Strategymaking for the 1980's

The effectiveness of the armed forces is described by the utility we find in them and the excellence of the strategy that guides them. At the same time, the American military professionals, with the exception only of Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan, have an undistinguished record of original contributions to strategic thought. The thesis of this article is that classical strategy alone, while it is a worthwhile subject for study, cannot form the basis for the tasks our nation now faces. Our professional responsibility is to seek and develop strategies that will meet those tasks. This article will present broad concepts for the development of such strategies. While the treatment of this subject can never really be definitive, the aim here is to expand understanding and to suggest some approaches to the art of strategymaking. I will explore new concepts, rather that the familiar, and illustrate them with some historical examples.