LENSES OF WARFARE
Why do nations fight wars?
Nations fight wars to secure or protect national interests.
Security
Political Power and Influence
Economic interests
Ideology and values
Territory
The Nine Principles of War
The nine principles are concisely stated as objective, offensive, mass, economy of force, maneuver, unity of command, security, surprise, and simplicity
Reasons for War
Militarism:
Alliances:
Imperialism:
Nationalism:
Tel me about Robert McNamara
•Former president of Ford Motor Company
•Pioneer of “Systems Analysis” and “Planned
Program Budgeting (PPBS)”
•Leader of the “Whiz Kids” – civilian strategists
•Radically changed the Pentagon’s budgeting and procurement systems; antagonized the military services by canceling pet programs and emphasizing #/data
•Began massive buildup of ICBM and Polaris SLBM force; SAC bomber role de-emphasized
•Vilified for his role in directing the Vietnam War
Warfighting Functions
Movement and Maneuver
Intelligence
Fires
Sustainment
Protection
What is the difference between the nature and character of war?
War's nature never changes it is violent, chaotic, political, human and uncertain
Advantages to having a Citizen militia
ability to mobilize quickly, organize quickly, familiarity with local terrain (guerilla force), politically loyal and reinforced citizenship responsibility
Considered to be the primary piece of equipment developed during WWI to enable Soldiers to cross no man’s land in a safer manner than a full frontal assault.
Tanks
1st Indochina War
•French and Vietminh negotiations breakdown
•1st Indochina War 1946-54
•Chinese & Soviets increasingly support Viet Minh
•U.S. eventually pays >75% of French war costs after
French frame conflict as “battle against Communism”
What year did Lend-Lease act Passed
11 Mar 1941
Is technology a part of the nature of war or the character of war?
character of war
Disadvantages to having a Professional Standing Army
potential for usurping power, expensive, members’ poor, social outcasts and vacated responsibility of citizenship.
Started their aviation company at Boulogne-sur-Seine in 1912.
Henri and Maurice Farman,
The Cold War= Big Business
•Dramatic expansion of USAF (SAC) and USN
- Nuclear carriers, submarines
- Development of ICBM/SLBM
•“Think tanks” – RAND, etc partnered w DOD
- personnel from DoD to MIC and vice versa
- research centers at universities
•Rise in mainframe computers to analyze defense
plans/ requirements, operate defense systems
•US Army loses personnel, image, and mission
Germans invasion consisted of:
3,600 Tanks
2,700 Aircraft
86.4% German combat divisions dedicated to the eastern front
In which of these two sides of warfare do warrant officers predominately work in?
character of war
Warrant officers are technical experts advisors and system integrators. They operate where technology, tactics, sustainment systems and data evolve all part of the character of war
Advantages to having a Professional Standing Army
well trained/prepared for War, available long term, military efficient/effective on the battlefield.
The main terms of the Versailles Treaty were
The surrender of all German colonies as League of Nations mandates
The return of Alsace-Lorraine to France
Cession of Eupen-Malmedy to Belgium; Memel to Lithuania; the Hultschin district to Czechoslovakia; Poznania, parts of East Prussia, and Upper Silesia to Poland
Danzig to become a free city
Plebiscites to be held in northern Schleswig to settle the Danish-German frontier
Occupation and special status for the Saar under French control
Demilitarization and a 15-year occupation of the Rhineland
German reparations of 31.4 billion U.S. dollars
A ban on the union of Germany and Austria An acceptance of Germany's guilt in causing the War
Provision for the trial of the former Kaiser and other War leaders
Limitation of Germany's Army to 100,000 men with no conscription, no tanks, no heavy artillery, no poison-gas supplies, no aircraft and no airships
The limitation of the German Navy to vessels under 10,000 tons, with no submarines
The "New Look" Strategy and Massive Retaliation
•Eisenhower’s emphasis on US economy leads to maximum deterrence
at minimum cost – nuclear weapons = “bang for the buck”
•Assumption is that any war with USSR will go nuclear in short
order – US must fully employ its current overwhelming advantage
•US leadership professes willingness to employ atomic weapons in
any military scenario to defeat Communist aggression
•CIA drastically increases its covert operations (regime change)
•As the prime delivery method of nuclear weapons, USAF is given
significant priority in DOD budgets – ~50% of total DoD budget
•Army role in the “New Look” is drastically reduced
German forces reached the Soviet city of Leningrad
September 1941
BLANK history of the war between the two dominant empires of the ancient Greek world is considered a classic because of how his analysis of a war fought over 2400 years has helped readers interpret and understand the nature of warfare across all ages.
Thucydides on the Nature of War
The most important weapons were
flintlock musket, the rifle, and the artillery.
Ending the War
German government of Max von Baden asked President Wilson for a cease-fire on 4 Oct 1918. After talks had taken place, Baden accepted Wilson's Fourteen Points Peace Program.
What’s the Army’s role on the atomic battlefield?
•Intense competition w other services for mission $; Army suffers compared to USAF, USN
•GEN Matthew Ridgway “retired” for strident objections
•Missile emphasis hampers conventional weapons/equipment development
•Army seizes ‘strategic air defense’ role from USAF
•Army develops rotary-wing aircraft and concepts
•“Tactical” atomic weapons developed and fielded
•“Pentomic” Division (1956-1960)
We have only to kick in the door and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down.
Hitler on Russia (1941)