Publication:RAN Reading List March 2006/Military and Aerospace Strategy
The Art of War, Complete Texts and Commentaries
by Sun Tzu, (translated by Thomas Cleary) published by Shambhala, Boston and London, 2003
Although he lived over two thousand years ago, Sun Tzu has become one of the most prestigious and influential authors on strategy. This version brings together essential versions of Sun Tzu's text, along with illuminating commentaries and auxiliary texts written by distinguished strategists. Tzu's essentially Taoist approach to war, where overcoming other's armies without fighting is the best of skills, is increasingly used by the world's military forces in preference to the neo-Clauswitzians. Sun Tzu's Art of War influenced recent advocates of manoeuvre warfare. An alternative translation by Samuel B. Griffiths, published by Oxford University Press in 1963, is also interesting as it provides a short discussion on the role of manoeuvre in warfare.
On War
by Carl Von Clausewitz, (edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret) published by Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1984
Few serving officers have not quoted Clausewitz at some stage in their career, particularly that most famous (mis)quotation 'War is the extension of politics by other means'. Alas, very few have actually read Clausewitz's great work, which is not surprising as it is a heavy, workmanlike tome that is not easy to read. This is mostly because Clausewitz died before he could finish writing his thesis, with the unfinished draft being published by his wife after his death. As a result, you need to search for the gems of wisdom contained in a wealth of other material. As an army officer writing during a period of intense continental warfare, much of the document can be skipped over as being of little relevance to naval operations;however, his insights into the political-military interface are enduringly relevant.
The Art of War
by Henri de Jomini published by Greenhill Books, London, 1996
During the last century the world was, generally speaking, split into two schools of continental thought -the Clausewitzian (German) school and the Jominian (French) school. Jomini's famous analysis of the art of Napoleonic warfare had a profound influence upon the military education of American officers in the decades prior to the Civil War, and continues to form the basis of some recent strategists.
The Art of War
by Niccolo Machiavelli, (translated by Ellis Farneworth) published by Da Capo Press, New York, 2001
A fundamental work by one of the greatest political and military theorists of Western civilisation. Voltaire said, 'Machiavelli taught Europe the art of war; it had long been practiced, without being known.' For Machiavelli, war was war, and victory the supreme aim to which all other considerations must be subordinated. The Art of War is far from an anachronism; its pages outline fundamental questions that theorists of war continue to examine today.
Two Historians in Technology and War
by Michael Howard and John F. Guilmartin, Jr. published by US Army War College, Pennsylvania, 1994
The effect of technological development on the nature of war is one of considerable importance at the current time. While some contend that there is no revolution occurring in military affairs, merely a belated introduction to the potential of the computer, it is important to understand the potential implications of advances in technology. This monograph contains two presentations to the US Army War College: Howard's basic contention is that the will and belief of the people fighting the war is fundamental, while Guilmartin argues that rising technologies, such as biological and information warfare, provide greater scope for development. Though not the specific subject of either essay, they both illustrate the increasing complexity of military operations and the ever greater span of knowledge required of a military professional.
The Adaptive Military:Armed Forces in a Turbulent World
edited by James Burk published by Transaction Publishers, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2nd edition, 1998
The end of the Cold War changed many of the fundamental assumptions which guided military planning throughout the world. The rapid change in technological potential and the absence of clearly defined threats make it difficult for military services to easily define their objectives or methods in conventional terms. The Adaptive Military is a collection of essays which discuss these and other issues which are confronting armed services and governments today. They discuss peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, limited conflict and perhaps most contentiously of all, the effects of the increased globalisation of the world's economy and politics and the consequent decreased independence of sovereign states. All of these issues have profound implications for military forces in the future.
Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century
By Jonathan Glover Published by Yale University Press, Yale, 2000
There is much history here, but Humanity is fundamentally a book of philosophy. In his first chapter, for instance, Glover announces his goal 'to replace the thin, mechanical psychology of the Enlightenment with something more complex, something closer to reality.' But he also seeks 'to defend the Enlightenment hope of a world that is more peaceful and more humane, the hope that by understanding more about ourselves we can do something to create a world with less misery.' The result is an odd combination of dark and light--darkness because the subject matter of the 20th century's moral failings is so bleak, light because of Glover's earnest optimism, which insists that 'keeping the past alive may help to prevent atrocities.' He cites Stalin's bracing comment, made while signing death warrants: 'Who's going to remember all this riff-raff in 10 or 20 years time? No one.' At one level, Humanity is a book of remembrance. But it's more than that: it's also an attempt to understand what it is in the human mind that makes moral disaster always loom -- and a prayer that this aspect of our psychology might be better controlled.
Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations
by Michael Walzer published by Basic Books, New York, 3rd edn. 2000
A classic treatment of the morality of war, with an introduction considering the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo. Just and Unjust Wars examines a variety of conflicts in order to understand exactly why, according to Walzer, 'the argument about war and justice is still a political and moral necessity.' Walzer's classic work draws on historical illustrations that range all the way from the Athenian attack on Melos to this morning's headlines, and uses the testimony of participants, decision makers and victims alike to examine the moral issues of warfare.
The Strategists
edited by Hugh Smith published by the Australian Defence Studies Centre, Canberra, 2001
An introduction to the major strategists and their ideas mostly by current or former members of University College, the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy, includes discussions on classical, modern and contemporary strategy, as well as a concluding paper on 'The End of Strategy?' by Martin van Creveld.
Collections of Military Classics
The Roots of Strategy - Volume 1
edited by Thomas R. Phillips published by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1985
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu 500BC The Military Institutions of the Romans, by Flavius Renatus Vegetius 390AD My Reveries Upon the Art of War, by Marshal Maurice de Saxe 1732AD The Instructions of Frederick the Great to his Generals, by Frederick the Great 1747AD The Military Maxims of Napoleon, by Napoleon Bonaparte
The Roots of Strategy - Volume 2
edited by J. D. Hittle published by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1987
Battle Studies, by Ardant Du Picq Principles of War, by Carl von Clausewitz Art of War, by Baron Antoine Henri de Jomini
The Roots of Strategy - Volume 3
edited by William Leeb published by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1991
Defence, by Ritter von Leeb;
The Power of Personality in War, by Hugo von Freytag-Loringhaven;
Surprise, by Waldemar von Erfurth
The Roots of Strategy - Volume 4
edited by David Jablonsky published by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1999
The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783, by Alfred T. Mahan Some Principles of Maritime Strategy, by Julian Corbett Winged Defense, by Guilio Douhet Command of the Air, by William (Billy) Mitchell
