"With well over 2,000 years of military history to draw from, it would seem that the current age of military power and strategy is the most advanced it has ever been. Yet, as with any field, confidence often leads to complacency. It is easy for any organization, including the military, to codify old principles, unquestioningly exalt respected heroes, and focus on the differences among military branches. Doing so, however, keeps them from reaching their full potential. Author Phillip S. Meilinger argues that this is exactly ...
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"With well over 2,000 years of military history to draw from, it would seem that the current age of military power and strategy is the most advanced it has ever been. Yet, as with any field, confidence often leads to complacency. It is easy for any organization, including the military, to codify old principles, unquestioningly exalt respected heroes, and focus on the differences among military branches. Doing so, however, keeps them from reaching their full potential. Author Phillip S. Meilinger argues that this is exactly what has happened to the US military today, resulting in a distorted view of war. Thoughts on War is a collection of essays that seeks to address the issues Meilinger identifies in the current view of war and, more specifically, the state of the US military. Divided into three parts, each section of the manuscript examines the misguided "group think mentalities," misconceptions, and unsupported opinions on topics such as Carl von Clausewitz's theories, military operations, and the American military experience. In the last two chapters of the manuscript, Meilinger also applies many of his themes and conclusions to current airpower strategies. Thoughts on War questions the long-held traditions and heroes to encourage the US military to reexamine whether its current beliefs and practices are the best for its future. The result is often controversial, with many chapters offering unpopular suggestions to change time-honored principles."--
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New. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 308 p. Contains: Maps, Figures. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of Thoughts on War to cart. $67.94, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2020 by University Press of Kentucky.
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Fine. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 308 p. Contains: Maps, Figures. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Edition:
Presumed First Edition, First printing thus
Publisher:
University Press of Kentucky
Published:
2020
Language:
English
Alibris ID:
17753632239
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Very good. 296 pages. Illustrations. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Illustrated front cover. No dust jacket present. This is a compilation of some of the author's previously published essays. Contents include Part I. Theories of War; Part II. War Through the Ages; and Part III. American Military Experiences. Phillip S. Meilinger (born in 1948) is a retired colonel of the USAF as well as a historian and analyst. He is a member of the Academic Advisory Panel of the Royal Air Force Centre for Air Power Studies. Before his retirement, he was Dean of the School of Advanced Airpower Studies (SAAS) at the USAF's Air University in Montgomery, Alabama. He received a BS degree from the United States Air Force Academy, an MA degree from the University of Colorado, and obtained a PhD degree in military history from the University of Michigan. A command pilot, he has served as a C-130 aircraft commander and instructor pilot in both Europe and the Pacific. After a tour at the Air Force Academy, he was assigned to the Doctrine Division of the Air Staff at the Pentagon. He has authored ten books and scores of articles. Perhaps best known is his edited work, The Paths of Heaven: The Evolution of Airpower Theory (1997). In an attempt to create debate and more reflection about the inherent characteristics of air power, in 1995 Dr. Meilinger wrote Ten Propositions on Airpower, an influential booklet advocating what he considers to be the air power equivalent of Principles of War. Among his key articles is: "Winged Defence: Answering the Critics of Airpower." Air Power Review Vol. 5 No. 4 (Winter 2002), pp. 41-64. War is changing. Unlike when modern military doctrine was forged, the United States no longer mobilizes massive land forces for direct political gain. Instead, the US fights small, overseas wars by global mandate to overthrow dictators, destroy terrorist groups, and broker regional peace. These conflicts hardly resemble the total wars fought and expected by foundational military theorists such as Carl von Clausewitz, yet their paradigms are ingrained in modern thinking. The twenty-first-century's new geopolitical situation demands new principles for warfare deemphasizing decisive land victory in favor of airpower, intelligence systems, and indigenous ground forces. In Thoughts on War, Phillip S. Meilinger confronts the shortcomings of US military dogma in search of a new strategic doctrine. Inter-service rivalries and conventional theories failed the US in lengthy Korea, Vietnam, and Middle East conflicts. Jettisoning traditional perspectives and their focus on decisive battles, Meilinger revisits historical campaigns looking for answers to more persistent challenges how to coordinate forces, manipulate time, and fight on two fronts. This provocative collection of new and expanded essays offers a fresh, if controversial, perspective on time-honored military values, one which encourages a critical revision of US military strategy.
Add this copy of Thoughts on War to cart. $58.85, new condition, Sold by Glover's Bookery, ABAA rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Lexington, KY, UNITED STATES, published 2020 by University Press of Kentucky.
