Kagan why military history matters

Warfare must be understood it's social, cultural, economic, human, moral, political, and psychological contexts because, as Howard observed, "the roots of victory and defeat often have to be sought far from the battlefield. Studying military history in width, depth, and context is a life-long effort and should be approached systematically over the course of a career. To begin your study of this topic, select an article like Military History and the Study of Operational Art or a book like The Past is Prologue: the Importance History to the Military Profession to mature your understanding of the connection between the study of history and the military profession.

Next, select a book from one of the conflicts listed below to study a war in width. Then, select a campaign or battle within that war and by using the end notes or bibliography, you will find additional reading that will allow you to study in depth. Finally, take the opportunity to determine the causes and root of that conflict, by studying it in context. MCoE Homepage. It is difficult to improve upon John Keegan's observation that: What battles have in common is human: the behaviour of men struggling to reconcile their instinct for self-preservation, their sense of honour and the achievement of some aim over which other men are ready to kill them.

Study and Use of Military History "Learning is not attained by chance; it must be sought for with ardour and attended to with diligence. An Approach to the Study of Military History: History is most useful when it is studied in three dimensions: First, study in width : Observe how warfare has developed over a long historical period. Reflections How are strategy, operations, and tactics connected?

What are some examples of when the three were disconnected? What were the results? What are principal or recurring causes of military success or failure? How did other leaders learn and apply military history to their duties and responsibilities? What are the elements of the American military experience and how do they help us think about the Army's role in national security today? What are some of the continuities in warfare?

Advertisement Hide. This service is more advanced with JavaScript available. The Military History of Tsarist Russia. Editors view affiliations Frederick W. Kagan Robin Higham.

Front Matter Pages i-vi. Pages The Foundations of Muscovite Military Power, — The Romanov Transformation, — Gabriel, Whittaker, reviewed by William B. Feis, Park, Arnold, Gallaher, Delgadillo, McChristian, reviewed by John H. Monnett, Tucker, Murray, Bacon , edited by George S.

Burckhardt, reviewed by Harold D. Langley, Cimbala, Urwin, Rafuse, Varney, Warren, reviewed by David Rachels, Kahn, reviewed by Debra J. Sheffer, Corvi and Ian F. Beckett, reviewed by Harold E. Raugh, Jr. Hendrix, reviewed by Matthew Oyos, Cox, Short, Stentiford, War Planning , edited by Richard F.

Hamilton and Holger H. Herwig, reviewed by Samuel R. Williamson, Jr. Kihntopf, Beckett, reviewed by Nikolas Gardner,