![]() As nineteenth century Prussian philosopher of war, Carl von Clausewitz, observed, the study of war and warfare “is meant to educate the mind of the future commander, or, more accurately, to guide him in his self education, not to accompany him to the battlefield just as a wise teacher guides and stimulates a young man’s intellectual development, but is careful not to lead him by the hand for the rest of his life.” Clausewitz continued, emphasizing that leaders should use their knowledge of military history “to analyze the constituent elements of war, to distinguish precisely what at first sight seems fused, to explain in full the properties of the means employed and to show their probable effects, to define clearly the nature of the ends in view, and to illuminate all phases of warfare in a thorough critical inquiry.” Because leaders cannot turn back time once war occurs they must develop an understanding of war and warfare before they enter the field of battle. Self-study and professional discussions help leaders understand the character of particular conflicts, inform ideas of how armed conflict is likely to evolve, and help leaders understand the complex interactions between military, political, and social factors that influence the situation in war. In 1901, the father of the Army War College, Secretary of War Elihu Root, commented on “the great importance of a thorough and broad education for military officers,” due to the “rapid advance of military science changes of tactics required by the changes in weapons our own experience in the difficulty of working out problems of transportation, supply, and hygiene the wide range of responsibilities which we have seen devolving upon officers charged with the civil government of occupied territory the delicate relations which constantly arise between military and civil authority.” Thus, Root wrote, there was a “manifest necessity that the soldier, above all others, should be familiar with history.” Successful American military leaders supplemented their formal learning through active reading, study, and reflection. Understanding the Context-and the Continuities-of War Discussions on this site should challenge our assumptions and refine our thinking. This is why forums such as the are important. And the self-development domain is as important as the Operational Domain (unit training and operational experience) and the Institutional Domain (official Army schools) in helping leaders prepare for the challenges of future war. Participative intellectual activity is critical to the “Self-Development Domain” of our Army’s leader development efforts. Discussion and debate with others exposes us to different perspectives and helps us consider how what we learn applies to our responsibilities. To develop understanding in “width, depth, and context,” we must be active learners dedicated to self-study and self-critique. Wars and warfare must be understood in context of their social, cultural, economic, human, moral, political, and psychological dimensions because “the roots of victory and defeat often have to be sought far from the battlefield.” This is important, Sir Michael observed, because as the “tidy outline dissolves,” we “catch a glimpse of the confusion and horror of real experience.” And lastly to study in context. ![]() Next to study in depth: To study campaigns and explore them thoroughly, consulting original sources and applying various theories and interdisciplinary approaches. First, to study in width: To observe how warfare has developed over a long historical period. ![]() It is hard to improve on the approach to studying war and warfare found in historian Sir Michael Howard’s 1961 seminal essay on how military professionals should develop what Clausewitz described as their own “theory” of war. As gets off the ground, I thought that we might consider how to develop our understanding of war and warfare and prepare ourselves intellectually for future armed conflict. I would like to thank MAJ Matt Cavanaugh for extending an opportunity to participate in this forum. McMaster, Commanding General of the U.S. *Editor’s Note: This essay was originally published on January 13, 2014. Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland
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