Perceptions directly complement or hinder diplomatic success. Understanding other nations’ perceptions of the US elucidates their probable action. Therefore, the fundamental research question posed in this thesis remains a pertinent one for...
The performance of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) at the Battle of Ap Bac, January 2, 1963, established a narrative that the South Vietnamese were unwilling to fight or lacked aggressiveness. At the time of the Battle of Ap Bac, the...
This thesis explores the applicability of current US counterinsurgency doctrine in Joint Publication 3-24, Field Manual 3-24 and Field Manual 3-24.2 to the Lebanese Hizballah and Taliban insurgencies. In particular, this thesis examines the Cold...
The premise of this monograph is that the Elements of Operational Design are incapable of linking the tactical employment of forces to strategic objectives and that Systemic Operational Design is a viable alternative. This monograph introduces the...
The mission of the United States Air Force is to fly, fight, and win. This monograph seeks to determine what is the best means of motivating airmen under fire, minimize the effects of combat stress, and avert unit disintegration. This journey...
People in modern societies are generally becoming more risk aversive. Whether risk is perceived to include uncertainty or not, form two differing schools of thought within literature and doctrine. Risk aversion is viewed as a challenge in most...
In 1981, Israel conducted a pre-emptive strike on Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor. Then Israel bombed a Syrian nuclear reactor at al-Kibar in 2007. Today, Israel is facing a new challenge as it considers Iran's nuclear program. This thesis is a...
This monograph reviews the functions, development, and measurement of military discipline in the US Army, and assesses these concepts against the current needs and limitations of the modern battlefield and society. By relying primarily on existing...
Throughout history, technology has played a vital role in combat. While improvements in weaponry are typically at the front of the military leader's minds, technology like the internet would not appear to be as significant. However, the internet...
This monograph analyzes three military operations Somalia, Haiti, and Kosovo in order to determine if and how casualties impact the commitment or withdrawal of US forces in the 1990s. These operations are viewed from the positions of the National...
The U.S. Army has experienced a disproportionate decline in Black recruitment. Blacks, who once represented 23 percent of annual recruits, now only represent less than 14 percent. What factors have caused the disproportionate decline in Black...
The Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991 was widely hailed as a triumph of modern warfare. Those who remembered the trauma and inconclusiveness of Vietnam applauded its clear goals, lack of civilian interference, and decisive end. Yet, twelve years later,...
The 2002 US national security strategy is a proactive, world integrated strategy against terrorism. The US chose to highlight preemption as a viable option to deal with terrorists or rogue states. The aim of this thesis is to address the planning...
Between April and August 1943, the U.S. Army’s II Corps saw two of its division commanders relieved of their commands. Each relief appeared tied to battlefield setbacks. MG Orlando Ward of the 1st Armored Division was relieved after his division...
The evolving U.S. stabilization, reconstruction and development doctrine displays the tenets necessary to stabilize a state following conflict; however, this doctrine remains insufficient for insuring long-term stability. To adequately guide...
Even though Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT) have been successful in OEF/OIF, inadequate training; poor staffing; divergent operating environments; lack of a strategic overview and poor guidelines for civil-military relations led to confusion...
History has shown time and again that the United States Military, in particular the United
States Army, is unprepared for the initial phases of conflict. There are many reasons for
these failures. America is a peace loving country that for most of...
Contingency operations are currently taking place in dangerous, unpredictable, and highly volatile environments where local government institutions have weakened or collapsed. In view of these conflict situations, it is recognized that the initial...
Modern military leaders require solid information, with broad background knowledge, to operate in some of the world's most complex cultures. In the Balkan Peninsula, the overlapping demands of religion, ethnic loyalties, and selfish power-politics...