Asia Pacific

Avoiding Vietnam: The U.S. Army's Response to Defeat in Southeast Asia Dr Conrad C Crane Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Dr. Crane asserts that the Army must change in order to operate effectively in the full spectrum of future requirements, and it is time to reexamine the war in Vietnam. His study also draws attention to the service’s “Lessons Learned” process, and provides insights as to how the experience gained in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM should be analyzed and applied."

China and Strategic Culture Dr Andrew Scobell Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The author of this monograph, Dr. Andrew Scobell, examines the impact of strategic culture on 21st century China. He contends that the People’s Republic of China’s security policies and its tendency to use military force are influenced not only by elite understandings of China’s own strategic tradition, but also by their understandings of the strategic cultures of other states."

The Rise of China in Asia: Security Implications Dr Carolyn Pumphrey Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "China boasts the oldest continuous civilization in the world and has been a major power for most of its history. Although China suffered a period of decline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, recent decades have seen a remarkable resurgence of Chinese prosperity and power. Five years ago analysts were confidently predicting that China would be the giant of the new century. Today, this is less clear. The first task of the conference was, consequently, to ascertain whether or not it is still appropriate to speak of the rise of China."

Defeating Terrorism: Strategic Issue Analyses Prof John R Martin Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Within only a few days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the U.S. Army War College initiated a series of short studies addressing strategic issues in the war on terrorism. This collection of essays analyzes a broad array of subjects of great strategic importance. Because national leaders were pressed to issue orders on the prosecution of the war on terrorism, it was necessary to produce these papers on a very short time-line. This got the ideas included in the articles into the hands of decisionmakers as quickly as possible, giving them better understanding of factors affecting their various decisions. Issue analysis was never short-changed in this process, but authors were asked to provide “think pieces” quickly and to worry less about references and footnotes and more about capturing strategic insights. The shortened time-line in some cases also meant that it was possible to provide only an understanding of the context of the decision; specific policy recommendations were considered something that could be developed later if not included in these papers."

Economics and National Security: The Case of China Dr Kent H Butts, LTC Edward L Hughes Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The United States Army War College’s Center for Strategic Leadership, the National Intelligence Council, the U.S. Pacific Command, and The Brookings Institution’s Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies cosponsored a conference for selected invitees entitled “Economics and National Security: The Case of China.” The conference was conducted at the Collins Center, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania on November 27th and 28th, 2001."

Chinese Information Warfare: A Phantom Menace or Emerging Threat? Mr Toshi Yoshihara Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Mao Tse-tung counseled, “To achieve victory we must as far as possible make the enemy blind and deaf by sealing his eyes and ears, and drive his commanders to distraction by creating confusion in their minds.” Few concepts mesh so contextually with Mao than the Chinese approach to Information Warfare (IW). As the People’s Republic of China struggles with its national military strategy, IW offers opportunities to win wars without the traditional clash of arms."

The Costs of Conflict: The Impact on China of a Future War Dr Andrew Scobell Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "A widely held belief is that China will not use force against Taiwan. Frequently, one of two major assumptions is made to justify this assertion: first, Chinese leaders realize that the economic cost of such an operation would be unacceptable; second, China’s leaders recognize that, for at least the next decade or so, any attempt to seize Taiwan would be doomed to failure. Both these assumptions are questionable and indeed downright dangerous."

Jihadi Groups, Nuclear Pakistan, and the New Great Game Dr M Ehsan Ahrari Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, Dr. Ehsan Ahrari, of the Armed Forces Staff College, assesses Jihadi groups from the framework of a new “Great Game” for influence in Central Asia involving an array of states. He argues that, if this competition leads to increased violence, outside states including the United States could be drawn in. On the other hand, if the region stabilizes, it could provide solid economic and political partners for the United States. A well-designed American strategy, Ahrari contends, might help avoid crises or catastrophe."

Planning for a Peaceful Korea Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As a new millennium dawns over the Korean peninsula, millenary hopes and expectations are very much in evidence among students of Korean affairs. Half a century after the surprise attack that launched the Korean War, almost 5 decades into the continuing high-tension military standoff that has followed the 1953 Korean War ceasefire, there is suddenly a pervasive and growing anticipation that this tormented and divided nation may now be on the threshold of a new and momentous era: an era of genuine peace, in which the “Cold War structure on the Korean peninsula” is at last dismantled, and a reconciliation between the antagonist governments based in Pyongyang (the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or DPRK) and Seoul (the Republic of Korea, or ROK) commences in earnest."