulnerable to it
as their fossil fuel endowments have been low. Another issue is the
large-scale temporary labor migration and the large number of
forced migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons. The
book analyzes these emerging security challenges in a comprehensive
and systematic manner. It draws national and regional security
issues into both the global security and human security
perspectives.
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