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Why War? Why an Army?

John M. House

An AUSA Book

Book Code: C36206

ISBN: 0-313-36206-8

ISBN-13: 978-0-313-36206-4

DOI:

240 pages, figure; tables

Praeger Security International General Interest-Cloth

Publication: 9/30/2008

List Price: $59.95 (UK Sterling Price: £34.95)

Availability: In Stock

Media Type: Hardcover

Also Available: Ebook

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Military Studies » Military Studies (General)

Endorsement From L.D. Holder,
Lt. Gen., US Army, retired: Upon graduating from the Army's School of Advanced Military Studies, John House has developed his views on war and conflict systematically and completely. His explanation of the subject will give students, government leaders, and general readers useful insights into the place of military forces in policy as a thoughtful Army officer sees it.
Endorsement From James J. Schneider,
Professor Emeritus, School of Advanced Military Studies, US Army Command and General Staff College: Colonel John House has written the definitive work on military theory for the twenty-first century. House's project represents a fundamental reframing of our present understanding of war and peace. In the process, he also offers a significant reinterpretation of the great Prussian military philosopher, Carl von Clausewitz and his book, On War. Colonel House's new book is the first of its kind to offer a penetrating framework for thinking about military affairs in the emerging post-Iraq world.
Endorsement From Gordon R. Sullivan,
General USA Retired: Colonel House has given us a very important piece of scholarship. This book is packed with ideas and important theories related to armed conflict and the use of national military power for other purposes. His book is a thought provoking primer for structured study of war. The bibliography alone provides the starting point for an in-depth study of the Army and its role in our society-peace and war.
Endorsement From Robert Scales,
Major General USA (retired),
Former Commandant of the Army War College,
Currently, President of COLGEN, LP.: The Army has carried most of the burden of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet very little scholarship has been devoted recently to understanding the dynamics of history and the currents of contemporary events that are shaping how our Army will fight in the future. John House has written an eclectic book that at last connects the dots on the subject of the relationship between landpower and the future of the nation. At last we have a single document that offers us a deep and intellectually rich view of the past and a promising glimpse of where our Army is going in the future.

Description: What is the purpose of war? It is destructive. It causes great anguish and is responsible for countless deaths. Society condemns those people and nations that initiate war without provocation; yet, it still remains a constant element of society. Providing definitions of war, the function of an army and how organizations implement change, this work analyzes why war remains a fixture in human interactions and how a nation can prepare to win such a deadly encounter. This book provides an alternative method of thinking about why wars are fought through its analysis of the power struggle between nations. This book forges a new way of thinking, giving readers a new understanding of war and its effects on society. War is a destructive element of society. It causes great anguish, pain, and deaths. Society praises those who promote peace and harmony. Society condemns the people and nations that initiate war without provocation in order to impose their power and strength. So, why is war studied? What is its purpose? In this work, House analyzes the use of war and why it remains a fixture in human interactions. House describes a connection between wars, armies, and the people affected by them. War is a power struggle between nations who try to showcase their sheer brutality in an attempt for a gain in supremacy; armies, therefore, are the land component of a nation's military forces. The outcome of the war on the land is the most important aspect of the war, since people occupy these lands where wars are fought. Despite changes in technology, organizational and operational concepts, and external or internal threats, people are still a crucial element in wars. People govern whether military forces impose themselves on other nations and control the component systems within military services. Any study of war and warfare addresses the impact that people make on the conduct of war and the effects of war on people. Providing conceptual descriptions of war and explaining the purpose and requirements of a nation's army within the description, House establishes an alternative method of thinking about the nature of war and how it effects those in society.

Table of Contents:

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS
FOREWORD
CHAPTER 1: WHATS WAR ALL ABOUT?
CHAPTER 2: TYPES OF WARS
CHAPTER 3: THE PURPOSE OF AN ARMY
CHAPTER 4: LEVELS OF WAR
CHAPTER 5: THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF WAR
CHAPTER 6: THE COGNITIVE NATURE OF WAR
CHAPTER 7: THE MORAL NATURE OF WAR
CHAPTER 8: THE NEED FOR CHANGE
CHAPTER 9: TRANSFORMATION
CHAPTER 10: ENSURING TRANSFORMATION
CHAPTER 11: FUTURE WAR Continuing Competition
CHAPTER 12: THE CONSTANTS
BIBLIOGRAPHY

LC Card Number: 2008022563

LCC Class: U21

Dewey Class: 355


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