This paper seeks to examine the changing nature of war and the environment in which it is fought. The fact that America is not applauding its successes at the physical level of war in waging the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and does not perceive the...
There is no shortage of people who disagree with the current state of world affairs and who are prepared to use violence to change them. Are they mindless fanatics, doomed to fail? Or do they have a clever and covert plan with reasonable chance of...
The post Cold War era has seen an increase in international violence and internal conflicts ignited by nationalism, separatist ethnic groups, and religious fundamentalism. As the world's only superpower, the United States has been pressured to...
OPERATION ALLIED FORCE has become a lightning rod sparking strong debate within the US military. The debate revolves around the subject of decisive military action and which branch of service most contributed to the successful campaign in Kosovo....
This monograph analyzes the manual wargaming portion of the U.S. Army's decision-making cycle in order to determine if the process deduces the optimum course of action. The monograph begins by examining game theory, which is the theoretical basis...
The Modern Army Combatives Program was adopted by the U.S. Army in 2000. The program is the culmination of a directive by the Commander of 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in 1995 to improve the Army's older and unused combatives program. Modern...
This monograph examines the operational concept of Force XXI, the U.S. Army of the 21st Century, to determine if it will be applicable against an enemy employing an unconventional warfare strategy. The study suggests that the concept, as it is...
In 1993, the Bottom-Up Review (BUR) concluded that the United States could fight and win in two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRCs). Nearly simultaneous required that the two MRCs be spaced at least 42 days apart to allow adequate...
The 1993 version of FN4 100-5, Operations, formally added the theoretical term of decisive points to our professional warfighting lexicon without providing a useful methodology for their identification. This monograph undertakes a study of decisive...
In a time where the role of heavy mechanized units seems to play a secondary part to the rapid deployability and lightning-quick raids conducted by light forces, understanding how "shock battle " can still be waged at the operational and tactical...
This paper analyzes the concept of operational tempo from the Soviet perspective. It examines the nature of high-tempo operations, the dynamics of these operations, and proposes ways to counter a future Soviet high-tempo operation in Europe. By...
This monograph answers the question of whether operational air commanders have the necessary doctrinal tools to plan for effective airpower employment in gradually escalated, coercive warfare. It concludes that current Air Force doctrine does not...
Col. John Boyd, USAF (Ret),famous for developing the OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act) loop model, spent most of his adult life trying to convince the U.S. military establishment of the merits of his theory for maneuver warfare later called the Boyd...
This monograph discusses the importance of the decisive point in the design and conduct of campaigns and major operations. It examines the validity of the theoretical presentations of Jomini and Clausewitz concerning the subject matter in respect...
This monograph examines how the U.S. Army compares to other complex systems in the use of information to solve problems. Like most complex systems, the U.S. Army strives to attain an informational advantage over its opponents. However, according to...
This monograph addresses the effectiveness of the current Army brigade combat team structure as the Army begins to move into the 21st century. More specifically, it addresses the period between now and 2010, when the Force 21 Initiative will begin...
"This 1953 manual is written for the purpose of teaching you how to use the bayonet. It describes basic techniques, group assault tactics, and procedures for training. The techniques outlined in this manual will help you develop confidence in...
The operational level of war lies at the heart of the United States Army's warfighting doctrine and the focus of this level of war is the operational art. In order to successfully prosecute war at the operational level, American military commanders...
The US will not always fight a cooperative enemy in urban operations. The Panamanian Defense Forces and Haitian military surrendered without significant fighting and bloodshed. Urban fighting against a more determined opponent, such as the clans of...
This monograph analyzes the effectiveness of operational campaign design against an asymmetrical threat during the 1968 Tet Offensive. The focus is on conceptual elements of campaign design that are derived from theory, which incorporate the...