Theory of Victory: Why the United States Won World War II, Fought to a Stalemate in Korea, Lost in Vietnam, and Failed in Iraq

This book considers how and why the United States won World War II as part of a global coalition, fought to a stalemate in Korea, lost in Vietnam, and failed in Iraq. The author uses the World War II victory as the historical benchmark against which to evaluate conflicts after 1945. The Korean, Vietnam, and Iraqi wars were limited, but they required enormous national commitments. Caldwell argues that strategic architectures in the four major conflicts of the last century are more likely to succeed when policy, strategy, and operations are in alignment. Alignment is the rigorous integration of policy, strategy, and operations; it is the thread that runs through the elements of an effective strategic architecture. The Iraqi chapters show that the American strategic architecture in Mesopotamia has been a failure that either the Trump or a future administration will have to address. This groundbreaking book provides the first systematic comparison of America's modern wars and why they were won or lost. John D. Caldwell uses the World War II victory as the historical benchmark for evaluating the success and failure of later conflicts. Unlike WWII, the Korean, Vietnam, and Iraqi Wars were limited, but they required enormous national commitments, produced no lasting victories, and generated bitter political controversies.Caldwell comprehensively examines these four wars through the lens of a strategic architecture to explain how and why their outcomes were so dramatically different. He defines a strategic architecture as an interlinked set of continually evolving policies, strategies, and operations by which combatant states work toward a desired end. Policy defines the high-level goals a nation seeks to achieve once it initiates a conflict or finds itself drawn into one. Policy makers direct a broad course of action and strive to control the initiative. When they make decisions, they have to respond to unforeseen conditions to guide and determine future decisions. Effective leaders are skilled at organizing constituencies they need to succeed and communicating to them convincingly. Strategy means employing whatever resources are available to achieve policy goals in situations that are dynamic as conflicts change quickly over time. Operations are the actions that occur when politicians, soldiers, and diplomats execute plans. A strategic architecture, Caldwell argues, is thus not a static blueprint but a dynamic vision of how a state can succeed or fail in a conflict. "This groundbreaking book provides the first systematic comparison of America's modern wars, analyzing how and why the United States has moved from success to failure since WWII. As the United States enters a new period of uncertainty in the world, Caldwell makes the compelling case that leaders must think, plan, and prepare before shooting."-- Provided by publisher This Groundbreaking Book Provides The First Systematic Comparison Of America's Modern Wars And Why They Were Won Or Lost. As The United States Enters A New Period Of Uncertainty In The World, Caldwell Makes The Compelling Case That Leaders Must Think, Plan, And Prepare Before Shooting--