Export a ris file for endnote, procite, reference manager, zotero, mendeley export a text file for bibtex note. The only constant in the american way of war echevarria identifies is the belief that tactical success will create strategic success, which, as he notes, makes it indistinguishable from the european way of war. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Revolution and visions of wars to come, 18801914 westport, ct. A better american way of war the national interest. Another approach, very popular with the armed forces, is to define the american way of war as a redemption narrative. Information on the twentyfirst century battlefield. He is the author of several books, including clausewitz and contemporary war. This slender work is a masterful deconstruction of weigleys iconic the american way of war 1973. This important new book exposes the influence of economics and finance on the questions of whether the nation should go to war, how wars would be fought, how resources would be mobilized, and the longterm consequences for the american economy.
Consequently, the american way of war wasto rephrase weigleys argumentmore a way of battle than a way of war. Echevarria dismantles the various proponents of a unique american way of war by proving that us military practice has always been shaped by. Information on the twentyfirst century battlefield, proposing the armys seventh warfighting function, the author proposes that the army should adopt information as the seventh warfighting function to enable the adequate integration of information in operational planning and execution and provide an improved ability to apply force below the threshold of lethal effects. He notes that many beliefs concerning the american way of war such as its. Reconsidering the american way of war georgetown 2014. Winning a war is the priority for the americans after the defeat in vietnam. In reconsidering it, echevarria employs a broad but not deep historical sweep to compellingly demonstrate that weigleys conclusions do not hold up to close scrutiny.
Echevarria ii, reconsidering the american way of war. It is not concerned with contingency plans or abstract scenarios. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan kindle edition by echevarria, antulio j. I argue with the premise that there is an assumption that we have these decisions and tactics are apolitical. Defense secretary rumsfeld has driven the department of defense dod headlong into his vision of a military transformation. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan by antulio echevarria ii doc. The argument for a focus on maritime dominance and the destruction of japans battle fleet the ukus debate in the european war over an enveloping strategy versus a concentration and mass strategy. During world war ii, general marshall chaffed at presidential guidance that shaped operations in north africa that he felt were framed by u. At the forefront of military strategic studies in the united states army, dr. Echevarria ii confronts a significant disconnect between popular myths and actual practice.
Reconsidering the american way of war deserves a valued place on the reading lists of all those who are not only interested in military history, but are concerned with america s success in the wars it is fighting today and its ability to help keep the world secure in the future. Weigley covers american military history from the revolutionary war to the vietnam war, showing that since the civil war the us has preferred the strategy of annihilation over both the napoleonic strategy of the decisive battle followed by lee in the civil war and the strategy of attrition, pursued by washington in the revolutionary war. Twenty faculty members received honor and applause for a range of published scholarship representative of the range of topics in the curriculum. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan. Reconsidering the american way of war consists of three parts. Challenging several longstanding notions about the american way of war, this book examines us strategic and. Reconsidering the american way of war the book is wellthought out and research. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The american way of war has two sides to it the part where it is trying to help those nations that have internal conflict.
Echevarria discovers that most conceptions of american strategic culture fail to hold up to scrutiny, and that us operational practice has been closer to military science than to military art. Reconsidering the american way of war is a thoughtful, rich, and convincing examination of how and why the united states has used military force to accomplish national objectives throughout its history. In his newly published analysis of how the united states has, throughout its history, waged war reconsidering the american way of war georgetown university press, 2014retired u. Reconsidering the american way of war 9781626160675. Command of the commons very much relies on the global network of bases the us possesses. Instead, the american way of war was driven more by political considerations than military ones, and the amount of force employed was rarely overwhelming or decisive. He has also published extensively in scholarly and pro. I do not argue with the premise that politics shape the decision to go to war and war waging.
Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan challenging several longstanding notions about the american way of war, this book. Home this is where you can find all the blog posts throughout the site. It surveys all major us wars from the war of independence to. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan washington, dc. Reconsidering the american way of war contains seven chapters. Native american ways pdf epub download cause of you. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan by antulio echevarria ii ebook pdf download. Echevarria ii and publisher georgetown university press. Review essay strategic culture and ways of war, elusive fiction. Clausewitz and contemporary war oxford university press, 2007. Echevarria ii is a retired us army lieutenant colonel and is currently the editor of the us army war college quarterly, parameters. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading reconsidering the american way of war. Save up to 80% by choosing the etextbook option for isbn.
Contemporary strategy in historical perspective by hew strachan p. Reconsider the american way of war at usahec topics of. Echevarria dismantles the various proponents of a unique american way of war by proving that us military practice has always been shaped by the politics of the moment. Cultural barriers to successful counterinsurgency by jeffrey record jeffrey record teaches strategy at the air war college in montgomery, alabama, and is the author of eight books. Published by georgetown university press echevarria ii, antulio j. Rather, it concentrates on actual combat experience in the postcold war period. As a result, being unable to deter becomes a threat to their identity, evoking strong emotional responses. Echevarria describes the use and misuse of the concept of strategic culture and suggests a more practical method of. Reconsidering the american way of war audiobook by. Military practice from the revolution to afghanistan by antulio j.
The second part, which makes up the bulk of the work, is a brief synopsis of every conflict in which. Reconsidering the american way of war georgetown university. Reconsidering the american way of war echevarria ii, antulio j. He holds a doctorate in history from princeton university, and is the author of. The american way of war is a deeply thoughtprovoking study of how america reached a historic crossroads and of how recent excesses of militarism and executive power may provide an opening for the redirection of national priorities. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan washington. Categories displays a list of categories from this blog. In operation just cause, american planners failed to appreciate the political conditions for establishing a legitimate government once noreiga was taken down. It surveys all major us wars from the war of independence to the campaigns in iraq and afghanistan, as well as most smaller us conflicts to determine what. Reconsidering the american way of war by antulio j. Ernest mays world war and american isolation 1958 and the three volumes about. The american way of war as it emerged had the following main characteristics. Operational concepts and military strength the heritage. Imagining future war praeger securities international, 2007.
The american style of waging war has clearly been the continuation of us policy by other means, where policy is not actually the collective interests of a community, as clausewitz so referred to it, but rather a set of prioritized interests. If the authors suggested policy mimicking fdrs armed neutrality how well did that work at preventing global war by the way all it did was allow dictators to run rampant until global war occurred were enacted what do you think our alliance portfolio would look like. The first examines the current body of knowledge regarding an american way of war and various scholarly ideas, including the myth of strategic culture. Reconsidering the american way of war and over 2 million other books are. The american way of war is a popular topic of debate among military thinkers. They see that winning a war is the same as achieving the set goals. It surveys all major us wars from the war of independence to the. The first three delineate the debate about american war making and survey the extensive relevant literature. Contrary to many popular sentiments, echevarria finds that the american way of war is not astrategic, apolitical, or defined by the use of overwhelming force.
They have updated the work with new material covering nearly twenty years of scholarship, including the history of the american military experience in the balkans and somalia, analyzing the wars in iraq and afghanistan from 2001 to 2012, and providing two new chapters on the vietnam war. Reconsidering the american way of waris a thoughtful, rich, and convincing examination of how and why the united states has used military force to accomplish national objectives throughout its history. Reconsidering the lessons of appeasing hitler and beating goliath. As a scholar of clausewitz, echevarria borrows explicitly from the prussian to describe the american way of war not only as an extension of us policy by other means, but also the. Army war college best book award imaging future war. Many argue for a singular strategy or way of war for the u. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan 2014. Us military practice from the revolution to afghanistan antulio j. How did economic and financial factors determine how america waged war in the twentieth century. In recognizing these dynamics, the book provides a fresh perspective on the us war in iraq 2003 and the israeli war in lebanon 2006, both of which can be seen. A better american way of war when we repeat the mistakes of the past, it is not because we are forced to because of bad habits.