Clausewitz at Mach II--Has Classical Military Theory Kept Pace with Technology?

Abstract

This monograph discusses whether classical military theory as developed by Clausewitz in On War remains relevant in light of military technological advances. The monograph specifically challenges whether the claim that the defense is the intrinsically stronger form of war also holds true for air warfare. The monograph begins with an examination of Clausewitz's ideas concerning the nature, purpose, and strengths of both offensive and defensive warfare. The monograph then presents the ideas of two airpower theorists--Douhet and Warden--concerning the inherently offensive nature of air warfare. With this overview of various theories as a foundation, the monograph then uses the critical analysis method from On War to determine the accuracy of Clausewitz's ideas on the defensive form of war for portraying contemporary air warfare. The monograph uses the 1973 Arab-Israeli War as the historical evidence for this critical analysis.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 10, 1993
Accession Number
ADA274111

Entities

People

  • Glenn A. Gruner

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Air Strikes
  • Aircrafts
  • Attrition
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Counterair Operations
  • Defense Systems
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Tactical Air Support
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies