On Operations: Operational Art and Military Disciplines

Product Description
\nOn Operations: Operational Art and Military Disciplines traces the history of the development of military staffs and ideas on the operational level of war and operational art from the Napoleonic Wars to today, viewing them through the lens of Prussia/Germany, the Soviet Union, and the United States. B. A. Friedman concludes that the operational level of war should be rejected as fundamentally flawed, but that operational art is an accurate description of the activities of the military staff, an organization developed to provide the brainpower necessary to manage the complexity of modern military operations. Rather than simply serve as an intercession between levels, the military staff exists as an enabler and supporting organization to tacticians and strategists alike.\\nOn Operations examines the organization of military staffs, which has changed little since Napoleon's time. Historical examinations of the functions staffs provided to commanders, and the disciplines of the staff officers themselves, leads to conclusions about how best to organize staffs in the future. Friedman demonstrates these ideas through case studies of historical campaigns based on the military discipline system developed.\\nReview
\n"In
\nOn Operations, B. A. Friedman makes a compelling case that war, strategy, and tactics have, at least in part, an inherent political nature. This book provides an excellent lens through which one can examine the traditional models of operational staffs, the challenges of 21st-century realities, and the ongoing weaknesses and failures of the U.S. military as well as possible corrective action. Highly recommended for scholars and practitioners of the military arts.">\\nCOSSAC: Lt. Gen. Sir Francis Morgan and the Genesis of Operation Overlord\\n"Friedman deconstructs the ideas and history of Operational Level of War and Operational Art in this concise volume. Then, as in previous writings, builds a new theory towards a reconceptualization of the Operational Art for modern practitioners, building bridges between tactics and strategy. This is a must-read for any aspiring staff officer."
\n--Dr. S. Mike Pavelec, chair, Department of Airpower, Air Command and Staff College\\n"B. A. Friedman's On Operations follows up his highly successful previous works, this time delving into the critically important realm of operational art. In this fine book, Friedman explores the invaluable contribution of military staffs to a broad spectrum of endeavors, ranging from tactical to strategic. Anyone seeking a nuanced understanding of this crucial aspect of war will profit from reading it."
\n--William A. Taylor, author of Every Citizen a Soldier; Lee Drain Endowed University Professorship, Angelo State University\\nAbout the Author
\nB. A. Friedman holds a BA in history from The Ohio State University, an MA in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and is currently enrolled in King's College London, studying the early U.S. Marine Corps and naval strategy. He serves in the Marine Corps Reserve as a field artillery officer and is the author of
\nOn Tactics: A Theory of Victory in Battle.

Publisher:

Naval Institute Press

Pages:

256

Date Published:

2021-10-15