News - Category Parameters Bookshelf

Book Review: Beyond Black Hawk Down: Intervention, Nation-Building, and Insurgency in Somalia, 1992-1995
June 1, 2026 — In this groundbreaking military history, Jonathan Carroll moves beyond the infamous Battle of Mogadishu to uncover the full scope of the US and UN intervention in Somalia. Drawing on newly available sources and the Somali perspective, Carroll reveals how a promising humanitarian mission unraveled into a cautionary tale of political missteps and failed nation-building. Beyond Black Hawk Down offers vital lessons for future interventions in fragile states, making it essential reading for policymakers, historians, and military strategists alike... MORE

Book Review: Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year That Made Winston Churchill
June 1, 2026 — In Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint, J. Furman Daniel III captures the transformative year that shaped Winston Churchill’s resilience, leadership, and artistry. From the trenches of World War I to the quiet refuge of his painting studio, Churchill’s journey reveals a man grappling with failure, reinvention, and the pursuit of purpose. This compelling portrait blends military history with personal introspection, offering a fresh lens on one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures... MORE

Book Review: Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security
June 1, 2026 — In Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security, Andrew Preston reveals how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic reforms laid the groundwork for America’s modern national security state. Blending political history with strategic insight, the book uncovers how the New Deal reshaped the US approach to global threats long before World War II. It’s a compelling story of how internal crises forged a new vision of American power on the world stage... MORE

Book Review: Lessons Learned and Unlearned: The Drivers of US Indirect-Fire Innovation
June 1, 2026 — How does military innovation really happen—and what causes it to stall? In Lessons Learned and Unlearned, Brennan S. Deveraux traces the evolution of US indirect-fire systems, revealing how institutional memory, battlefield experience, and strategic priorities shape technological progress. This sharp analysis offers vital insights for defense planners, historians, and anyone interested in the mechanics of military adaptation... MORE

Book Review: Occupation: Russian Rule in South-Eastern Ukraine
June 1, 2026 — In this timely and penetrating study, David Lewis examines the mechanisms and consequences of Russian governance in occupied southeastern Ukraine. Through on-the-ground analysis and geopolitical insight, the book reveals how local institutions, identity, and resistance are reshaped under foreign rule. It’s an essential read for understanding the evolving dynamics of power, control, and legitimacy in one of Europe’s most contested regions... MORE

Book Review: Obama and the Bomb: New START, Russia and the Politics of Post-Cold War Arms Control
June 1, 2026 — A close examination of how nuclear arms control shaped military planning, diplomacy, and domestic politics during a pivotal moment in post–Cold War relations. This review explores how treaty negotiations became a test of trust, strategy, and civil-military engagement at the highest levels of US national security decision making... MORE

Book Review: The New Calculus of Escalation: Avoiding Armageddon in Great Power Conflict
June 1, 2026 — In The New Calculus of Escalation, Martin C. Libicki redefines how we understand the thresholds between peace, conventional war, and nuclear conflict in an era shaped by cyber warfare and emerging technologies. Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war and Cold War doctrines, he offers a fresh framework for managing escalation to prevent catastrophic outcomes. This timely and thought-provoking book is essential reading for strategists, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the future of great power conflict... MORE

Review Essay: World War II Generals
June 1, 2026 — Two revealing studies shed light on overlooked World War II commanders whose leadership shaped key moments from Normandy to the early Cold War. These dual studies uncover the complexities of senior Army leadership—showing how personal relationships, hard‑won experience, and strategic insight shaped victory in Europe. ... MORE

Book Review: Hero of Fort Sumter: The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson
May 12, 2026 — In Hero of Fort Sumter: The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson, Wesley Moody brings to life the man whose stand at the dawn of the Civil War helped shape the nation’s destiny. From frontier battles to the dramatic siege of Fort Sumter, Anderson’s story is one of quiet courage and pivotal leadership. This compelling biography reveals how one soldier’s sense of duty helped ignite a war—and preserve a Union... MORE

Book Review: The New Cold War and the Remaking of Regions
May 12, 2026 — Great-power rivalry is reshaping the global landscape, and The New Cold War and the Remaking of Regions explores how this competition is redefining regional orders across the world. Edited by T. V. Paul and Markus Kornprobst, the book brings together leading scholars to examine how states respond to strategic pressures in a fragmented international system. It’s a timely and thought-provoking analysis of the new geopolitical realities facing regions from Europe to Asia... MORE