The Masks of War: American Military Styles in Strategy and Analysis: A RAND Corp

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Today's nuclear world can't afford such lessons.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Why was the Navy ready to clear the skies over the Persian Gulf, yet surprised by the mines laid under it? Why is it that the Army is always prepared for war in Europe, but was caught off guard in Korea and Vietname? And why is the Air Force indifferent to "Star Wars"?In The Masks of War Carl H. Builder asks what motives lie behind the puzzling and often contradictory behavior of America's militay forces. The answer, he finds, has little to do with what party controls the White House or who writes the budget. Far more powerful-and glacially resistant to change-are the entrenched institutions and distinct "personalities" of the three armed services themselves.The Masks of War explains why things sometimes go wrong for the American military. It also explains why things will always go wrong for the military reformers. Changes in the military's strategic thinking have come only in the wake of full-blown disaster-Pearl Harbor, for instance. Today's nuclear world can't afford such lessons.

Author Biography

Carl H. Builder is a senior analyst with the RAND corporation. He is the author of The Prospects and Implications of Non-nuclear Means for Strategic Conflict. He has worked with numerous government agencies to develop and analyze strategies for laser weapons, military strategic planning, nuclear materials security, and air pollution.

Table of Contents

ForewordPrefacePart I: PersonalitiesChapter 1. The Masks of WarChapter 2. Five Faces of the Service PersonalitiesChapter 3. The Service Identities and BehaviorPart II: StrategiesChapter 4. What is Strategy?Chapter 5. Service StrategiesChapter 6. The Air StrategyChapter 7. The Navy and StrategyChapter 8. The Army and StrategyPart III: AnalysisChapter 9. What is Analysis?Chapter 10. Service Styles Toward AnalysisChapter 11. Images of ConflictPart IV: ImplicationsChapter 12. The Service Concepts of WarChapter 13. Military Commitments to CombatChapter 14. Implications for Military PlanningChapter 15. Implications for Regional Security Part V: ProspectsChapter 16. The Army's Identity CrisisChapter 17. Implications For the FutureNotesBibliographyIndex

Review

Builder's provocative book is institutional profile at its best, probing far beyond the flip phrases that usually describe the essence of each service, e.g., that the Air Force likes things it can fly. Foreign AffairsA RAND Corporation Research Study

Long Description

Why was the Navy ready to clear the skies over the Persian Gulf, yet surprised by the mines laid under it? Why is it that the Army is always prepared for war in Europe, but was caught off guard in Korea and Vietname? And why is the Air Force indifferent to ""Star Wars""? In The Masks of War Carl H. Builder asks what motives lie behind the puzzling and often contradictory behavior of America's militay forces. The answer, he finds, has little to do with what party controls the White House or who writes the budget. Far more powerful-and glacially resistant to change-are the entrenched institutions and distinct ""personalities"" of the three armed services themselves. The Masks of War explains why things sometimes go wrong for the American military. It also explains why things will always go wrong for the military reformers. Changes in the military's strategic thinking have come only in the wake of full-blown disaster-Pearl Harbor, for instance. Today's nuclear world can't afford such lessons.

Review Text

""Builder's provocative book is institutional profile at its best, probing far beyond the flip phrases that usually describe the essence of each service, e.g., that the Air Force likes things it can fly.""

Review Quote

"Builder's provocative book is institutional profile at its best, probing far beyond the flip phrases that usually describe the essence of each service, e.g., that the Air Force likes things it can fly."-- Foreign AffairsA RAND Corporation Research Study

Details ISBN0801837766 Short Title MASKS OF WAR Publisher Johns Hopkins University Press Series Rand Corporation Research Study Language English ISBN-10 0801837766 ISBN-13 9780801837760 Media Book Format Paperback Year 1989 Imprint Johns Hopkins University Press Place of Publication Baltimore, MD Country of Publication United States Audience Age 18 Subtitle American Military Styles in Strategy and Analysis: A RAND Corporation Research Study Illustrations No DOI 10.1604/9780801837760 NZ Release Date 1989-03-29 US Release Date 1989-03-29 UK Release Date 1989-03-29 Author Carl Builder Pages 256 Publication Date 1989-03-29 Alternative 9780801837753 DEWEY 355.033573 Audience General AU Release Date 1989-02-14 We've got this

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