Coalitions: More Than Just Flags at the Table

Abstract

History has shown that War is an enduring human condition. As long as man has interests that he is willing to contest there will be battles for nations to fight. Alliances, treaties, and coalitions have been a fundamental element of warfare throughout recorded time. It is a rare case where a state is able to wage war in isolation for any protracted period of time. This calls for nations to craft alliances in order to pursue their national interests to the full. The ability of the strategic leader to craft and sustain coalitions is a fundamental skill that needs to be understood by all members of any coalition in the modern age. While current US doctrine allows for allies in battle it does not create the space at the strategic level that might allow coalition synergies to be developed to the full. The challenge of the contemporary US strategic leader is to fully grasp this issue in such a manner that will allow the coalition to truly gain the exalted goal of unity of effort.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 21, 2011
Accession Number
ADA553155

Entities

People

  • John G. Howard

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alliances
  • Civil War
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Foreign Policy
  • Governments
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • Joint Military Activities
  • National Security
  • Professional Development
  • Students
  • Treaties
  • United States
  • United States Government
  • War
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • International Relations and European Studies
  • Strategic Security Studies

Technology Areas

  • Space