Recent Publications

Book Review: The Dark Path: The Structure of War and the Rise of the West
January 12, 2026 — The Dark Path covers five decades of Western expansion as the author explores aspects of military organizations throughout history, focusing on the five Military-Social Revolutions. The reviewer believes this book “synthesizes [the author’s] career in an important and accessible package well worth the time for readers of this journal.”... MORE

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Book Review: Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II
January 12, 2026 — In Valiant Women, author Lena Andrews compiles stories that were largely gathered through interviews with women who served during World War II and uncovers their important but often overlooked contributions to the war effort. Although the reviewer regrets Andrews’s missed opportunity to include academic sources alongside the firsthand accounts, she still sees this compilation of untold stories as relevant and important... MORE

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Book Review: Outmaneuvered: America’s Tragic Encounter with Warfare from Vietnam to Afghanistan
January 12, 2026 — Outmaneuvered: America’s Tragic Encounter with Warfare from Vietnam to Afghanistan chronologically examines the United States’ relationship with counterinsurgency. The author’s primary focus is the influence of politics on irregular warfare and covers irregular conflicts that occurred prior to and after 9/11. The reviewer saw both positives and negatives to the book and its arguments... MORE

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Book Review: The Clausewitz Myth: Or the Emperor’s New Clothes
January 12, 2026 — Azar Gat, the author of The Clausewitz Myth, takes a closer look at Carl von Clausewitz’s On War and argues through looking at historical documents and unpublished versions of the text that there have been misinterpretations of his thoughts. The reviewer believes Gat’s assertions are not earth-shattering but still notes “engaging with [Clausewitz’s] thoughts through the lens of Gat is a valuable experience for readers.”... MORE

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Book Review: The Retreat from Strategy: Britain’s Dangerous Confusion of Interests with Values
January 12, 2026 — The Retreat from Strategy offers a detailed insight into the history of British strategy since the end of the Cold War. The authors dissect the issues they see in British strategy and offer specific solutions to the problems. The reviewer sees this as a timely read for US security professionals. ... MORE

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Book Review: Sun Tzu in Space: What International Relations, History, and Science Fiction Teach Us About Our Future
January 12, 2026 — Sun Tzu in Space combines an examination of history and science fiction to assess what humanity’s future in space could look like through an international relations lens. The reviewer sees it as “a pulse check on the potential for violent future conflicts” and recommends it for policymakers and science fiction enthusiasts alike. ... MORE

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Book Review: Ground Combat: Puncturing the Myths of Modern War
January 12, 2026 — Ground Combat: Puncturing the Myths of Modern War by Ben Connable dismantles popular assumptions about the future of warfare by grounding its analysis in over 400 real-world battles. Rather than relying on hype around technology and precision, Connable reveals the enduring, gritty realities of land combat. This thought-provoking study challenges military planners and strategists to rethink how wars are truly fought—and won... MORE

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Book Review: Arms Control at a Crossroads: Renewal or Demise?
January 12, 2026 — Arms Control at a Crossroads is a timely examination of arms control in a changing and complex strategic environment. The essays collected cover the broad context of arms control, specific examples of nuclear powers, and a review of arms control domains. The reviewer sees this book as “a useful addition to the library of any specialists in the field.”... MORE

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A Human-Centric Framework: Employment Principles for Lethal Autonomous Weapons
January 12, 2026 — As lethal autonomous weapon systems become a battlefield reality, the Department of War must establish unambiguous employment criteria to allow war fighters to use these controversial systems ethically and responsibly. The updated policy should shift the conversation from the weapon system to humans by defining pre-deployment judgment and emphasizing accountability... MORE

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A Long, Hard Year: Russia-Ukraine War Lessons Learned 2023
January 12, 2026 — As the Russia-Ukraine War passed the two-year mark, the conflict ground to an entrenched, apparent stalemate. Nevertheless, the conflict, with a blend of conventional warfare and innovative technology, offers new lessons to the US Joint Force about the changing character of war. From fires to airpower to intelligence, this review of 17 different aspects of the conflict offers insights to prepare leaders for tomorrow’s war... MORE

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The 2024 Carlisle Conference on the PLA: Protracted War Against the PRC
January 12, 2026 — The US Army War College’s 2024 Carlisle Conference on the People’s Liberation Army was held on October 16 and 17 at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The conference brought together experts to discuss the People’s Republic of China’s understanding of and capability to carry out a protracted war in the Indo-Pacific, with this volume comprising papers authored by panelists... MORE

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Tyranny of the Inbox: Managing the US National Security Agenda
January 6, 2026 — Presidential management style, foreign policy preferences, and domestic political interests all affect the national security agenda. International crises, however, are particularly likely to garner the attention of the National Security Council. This podcast analyzes a novel data set of all the issues raised at National Security Council meetings from 1947 to 1993 and finds that contemporaneous crises are very likely to be discussed, but that crisis management attenuates the Council’s attention to noncrisis national security matters. The results suggest presidents focus on crises at the expense of other strategic matters, and they do so when political conditions favor crisis management... MORE

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