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Book: Strategic Studies A Reader


Norfolk nChance

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Book: Strategic Studies A Reader

Second edition edited by Thomas Mahanken & Joseph Maiolo

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strategic-Studies-Thomas-G-Mahnken-ebook/dp/B00HSMEQEE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534234121&sr=8-2&keywords=Strategic+Studies+A+Reader

Thought I would offer this book as on the previous post other War theorists start to be mentioned.  I’ve had a keen interest in military strategy from an early age but never as a profession, well excluding Karate just to qualify my weak knowledge base.

The main misinterpretation I believe of reading old war or Game theory studies is usually confusion between what is the “Strategy” and what are the “Tactics” involved to complete the strategic objective. The above Book breaks down just three, Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and Liddall-Hart. This I found fascinating with On War such a complex read while Sun Tzu is always Double-Edged and the profound Liddall-Hart’s stolen Blitzkrig idea...

The Book is a primer for the READER to push deeper into strategic studies, not just historic but possible future events. It’s no easy read but gives the best BREAK-DOWN of On War by Von Clausewitz and order it should be read in I’ve seen.

In terms of NA-OW or DREADNAUGHT, my three battle skills still remain the same in the same order...

http://forum.game-labs.net/topic/26044-what-are-the-three-most-important-personal-owbattle-skills/

let me know if you like the book (or disagree), or other ones you’d recommend and why?

 

Norfolk nChance.

 

Edited by Norfolk nChance
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Maybe the one that i like the most is the Campaigns of Napoleon by David Chandler, the definitive one volume on the subject. It just presents the napoleonic strategy so clearly, with the human elements, chance, mistakes, the whole why of every move is just crystal clear, rarely have a read a book on strategy that was so good at explaining the why.

The 2 volumes biography of Marlborough by his relative winston churchill is hardly as good, but since there aren't that many books about him and churchill writes ok, it's an interesting read for this reason alone. You could skip the biographical parts if you wanted i guess. Nothing that special for the length, but interesting for the flanders area, it's forts importance, and work between allied countries.

Piers Brandon flames across the border and the invasion of canada is worth a read due to the nature of the war.

The Bloody Crucible of Courage is a great read regarding the evolution of tactics and weaponry during the american civil war.

Kaigun: Strategy, Tactics, and Technology in the Imperial Japanese Navy, 1887-1941 is one of the many books on my wishlist unfortunately a bit expensive for me atm, but i heard a lof of good and expect a lot from it.

I have sand against the wind by tuchman ( stilwell and the american experience in china ) that i will read at some point ( so many books, so little thym ), an interesting situation and you can't go wrong with tuchman.

In the guns of august tuchman was magnificienty clear about the human element of strategy, how one person can make it happen or screw everything up and why.

I have many books in various countries and a long amazon wishlist including strategic studies but frankly i don't have the time nor the will to go throught it for now XD ( it's like 2000 books long and i am deeply annoyed with some books having just simply vanished from it so yeah XD ).

 

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@Ink

 

 

A small favor to ask...

 

 

Under “Age of Sail Historical Discussions” then “History” can you add a sub thread like “the Maps” one called “Military & Naval Strategist and their theories” or something to that effect.

 

 

Many thanks

Norfolk nChance [ELITE]

 

 

 

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For logistics i can recommend Supplying War: Logistics From Wallenstein To Patton, Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army and The Army of Flanders and the Spanish Road 1567–1659: The Logistics of Spanish Victory and Defeat in the Low Countries' Wars. There is probably a good book to be found on the logistics of d-day, with their operation pluto, mullbery harbdors and other crazy ideas.

 

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22 minutes ago, Captain Jean-Luc Picard said:

but frankly i don't have the time nor the will to go throught it for now XD ( it's like 2000 books long and i am deeply annoyed with some books having just simply vanished from it so yeah XD ).

@Captain Jean-Luc Picard and @Sir R. Calder of Southwick and @Sento de Benimaclet and others...

 

Do you really think @Norfolk nChance would sit back and accept this? When maybe if @Ink opens this new thread, I want you to POST your BEST Military theorist in time. Quick Overview and why...

 

Come on you know you want to...

 

Norfolk nChance [ELITE]

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Well, a quick glance through my wishlist then in addition to the ones i mentionned above, some of the following is read some not, slight mix of more strategic stuff and some history that might or might not be relevant, most titles are self explanatory:

Warfare, State And Society In The Byzantine World 565-1204, because byzantium ( norwich 3 volume history is worth a read ).

Samurai, Warfare and the State in Early Medieval Japan (Warfare and History) by Karl F. Friday, because japan.

Red Attack, White Resistance: Civil War in South Russia 1918 by Peter Kenez + Red Advance, White Defeat: Civil War in South Russia 1919-1920 by Peter Kenez, because 2 volumes russian civil war. On the subject White Against Red: The Life of General Anton Denikin by Dimitry V. Lehovich, The White Russian Army in Exile 1920-1941 (Oxford Historical Monographs) by Paul Robinson are also worth a read, the titles are self-explanatory.

Story of the Sino-Japanese War, 1937-45 by Dick Wilson, along with sand against the win by tuchman, are the two books i chose on the china-japan war, haven't read them yet, tuchman is obvious, not sure why i chose wilson but i must have had a good reason.

Radetzky's Marches: The Campaigns of 1848 and 1849 in Upper Italy by Michael Embree, because of the subject, haven't read that one.

