Strategy in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies [Paperback]

John Baylis (Editor), James J. Wirtz (Editor), Eliot A. Cohen (Editor), Colin S. Gray (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 16, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0199289786 | ISBN-13: 978-0199289783 | Edition: 2

Completely revised and updated to address changes that have taken place since 9/11, the second edition of this compelling collection takes a sophisticated look at the role of military power in the contemporary world.
In this essential resource, the authors analyze recent conflicts from Afghanistan to the Iraq War, considering the ongoing debates on the lessons that can be learned from these wars. In addition, they examine the controversy surrounding the recent revolution in military affairs--a transformation that has been brought about in response to the phenomenal pace of innovation in electronics and computer systems.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Any approach to international relations must include a grounding in strategic studies - which this book undoubtedly offers. Moreover, this book delivers a comprehensive array of distinguished contributors in a style that is both accessible and pleasurable to read. Dr. Gulnur Aybet, University of Kent

About the Author

John Baylis is Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Wales, Swansea. James J. Wirtz is Professor of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. Eliot Cohen is Professor and Director of the Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Colin S. Gray is Professor of International Politics and Strategic Studies at the University of Reading.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition (January 16, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199289786
• ISBN-13: 978-0199289783
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #537,001 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Useful introduction to strategic studies, May 14, 2002

By 

William Podmore (London United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Strategy in the Contemporary World: An Introduction to Strategic Studies (Paperback)

This introductory textbook of strategic studies covers four main themes: the enduring issues of strategy, the evolution of joint warfare, twentieth-century theories, and contemporary issues of grand strategy. The book is written from the perspective of `Western security interests', but even so, studying strategy helps us to think clearly about the ways in which states and others use organised force for political ends.
The writers all refute technological determinism: new weapons - artillery in World War One, tanks in World War Two, guided missiles in the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, precision bombing and superior ground force technology in the Gulf War - were none of them unbeatable. They show that the basic principles of conducting land warfare have hardly changed in the last hundred years. Armies need to combine their arms, defend in depth, keep large reserves, use cover and concealment, and integrate movement and suppressive fire. In particular, Stephen Biddle shows that, contrary to many claims, the USAF air war in the Gulf did not destroy all the Iraqi armour. Possibly 4,100 armoured vehicles later fought the US ground forces, but they did not fight according to the basic principles, so they were beaten.
However, the editors err in dividing what they call `20th-century theories' - deterrence, arms control, terrorism and `irregular warfare' (national liberation struggles) - from the `contemporary issues' of technology, weapons of mass destruction, and humanitarian intervention. These are all still live issues. Further, the editors could have presented them in the livelier form of debates.
As with any collection of pieces by many hands, the quality is uneven, but generally the better essays are more grounded in the realities of 20th-century military history. The worse ones try to discuss, for instance, the causes of war in terms of biology or psychology. As a rule, strikingly individual expressions of one person's views, like Colin Gray's Modern Strategy, or Bernard Brodie's War and Politics, provoke more thought than compilation textbooks