Modern Strategy

Modern Strategy explains how strategic reasoning makes sense of the great complexity of war on land, at sea, in the air, in space and even cyberspace.

The Czech grandmaster uses the games of leading chess players to illustrate a variety of chess moves

Modern Strategy explains how strategic reasoning makes sense of the great complexity of war on land, at sea, in the air, in space, and even 'cyberspace'. Uniquely, this book shows how strategy works in all geographical environments and with all kinds of weapons. The first comprehensive account of all aspects of modern strategy since the Cold War ended, this book will be essential reading for all students of modern strategy and security studies.

Clausewitz and Modern Strategy is the first-ever volume devoted to the influence and interpretation of Clausewitz' On War to be published in the English language. Among all the better-known works on military theory in Western civilization, it is Carl von Clausewitz' magnum opus that has been able to withstand every kind of political, social, economic, and technological change since it first appeared in 1832 and will always remain of more than purely historical interest. This collection of essays, first presented at an international conference on Clausewitz at the US Army War College in April 1985, spans every possible aspect of Clausewitz' influence. It is grouped into three parts. The first addresses the issue of whether an early nineteenth-century book on war is still pertinent today in an era when war - more than any other human activity - has been revolutionized by modern technology. In the second part, analyses are made of selected theoretical concepts and other specific subjects discussed by Clausewitz, ranging from chance and uncertainty, space and time, and intelligence in war to guerrilla warfare. The final part takes a critical look at Clausewitz' influence on the development of strategic doctrines in several European countries, as well as the degree to which his theories were not only understood but misunderstood by various military thinkers. In many instances, Clausewitz' readers interpreted his ideas out of context and selectively employed his theories to match their own preconceived notions. Like many other works on political theory and philosophy, On War is not always easy to read and understand. Clausewitz and Modern Strategy provides an excellent introduction to the complex world of Clauswitzian thought, offering a better overall understanding of Clausewitz' key concepts, his system of thinking, and his influence on the study of modern war. It is indispensable reading for all students, military historians, strategic analysts and thinkers.

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to post-Cold War military theory for students of strategic studies. This second edition has been fully revised and updated, including a new chapter on peacekeeping, and examines contemporary strategic thought on the conduct of war in the sea, land, air, nuclear, space and cyber domains, as well as irregular warfare. Each chapter identifies contemporary strategic thinkers in a particular area, examines strategic thought through the lens of identifiable themes, and discusses the ideas of classical strategists to provide historical context. Examples of the link between the use of military force and the pursuit of political objectives are presented, such as airpower against ISIS and in Libya, counterinsurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq, counter-piracy operations off the coast of Africa, and the Stuxnet virus in Iran. The chapters identify trends, statements and principles that indicate how military power can best be employed to effect political ends, while the conclusion paints an overall picture of the relationship between classic and contemporary strategic thinking within each warfare domain. This book will be essential reading for students of strategic studies, war studies and military history, and is highly recommended for students of security studies and international relations in general.

The world is in a second nuclear age in which regional powers play an increasingly prominent role. These states have small nuclear arsenals, often face multiple active conflicts, and sometimes have weak institutions. How do these nuclear states—and potential future ones—manage their nuclear forces and influence international conflict? Examining the reasoning and deterrence consequences of regional power nuclear strategies, this book demonstrates that these strategies matter greatly to international stability and it provides new insights into conflict dynamics across important areas of the world such as the Middle East, East Asia, and South Asia. Vipin Narang identifies the diversity of regional power nuclear strategies and describes in detail the posture each regional power has adopted over time. Developing a theory for the sources of regional power nuclear strategies, he offers the first systematic explanation of why states choose the postures they do and under what conditions they might shift strategies. Narang then analyzes the effects of these choices on a state's ability to deter conflict. Using both quantitative and qualitative analysis, he shows that, contrary to a bedrock article of faith in the canon of nuclear deterrence, the acquisition of nuclear weapons does not produce a uniform deterrent effect against opponents. Rather, some postures deter conflict more successfully than others. Nuclear Strategy in the Modern Era considers the range of nuclear choices made by regional powers and the critical challenges they pose to modern international security.

Understanding Contemporary Strategy provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of modern strategy. Covering all the main issues in the field, the book explores the major themes through a combination of classical and modern strategic theory, history and current practice. The book is split into three main sections: Definition and Context : including discussion of the human, technological, intelligence, ethical and grand-strategic dimensions Strategy in the Geographic Environments: land, sea, air and space Contemporary Strategic Challenges: terrorism, insurgency and nuclear strategy. Each chapter presents the reader with a succinct summary of the topic, but also provides a challenging analysis of current issues, supporting students with pedagogical features such as suggested further reading, boxed case studies and study questions. This book will be essential reading for upper-level students of strategic studies, war studies, military history and international security.

War cannot be controlled in future without an understanding of its past. These essays analyse war, its strategic characteristics and its political and social functions, over the past five centuries.

A major contribution to our understanding of contemporary warfare and strategy by one of the world's leading military historians.