| Book of Five Rings: The Classic Guide
to Strategy (Hardcover), by Miyamoto Musashi. Gramercy (May 28, 1988).
To learn a Japanese martial art is to
learn Zen, and although you can't do so simply by reading a book, it sure does
help--especially if that book is The Book of Five Rings. One of Japan's great samurai
sword masters penned in decisive, unfaltering terms this certain path to victory, and like
Sun Tzu's The Art of War it is applicable not only on the battlefield but also in all
forms of competition. Always observant, creating confusion, striking at
vulnerabilities--these are some of the basic principles. Going deeper, we find suki, the
interval of vulnerability, of indecisiveness, of rest, the briefest but most vital moment
to strike. In succinct detail, Miyamoto records ideal postures, blows, and psychological
tactics to put the enemy off guard and open the way for attack. Most important of all is
Miyamoto's concept of rhythm, how all things are in harmony, and that by working with the
rhythm of a situation we can turn it to our advantage with little effort. But like Zen,
this requires one task above all else, putting the book down and going out to practice. Information
Dictionary
of Modern Strategy and Tactics (Hardcover), by Michael Keane. US Naval Institute
Press (March 31, 2005).
Michael Keane’s in-depth collection
of terms dealing with modern strategy and tactics is both impressive and engaging. While
other works remain focused on nuclear strategy or the Cold War, the thrust here is on
modern terminology—such things as "axis of evil," "CNN effect,"
and "military operations other than war." Historical examples supplement the
definitions and quotes from leading strategic thinkers provide further insights. While the
contents are professional and accurate, the author is not afraid to inject relevant humor
and color to make the book enjoyable to read as well as edifying. It is sure to be a
welcome reference for defense strategists and concerned citizens alike. Information
Japanese
Military Strategy in the Pacific War: Was Defeat Inevitable? (Hardcover), by
James Wood. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (August 28, 2007).
In this provocative history, James B.
Wood challenges the received wisdom that Japan's defeat in the Pacific was historically
inevitable. He argues instead that it was only when the Japanese military abandoned its
original strategic plan to secure resources and establish a viable defensible perimeter
that the Allies were able to regain the initiative and lock Japanese forces into a war of
attrition they were not prepared to fight. The book persuasively shows how the Japanese
army and navy had both the opportunity and the capability to have fought a different and
more successful war. If Japan had traveled that alternate military road the outcome of the
Pacific War could have been far different from the ending we know so well-and perhaps a
little too complacently accept. Information
Makers of
Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age (Paperback), by Peter Paret,
Gordon A. Craig and Felix Gilbert (Editors). Princeton University Press (March 1, 1986).
Makers of Modern Strategy , first pub
lished in 1943, deserved and demanded updating. The 28 essays in the new vol ume7 more
than in the original range from excellent to outstanding. They reflect the skills of a
cross-section of leading military historians. But re viving a classic is a difficult task.
Some original contributions were discarded, some rewritten, some left virtually in tact.
Old and new frequently coexist awkwardly, as when Hajo Holbom and Gunther Rothenberg
compete for 19th- century Germany. Information
Military
Logistics and Strategic Performance (Cass Series--Strategy and History)
(Hardcover), by Thomas M. Kane. Routledge; 1 edition (April 1, 2001).
This work argues that logistics in
warfare is crucial to achieving strategic success. The author identifies logistical
capabilities as an arbiter of opportunity, which plays a critical role in determining
which side will hold the strategic iniative in war. Armies which have secured reliable
resources of supply have a great advantage in determining the time and manner in which
engagements take place. Often, they can fight in ways their opponents cannot. The author
illustrates this point with case studies of British logistics during the Burma campaign in
the World War II, American logistical innovations during the Pacific War, Communist supply
methods during the American phase of the Vietnam War and the competing logistical systems
of both NATO and Warsaw Pact conventional forces during the Cold War. Information
Military
Strategy: Principles, Practices, and Historical Perspectives (Paperback), by John
M. Collins. Potomac Books Inc. (December 1, 2001). Potomac Books Inc. (December 1, 2001). Information
On War
(Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback), by Carl von Clausewitz (Author), Beatrice Heuser
(Editor). Oxford University Press, USA; 1st edition (March 19, 2007).
On War is one of the most important books
ever written on the subject of war. Clausewitz, a Prussian officer who fought against the
French during the Napoleonic Wars, sought to understand and analyze the phenomenon of war
so that future leaders could conduct and win conflicts more effectively. He studied the
human and social factors that affect outcomes, as well as the tactical and technological
ones. He understood that war was a weapon of government, and that political purpose,
chance, and enmity combine to shape its dynamics. On War continues to be read by military
strategists, politicians, and others for its timeless insights. This abridged edition by
Beatrice Heuser, using the acclaimed translation by Michael Howard and Peter Paret,
selects the central books in which Clausewitz's views on the nature and theory of war are
developed. Heuser's introduction explains the originality of Clausewitz's ideas, his
education and background, and summarizes his key theories, while explanatory notes provide
further information on the historical examples Clausewitz cites. Information
Roots of
Strategy: The 5 Greatest Military Classics of All Time (Roots of Strategy)
(Paperback), by Wilhelm Leeb, Thomas R. Phillips, Hugo Friedrich Philipp Johann
Freytag-Loringhoven and Waldemar Erfurth (Editors). Information
Writings of
Sun Tzu, Vegetius, Marshal Maurice de Saxe, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon. Information
Strategy:
