Recent Publications

Book Review: Beyond Black Hawk Down: Intervention, Nation-Building, and Insurgency in Somalia, 1992-1995
June 1, 2026 — In this groundbreaking military history, Jonathan Carroll moves beyond the infamous Battle of Mogadishu to uncover the full scope of the US and UN intervention in Somalia. Drawing on newly available sources and the Somali perspective, Carroll reveals how a promising humanitarian mission unraveled into a cautionary tale of political missteps and failed nation-building. Beyond Black Hawk Down offers vital lessons for future interventions in fragile states, making it essential reading for policymakers, historians, and military strategists alike... MORE

Cover of Beyond Black Hawk Down: Intervention, Nation-Building, and Insurgency in Somalia, 1992–1995 by Jonathan Carroll

Book Review: Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year That Made Winston Churchill
June 1, 2026 — In Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint, J. Furman Daniel III captures the transformative year that shaped Winston Churchill’s resilience, leadership, and artistry. From the trenches of World War I to the quiet refuge of his painting studio, Churchill’s journey reveals a man grappling with failure, reinvention, and the pursuit of purpose. This compelling portrait blends military history with personal introspection, offering a fresh lens on one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures... MORE

Cover of Blood, Mud, and Oil Paint: The Remarkable Year That Made Winston Churchill by J. Furman Daniel III

Book Review: Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security
June 1, 2026 — In Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security, Andrew Preston reveals how Franklin D. Roosevelt’s domestic reforms laid the groundwork for America’s modern national security state. Blending political history with strategic insight, the book uncovers how the New Deal reshaped the US approach to global threats long before World War II. It’s a compelling story of how internal crises forged a new vision of American power on the world stage... MORE

Cover of Total Defense: The New Deal and the Invention of National Security by Andrew Preston

Book Review: Lessons Learned and Unlearned: The Drivers of US Indirect-Fire Innovation
June 1, 2026 — How does military innovation really happen—and what causes it to stall? In Lessons Learned and Unlearned, Brennan S. Deveraux traces the evolution of US indirect-fire systems, revealing how institutional memory, battlefield experience, and strategic priorities shape technological progress. This sharp analysis offers vital insights for defense planners, historians, and anyone interested in the mechanics of military adaptation... MORE

Cover of Lessons Learned and Unlearned: The Drivers of US Indirect-Fire Innovation by Brennan S. Deveraux

Book Review: Occupation: Russian Rule in South-Eastern Ukraine
June 1, 2026 — In this timely and penetrating study, David Lewis examines the mechanisms and consequences of Russian governance in occupied southeastern Ukraine. Through on-the-ground analysis and geopolitical insight, the book reveals how local institutions, identity, and resistance are reshaped under foreign rule. It’s an essential read for understanding the evolving dynamics of power, control, and legitimacy in one of Europe’s most contested regions... MORE

Cover of Occupation: Russian Rule in South-Eastern Ukraine by David Lewis

Book Review: Obama and the Bomb: New START, Russia and the Politics of Post-Cold War Arms Control
June 1, 2026 — A close examination of how nuclear arms control shaped military planning, diplomacy, and domestic politics during a pivotal moment in post–Cold War relations. This review explores how treaty negotiations became a test of trust, strategy, and civil-military engagement at the highest levels of US national security decision making... MORE

Cover of Obama and the Bomb: New START, Russia and the Politics of Post–Cold War Arms Control by Frank Leith Jones

Book Review: The New Calculus of Escalation: Avoiding Armageddon in Great Power Conflict
June 1, 2026 — In The New Calculus of Escalation, Martin C. Libicki redefines how we understand the thresholds between peace, conventional war, and nuclear conflict in an era shaped by cyber warfare and emerging technologies. Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war and Cold War doctrines, he offers a fresh framework for managing escalation to prevent catastrophic outcomes. This timely and thought-provoking book is essential reading for strategists, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the future of great power conflict... MORE

cover of The New Calculus of Escalation: Avoiding Armageddon in Great Power Conflict by Martin C. Libicki

Review Essay: World War II Generals
June 1, 2026 — Two revealing studies shed light on overlooked World War II commanders whose leadership shaped key moments from Normandy to the early Cold War. These dual studies uncover the complexities of senior Army leadership—showing how personal relationships, hard‑won experience, and strategic insight shaped victory in Europe. ... MORE

Covers of Tubby: Raymond O. Barton and the United States Army, 1889–1963 by Stephen A. Bourque;
Patton’s Tactician: The War Diary of Lieutenant General Geoffrey Keyes Edited by James W. Holsinger Jr.

On “Restoring the Primacy of Army Mobilization Planning: Lessons from the Interwar Period (1919–41)”
May 27, 2026 — In this episode, Tim Devine and Jon Gerson argue that the US Army must restore the primacy of mobilization planning to prepare for the growing likelihood of a protracted large-scale war involving the United States. While the Army’s transformation initiatives have emphasized important tactical matters, Devine and Gerson call attention to critical strategic vulnerabilities associated with mobilization—one of the Army’s enduring core functions. They offer insights, identify challenges, and offer recommendations for contemporary leaders and practitioners by analyzing the body of thought on mobilization planning during the interwar period (1919–41) and drawing connections to the present day... MORE

Decisive Point podcast: On “Restoring the Primacy of Army Mobilization Planning: Lessons from the Interwar Period (1919–41)”, Tim Devine and Jonathan Gerson

“An Enviable Position in the Pacific”: An interview with General Xavier Brunson
May 22, 2026 — Guest host Tom Spahr and General Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, ROK-US Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea (UNC/CFC/USFK), discuss Korea, the Indo-Pacific, and mission command... MORE

CLSC Dialogues podcast episode 29: "An Enviable Position in the Pacific," an interview with GEN Xavier Brunson

Corruption and PLA Generals
May 20, 2026 — Rick Gunnell... MORE

CLSC Quick Takes: Corruption and PLA Generals by Rick Gunnell

The Peru F-16 Sale: The Relationship Between Partner Politics, Extra-Hemispheric Adversaries, and US Defense Access
May 19, 2026 — On April 18, 2026, interim Peruvian President José María Balcázar temporarily suspended signing a $3.42 billion agreement for the purchase of 24 new F-16 C and D block 70 fighters, associated equipment, and support. The Peruvian government authorized the official purchase decision in January 2026, following a formal two-year evaluation process ratifying the need for the capabilities and finding the US offer met Peruvian needs better than other contender’s products, including the Swedish JAS-39 Grippen and the French Dassault Rafale F4... MORE

Slide for SRAD Quick Take: The Peru F-16 Sale: The Relationship Between Partner Politics, Extra-Hemispheric Adversaries, and US Defense Access by R. Evan Ellis