Strategy for Chaos: Revolutions in Military Affairs and The Evidence of History (Strategic Studies)

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'.The author explores the RMA hypothesis both theoretically and historically. The book argues that the conduct of an RMA has to be examined as a form of strategic behaviour, which means that, of necessity, it must "work" as strategy works. The great RMA debate of the 1990s is reviewed empathetically, though sceptically, by the author, with every major school of thought allowed its day in court.The author presents three historical RMAs as case studies for his argument: those arguably revealed in the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon; in World War I; and in the nuclear age. The focus of his analysis is how these grand RMAs functioned strategically. The conclusions that he draws from these empirical exercises are then applied to help us understand what, indeed, is - and what is not - happening with the much vaunted information-technology-led RMA of today. 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'. The author explores the RMA hypothesis both theoretically and historically. The book argues that the conduct of an RMA has to be examined as a form of strategic behaviour, which means that, of necessity, it must "work" as strategy works. The great RMA debate of the 1990s is reviewed empathetically, though sceptically, by the author, with every major school of thought allowed its day in court. The author presents three historical RMAs as case studies for his those arguably revealed in the wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon; in World War I; and in the nuclear age. The focus of his analysis is how these grand RMAs functioned strategically. The conclusions that he draws from these empirical exercises are then applied to help us understand what, indeed, is - and what is not - happening with the much vaunted information-technology-led RMA of today. In Strategy For Chaos, 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'. This Is A Brilliantly Researched And Thought-provoking Book By One Of The Key Thinkers In The Field, And Will Be Essential Reading For All Scholars Of Military History, Strategic Studies And Political Science.--jacket. High Concept -- Rma Anatomy: Patterns In History? -- Rma Dynamics -- On Strategy, I: Chaos Confounded? -- On Strategy, Ii: The Rma Connection -- Case Study I: The Napoleonic Rma -- Case Study Ii: The Rma Of The First World War -- Case Study Iii: The Nuclear Rma -- Strategy As A Duel: Rma Meets The Enemy. Colin S. Gray ; With A Foreword By Williamson Murray. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [292]-302) And Index. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 2 Series......Page 3 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Foreword......Page 8 Preface......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 15 1 High Concept......Page 17 2 RMA Anatomy: Patterns in History?......Page 43 3 RMA Dynamics......Page 75 4 On Strategy, I: Chaos Confounded?......Page 96 5 On Strategy, II: The RMA Connection......Page 120 6 Case Study I: The Napoleonic RMA......Page 138 7 Case Study II: The RMA of the First World War......Page 167 8 Case Study III: The Nuclear RMA......Page 213 9 Strategy as a Duel: RMA Meets the Enemy......Page 255 Select Bibliography......Page 274 Index......Page 282 The Remit Of This Study Is To Encourage Further Studies That Make An Honest And Successful Effort To Achieve Synergy Between Social Science And History When Analysing The Impact Of Revolutions In Military Affairs (rmas). By a wide margin, the idea of a revolution in military affairs (RMA) was the concept-of-the-decade among Western strategic thinkers in the 1990s.1