Recent Publications

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army in 2025
July 28, 2015 — Editors: Mr Roy Kamphausen, Dr David LaiView the Executive SummaryThis volume is of special relevance in light of the profound changes occurring within the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). China’s desire to develop a military commensurate with its diverse interests is both legitimate and understandable. The challenge for U.S. Pacific Command... MORE

Changing Minds In The Army: Why It Is So Difficult and What To Do About It
October 28, 2013 — Authors: Dr Stephen J Gerras, Dr Leonard Wong View the Executive SummaryHistory and organizational studies both demonstrate that changing one’s mind is quite difficult, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that this change needs to occur. This monograph explains how smart, professional, and incredibly performance-oriented Army senior leaders... MORE

2011-2012 U.S. Army War College Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL)
September 19, 2011 — Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, IIUpdate: The PDF of the KSIL is now available.Topics with an * are from Headquarters Department of the Army G-3/5 and G-4ForewordThe Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) is published annually for the purpose of making students and other researchers aware of strategic topics that are, or should be, of special importance to... MORE

An Army Transformed: The U.S. Army’s Post-Vietnam Recovery and the Dynamics of Change in Military Organizations
September 1, 2010 — Author: LTC Suzanne C Nielsen During the 2 decades preceding the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the U.S. Army went through tremendous reform and rejuvenation. In explaining this important case of military change, this paper makes four central arguments. First, leaders within military organizations are essential; external developments most often have an... MORE

Cover for An Army Transformed: The U.S. Army's Post-Vietnam Recovery and the Dynamics of Change in Military Organizations

Slowing Military Change
October 1, 2008 — Author: Dr Zhivan Alach The author looks at the development of military technology in recent years. He examines three major platforms: fighter aircraft, tanks, and cruisers, examining the gaps between generations as well as the capability gains of each succeeding type. While development has slowed, at the same time capability increases have also... MORE

Transformation’s Uncontested Truths
November 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the November 2006 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Confronting the Unconventional: Innovation and Transformation in Military Affairs
October 1, 2006 — Author: Dr David Tucker Are there limits to military transformation? Or, if it seems obvious that there must be limits to transformation, what are they exactly, why do they arise, and how can we identify them so that we may better accomplish the transformation that the U.S. military is capable of? If limits to military change and transformation... MORE

Irregular Enemies and the Essence of Strategy: Can the American Way of War Adapt?
March 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray The author offers a detailed comparison between the character of irregular warfare, insurgency in particular, and the principal enduring features of "the American way." He concludes that there is a serious mismatch between that "way" and the kind of behavior that is most effective in countering irregular foes. The author... MORE

Recognizing and Understanding Revolutionary Change in Warfare: The Sovereignty of Context
February 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray The author provides a critical audit of the great RMA debate and of some actual RMA behavior and warns against a transformation that is highly potent only in a narrow range of strategic cases. He warns that the military effectiveness of a process of revolutionary change in a "way of war" can only be judged by the test of... MORE

2005 Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL)
July 1, 2005 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Half a decade into the new millennium, the strategic environment continues to change rapidly, and in important ways. Some of those changes, of course, challenge U.S. interests, while others advance them. And the challenges assume regular and, increasingly now, irregular forms. Yet, while the causes of change are... MORE

Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in the 21st Century: Reconceputalizing Threat and Response
November 1, 2004 — Authors: Dr Steven Metz, LTC Raymond A Millen Modern insurgency warfare presents fresh challenges for the United States, which must re-conceptualize its approach to fighting such conflicts. Because the dominant characteristics of insurgency--protractedness and ambiguity--effectively stymie the American military's approach to war, the United States... MORE

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER’S, OR MOTHER’S ARMY!
April 1, 2004 — Author: Dr Douglas V Johnson II Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the April 2004 newsletter.Read Now MORE