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

• Main Authors: Murray, Williamson, Sinnreich, Richard Hart
• Format: eBook Book
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge ; New York Cambridge University Press 08.05.2006
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Armed forces; Civil-military relations; Military art and science; Military history; Military history > Study and teaching; Military theory; Strategic studies; Study and teaching

In today's military of rapid technological and strategic change, obtaining a complete understanding of the present, let alone the past, is a formidable challenge. Yet the very high rate of change today makes study of the past more important than ever before. The Past as Prologue, first publishe...

Table of Contents:

• Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Contributors -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Military history and the history of war -- Part I: The influence of history on the military profession -- 3 The relevance of history to the military profession: a British view -- 4 The relevance of history to the military profession: an American Marine's view -- post-world war ii professional military education -- an early interest in military history -- finding a wider world of professional study -- formalizing my study efforts -- putting my ideas to the test -- marine corps command and staff college and the marine corps university -- bringing things to fruition as a senior commander -- a loss of momentum -- 5 Awkward partners: military history and American military education -- evolution of american military education -- recovering from vietnam -- lingering discomfort -- the problem of historical utility -- using military history to educate -- conclusion -- 6 Thoughts on military history and the profession of arms -- the difficulties of history for the professional officer -- the utility of military history -- conclusion -- Part II: The past as illuminator of the future -- 7 Thucydides as educator -- 8 Clausewitz, history, and the future strategic world -- assumptions and argument -- clausewitz and the future -- conclusion -- 9 History and the nature of strategy -- conclusion -- 10 Military transformation in long periods of peace: the Victorian Royal Navy -- 11 Military history and the pathology of lessons learned: the Russo-Japanese War,a case study -- background to the war -- the lessons of the war -- The Defense and Infantry Weapons -- The Defense and Artillery -- Combined Arms Firepower in Defense -- Changes in the Character of War -- the japanese triumph: the strategic lessons -- lessons identified but not learned
• Bottom Up" Lessons Identified -- The Real Lessons -- Lessons from the Top Down -- the logic deficits: why? -- The Long-Term Strategic Implications -- The Corrupting Influence of Emotion -- conclusion -- 12 Obstacles to innovation and readiness: the British Army's experience 1918-1939 -- the reckoning -- conclusion -- 13 What history suggests about terrorism and its future -- why terrorism occurs -- how terrorism works -- how terrorist groups end -- the future of terrorism -- conclusion -- 14 History and future of civil-military relations: bridging the gaps -- civil-military relations as strategic culture -- civilian-military relations versus civilian control -- defining and bridging gaps -- culture and knowledge gap -- role gap -- the concept gap -- values gap -- conclusion -- index