The Wars of Louis XIV, 1667-1714 (Modern Wars In Perspective) by John A. Lynn, Giant of the Grand Siecle: The French Army, 1610-1715 by John A. Lynn, haven't bought those ones yet ( 60$ minimum on amazon, c'mon )

A History of the Crusades: Volume 2 - The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East 1100-1187: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East 1100-11, if you find this one you'll find the others, it's a three volume history of the crusades, good stuff if maybe a bit dated.

War In The East: A Military History of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78 by Quintin Barry. Haven't read it.

Mercenaries and Their Masters: Warfare in Renaissance Italy by Michael Edward Mallett. The italian cities fought between themselves using mercenaries, and those tended to fight in an alltogether different way, with an emphasis on maneuvering and avoiding bloodshed. The Furia Francesca that descended on italy was at the end of the day in difference where the french had no issue spilling blood.

Medieval Mercenaries V 1: The Great Companies by Kenneth Fowler, i believe the second volume never came out because he died? i might be wrong. Haven't bought it yet.

The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: From the First Century A.D. to the Third by Edward N. Luttwak, is disputed by worth a read. There is another book that should be read alongside that basically argues the complete opposite... forgot the title. I'll add it when i remember. Either way read whatever criticisms there are of it and the other one.

303 Squadron: The Legendary Battle of Britain Fighter Squadron by Arkady Fiedler, Jarek Garlinski or A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron: Forgotten Heroes of World War II, either will do but one is plenty, a look at how pilots lots their country, escaped in various ways to fight in UK, got grounded as noobs only to prove themselves aces that could not be done without. Not a strategic reader, but a good situation to look at due to its importance in the grand scheme of things.

Soviet Military Deception in the Second World War (Soviet Russian Military Theory and Practice) by David M. Glantz

Lost Victories: War Memoirs of Hitler's Most Brilliant General (Zenith Military Classics) by Erich Von Manstein

Attacks by Erwin Rommel

Operation Paperclip: The Secret Intelligence Program That Brought Nazi Scientists to America, ok not a strategic study neither but again has it's importance in the grand scheme of things. There are various books on the subject i have only read this one, but Secret Agenda: The United States Government, Nazi Scientists, and Project Paperclip, 1945 to 1990 by Linda Hunt (Hardcover) is supposedly good as well.

Makers of Modern Strategy: Military Thought from Machiavelli to Hitler by Edward Mead Earle

Asia's Unknown Uprising Volume 1 and 2, not strategy but good stuff.

Warfare in Roman Europe, AD 350-425

The Best and the Brightest, absolute must read, how the vietnam war came to be because the best and the brightest made it happen. Turned out they were morons. You can place that in pretty much any era and context. Someone actually needs to think and convince and decide that a war is a good idea before wars happen.

The Boer War by Thomas Pakenham, probably the best book on the subject, better to read his scramble for africa beforehand.

The Albigensian Crusade by Jonathan Sumption, quick read, interesting to see populations changing their religion, this including entire cities, the local lords with their influence. Obviously the dominant religion is not happy and bam, crusade in your face. Not a strategic study, just a short history, but the evolution is nice to see.

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S.Grant, good look at logistics, leaving a large part of the army to guard the communications and logistics, and cutting yourself off from them.

The Limits of Empire: The Roman Army in the East (Clarendon Paperbacks) by Benjamin Isaac

The Soviet-Afghan War: How a Superpower Fought and Lost (Modern War Studies) by The Russian General Staff, Lester W. Gra

The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade, ok it's not a strategic study but an excellent read, in short the weapons industry is a business that needs to make money to survive or it dies, nations cannot let their arms industry die, and with it loose the tech and skilled manpower as they cannot afford to start from scratch or become dependent on external overexpensive supplies that can be interrupted, therefore nations both forbid and encourage illegal trade and both create and hamper services to control illegal arms trade.

The White Death by Chew is about finland vs the soviets, there is another one by robert edwards under the same name, either will do, the chew version is published by a uni.

The Politics of Truth: A Diplomat's Memoir: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife's CIA Identity, absolute must read, ok again not about strategic studies XD But you have to know what leads to war in the first place, i need context for my wars, and this is gold.

Crucible of War: The Seven Years' War and the Fate of Empire in British North America, 1754-1766, that's a fatty that has everything on the subject.

Rising '44: The Battle for Warsaw, urban warfare by civilians please, with all it means for the germans, the russians happily watching the whole show.

Rising Sun And Tumbling Bear: Russia's War with Japan, there are two great books on the subject, you will prefer this one, written by an army guy,  since the other one was written by a journalist.

A History of the Art of War in the Middle Ages, two volumes, by the great charles oman. He has also written a history of the peninsula war in a trillion volumes that costs a trillion.

The Pursuit of Power: Technology- Armed Force- and Society Since A.D. 1000, classic, probably a must read one volume.

Fire in the Lake about the vietnam war is great mostly for explaining how the US could not understand where they were nor the population, the vietnamese viewed the american intervention is their own historical and cultural context, their communism was not the soviet communism etc, the government always had someone new at it's head etc etc, the military never stood a chance. Parthian shot is a good novel to read alongside. Read it after having read the best and brightest first.

There is probably more stuff in my list but at a glance that's the stuff that might interest you.

My lists http://amzn.eu/dfL3BCP  & http://amzn.eu/aVwIZE3  might have more stuff that you like if you dare to go through the amount and my other interests.

It's mostly military history with context rather than theoretical strategic studies i guess but i hope you like at least one of those suggestions XD

 

 

 

Edited by Captain Jean-Luc Picard
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