Contributions from some of the world's leading strategic thinkers on land warfare are collected in the work. The operational, strategic, and ethical conundrums that soldiers, their commanders, and the societies they serve will have to wrestle with in the future are analyzed by the experts, paying close attention to the impact of the information age. Topics such as urban warfare, coalition operations, the revolution in military affairs, asymmetric warfare, close combat, peacekeeping, military training and recruiting, and the challenges posed by terrorism are addressed.
Author(s): Michael Evans, Russell Parkin
Year: 2004
Language: English
Pages: 392
Title page......Page 3
Foreword......Page 5
Contents......Page 7
Tables and figures......Page 9
Abbreviations......Page 10
Contributors......Page 12
Introduction: Appointment in Samarra: Western strategic thought and the culture of risk.......Page 23
Part I The changing shape of conflict......Page 37
1 The West's future foes: simplification and slaughter......Page 39
2 Clausewitz's chameleon: military theory and practice in the early 21st century......Page 48
3 Resurrecting transformation for the post-industrial era......Page 68
4 Maritime strategy, land warfare and the revolution in naval affairs......Page 86
5 Sharp corners: combat operations in urban areas......Page 104
6 Land forces in 21st-century coalition operations: implications for the Asia-Pacific......Page 118
Part II Future challenges......Page 149
7 Creating a culture of velocity: the Western military mindset and the challenge of digitisation......Page 151
8 Asymmetric warfare: myth or reality?......Page 161
9 Whither the close battle - British Army operations: 2015 and beyond......Page 180
10 A debate on the challenge posed by terrorism......Page 190
11 the military profession in Australia: crossroads and cross-purposes?......Page 206
12 Defending the 'other': military force(s) and the cosmopolitan project......Page 238
13 Preparing the Australian Army for 21st-century conflict: problems and perspectives......Page 259
Part III Operational lessons......Page 277
14 Lessons from Bosnia: a British perspective......Page 279
15 Lessons from East Timor......Page 286
16 Lessons from multinational operations......Page 304
Conclusion Early 21st-century armies and the challenge of unrestricted warfare......Page 315
Notes......Page 330
Bibliography......Page 362
Index......Page 380
