Strategy for Chaos: Revolutions in Military Affairs and the Evidence of History

ISBN-13: 9780714651866 / Angielski / Twarda / 2002 / 328 str.

Colin S. Gray; Williamson Murray

Opis

In this volume, Professor Colin Gray develops and applies the theory and scholarship on the allegedly historical practice of the 'Revolution in Military Affairs' (RMA), in order to improve our comprehension of how and why strategy 'works'.
The author explores the RMA hypothesis both theoretically and historically. The book argues that the conduct of an RMA has to be examined as a form of strategic behaviour, which means that, of necessity, it must "work" as strategy works. The great RMA debate of the 1990s is reviewed empathetically, though sceptically, by the author, with every major school of thought allowed its day in court.
The author presents three historical RMAs as case studies for his argument: those arguably revealed in the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon; in World War I; and in the nuclear age. The focus of his analysis is how these grand RMAs functioned strategically. The conclusions that he draws from these empirical exercises are then applied to help us understand what, indeed, is - and what is not - happening with the much vaunted information-technology-led RMA of today.

Spis treści

Part 1 High concept: strategy, complex and sometimes nonlinear; the argument; history and social science; the making of a great debate; method and trajectory. Part 2 RMA anatomy - patterns in history?: warning label; anatomy of species; a question of continuity. Part 3 RMA dynamics: provenance; RMA life-cycle; clarifying confusion. Part 4 On strategy, 1 - chaos confounded?: what is strategic?; permanent nature, changing character; chaos and prediction; is strategy chaotic?. Part 5 On strategy, 2 -the RMA connection: RMS as strategic behaviour; a matter of dimension; theory and practice. Part 6 Case study 1 - the Napoleonic RMA: Napoleon and modern war; RMA life-cycle; strategic behaviour. Part 7 Case study 2 - the RMA of the First World War: the great artillery war; RMA life-cycle; strategic behaviour. Part 8 Case study 3 - the nuclear RMA: two revolutions; RMA life-cycle; strategic behaviour. Part 9 Strategy as a duel - RMA meets the enemy: politics and RMAs; envoi -strategy and history.

O autorze

Colin Gray