Author: William Geffen

Publisher: University Press of the Pacific

Published: 2000-04-01

Total Pages: 352

ISBN-13: 9780898750607

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This book is comprised of essays and commentaries from the Second Annual Military History Symposium held in May 1968. The general purpose of the symposium series is to provide a forum in which recognized scholars may present the results of their research in the history of military affairs. This will, hopefully, enhance interest in the subject among both civilian and military historians, while encouraging a continuing interest among members of the armed forces of the United States and cadets of the United States Air Force Academy in the study of the history of their chosen profession.A basic objective of the annual symposium series is to create a closer link between the academic historian and the military professional designed to achieve a fuller appreciation and better evaluation of past military events. The historical records are enriched by including the views of the men who participated in past events. It serves to enhance and encourage interest.The Air Force Academy''s Department of History has been particularly concerned with the history of military affairs and warfare since the founding of the institution. In fact, for a few years after the beginning of classes in 1954, the Academy could boast of perhaps the only separate Department of Military History in the United States. In 1959 the Department of History (now including the military historians) inaugurated the annual Harmon Memorial Lectures to foster interest and research in military history.The advent of nuclear weapons has drastically altered the nature of modern warfare. For this reason the military profession finds itself today in the throes of a "second" military revolution. Both the military professional and the civilian policy-maker seek to find familiar landmarks to guide them through the new environment of the nuclear age which, because of the vastly changed military technology and its political consequences, remains largely a "terra incognita." On the other hand, the character and the internal structure of today''s military institutions have remained relatively unaffected by the impact and the changes brought about by the nuclear revolution, for present-day military institutions are the result of another "military" revolution, one which occurred at the beginning of the century and continued on into World War II.In Part I Weigley discusses the introduction of the General Staff organization in the United States Army during the early 1900s within the broader context of the Root reforms an contends that these reforms were actually non-military oriented, receiving their impetus from the larger political-administrative reform movement of the Progressive era.What is the relationship between the commander and his command? Marder''s essay in Part II masterfully sketches the personalities of the two admirals who were in command of the Grand Fleet during World War I. Though they were almost opposite in character and personality, the mission and function of the Grand Fleet controlled and shaped their actions and behavior as commanders. Thus when Beatty took over from Jellicoe, Beatty followed closely in the footsteps of his predecessor, for it was the command, the Fleet, which governed his actions and determined his decisions.The dilemma of the military professional and the military organization in a society alien to their professional values is the topic of Part III. Deutsch traces the history of the relationship between the German Army High Command and Hitler and the Nazi state from 1933 to 1939, focusing on the rise of the military opposition to Hitler.The last section covers the problems associated with the introduction of a new weapon system (the bomber) and its effect on both command and commanders and the military organization at large, namely the story of the Allied strategic bombing offensive against Germany in World War II. Frankland discusses the development of the strategy and the various aspects of its implementation and attempts to assess the lessons learned from it.

Download or read book Command and Commanders in Modern Military Warfare written by William Geffen and published by University Press of the Pacific. This book was released on 2000-04-01 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is comprised of essays and commentaries from the Second Annual Military History Symposium held in May 1968. The general purpose of the symposium series is to provide a forum in which recognized scholars may present the results of their research in the history of military affairs. This will, hopefully, enhance interest in the subject among both civilian and military historians, while encouraging a continuing interest among members of the armed forces of the United States and cadets of the United States Air Force Academy in the study of the history of their chosen profession.A basic objective of the annual symposium series is to create a closer link between the academic historian and the military professional designed to achieve a fuller appreciation and better evaluation of past military events. The historical records are enriched by including the views of the men who participated in past events. It serves to enhance and encourage interest.The Air Force Academy''s Department of History has been particularly concerned with the history of military affairs and warfare since the founding of the institution. In fact, for a few years after the beginning of classes in 1954, the Academy could boast of perhaps the only separate Department of Military History in the United States. In 1959 the Department of History (now including the military historians) inaugurated the annual Harmon Memorial Lectures to foster interest and research in military history.The advent of nuclear weapons has drastically altered the nature of modern warfare. For this reason the military profession finds itself today in the throes of a "second" military revolution. Both the military professional and the civilian policy-maker seek to find familiar landmarks to guide them through the new environment of the nuclear age which, because of the vastly changed military technology and its political consequences, remains largely a "terra incognita." On the other hand, the character and the internal structure of today''s military institutions have remained relatively unaffected by the impact and the changes brought about by the nuclear revolution, for present-day military institutions are the result of another "military" revolution, one which occurred at the beginning of the century and continued on into World War II.In Part I Weigley discusses the introduction of the General Staff organization in the United States Army during the early 1900s within the broader context of the Root reforms an contends that these reforms were actually non-military oriented, receiving their impetus from the larger political-administrative reform movement of the Progressive era.What is the relationship between the commander and his command? Marder''s essay in Part II masterfully sketches the personalities of the two admirals who were in command of the Grand Fleet during World War I. Though they were almost opposite in character and personality, the mission and function of the Grand Fleet controlled and shaped their actions and behavior as commanders. Thus when Beatty took over from Jellicoe, Beatty followed closely in the footsteps of his predecessor, for it was the command, the Fleet, which governed his actions and determined his decisions.The dilemma of the military professional and the military organization in a society alien to their professional values is the topic of Part III. Deutsch traces the history of the relationship between the German Army High Command and Hitler and the Nazi state from 1933 to 1939, focusing on the rise of the military opposition to Hitler.The last section covers the problems associated with the introduction of a new weapon system (the bomber) and its effect on both command and commanders and the military organization at large, namely the story of the Allied strategic bombing offensive against Germany in World War II. Frankland discusses the development of the strategy and the various aspects of its implementation and attempts to assess the lessons learned from it.