There are a myriad of books that you can read about warfare, battles and strategy. A number of experts offer their favourite books on military history and war. It is basically the authors interpretation of sun tzus the art of war and applies it to modern military strategy. Tasks for military science general of the army valery gerasimov, chief of the russian general staff, the traditional annual conference at the academy of military sciences is a platform for military specialists to exchange opinions on the most current and problematic issues of military science.
Informative and lucid, this book provides new insights into how a great power adjusts its military strategy in response to shifts in warfare and how elite politics influences strategic execution. Broadly stated, strategy is the planning, coordination, and general direction of military operations to meet overall political and military objectives. The book also puts it in western context using western military battles as examples. Exploiting prevailing weather the tactical use of weather as a force multiplier has influenced many important battles throughout history, such as the battle of waterloo fire attacks reconnaissance by fire is used by apprehensive soldiers when they suspect the enemy is nearby force concentration the practice of concentrating a military force against a portion. One of the ironies of the writing of military history is that the greatest book on war ever written was the second history ever writtennamely, this work.
Lets talk about some of the more modern books on your list. As such, it is in the public domain, and under the provisions of title 17, united states code, section 105, it may not be. The beauty of the book is that one can focus on the era that one is interested in. The development of military strategy under contemporary conditions. The military rightfully makes predictions and prepares for the most highrisk and most. Antulio echevarria ii of the us army war college talks us through key books, both old and new, on military strategy. Modern mans confidence in his power over historical destiny prompted the. We must understand and respect the darkness and the consequences. On war is the first and most important treatise on war from a modern perspective. We all watch global trends with the hope of predicting the future.
Antony beevor several books on the second world war. The uses and abuses of history modern library chronicles series book 31 margaret macmillan. Discover librarianselected research resources on military strategy from the questia. Oct 21, 2011 good strategy bad strategy this fresh approach to strategic thinking begins with tales of battles at sea in the days of napoleon and continues to explain what kinds of strategies have made the difference for modern companies like apple, walmart, cisco, starbucks and wells fargo. Each week, we ask a practitioner, scholar, or observer of war to list the top books that have influenced the way they think about war and strategy.
But if i had not, these books still would have given me a priceless education as they have for millions of other people. The art of war in the modern world is a treatise on modern warfare written by general sir rupert smith and published in 2005. Strategy and tactics, military scholastic books for kids. Hell, most people probably couldnt tell you the difference between strategy and tactics or even know there is a difference. Using game of thrones to explain modern military strategy. Makers of modern strategy is a scholarly collection of high quality papers on strategy since machiavelli to the present nuclear age. Victor david hanson is a good accessible but modern history of the battle. Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of campaigns, the movement and disposition of forces, and the deception of the enemy. The best books on military strategy five books expert.
Although hart was a briton, it is known that his work had greater impact on the prewwii military. The 14 best military nonfiction books of alltime americas. The key questions emphasized by this book include how russia fights wars and how its experiences with modern conflicts are shaping the evolution of russias military strategy. You need to get down the basics of how an army on the move operates and thinks. Choose from used and new textbooks or get instant access with etextbooks and digital materials. The military revolution debate readings on the military. How star wars explains modern military conflict hardcover may 1, 2018. Active defense advances our knowledge of the key drivers behind chinas military strategy during the last seventy years. I liked the authors grouping of the teachings into. Modern military strategy is the rare textbook that is both accessible to the student and a source of insight for the expert.
That said, companies do compete aggressively even viciouslyfor strategic advantage in a chaotic arena that is increasingly similar to the modern theater of war. His close connections with mahan and sims helped reinforce the transatlantic axis of education and thinking on sea power. List of books and articles about military strategy online. What are some of the best books on military strategy. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Modern military strategy will fill this gap in the literature, with chapters on the conduct of war in each of the naval, land, air, space and cyber dimensions, and on nuclear strategy, and irregular war and counterinsurgency. This volume takes a completely different approach to explaining both the eternal nature and modern intricacies of strategy, politics, and conflict by using the popular star wars movies as a common frame of reference for discussing the many issues and challenges modern practitioners of the strategic. Of course, i am biased because i trained under robert. Which are the best books to read on military tactics and.
Texts about military strategy take us back into the mists of time but what it is, and what the nature of war is, remains hotly debated. Modern military strategy is an outstanding study of the major aspects of contemporary warfare and defense preparation. While this may seem like an exaggeration, max brooks, bestselling author of world war z and a fellow at both west points modern war institute and the atlantic councils art of future war project has done the seemingly impossiblemade the esoteric subject of. The historians hew strachan and michael howard and the journalist peter snow offer very different choices on the general topic, while jeremy black focuses on the contribution made by china, the ottomans and other asian nations to military history and strategy.
