Technology and the American Way of War Since 1945

by Thomas Mahnken

Overview

No nation in recent history has placed greater emphasis on the role of technology in planning and waging war than the United States. In World War II the wholesale mobilization of American science and technology culminated in the detonation of the atomic bomb. Competition with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, combined with the U.S. Navy's culture of distributed command and the rapid growth of information technology, spawned the concept of network-centric warfare. And America's post-Cold War conflicts in Iraq, the former Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan have highlighted America's edge.

From the atom bomb to the spy satellites of the Cold War, the strategic limitations of the Vietnam War, and the technological triumphs of the Gulf war, Thomas G. Mahnken follows the development and integration of new technologies into the military and emphasizes their influence on the organization, mission, and culture of the armed services. In some cases, advancements in technology have forced different branches of the military to develop competing or superior weaponry, but more often than not the armed services have molded technology to suit their own purposes, remaining resilient in the face of technological challenges.

Mahnken concludes with an examination of the reemergence of the traditional American way of war, which uses massive force to engage the enemy. Tying together six decades of debate concerning U.S. military affairs, he discusses how the armed forces might exploit the unique opportunities of the information revolution in the future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231123372
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	06/24/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Thomas G. Mahnken is a professor of strategy at the U.S. Naval War College and a visiting fellow at the Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at The Johns Hopkins University's Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Formerly, he served as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for policy planning.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Nuclear Revolution, 1945–1960
2. Flexible Response, 1961–1975
3. Technology and the War in Vietnam, 1963–1975
4. Winning the Cold War, 1976–1990
5. The Gulf War and the Post–Cold War Era, 1991–2001
6. The Global War on Terrorism, 2001–2005
7. Technology and the American Way of War
Notes
Index

What People are Saying About This

Emily O. Goldman

Thomas G. Mahnken tackles a large and multifaceted issue: the importance of technology to the American way of war; the development and use of technology by those responsible for waging war (the military services, in whom the American 'way of war' is culturally embedded); to what extent service culture has been prodded onto new paths by the promises of technology; and the impact of the global strategic environment on the shape and trajectory of technology. Of particular value is Mahnken's careful and reasonable discussion of the 'revolution in military affairs,' the transformative effect of information technology, and the Afghan model of war. His book successfully cuts to the core of these issues.

— Emily O. Goldman, codirector of the Joint Center for International and Security Studies at the University of California, Davis

Editorial Reviews

Mahnken's study helps to reveal our sometimes hidden preconceptions and core beliefs about technology and war.

Proceedings

This is a practitioner's account of military equipment and weapons written with the insight of a historian of technology.

Technology and Culture - Alex Roland

This is a useful book and one that is certain to stimulate discussion of its important subject.

— Kenneth P. Werrell

The Journal of Military History

This is a practitioner's account of military equipment and weapons written with the insight of a historian of technology.

— Alex Roland

Technology and Culture

This is a useful book and one that is certain to stimulate discussion of its important subject.

The Journal of Military History - Kenneth P. Werrell