The Logic of War and Peace, Revised and Enlarged Edition (Paperback), by Edward
N. Luttwak. Belknap Press; Rev Enl edition (January 31, 2002).
If you want peace, prepare for war. A
buildup of offensive weapons can be purely defensive. The worst road may be the best route
to battle. Strategy is made of such seemingly self-contradictory propositions, Edward
Luttwak shows--they exemplify the paradoxical logic that pervades the entire realm of
conflict. In this widely acclaimed work, now revised and expanded, Luttwak unveils the
peculiar logic of strategy level by level, from grand strategy down to combat tactics.
Having participated in its planning, Luttwak examines the role of air power in the 1991
Gulf War, then detects the emergence of "post-heroic" war in Kosovo in 1999--an
American war in which not a single American soldier was killed. In the tradition of Carl
von Clausewitz, Strategy goes beyond paradox to expose the dynamics of reversal at work in
the crucible of conflict. As victory is turned into defeat by over-extension, as war
brings peace by exhaustion, ordinary linear logic is overthrown. Citing examples from
ancient Rome to our own days, from Barbarossa and Pearl Harbor down to minor combat
affrays, from the strategy of peace to the latest operational methods of war, this book by
one of the world's foremost authorities reveals the ultimate logic of military failure and
success, of war and peace. Information
Strategy in
the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies (Paperback), by John
Baylis, James J. Wirtz, Eliot A. Cohen and Colin S. Gray (Editors). Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (January 16,
2007).
The second edition of this successful
textbook has been completely revised and updated in light of 9/11. In the aftermath of the
attacks, there has been an increased need to address issues of war and peace, particularly
terrorism, irregular warfare, the spread of weapons of mass destruction and the revolution
in military affairs. The new edition contains a mature set of reflections on the role of
military power in the contemporary world. It analyzes recent conflicts from Afghanistan to
the Iraq War and looks at the ongoing debates about the lessons that can be learned from
these wars. Particular attention is given to the debates about whether there has been a
revolution in military affairs given the phenomenal pace of innovation in electronics and
computer systems. Its considerable coverage of issues of war and peace makes it the major
strategic studies textbook. The book is supported by an Online Resource Centre. Information
The Art of
War (Shambhala Classics) (Paperback), by Sun Tzu. Dover Publications (November
13, 2002).
The Art of War is the Swiss army knife of
military theory--pop out a different tool for any situation. Folded into this small
package are compact views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive,
flexibility, integrity, secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation,
responsibility, and practicality. Thomas Cleary's translation keeps the package tight,
with crisp language and short sections. Commentaries from the Chinese tradition trail
Sun-tzu's words, elaborating and picking up on puzzling lines. Take the solitary passage:
"Do not eat food for their soldiers." Elsewhere, Sun-tzu has told us to plunder
the enemy's stores, but now we're not supposed to eat the food? The Tang dynasty
commentator Du Mu solves the puzzle nicely, "If the enemy suddenly abandons their
food supplies, they should be tested first before eating, lest they be poisoned."
Most passages, however, are the pinnacle of succinct clarity: "Lure them in with the
prospect of gain, take them by confusion" or "Invincibility is in oneself,
vulnerability is in the opponent." Sun-tzu's maxims are widely applicable beyond the
military because they speak directly to the exigencies of survival. Your new tools will
serve you well, but don't flaunt them. Remember Sun-tzu's advice: "Though effective,
appear to be ineffective." Information
The Grand
Strategy of the Roman Empire: From the First Century A.D. to the Third (Johns
Hopkins Paperbacks) (Paperback), by Edward N. Luttwak. The Johns Hopkins University Press;
New Ed edition (January 1, 1979).
'A fascinating book, well written and
forcefully argued...Luttwak's formulations are as refreshing as they are convincing... He
has done for Roman historians what they have not done for themselves.' Information
The Iraq
War: Strategy, Tactics, and Military Lessons (Hardcover), by Anthony H.
Cordesman. Praeger Publishers (September 30, 2003).
Cordesman's book will likely be the
definitive work on the war in Iraq.... This jewel of a book will be a valuable acquisition
for university, professional, and private libraries. Essential. Upper-division
undergraduates and above interested in strategic studies and military history. Thorough in
his analysis, Cordesman examines the breadth and depth of the war from the strategic to
tactical operations as well as from the Iraqi side. This study will no doubt shape many of
the national security arguments for the near future as others attempt either to support or
to destroy Cordesman's persuasive analysis. Information
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