On July 12, 2006, Israel went to war with Hezbollah in response to the killing and capture of Israeli soldiers along the southern Lebanese border. Believed at the time by many in the West to be an overreaction to a relatively minor border incident...
Emory Upton believed that politicians should leave war to professionals. This led to two assumptions that became conventional wisdom: first, an apolitical army represented a more professional force; and second, the problems at the tactical and...
The stunning military victories of OPERATIONS ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM have been a tribute to the prowess of the American armed forces. When coupled with the success of the First Gulf War, these victories have drawn renewed attention in...
Looks at how and why the Victory Plan was written. The Victory Plan was authored by General Albert C. Wedemeyer in the summer of 1941. Discusses a variety of issues: the planner, the requirements, strategic estimates, detailed planning and various...
This monograph presents a method for military planners to operationalize an adversary's culture during conceptual planning. To present this methodology, the monograph asks the question, is a Western way of war distinctly different from a...
This monograph analyzes the effectiveness of operational campaign design during the initial US ground combat in the Vietnam War. The focus is on the linkage of national strategic ends with military means and ways from the Spring of 1965 through the...
As the Army prepares the final drafts of the new operational and tactical manuals for the twenty first century this monograph analyzes the relevance of the principles of war to tactical operations. To do this, this study conducts three evaluations,...
This monograph analyzes the Iran-Iraq War to determine the role of society--the government, the people, and the army--in forming a state's strategy and action in war. It applies the writings of two classical theorists--Clausewitz and Delbruck--to...
Operations short of war, which are often dangerous and challenging, are a big concern for today's Armed Forces. Also important is the study of operational art. The linkage between these two concepts, not yet fully developed, is critical. Defining...
For the twenty-first century Army to successfully operate in the dispersed and isolated battlefield of the future, soldiers must be highly committed, well trained, and led to successfully transition, without pause, across the full spectrum of...
This study is an historical analysis of American enemy prisoner of war operations. In historical context, the study reviews types of organizational structures established, quality and effectiveness of guard and management personnel, flexibility of...
When the United States declared war on Kaiser Wilhelm's government on April 6, 1917, the U.S. Army underwent a profound growth and transformation to conduct combat operations against the German Imperial Army. Since the U.S. Army grew from 125,000...
Mistreatment of civilians not party to a large-scale, violent conflict is not new. The perceived lack of empathy for civilians (historically and presently) points to ambiguities about who the enemy is, rules of engagement, as well as the ongoing...
In September of 2001, 90% of America received most of their news on the terrorist attacks against the United States from television; a number that would hold steady at 89% throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In April of 2003 while the United...
Changing doctrine to keep pace with the evolving world situation is imperative. The U.S. Army is updating its operational doctrine by rewriting FM 100-5 Operations. The authors of the new doctrine have attempted to balance necessary change and...
There has been much debate in recent years over constraints on military force in wartime. American civil-military relations are based on civilian control of the military. Concerns over how that control is exercised, however, fuel the debate....
Sanctuary has been a factor in war throughout history. The availability of sanctuary to an enemy can often limit the ability of friendly forces to achieve tactical success in military operations. Prior to the advent of airpower, combatants could...
The topic of civil-military relations during the Mexican War resurfaces as an interesting historical study in the aftermath of President Obama's recent decision to relieve General McChrystal of command in Afghanistan. This review of U.S....
History illustrates that genocide is a reoccurring phenomenon. A variety of indicators suggest that the potential for the US to deploy military forces to prevent or stop genocide or mass atrocity is increasing. Continued involvement in limited...
This is a theoretical paper on campaign planning. The paper examines the processes and principles involved in campaign plan formulation and modification within the context of all three levels of war. A series of theoretical models are used to...