Strategy & Policy

Strategic Insights: Challenges in Using Scenario Planning for Defense Strategy Dr Michael Fitzsimmons Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

What Should the U.S. Army Learn From History? Recovery From a Strategy Deficit Dr Colin S Gray Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph examines the potential utility of history as a source of education and possible guidance for the U.S. Army. The author considers the worth in the claim that since history (more accurately termed the past) is all done and gone, it can have no value for today as we try to look forward. This point of view did not find much favor here. The monograph argues that although history does not repeat itself in detail, it certainly does so roughly in parallel circumstances. Of course, much detail differs from one historical case to another, but nonetheless, there are commonly broad and possibly instructive parallels that can be drawn from virtually every period of history, concerning most circumstances."

Ends, Means, Ideology, and Pride: Why the Axis Lost and What We Can Learn from Its Defeat Dr Jeffrey Record Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Why did the Axis Powers lose World War II, and what can we learn from its defeat? The Axis seemed on top of the world until 1941, when it added to its list of enemies the United States and the Soviet Union. The entry of Russia and America into the war decisively tipped the balance against Germany, Italy, and Japan. Resource-rich Russia and the United States were prepared for protracted conflict, whereas the Axis was not. From Pearl Harbor onward, it is difficult to imagine how the Axis could have avoided the fate that befell it, short of Stalin’s defection from the Allied side."

Rethinking Sovereignty in the Context of Cyberspace: The Cyber Sovereignty Workshop Series Cynthia E. Ayers "Recent successful "hacks," allegedly carried out by professionals acting on behalf of, or in concert with nation-states have heightened concerns about cyber warfare and sovereignty in the context of cyberspace. To maintain the integrity of U.S. and allied sovereign borders, it is imperative that security measures and defenses are coordinated and choreographed at the policy, strategy, and operational levels in the cyber domain, as well as in the physical world..."

Project 1721: A U.S. Army War College Assessment on Russian Strategy in Eastern Europe and Recommendations on How to Leverage Landpower to Maintain the Peace COL Douglas Mastriano Publication by the US Army War College, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, School of Strategic Landpower, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute "In early 2015, the U.S. Army War College (USAWC), at the request of the former Army Chief of Staff, General Raymond Odierno, published Project 1704, a study that discussed the changing strategic environment in Europe spawned by Russian aggression against Ukraine. The chief questions addressed by Project 1704 included: (1) What is the Russian strategy in the region? (2) What is the appropriate North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and U.S. response? (3) What are the implications for NATO and U.S. Landpower?"

Campaign Planning Handbook AY17 COL Douglas W Bennett, COL Tarn D Warren Publication from the US Army War College, Department of Military Strategy, Planning, and Operations, School of Strategic Landpower "The purpose of this document is to assist United States Army War College students during the Theater Strategy and Campaigning (TSC) course. It also serves to assist commanders, planners, and other staff officers in combatant commands (CCMD), joint task forces (JTF), and service component commands. It supplements joint doctrine and contains elements of emerging doctrine as practiced globally by joint force commanders (JFCs). It portrays a way to apply doctrine and emerging doctrine at the higher levels of joint command, with a primary emphasis at the combatant command level."

AY17 National Security Policy and Strategy Course Directive COL Robert E Hamilton, Dr Richard A Lacquement Jr Course Directive by the US Army War College "The National Security Policy and Strategy (NSPS) course focuses on national security policies and the strategies that put them into operation. It examines the elements that underpin national security policy and strategy, including the international and domestic environments, the American political system, national security policy and strategy formulation, the instruments of national power, and the processes employed by the United States Government for integrating and synchronizing those instruments to formulate national security policies and strategies in the pursuit of national security objectives..."

Dr. Jose de Arimateia da Cruz Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press According to the Organization of American States (OAS) in its report on “Latin American and Caribbean Cyber Security Trends” released in June 2014, Latin America and the Caribbean have the fastest growing Internet population in the world with 147 million users in 2013 and growing each year. While having more users and more network connections are great advancements for traditional developing nations, they also represent a potential threat. Audrey Kurth Cronin points out that “insurgents and terrorist groups have effectively used the Internet to support their operations for at least a decade. The tools of the global information age have helped them with administrative tasks, coordination of operations, recruitment of potential members, and communications among adherents.” While much of the discussion regarding potential enemy attacks on U.S. cyber critical infrastructure mainly focuses on China, Russia, and Iran, the Americas have been largely ignored in the literature. Why are the Americas important? Why should we be discussing its place within the U.S. national security strategic goals?

AY17 Theory of War and Strategy Course Directive Dr William T Johnsen, Dr Richard A Lacquement Jr Course Directive by the US Army War College "This course, which is the bedrock of the U.S. Army War College curriculum, introduces students to the theory of war and strategy. Theory, defined as a body of ideas and principles, provides a basis for the study of a particular subject and offers a framework within which professional discussions can occur. Theory generates and defines the common language that facilitates communication. It provides ways to think about issues. Theory also may provide advice on solving problems..."