Mar 15, 2012 modern military strategy will fill this gap in the literature, with chapters on the conduct of war in each of the naval, land, air, space and cyber dimensions, and on nuclear strategy, and irregular war and counterinsurgency. Modern strategy explains the permanent nature, but ever changing character, of strategy in light of the whole strategic experience of the twentieth century. Dipping into these books in preparation for meeting you today, there seems to be quite a lot. Oct, 2016 modern military strategy is an outstanding study of the major aspects of contemporary warfare and defense preparation. Sun tzu and the art of modern warfare book by mark mcneilly. I dont know about best, but one has been studied by every general for over 2000 years.
The art of war, by chinese general sun tsu around 500 bc. Each book is about a different civilization, a different set of tactics, a different cause. This may be the most innovative and interesting book on military strategy ever published. Martin libicki, rand corporation in this book, elinor sloan provides an authoritative and straightforward guide through the morass of strategic possibilities, written with clarity and. List of books and articles about military strategy online research. The text concludes by identifying crosscutting trends, statements, and principles which may form the basis of a modern. Liddell hart is the best example i know of who not only chronicled history, but shaped it. Each book is about a different civilization, a different set of tactics. John amble is the editorial director at the modern war institute and a military intelligence officer in the u. This is unfortunate, because strategy is something that is critically relevant to all of us not just those with careers in the military. A history, which is, as its name suggests, the history of strategy from earliest times. In 1929, he published the decisive wars of history. The best books on military strategy, as recommended by antulio echevarria, editor of the us army war. Alberto bayo latin american revolutionary, a manual of guerrilla warfare.
Which are the best books to read on military tactics and war. He lays out quite nicely how complex and convoluted that history is. Tactics implement strategy by shortterm decisions on the movement of troops and employment of weapons on the field of battle. An introduction, edition 2 ebook written by elinor c. Dec 11, 2017 the articles and other content which appear on the modern war institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. Brooks, and the other coeditors of this book, edited strategy strikes back.
Author richard rumelt shows that many recent high profile failures. This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to postcold war military theory for students of strategic studies. Certainly, the sources for medieval strategic thought lack the literary appeal of the classic histories of ancient greece and rome. The 33 strategies of war, the 48 laws of power by robert greene. The book is masterful, concise, and illuminating throughout. This textbook provides a coherent introduction to postcold war a. Strategy isnt something thats taught well in school. The book now called, simply, strategy, is essential reading for any student of the art and science of strategy making. Thucydides examines the great themes of war from the highest levels of the making of strategy and policy to the moral dimensions and the sharp end of battle. The development of military strategy under contemporary. Smith is a retired general who spent 40 years in the british army.
First book starts off set at a military academy, second book has a lot of naval battles, later books have land battles as well. Military strategy is a set of ideas implemented by military organizations to pursue desired strategic goals. Oct 08, 2018 this book brings together, for the first time, the classic articles that began and have shaped the debate about the military revolution in early modern europe, adding important new essays by eminent historians of early modern europe to further this important scholarly interchange. Modern military strategy draws a clean line between the old strategic masters of yesteryear and those writing on todays challenges. The book is respectful of history while being anchored firmly in current realities, yet manages to be futureleaning persuasively. Robert is a crack researcher and storyteller he has a profound ability to explain timeless.
Makers of modern strategy from machiavelli to the nuclear age paperback by. Military strategy and tactics are essential to the conduct of warfare. How star wars explains modern military conflict potomac books, 2018. Military strategy deals with the planning and conduct of campaigns. This book by sean covey, chris mcchesney and jim huling is the most straightforward and practical book on this list. Derived from the greek word strategos, the term strategy, when it appeared in use during the 18th century, was seen in its narrow sense as the art of the general, or the art of arrangement of troops. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the united states military academy, department of the army, or department of defense. 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.
Most military histories skim over the middle ages, incorrectly believing it to be a period in which strategy was displaced by a combination of banditry and religious fanaticism. Naval strategy is the planning and conduct of war at sea, the naval equivalent of military strategy on land naval strategy, and the related concept of maritime strategy, concerns the overall strategy for achieving victory at sea, including the planning and conduct of campaigns, the movement and disposition of naval forces by which a commander secures the advantage of. This volume takes a completely different approach to explaining both the eternal nature and modern intricacies of strategy, politics, and conflict by using the popular star wars movies as a common frame of reference for discussing the many issues and challenges modern. In this book, elinor sloan provides an authoritative and straightforward guide through. 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. Martin libicki, rand corporation in this book, elinor sloan provides an authoritative and straightforward guide through the morass of strategic possibilities, written. Military history five books expert recommendations. The articles and other content which appear on the modern war institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. Digital rights management drm the publisher has supplied this book in encrypted form, which means that you need to install free software in order to unlock and read it. List of books and articles about military strategy. Stephen biddle, the george washington university, usa. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read modern military strategy.
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