The most respected theorists of counterinsurgency agree about prescriptive principles for the organization of counterinsurgency campaigns. Insurgencies and counterinsurgency campaigns are each unique (sui generis), yet the theorists help provide...
The United States has been home to several influential military theorists who changed how the United States and other countries protect national interests, train, equip, and fight wars. Among these theorists are A.T. Mahan, Billy Mitchell, and more...
This monograph examines the dynamic relationships between the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. Current Army doctrine in FM 100-5, Operations depicts the relationships of the levels with a vertical hierarchy, defining the operational...
In both historical and contemporary practice of operational art the concept of balance appears to be of significant consideration. We are instructed in FM 100-5, for instance, to "" ... throw the enemy off balance .... "" (p , 27) The histories of...
This paper examines the question whether systems theory, and the concepts of systems-shock and the center of gravity are compatible and have any utility in military planning. Currently there is a debate between systems theory proponents who argue...
The classical military theorists and US Army doctrine emphasize the role of information within a conflict. The US Army's primary means for controlling and manipulating information is the doctrinal concept of information operations. However, there...
This monograph analyzes the Marine Corps' method for campaign design. It seeks to answer the research question: Is the Marine Corps' campaign design process found in FMFM 1-1 adequate? If not, the campaign design process will produce failure; but,...
The Information Age presents a unique opportunity to China with regard to both modernization and building an Information Warfare (IW) capability. China's active pursuit of an IW capability will cause a change in Chinese strategic culture.
This thesis contends the debate on whether to embrace a population-centric or enemy-centric counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan detracts focus from building a balanced approach, customized for the human and political landscape in each area of...
How well does U.S. counterinsurgency doctrine tactically neutralize insurgent infrastructures? This question is important given the high interest of the United States in maintaining stable democracies around the world. Insurgency continues to...
An unstable global environment where the threat is ambiguous requires warfighters to recognize the difference and interrelationship between seeing and understanding the enemy. This monograph provides an alternative definition which emphasizes the...
The recognition of the failure at the strategic and operational levels of war during the Global War on Terror, specifically in Iraq, has resulted in a quest for intellectual solutions to complex operational and strategic problems. To date this has...
This monograph explores the extent to which logistics influences operational war. It focuses on the inelastic relationship between logistics and operations at levels beyond tactics, the role of logistics in determining operational courses of...
This monograph studies the use of aircraft in insurgency. It compares airpower and insurgency theories, looks at the historical use of aircraft in insurgency, and considers four recent examples of insurgents or separatists attempting to apply...
This monograph’s purpose is to explore theory and its impact on military organizational and doctrinal changes during a time of war. Answering the research question will prove useful in contributing to the professional dialogue for the US to...
Just as many football players have failed to become great coaches, so too have many governmental leaders, leaders of industry and military officers failed to succeed when placed at higher levels of responsibility. Understanding how to solve...
This paper challenges the idea that the thinkers who developed the American Theory of Limited War prior to Vietnam were grossly in error. A framework for the elements of the theory is constructed through a discussion of the historical American way...
War is the outward expression of competition between complex adaptive political and military systems. In war, competing systems introduce new technological means to gain comparative advantage over other systems and the environment. Greater...
America's current financial strains necessitate an investigation into the effectiveness and efficiency of our fighting forces. This monograph explores the history of technology, theory, and doctrine development in heavy ground combat power and...
This thesis examines the effect of civil defense forces on a counterinsurgency campaign through a study of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group in the Republic of Vietnam. This thesis challenges a common U.S. Army viewpoint on counterinsurgency...