Military Strategy

by Collins, John M.

• ISBN13: 9781574884302
• ISBN10: 1574884301
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-04-01
• Publisher: Potomac Books Inc

Summary

John M. Collins has distilled the wisdom of history's great military minds to tutor readers on the necessary intellectual skills to win not only battles but also wars. He illuminates practices that worked well or poorly in the past, together with reasons why. He discusses national security interests, strategic building blocks, military strategies across the conflict spectrum, methods for developing talent and strategic acumen, and recent case studies that put principles into practice. Collins never tells readers what to think, but in Military Strategyhe provides them with the intellectual tools to think for themselves. Written in a clear, straightforward style, this book will appeal to officers, policy-makers, students, and the public.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	x
List of Tables	x
List of Maps	xi
Foreword	xiii
Acknowledgments	xv
Prospectus	1	(2)
Overview	3	(10)
Strategic Hierarchy	3	(2)
Strategic Processes	5	(3)
Strategic Summation	8	(5)
Part I The Framework of Military Strategy
National Security Interests	13	(8)
Basic Attributes	13	(1)
Universally Valuable Interests	14	(2)
Variably Valuable Interests	16	(2)
Conflicts of Interest	18	(1)
Key Points	18	(3)
Foreign and Domestic Threats	21	(14)
The Conflict Spectrum	21	(1)
Strategic Guidance	22	(1)
Enemy Military Power	23	(2)
Intelligence Estimates	25	(3)
Net Assessments	28	(2)
Threat Assessments	30	(1)
Key Points	31	(4)
Basic Security Objectives	35	(12)
National Security Objectives	35	(1)
National Military Aims	36	(3)
Military Roles and Missions	39	(2)
Strategic Centers of Gravity	41	(3)
Key Points	44	(3)
The Primacy of Policy	47	(12)
Basic Policy Attributes	47	(2)
Civil-Military Policies	49	(2)
Foreign vs. Domestic Policies	51	(1)
Military vs. Nonmilitary Power	52	(1)
Strategic Bead-Stringing	53	(1)
Key Points	53	(6)
Part II Fundamentals of Military Strategy
Strategic Strating Points	59	(12)
Strategic Building Blocks	59	(2)
Strategic Schools of Thought	61	(1)
Elemental Alternatives	62	(2)
Politico-Military Assumptions	64	(1)
Strategic Paths and Pitfalls	65	(2)
Key Points	67	(4)
Fundamentals of Deterrence	71	(10)
The Dynamics of Deterrence	71	(1)
Causes of Conflict	72	(1)
Principles of Deterrence	73	(2)
Deterrent Theories and Concepts	75	(2)
Key Points	77	(4)
War-Fighting Fundamentals	81	(18)
Principles of War	81	(4)
Premier War-Fighting Policies	85	(3)
War-Fighting Theories and Concepts	88	(3)
Conflict Termination	91	(2)
Key Points	93	(6)
Fundamentals of Military Preparedness	99	(10)
Readiness vs. Sustainability	99	(1)
Principles of Preparedness	99	(3)
Present Preparedness	102	(4)
Future Preparedness	106	(1)
Key Points	106	(3)
Fundamentals of Arms Control	109	(14)
Arms Control Aims	109	(1)
Quantitative Restrections	109	(4)
Qualitative Limitations	113	(2)
Negotiating Techniques	115	(1)
Compliance Problems	116	(1)
Key Points	117	(6)
Part III Specialized Military Strategies
Counterproliferation Strategies	123	(10)
Causes of Proliferation	123	(3)
Intelligence Indicators	126	(1)
Counterproliferation	127	(3)
Current Outlook	130	(1)
Key Points	130	(3)
Nuclear Warfare Strategies	133	(12)
The Nature of Nuclear Warfare	133	(2)
Nuclear Arms Control	135	(1)
Nuclear Deterrent Strategies	136	(4)
Nuclear War-Fighting Strategies	140	(2)
Nuclear War Termination Strategies	142	(1)
Key Points	143	(2)
Biological and Chemical Warfare Strategies	145	(10)
Biological and Chemical Weapons	145	(2)
Biological and Chemical Arms Control	147	(1)
Biological Warfare Strategies	148	(1)
Chemical Warfare Strategies	149	(2)
Needs for Creative Concepts	151	(1)
Key Points	151	(4)
Traditional Forces and Strategies	155	(12)
Complementary Force Contributions	155	(1)
Comparative Force Postures	156	(1)
Traditional Deterrence	157	(2)
Traditional War Fighting	159	(2)
Nuclear Warfare Nexus	161	(1)
Traditional Warfare Fulcrum	162	(1)
Key Points	162	(5)
Insurgency Strategies	167	(14)
The Nature of Insurgencies	167	(1)
Revolutionary Warfare	168	(5)
Counterrevolutions	173	(1)
Resistance Movements	174	(1)
Traditional Warfare Nexus	175	(2)
Key Points	177	(4)
Counterinsurgency Strategies	181	(12)
The Nature of Counterinsurgency	181	(1)
Anti-Underground Strategies	182	(4)
Counterguerrilla Strategies	186	(3)
Pacification Programs	189	(1)
Prescriptions for Success	190	(1)
Key Points	190	(3)
Sociopolitical Terrorism	193	(12)
The Nature of Sociopolitical Terrorism	193	(1)
A Typical Terrists	193	(1)
Typical Terrorists Organizations	194	(1)
Terrorist Tools	194	(2)
Terrorist Targets and Tactics	196	(4)
Sponsorship and Support	200	(1)
Key Points	200	(5)
Counterterrorism Strategies	205	(14)
The Nature of Counterterrorism	205	(1)
Participants and Control	205	(1)
Overarching Issues	206	(1)
Deterrent Dilemmas	207	(1)
Defensive Counterterrorism	208	(3)
Offensive Counterterrorism	211	(2)
Democratic Constraints	213	(2)
Key Points	215	(4)
Nonlethal Warfare Strategies	219	(18)
The Nature of Nonlethal Warfare	219	(1)
Political Warfare	220	(2)
Economic Warfare	222	(2)
Technological Warfare	224	(3)
Psychological Warfare	227	(3)
Cybernetic Warfare	230	(2)
Key Points	232	(5)
Coalition Warfare Strategies	237	(14)
Collective Security Incentives	237	(1)
Collective Security Choices	238	(1)
Compatibility Prospects	239	(1)
Formal and Informal Coalitions	240	(2)
Command and Control	242	(1)
Respective Contributions	243	(1)
Requirements for Review	244	(1)
Key Points	245	(6)
Part IV Keys to Strategic Superiority
Strategic Trailblazers	251	(6)
Illustrative Role Models	251	(2)
Conveted Characteristics	253	(1)
Composite Requirements	254	(1)
Key Points	254	(3)
Strategic Stepping-Stones	257	(10)
Creative Environments	257	(1)
Strategic Education	258	(2)
Strategic Research	260	(3)
Key Points	263	(4)
Part V Applied Strategies
Balkan Tar-Babies	267	(24)
Politico-Military Backdrop	267	(1)
Peackeeping in Bosnia	268	(7)
Peacemaking in Kosovo	275	(7)
Strategic Critiques	282	(3)
Intervention Checklist	285	(2)
Key Points	287	(4)
Final Reflections	291	(2)
Appendix A. Strategic Terminology	293	(16)
Appendix B. Abbreviations	309	(2)
Appendix C. A Bookshelf for Military Strategists	311	(8)
Index	319	(14)
About the Author	333