Download pdf center for strategic and budgetary assessments. It is tempting to think of this conflict largely as a land war. This book covers the american way of war through the second half of this century, and illustrates how u. The book aims high, attempting to conduct a survey of all american military history and discern a unique american method of. The american way of war much has been written about americas strategic culture and way of war, beginning with historian russell f. These debates and the accepted validity of apparently. The wars of the united states wars of the united states. The american way of war as it emerged had the following main characteristics. The argument for a focus on maritime dominance and the destruction of japans battle fleet the ukus debate in the european war over an enveloping strategy versus a concentration and mass strategy. The american way of war is a popular topic of debate among military thinkers. Weigley traces the emergence of a characteristic american way of warin which the object of military strategy has come to mean total destruction of the enemy, first of his armed forces, often of the whole fabric of his society. Took longer than it should have, but as a foundational text for understanding not only american strategy, but basic concepts of national strategy itself, this book is unsurpassed. Weigley misuses the examples of john pershing wearing down the german army in 1918 and the u.
This war was the last nail in the coffin of the vietnam syndrome. A history of the united states military strategy and policy bloomington, indiana. Weigley, 9780253280299, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Reconsidering the american way of war is a thoughtful, rich, and convincing examination of how and why the united states has used military force to accomplish national objectives throughout its history. After a long while of meaning to, ive finished russell weigleys magisterial book the american way of war. In other words, the american concept of war rarely extended beyond the winning of battles and campaigns to the gritty work of turning military victory into strategic success.
Weigley, the american way of war 1973 way of war as the conduct of operations aww shift from attrition to annihilation civil war us military leaders addicted to annihilation, way of war characterized by firepower, technology, lack of flexibility critique of vietnam. Reconsidering the american way of war deserves a valued place on the reading lists of all those who are not only interested in military history, but are concerned with americas success in the wars it is fighting today and its ability to help keep the world secure in the future. One of weigleys most widely received contributions to research is his hypothesis of a specifically american way of war. Union military policy toward southern civilians, 1861 1865. Your use of this heinonline pdf indicates your acceptance. This makes the sixth phase of the american way of war censorshipmorale. In russell weigleys book, the american way of war he states that the united states military uses annihilation as their strategy in the way of war. Echevarria dismantles the various proponents of a unique american way of war by proving that us military practice has always been shaped by.
Jan 12, 2016 the only constant in the american way of war echevarria identifies is the belief that tactical success will create strategic success, which, as he notes, makes it indistinguishable from the european way of war. A history of united states military strategy and policy wars of the united states series by russell f. A history of united states military strategy and policy bloomington and indianapolis. He wrote that the american way of war seeks on the pursuit of a crushing military victory against opposing army, using a strategy of an attrition or annihilation. Much of what weigley said about the american way of war. All of these phases resulted in a military that was far more unique than anything before or since. Weigley explores the ever evolving role of the military in an ever changing world, using history as the guideline to establish his facts. America goes to war society for historians of american. First, as a football game between armies, in which the function of the citizenry is to cheer for the home team. Professor russell weigley in his seminal the american way of war. The american way of war is a powerful analysis of the historical foundation of the american militarys quest for total victory, which was laid during the civil war and reigned supreme during world war ii. We might well have included the earlier instances of grenada and the tanker war, but we wanted to start clearly upon the end of the cold war. A history of united states military strategy and policy. Although only explicitly discussed by weigley as a policy during our internal indian wars, you could if sufficiently immoral consider the possible subsets of an annihilation policy like.
The american way of war by sheldon richman posted on july 03, 2017 july 2, 2017 the most striking fact about the united states of america is not its supposed founding principles more often lauded than observed but how often the greatest country on earth has waged war. Consequently, the american way of war was to rephrase weigley s argument more a way of battle than a way of war. The only constant in the american way of war echevarria identifies is the belief that tactical success will create strategic success, which, as he notes, makes it indistinguishable from the european way of war. Weigley in the american way of war, the pioneering work published in 1973. In russell weigleys book the american way of war he states. The field manual has moved beyond simple army doctrine for countering insurgencies to become the defining characteristic of the armys new way of war. To be sure, strategic documents like the national security strategy and. A history of united states military strategy and policy reprint of ed. Weigley s thesis was that technological and social developments have robbed war of its power of decision, resulting in wars in which the. But it is mainly a military history and a brilliant one. Many argue for a singular strategy or way of war for the u.
