In this #DefineStrategy entry, Edouard Cousins offers his thoughts on grand strategy and the bridge between military strategy and policy. “Grand strategy is the light on the horizon that provides an aiming mark for the nation, guiding it towards its best interests through turbulent seas.“Ed Cousins “A grand strategy is a purposeful and coherent set … Continue reading #DEFINESTRATEGY. On Grand Strategy
In this #DefineStrategy submission, Rex Harrison provides a simple answer speaks to some of the common frustrations about the use and over-use of the term. "Strategy is a big idea with a few general thoughts of how to achieve that idea"Rex Harrison To answer the exam question, I think of strategy as a ‘big idea … Continue reading #DEFINESTRATEGY. The Big Idea
By Warrant Officer Class One Brad Doyle, Regimental Sergeant Major Combat Training Centre. The RSM at Divisional, Brigade and Battle Group level has a number of functions and tasks. What is the function that best describes the RSM during planning? Is the role defined and do RSMs know of this role? The Manual of Army … Continue reading THE REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR IN PLANNING
In this #DefineStrategy submission, Jarrod Brook offers his thoughts on how best to do strategy, as well as how best to articulate it. "Strategy is ultimately a narrative that guides our decision making and the execution of campaigns"Jarrod Brook Defining strategy is a very intimidating question, and I am not sure I am as steeped … Continue reading #DEFINESTRATEGY. A narrative that guides
In this #DefineStrategy entry, Philip Dolitsky provides his observations on Colin S. Gray's definition, contrasted with comments from Hew Strachan on Clausewitz. "Strategy is the employment of force and the threat of force in a dialectical battle with an adversary to compel the enemy to do our will for the ultimate purpose of securing a … Continue reading #DefineStrategy. Coloring In the Gray Zones: On Colin S. Gray’s Definition of Strategy
Nobody really knows what strategy is. The concept of the ‘bigger picture' seems to be broadly understood among practitioners in the profession of arms, yet a single definition for ‘strategy’ still eludes us. Ask 100 people to define it and you’ll likely receive 100 different answers. Each may be right, but none would be complete. … Continue reading #DefineStrategy Series: Part 1
Phillip Dolitsky recently critiqued my four part series of articles titled “How to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons” here on Chesterfield Strategy (see “Why Nuclear Weapons are Here to Stay.”) Dolitsky’s response is well researched, cogent, and clear. He is an able scholar, but we do have some points of disagreement. People often think that because I … Continue reading Why Nuclear Weapons Are Going to Go
The more one reads about strategic studies and strategic history, the more one finds that the old Latin adage, Si vis pacem, para bellum, has rightly dominated the minds of the world’s greatest statesmen and strategists. In a world that has known war longer than it has known peace, strategists are obligated to think through … Continue reading Why Nuclear Weapons Are Here to Stay
The global intervention in Libya has been characterized by most as being a failure. I myself was too young to truly recall the incident beyond that a political figure had been removed from power in an African country. Most everyone seems to regard it as a failure and, after researching the event more in-depth, I … Continue reading Seven Months in Libya: A Reconsideration of Canada’s Endeavor in Libya
Confess: it’s my professionthat alarms you.This is why few people ask me to dinner,though Lord knows I don’t go out of my way to be scary. - Margaret Atwood, “The Loneliness of the Military Historian” As someone studying strategy and warfare, I often remark that I’m not too fun to be around at dinner parties. … Continue reading Thoughts from a Budding Strategist
