Recent Publications

Violence in Defeat: The Wehrmacht on German Soil, 1944–1945
February 22, 2024 — Military History | Book Review: Violence in Defeat: The Wehrmacht on German Soil, 1944–1945Author: Bastiaan Willems | Reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Gipper, US Air Force, faculty development scholar, Air University | Through an analysis of the German Wehrmacht's "barbarization" toward the end of World War II, Violence in Defeat provides a... MORE

Book Review: Violence in Defeat: The Wehrmacht on German Soil, 1944–1945
Daniel Gipper

Author: Bastiaan Willems

Reviewed by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Gipper, US Air Force, faculty development scholar, Air University

Putin is Mobilizing. Germany and France are Unlikely to Step Up.
September 26, 2022 — Dr. John R. Deni, Sept 26 2022 in PoliticoJohn R. Deni is a research professor at the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. He’s the author of “Coalition of the unWilling and unAble.”Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent decision to partially mobilize Russian... MORE

Russian President Putin (from Wikipedia)

European Strategies in Post-Pandemic Peer Competition: Implications for America
September 22, 2022 — Dr. John R. Deni, Sept 25 2022 in Taylor & Francis OnlineThe recent reconceptualization of national and/or defense strategies, hangovers from the sovereign debt crisis, and the impact of the pandemic-induced recession in four of the most powerful European countries – France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom – will have profound implications... MORE

Germany Has a Math Problem, and It’s about to Get Worse
September 9, 2021 — Dr. Sarah Lohmann, 2021, American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS)What the numbers say about the energy landscapeIn this traditional state of Bavaria where election banners offering defense of “Heimat” (Homeland) seized the day in the last election, the posters wedged between ancient church domes on cobblestone streets now tout... MORE

Cover for Germany Has a Math Problem, and It’s about to Get Worse

A Hard Look at Hard Power: Assessing the Defense Capabilities of Key US Allies and Security Partners—Second Edition
October 30, 2020 — Mr. Gary J. Schmitt, 2020With the United States facing two major revisionist powers, Russia and China, as well as additional security threats from North Korea, Iran, and jihadist terrorism, a critical advantage for the United States is its global network of alliances and strategic partners. As the 2018 National Defense Strategy states, “Alliances... MORE

Cover for A Hard Look at Hard Power: Assessing the Defense Capabilities of Key US Allies and Security Partners—Second Edition

Endgame for the West in Afghanistan? Explaining the Decline in Support for the War in Afghanistan in the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, France and Germany
June 1, 2010 — Author: Mr Charles A Miller Domestic public opinion is frequently and correctly described as a crucial battlefront in the war in Afghanistan. Commentary by media and political figures currently notes not only the falling support for the war in the United States but also in many of its key allies in Europe and elsewhere, making it all the more... MORE

From Munich to Munich
April 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the April 2007 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Getting Ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran
November 1, 2005 — Authors: Mr Patrick Clawson, Mr Henry D Sokolski As Iran edges closer to acquiring a nuclear bomb and its missiles extend an ever darker diplomatic shadow over the Middle East and Europe, Iran is likely to pose three threats. First, Iran could dramatically up the price of oil by interfering with the free passage of vessels in and through the... MORE

Appeasement Reconsidered: Investigating the Mythology of the 1930s
August 1, 2005 — Author: Dr Jeffrey Record U.S. use of force since 1945 has been significantly influenced by the perceived consequences of appeasing Hitler in the 1930s, and from the mid-1970s to 2001 by the chilling effect of the Vietnam War. As the United States approached its second war with Iraq, proponents cited the Munich analogy to justify the war, whereas... MORE

Law vs. War: Competing Approaches to Fighting Terrorism
July 1, 2005 — Authors: Ms Shawn Boyne, Mr Michael German, Dr Dallas D Owens, Dr Paul R Pillar The authors address one of the fundamental assumptions underlying the conduct of the War on Terrorism - the nature of our enemy, whether perpetrators of terrorist activities are criminals or soldiers (combatants). Although the United States recognizes that terrorist... MORE

The Transatlantic Defense Industrial Base: Restructuring Scenarios and Their Implications
April 1, 2005 — Author: Dr Terrence R Guay Opportunities for the construction of a transatlantic defense sector are tangible, but significant obstacles may accelerate the formation of a bipolar industrial base. While market forces played a key role in the transformation and consolidation of these sectors in recent years, political considerations are largely... MORE

Force, Statecraft and German Unity: The Struggle to Adapt Institutions and Practices
December 1, 1996 — Author: Dr Thomas-Durell Young One can make two general observations concerning Bonn's ongoing attempt to adapt institutions and practices. First, confusion in German policy making is clearly a manifestation of officials largely navigating in a little-known policy milieu. Realpolitik, let alone Machtpolitik (either as mere terms, let alone as... MORE