How Wars are Won and Lost: Vulnerability and Military Power

This provocative book seeks to answer a most crucial--and embarrassing--question concerning the U.S. military: why the United States is so often stymied in military confrontations with seemingly weaker opponents, despite its "superpower" status. This fascinating book examines a question that continues to puzzle soldiers, statesmen, and scholars: why do major powers--including the ostensible superpower United States--repeatedly perform poorly against seemingly overmatched adversaries? And what can they, and the United States, do to better achieve their military objectives? How Wars are Won and Lost: Vulnerability and Military Power argues that beyond relying solely on overwhelming military might, the United States needs to focus more on exploiting weaknesses in their adversaries--such as national will, resource mobilization, and strategic miscues--just as opposing forces have done to gain advantage over our military efforts. The author tests the "vulnerability theory" by revisiting six conflicts from the Philippine War of 1899-1902 to the ongoing actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, showing again and again that victory often depends more on outthinking the enemy than outmuscling them.

• | Author: John Gentry
• | Publisher: Praeger
• | Publication Date: Nov 10, 2011
• | Number of Pages: 328 pages
• | Binding: Hardback or Cased Book
• | ISBN-10: 0313395829
• | ISBN-13: 9780313395826