The Past as Prologue: The Importance of History to the Military Profession

Cover......Page 1
Half-title......Page 3
Title......Page 5
Copyright......Page 6
Dedication......Page 7
Contents......Page 9
Contributors......Page 11
1 Introduction......Page 13
2 Military history and the history of war......Page 24
Part I: The influence of history on the military profession......Page 33
3 The relevance of history to the military profession: a British view......Page 35
4 The relevance of history to the military profession: an American Marine’s view......Page 46
post–world war ii professional  military education......Page 47
an early interest in military history......Page 48
finding a wider world of professional study......Page 52
formalizing my study efforts......Page 56
putting my ideas to the test......Page 59
marine corps command and staff college and the marine corps university......Page 61
bringing things to fruition  as a senior commander......Page 64
a loss of momentum......Page 65
5 Awkward partners: military history and American military education......Page 67
evolution of american military education......Page 68
recovering from vietnam......Page 72
lingering discomfort......Page 76
the problem of historical utility......Page 80
using military history to educate......Page 83
conclusion......Page 88
6 Thoughts on military history and the profession of arms......Page 90
the difficulties of history for the professional officer......Page 93
the utility of military history......Page 99
conclusion......Page 104
Part II: The past as illuminator of the future......Page 105
7 Thucydides as educator......Page 107
8 Clausewitz, history, and the future strategic world......Page 123
assumptions and argument......Page 125
clausewitz and the future......Page 135
conclusion......Page 142
9 History and the nature of strategy......Page 145
conclusion......Page 159
10 Military transformation in long periods of peace: the Victorian Royal Navy......Page 162
11 Military history and the pathology of lessons learned: the Russo-Japanese War,a case study......Page 182
background  to the war......Page 184
the lessons of the war......Page 185
The Defense and Infantry Weapons......Page 188
The Defense and Artillery......Page 189
Combined Arms Firepower in Defense......Page 191
Changes in the Character of War......Page 192
the japanese triumph: the strategic lessons......Page 193
lessons identified but not learned......Page 195
"Bottom Up" Lessons Identified......Page 196
The Real Lessons......Page 197
Lessons from the Top Down......Page 199
the logic deficits: why?......Page 200
The Long-Term Strategic Implications......Page 203
The Corrupting Influence of Emotion......Page 204
conclusion......Page 205
12 Obstacles to innovation and readiness: the British Army’s experience 1918–1939......Page 207
the reckoning......Page 222
conclusion......Page 227
13 What history suggests about terrorism and its  future......Page 229
why terrorism occurs......Page 230
how terrorism works......Page 236
how terrorist groups end......Page 243
the future of terrorism......Page 250
conclusion......Page 256
14 History and future of civil-military relations: bridging the gaps......Page 259
civil–military relations as strategic culture......Page 261
civilian–military relations  versus  civilian control......Page 262
defining and  bridging gaps......Page 263
culture and knowledge gap......Page 264
role gap......Page 266
the concept gap......Page 270
values gap......Page 274
conclusion......Page 276
index......Page 279