War making in america from appomattox to versailles. Weigleys thesis was that technological and social developments have robbed war of its power of decision, resulting in wars in which the. Weigleys seminal 1973 book, the american way of war. Even if weigleys thesis is not entirely accepted by the reader, the american way of war still offers a thorough and thoughtprovoking analysis of u. Linn explains the united states military uses many different ways of war. Grants total war policy during the civil war for this discussion. Presents a critical analysis of the book the american way of war. War will always be a sensitive subject in the united states, as it should be. The organization formerly the american military institute was established in 1937, and has published a quarterly journal under various titles since that date. Irishamerican volunteers and the union army, 18611865.
A history of united states military strategy and policy, macmillan publishing, new york 1973 new dimensions in military history. This was a result of adapting to the changes that the first world war had instilled in the. The american way of war fulszoveg in this authoritative and controversial study, russell f. The steps limned below will facilitate disaster without imposing the burden of reinventing it. The american way of war, a thesis coined by russell weigley in 1973, holds that america since the civil war has used industrial production and technology to achieve crushing economic and military superiority in order to defeat adversaries through annihilation or attrition. Pershing to wear down the german army in 1918, and by the u. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. These include works by russell weigley, max boot, and brian linn. The american military was able to achieve domination in every field of the war.
Brian linn disagrees with weigley in his article, the american way of war revisited. His research and teaching interests centered on american and world military history, world war ii, and the american civil war. Toward an american way of war serious inquiry into the american approach to waging war began in the early 1970s with the publication of russell weigleys the american way of war. The term american way of war was mentioned for a first time in early 1970s with the publication of the american way of war written by russel weigley who examined the key political and military figures from george washington to robert mcnamara and their approaches to the war. Presidio press, 1975 american strategy from its beginnings through the first world war.
This was a result of adapting to the changes that the first world war had instilled in the soldiers thoughts. Probably weigley s most provocative statement is that the south lost basically because of a failure of will. Oct 31, 2016 the american military was able to achieve domination in every field of the war. Defense secretary rumsfeld has driven the department of defense dod headlong into his vision of a military transformation. Probably weigleys most provocative statement is that the south lost basically because of a failure of will. Warmaking in america from appomattox to versailles. The apparent differences between these works have stimulated debate among military scholars as to what constitutes the american way of war. The principal public hero of the war was a land man, u.
Professor weigley calls his book a political and military history. With this renewed confidence in what military historian russell weigley called the american way of war massive firepower, high technology, total victory washington is now seriously. A distinctive american style of war had already been described by the preeminent military historian russell weigley two decades earlier. The journal of military history is published quarterly by the society for military history, an organization of about 2000 historians and persons with a scholarly interest in military history. Being a military thinker of the profoundest sort, i offer the following manual of martial affairs for nations yearning to copy the american way of war. Strategies change depending on what the united states militarys goal in. A history of united states military strategy and policy, by russell f. A history of united states military strategy and policy 9780253280299. Spurred by dramatic advances in information technology, the new american way of war relies on speed, maneuver, flexibility, and surprise. A history of united states military strategy and policy in 1979, by russell f. After a long while of meaning to, ive finished russell weigley s magisterial book the american way of war. Russell frank weigley wyglee july 2, 1930 march 3, 2004 was the distinguished university professor of history at temple university in philadelphia, pennsylvania and.
The american way of war refers to the grinding strategy of attrition that u. The american way of warfare a monograph by major chad m. That phrase popularized by the military historian russell weigley in his 1973 book has come to refer to a grinding strategy of attrition. Reconsidering the american way of war georgetown university.
Weigley, in his treatise the american way of war, discusses. In football, success is measured in points scored, yardage gained, the brilliance of play, and time of possession. In war as football, it battles won, enemies killed, territory conquered. Toward an american way of war serious inquiry into the american approach to waging war began in the early 1970s with the publication of russell weigley s the american way of war. As haunting a postapocalyptic universe as cormac mccarthy created in the road, and as devastating a look as the fallout that national events have on an american family as philip roth did in the plot against america. The gulf war was americas first serious war after vietnam. He wrote that the american way of war seeks on the pursuit. Weigleys the american way of war remains an incredibly important voice in that discussion. This is one of the best books about the civil war to be written in a very long time. Colfax and paramilitarism paper liberty chapel cemetery. Why we love the civil war, civil war history, december 2004, 36883 september 20. The crucial goal is to defeat the other sides armed forces. The politics of emancipation eric foner, the fiery trial.
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