War, diplomacy and economic sanctions are three cornerstones of strategy that have, in the past, successfully coerced rogue regimes to capitulate. However, it may be time to look beyond these persuasion techniques and develop a new method that can...
United States. Army. Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood.
The Guidon came into being as a weekly publication in 1966 under the title Fort Leonard Wood Guidon. Between 1966 and 1987 the title was simplified to Guidon before becoming Essayons in 1988. The name reverted back to Guidon in 1999. It has been...
The bitter lessons of history have taught West Africa that there are no longer respectable alternatives to democracy after the collapse of communism. Nonetheless, governance in West Africa in the 21st century remains the greatest problem because...
This monograph analyzes recent (post-1980) suicide bombings and determines the probability of the same in the Continental United States (CONUS). Analysis includes a brief history of modern suicide bombing and an examination of the strategic,...
The emerging operational environment of the United States military is characterized by a changing myriad of complex dimensions, the elements of which are often uncomfortably and in some cases drastically different from those encountered during the...
Even though Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom have created a surging trend of research and literature connected with irregular warfare, there is still inadequate study and appreciation of the United States commitment in the Philippines at the...
The increased rate of Guard and Reserve mobilization associated with the Global War on Terror, specifically to support Operation Noble Eagle, poses a potential threat to the U.S. Army National Guard's ability to retain soldiers and thus sustain end...
This monograph considers expanding the U.S. Army using non-citizens to man new units. Both the French Foreign Legion and British Brigade of Gurkhas provide useful examples of the types of forces needed by the United States to preserve American...
The purpose of this paper is to answer the following question: Does the generation of Iranians born after the 1979 revolution wish to continue living under the system established by Ayatollah Khomeini, or do they wish to modernize (or perhaps...
The American people expect the military to win future engagements with greater efficiency to reduce costs. Our National Military Strategy, Joint Vision 2010, and other keystone joint publications seek to answer their expectation by espousing...
With the end of the Cold War, the threat of imminent conflict diminished greatly. The United States, no longer immediately threatened by any nation, significantly decreased defense spending and reduced its military forces. However, the number of...
Mao Tse-Tung noted that the Japanese committed five major operational level mistakes during their intervention into China in 1937. He claimed that these mistakes were so severe that they would ultimately cause Japan to fail to achieve its aims. The...
Since the demise of the Soviet Union, the United States has faced increasing pressure from other countries to take the lead in resolving regional conflicts. As a result, much debate has occurred on determining when to enter a conflict and not much...
America’s military services, the United States Army in particular, are finding it very difficult to find new recruits and maintain the experienced junior enlisted service members in their ranks. The Department of Defense and Army leadership has...
COMMANDANT'S SUMMARY: The year began with Colonel Seward as commandant. He had arrived at the academy in August 2004, the day before the resident Sergeants Major Course (Class 55) began. He regretted not being able to come earlier because he...
Due to the current size of the U.S. Army and operational tempo, the Army National Guard and Army Reserve have been moved from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve. This thesis attempts to answer the following question: What is the best use...
Deception has been a part of warfare throughout history and has proven a very effective force multiplier when employed correctly. Many esteemed military theorists have espoused the merits of deception including; Sun Tzu, Carl von Clausewitz, Mao...
"It is clear that we face major threats on the modern battlefield with a relatively small quantity of field artillery. It follows that we must optimize the use of all indirect fire support resources available."
The importance of studying military history cannot be underestimated. Without taking a close look at the past, at previous battles waged, and tactics employed, we take the unnecessary risk of repeating doomed operations and employing failed...