Recent Articles

Strategic Landpower and a Resurgent Russia: An Operational Approach to Deterrence, A U.S. Army War College Integrated Research Project in Support of U.S. European Command and U.S. Army Europe LTC R Reed Anderson, COL Patrick J Ellis, LTC Antonio M Paz, LTC Kyle A Reed, LTC Lendy Renegar, LTC John T Vaughan Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Over the past century, U.S. relations with Russia have evolved from ally to enemy to strategic partner to competitor. The political landscape and national interests of the Russian Federation have changed since the breakup of the Soviet Union. As a result, relations between Russia and the United States today are strained, largely because of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Understanding Russia’s intentions has been challenging and difficult in the past for the United States. This monograph argues that Russia’s foreign policy is driven by four overarching factors: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approach to the world around him; the Kremlin’s desire for centralized control of the population; Russia’s desire to protect its homeland through an outside “buffer zone;” and an enduring distrust of the West. "

Strategic Insights: The Coming Perfect Storm of Europe LTC Michael A. Adelberg Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: 2016 Campaign: National Security Debate, Army Implications, and Oversights Prof William G Braun III Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Military Unpreparedness and the Complexities of Landpower 1917-2010 Dr Conrad C Crane, Dr Michael E Lynch, Dr James D. Scudieri, Shane P. Reilly, Anna S. Page Historical Research Review by US Army War College, Army Heritage and Education Center "When Gen. Gordon Sullivan was Chief of Staff of the Army, he kept two books on his desk, The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine, 1919- 1939 by Col. Robert Doughty, and America’s First Battles, 1776-1965 by Lt. Col. Charles E. Heller and Brig. Gen. William A. Stofft. Sullivan was determined that his Army would be fully prepared for the next war. Other chiefs have echoed Sullivan’s concern, and the lessons learned from studying past battles are not always lost to history, yet they are sometimes forgotten."

The Changing Character of War 1775-2016 Dr Conrad C Crane, Dr Michael E Lynch, Dr James D. Scudieri Historical Research Review by US Army War College, Army Heritage and Education Center "The potential changes in the operating environment (OE) and the character of war in the next 15-20 years are unknowable and history cannot provide a predictive model or “cookbook” to anticipate future events. The last 250 years, however, have provided many examples of shifts in the character of war caused by emerging technology, political shifts, economic changes and diplomatic crises. This context may prove very useful for senior leaders. There will doubtless be technological advances in the future, and some may be “game changers.” Intellectual development is just as important as technological development..."

Starting Strong: Talent-Based Branching of Newly Commissioned U.S. Army Officers LTC Michael J Colarusso, LTC Kenneth G Heckel, COL David S Lyle, LTC William L Skimmyhorn Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Starting Strong describes the practical application of several officer talent management concepts first presented in a Strategic Studies Institute monograph series from 2009-2010. Moving from human capital theory, data, and analysis, to an operational construct, the monograph details a multi-year pilot of talent-based officer branching practices in the United States Army. The pilot’s results were so promising that its approach has since scaled across all Army commissioning sources and is likely to be adopted by the United States Navy and perhaps the other services as well."

Operating in the Gray Zone: An Alternative Paradigm for U.S. Military Strategy Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Recent events in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and the South China Sea continue to take interesting, if not surprising, turns. As a result, many security experts are calling for revolutionary measures to address what they wrongly perceive to be a new form of warfare, called “hybrid” or “gray zone” wars, but which is, in fact, an application of classic coercive strategies. These strategies, enhanced by evolving technologies, have exploited a number of weaknesses in the West’s security structures. To remedy one of those weaknesses, namely, the lack of an appropriate planning framework, this monograph suggests a way to re-center the current U.S. campaign-planning paradigm to make it more relevant to contemporary uses of coercive strategies. "

Strategic Insights: Mexico—New Directions, Continuity, and Obstacles in the Fight Against Transnational Organized Crime Dr R Evan Ellis Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Military Support to Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure Colonel Brian J Hammer Guides and Handbooks by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Joint Chiefs of Staff "This Handbook for Military Support to Essential Services and Critical Infrastructure provides fundamental guidance, planning considerations, techniques, and procedures for the development of essential services and critical infrastructure (ES&CI) during all phases, but specifically Phase “0”, "Shaping" operations or restoration of ES&CI in the wake of a natural disaster or combat during joint operation Phases IV, "Stabilize," and V, "Enable Civil Authority." "