The Art of War Grand Strategy

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

The art of war and grand strategy is often invoked yet rarely understood, resulting in catastrophe. Too often policy makers, members of congress, academics, think tankers, journalists, pundits and even flag officers discuss strategy but remain ignorant of the topic. Consequently, strategy is frequently confused with tactics, bureaucracy, academic theory and other things — all to ruinous effect — as evidenced in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. This course will teach you how to think strategically and equip you with the core concepts and lexicon of strategy. The course builds on what senior U.S. military officers learn at war colleges, taught by a professor at such an institution. However, we will probe ideas more deeply than what is usually taught at war colleges and civilian institutions. You will also learn universal strategies for the strong, the weak and most things in between. We will examine the ideas of Sun Tzu, Kautilya, Jomini, Clausewitz, Mao, T.E. Lawrence, Galula and other scholar-practitioners. Case studies include the American Revolution, 2006 Lebanon War and warlords in Africa. The course will conclude by contemplating the future of war.