Gray is a political scientist with broad interests in national security policy, strategic. Gray born 1943 is a britishamerican strategic thinker and professor of international relations and strategic studies at the university of reading, where he is the director of the centre for strategic studies. This book contents the dimensions of strategy, strategic culture as context, nuclear weapons in strategic history and patterns in strategic experience. A modern airpower theorist whispers to a wall medium.
The author explores the rma hypothesis both theoretically and historically. This book is not an intellectual autobiography, but for me it is a landmark work that represents my best effort to share understanding of my chosen field of scholarly interest at the thirtyyear point in my career. And that was enough for the alliance to mature in the light of events. The trouble with the hybrid war concept is that it encourages the innovative theorist to venture without limit into the swamp of inclusivity, indeed of a form of encyclopedism. The washington times, march 2000 over the years, no writer has addressed the topic of strategy more comprehensively or systematically than colin gray.
Some expertise or lesson that re obtained from checking out publications is uncountable. Colin gray s explanation of the century in terms of strategic activity, foreign policy, and war is. Modern strategic studies largely were forged and prosecuted by schol. It is an essential andenduring feature of human history that is here to stay. See the discussion of the dimensions of strategy in colin s. The washington times, march 2000 modern strategy is his finest effort to date. Gray, worldrenowned scholar of strategic thought, discusses the meaning of strategy and its importance for politicians and the military as a means of achieving desired outcomes in complex, uncertain conditions. Gray modern strategy explains the permanent nature, but ever changing character, of strategy in light of the whole strategic experience of the twentieth century. In this volume, professor colin gray develops and applies the theory and scholarship on the allegedly historical practice of the revolution in military affairs rma, in order to improve our comprehension of how and why strategy works. Advanced strategic planning and analysis support contract with the national institute for public policy, contract no. Writing at the tail end of the golden decade of modern american strategic thought 195566, thomas c. All however, when measured against the informed distillation of historical lessons learned and the benefits of. Today, it is hard to settle upon a central organising strategic concept for the.
Anyone wishing to have a truly firm grounding in questions of war and strategy cannot do without colin s. Colin gray s explanation of the century in terms of strategic activity, foreign policy, and war is fascinating and instructional. Gray, worldrenowned scholar ofstrategic thought, discusses the meaning of strategy and itsimportance for politicians and the military as a means of achievingdesired outcomes in complex, uncertain conditions. Clausewitz, and sun tzu, or the more modern theories of b. Colin gray s modern strategy is essentially an attempt to update and amend the strategic theory of clausewitz in response to the developments of the last century and to make his strategic lessons more accessible to modern readers by illuminating its main points in light of 20th century events that those readers are likely to already be familiar with. Gray, and perspectives on strategy is no exception, writes julia muravska. Revolutions in military affairs and the evidence of history. This article is adapted from a chapter in my forthcoming book modern strategy oxford. Gray national institute for public policy prepared under. Modern strategy is a major contribution to our understanding of strategic theory and practice. Modern strategy explains the permanent nature, but ever changing character, of strategy in light of the whole strategic experience of the twentieth century.
Gray december 29, 1943 february 27, 2020 was a britishamerican writer on geopolitics and professor of international relations and strategic studies at the university of reading, where he was the director of the centre for strategic studies. It presents strategy as it pertained not only to wars, campaigns, and battles but also to times of peace that were overshadowed. Strategic and combat studies institute previous scsi. Gray s latest book aims to examine in depth five aspects of strategy intellect, morality, culture, geography, and technology and poses important questions around technology, geography, and ethics. Defence planning, surprise, and prediction professor of. Provides a short and accessible introduction to a key component of any higherlevel strategic studies course. Historians and social scientists alike have written widely about strategic thought, process, and.
Checking out, once again, will provide you something brandnew. Something that you have no idea after that exposed to be renowneded with the publication modern strategy, by colin s. Gray and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The uses and value of strategic sea 1994, explorations in strategy 2nd edn, 1998, and the second nuclear age forthcoming 1999. The 21st century security environment and the future of war. Colin gray is professor of international politics and strategic studies at the. Colin gray, who defined it in the strategy bridge as the direction and use. The roots of american grand strategy american grand strategy cannot be understood without a historical grounding. Modern strategy explains the permanent nature, but ever changing cha. The firstever introduction to the theory of strategy. The second nuclear age the navy in the postcold war world. The book is a major contribution to the general theory of strategy. It is an essential and enduring feature of human history that is here to stay.
He also divides the cold war into separate periods, defined by what he considers its three strategically decisive moments. Gray, professor of international politics and strategic studies at the university of reading, england, and senior fellow at the national institute for public policy, is the uthor of numerous books, including modern strategy and strategy for chaos. Modern strategy explains the permanent nature, but ever changing character, of strategy in light of the whole strategic experience of the. Also, speaking as a strategist, i have a professional dislike for impossible. Professor colin gray on clausewitz and the modern strategic world professor colin gray on mackinder a defence of the heartland professor sir michael howard on military history and the history of war professor christopher greenwood the case for intervention in iraq general sir hugh beach the concept of preventive war isbn. This book focuses on grand strategy and military strategy as practised over an extended period of time and under very different circumstances, from the campaigns of alexander the great to insurgencies and counter. Modern strategy is a book important to my understanding of the history of the 20th century. This lesson examines the contributions to the theory of airpower by the recognized strategist colin gray. Gray this study rests upon two vital assumptions, both of them anathema to post modern minds. He is the author of numerous books on strategy, including the navy in the postcold war world. The general theory of strategy 35 the general theory for education 40 policy, strategy, tactics.
Gray modern strategy book is about the theory and practice of the use and threat use of organized force for political purposes in the twentieth century. The first generation of theory strikes back takes the scholarly argument about the study, and meaning, of strategic culture to a new stage. American cold war of 194591, colin gray posits seven categories of context. Mackubin thomas owens strategy has long been the subject of scholarly study and policy analysis. First, it believes that historical truth can be found, or at least approached. That said, modern strategy is well sown with personal pronouns. Written by leading strategist professor colin gray, this textbook provides students with a good grounding in the contribution of war to the development of the modern world, from the preindustrial era to the postindustrial age of international terrorism and smart weapons. On the road to total war acw and german unification.