Recent Publications - Tag strategy

Ukraine’s Not-So-Whole-of-Society at War: Force Generation in Modern Developed Societies
March 11, 2026 — This podcast argues that Ukraine offers a cautionary tale regarding the two main modern models of force generation. Neither the professional high-tech war model, favored by Western militaries, nor the whole-of-society war approach, said to have saved Ukraine in 2014 and 2022, proved successful formulas for Ukraine. Considering that Ukraine is fighting for survival, with Russian forces inside the country, the failure of both models in action has serious implications for NATO member states as they deliberate their choices regarding future force generation... MORE

Decisive Point episode: Ukraine’s Not-So-Whole-of-Society at War: Force Generation in Modern Developed Societies

Parameters | Spring 2026
March 6, 2026 — Welcome to the Spring 2026 issue of Parameters, which consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Clausewitz and Modern Warfare, Operational Considerations, and Historical Studies), and the Strategic Competition Corner... MORE

Book Review: Strategy and Grand Strategy
March 5, 2026 — Joshua Rovner’s Strategy and Grand Strategy is a compelling and essential exploration of how nations succeed—or fail—when aligning military strategy with broader security goals. Through vivid historical case studies and sharp analysis, Rovner reveals how misunderstanding or ignoring the relationship between strategy (a theory of victory) and grand strategy (a theory of security) can lead to disastrous outcomes. This book is a must-read for anyone involved in national security, defense planning, or the study of statecraft in an era of technological and geopolitical complexity... MORE

Cover of Strategy and Grand Strategy by Joshua Rovner

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

Cover for Outmaneuvered: America’s Tragic Encounter with Warfare from Vietnam to Afghanistan

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

Cover for The Retreat from Strategy: Britain’s Dangerous Confusion of Interests with Values

Book Review: Dr. Seuss and the Art of War: Secret Military Lessons
July 1, 2025 — Dr. Seuss and the Art of War: Secret Military Lessons is broken into five parts. Part one introduces Theodore Seuss Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Part two discusses Geisel’s knowledge of strategy, while part three discusses specialty topics. Parts four and five examine luck in war and post-traumatic stress, respectively. The reviewer notes, “because Dr. Seuss used the genre of story as a pedagogical device, he likely made military strategy digestible to a wider audience.” ... MORE

Cover for Dr. Seuss and the Art of War: Secret Military Lessons

Book Review: How to Fight a War
July 1, 2025 — Current member of the British Parliament, former British Army officer with Afghanistan experience, and senior visiting research fellow at Kings College London’s War Studies Department Dr. Mike Martin delivers what he terms a “reference guide for the Commander in Chief” in How to Fight a War (3). The result is far more and will serve as an accessible primer for aspiring national security professionals and senior leaders seeking to understand the basic principles of employing violence to prosecute wars successfully. ... MORE

Parameters | Summer 2025
June 18, 2025 — Welcome to the Summer 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Indo-Pacific Challenges, Russia-Ukraine Issues, and Historical Studies)... MORE

Parameters | Spring 2025
March 20, 2025 — Welcome to the Spring 2025 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Russia, Ukraine, and NATO; Strategic Competition and Managing National Security; and Joint Sustainment Strategies), the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment, and a review essay... MORE

“Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander: A Reappraisal”
January 6, 2025 — In this episode, Richard D. Hooker argues that the historical assessment of Dwight D. Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War II lacks objectivity and balance. While we will never know if other generals would have outperformed Eisenhower, several leaders were available—all senior to Eisenhower at the... MORE

Decisive Point Podcast 5-29 | Richard D. Hooker Jr.

A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force
November 14, 2024 — This episode’s topic is A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force, with Dr. John A. Nagl and Colonel Katie Crombe. They discuss the project’s origins and its goal to extract key lessons from the Russia-Ukraine War for US military strategy. Nagl outlines the collaborative research behind the publication, while Crombe highlights strategic lessons related to US military preparedness... MORE

Conversations on Strategy - Dr. John A. Nagl and COL Katie Crombe - A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force

“Operating Successfully Within the Bureaucracy Domain of Warfare: Part Two”
October 29, 2024 — In this episode, Dr. Jeff McManus discusses his article, “Operating Successfully Within the Bureaucracy Domain of Warfare: Part Two.” He addresses seven key fundamentals for navigating bureaucracy, emphasizing the importance of principles, perspective, and prediction in policy making. McManus highlights effective persuasion strategies, the role of privacy in building trust, and how programming... MORE