Headless Horsemen or Rodin's Riders--Which will Lead the Military of the Future?
Abstract
Military thinkers have strong pressure on them to consistently be right. These pressure stem from the nature of war itself. Lives are at risk. National treasure can quickly be consumed. Conflicts can escalate through miscalculations. The pressure to maintain an unrealistically high batting average--to always be right--often restricts the ability to generate alternative courses of action appropriate risks. The result is a conservative incremental approach to working issues. B.H. Liddell Hart cautioned against such an approach because, It fosters a cult of soundness, rather than of surprise. It breeds commanders who are so intent not to do anything wrong, according to the book, that they forget the necessity of making the enemy do something wrong. The result is their plans have no result. (36:35) The military has a continuing need for quality thinkers; but the types of thinkers it needs are becoming increasingly short in supply.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA247993
Entities
People
- Paul T. Shorock
Organizations
- Air War College