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Book Review: The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi
March 5, 2026 — In this sweeping analysis, T. V. Paul traces India’s decades-long journey to global prominence, revealing how aspirations for major power status have been shaped—and often stalled—by internal contradictions and external constraints. Blending hard-power metrics with soft-power dynamics, Paul explores India’s evolving role as a “swing power” in the Indo-Pacific and its complex rivalry with China. From Nehru’s nonalignment to Modi’s assertive nationalism, this book offers a compelling framework for understanding India’s place in the shifting global order... MORE

Cover of The Unfinished Quest: India’s Search for Major Power Status from Nehru to Modi by T.V. Paul

Book Review: Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars
March 5, 2026 — Fry’s book, Women in Intelligence, uncovers stories of women working in intelligence and espionage during wartime. Using recently declassified files, she brings to light stories of individuals and the advances in women’s suffrage during the two World Wars. The reviewer sees this as an essential work that makes a significant contribution to the history of intelligence efforts and recommends it to practitioners of the military profession... MORE

Cover of Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars by Helen Fry

Book Review: Strategy and Grand Strategy
March 5, 2026 — Joshua Rovner’s Strategy and Grand Strategy is a compelling and essential exploration of how nations succeed—or fail—when aligning military strategy with broader security goals. Through vivid historical case studies and sharp analysis, Rovner reveals how misunderstanding or ignoring the relationship between strategy (a theory of victory) and grand strategy (a theory of security) can lead to disastrous outcomes. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in national security, defense planning, or the study of statecraft in an era of technological and geopolitical complexity... MORE

Cover of Strategy and Grand Strategy by Joshua Rovner

Book Review: Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons
March 5, 2026 — Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons discusses the American nuclear weapons enterprise by analyzing arguments from the past and situations in the present. The author explains the field of nuclear anthropology and the effects of having a long-term nuclear stockpile, as well as how research of nuclear weapons has developed over time, computer modeling, and nuclear forensics. The reviewer considers it “a readable, thought-provoking book that makes this dense subject accessible.”... MORE

Cover of COUNTDOWN: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons by Sarah Scoles

Book Review: The Russian-Ukrainian War, 2023: A Second Year of Hell and the Dawn of Drone Warfare
February 17, 2026 — In the brutal second year of Russia’s invasion, Ukraine faced relentless assaults while pioneering the battlefield use of drones in a desperate bid for survival. Retired General John S. Harrel delivers a gripping account of mechanized warfare’s evolution, where unmanned aerial vehicles reshaped tactics from the trenches to the Black Sea. This vivid chronicle captures the chaos, innovation, and global reverberations of a war that redefined modern combat... MORE

Cover of The Russian-Ukrainian War, 2023: A Second Year of Hell and the Dawn of Drone Warfare

Book Review: Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs: GI Ingenuity in World War II
February 17, 2026 — Improvised weapons and battlefield creativity take center stage in Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs, Robert P. Wettemann Jr.’s tribute to the ingenuity of American GIs during World War II. From modifying tanks to crafting makeshift explosives, soldiers turned innovation into survival and success. This compelling account reveals how necessity and resourcefulness shaped the outcome of history’s most devastating conflict... MORE

Cover of Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs: GI Ingenuity in World War II

Book Review: Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views of the United States
February 17, 2026 — What if the Axis powers had seen America clearly before launching into war? Betting Against America dives into the flawed intelligence, cultural biases, and strategic miscalculations that led Germany, Japan, and Italy to underestimate the United States. Through intercepted communications and insider reports, Harry Yeide reveals how these fatal errors shaped the course of World War II... MORE

Cover of Betting Against America: The Axis Powers’ Views of the United States

Book Review: Cassino ’44: The Brutal Battle for Rome
February 17, 2026 — In this masterful retelling of the Italian Campaign’s final months, James Holland captures the harrowing struggle to break through the German Gustav Line and liberate Rome. Drawing from 20 years of research and firsthand accounts, he brings to life the chaos of Monte Cassino and Anzio through the eyes of soldiers, nurses, and civilians caught in the maelstrom. Cassino ’44 redefines our understanding of World War II’s most grueling campaign, revealing its strategic importance and human cost just days before the D-Day landings... MORE

Cover of Cassino ’44: The Brutal Battle for Rome

Book Review: Lessons from the Admiral: Naval Wisdom and Sea Stories for Leaders
February 17, 2026 — Mentorship, reliability, and adaptability—explore the Admiral’s wisdom for navigating high-stakes environments. From attention to detail to building resilient teams, discover insights that transcend the military and shape modern leadership... MORE

Cover of Lessons from the Admiral: Naval Wisdom and Sea Stories for Leaders

Book Review: The Politics of War and Peace: A Survey of Thought
January 21, 2026 — Spanning centuries of political and philosophical reflection, Brayton’s work explores how thinkers from ancient times to the modern era have grappled with the moral and strategic dilemmas of war and peace. Through a rich tapestry of ideas, the book reveals the enduring tensions between justice, power, and diplomacy. It’s an essential guide for understanding how past wisdom continues to shape contemporary debates on conflict and resolution... MORE

Cover of The Politics of War and Peace: A Survey of Thought by Abbott A. Brayton and Stephana J. Landwehr