Weigley american way of war pdf

See all 7 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. During the civil war, weigley claimed, a strategy of annihilation designed to overthrow the enemy by destroying its armed force became the characteristic american way. Visit our website for other free publication downloads. Russell frank weigley wyglee july 2, 1930 march 3, 2004 was the distinguished university professor of history at temple university in philadelphia, pennsylvania and a noted military historian. That phrasepopularized by the military historian russell weigley in his 1973 bookhas come to refer to a grinding strategy of. A history of united states military strategy and policy 9780253280299. Neither party expected for the war, the magnitude, or the duration, which it has already attained, said president abraham lincoln in his second inaugural address. A history of united states military strategy and policy wars of the united states series by russell f.

One of weigleys major contributions to research is his hypothesis of a specifically american way of war, i. A better american way of war the national interest. Since the mid1980s, weigleys thesis has proved a handy foil to those intent on illustrating how technological progress had engendered a revolution in. Weigley in the american way of war, the pioneering work published in 1973.

Probably weigleys most provocative statement is that the south lost basically because of a failure of will. After a long while of meaning to, ive finished russell weigleys magisterial book the american way of war. Weigley s thesis was that technological and social developments have robbed war of its power of decision, resulting in wars in which the. One of weigleys most widely received contributions. Perspectives on the american way of war will be of great interest to scholars of war and conflict studies, strategic and military studies, insurgency and counterinsurgency, and terrorism and counterterrorism. Took longer than it should have, but as a foundational text for understanding not only american strategy, but basic concepts of national strategy itself, this book is unsurpassed. He contends that from the colonial era to the civil war, while america developed as a new country, its military forces were relatively weak. Both strategy and policy derive from a variety of factors, including national political culture, geog. However, it remains strong today largely because of the desire to understand how the united states, the worlds sole superpower, might use military force in the future. A history of united states military strategy and policy new york.

In its war of independence, american generals had sought to wear down their opponents until the british government concluded that victory would come at too high. A history of united states military strategy and policy. In other words, the weigley and boot interpretations are both important for implicitly revealing that the american style of warfare amounts to a way of battle more. That phrase popularized by the military historian russell weigley in his 1973 book has come to refer to a grinding strategy of attrition. Pershing to wear down the german army in 1918, and by the u. Grants total war policy during the civil war for this discussion. The wars of the united states wars of the united states. His research and teaching interests centered on american and world military history, world war ii, and the american civil war.

Professor weigley calls his book a political and military history. Weigley traces the emergence of a characteristic american way of warin which the object of military strategy has come to mean total destruction of the enemy, first of his armed forces, often of the whole fabric of his society. The american way of war much has been written about americas strategic culture and way of war, beginning with historian russell f. Weigleys thesis was that technological and social developments have robbed war of its power of decision, resulting in wars in which the. Everything i publish is used under the fair use doctrine. The apparent differences between these works have stimulated debate among military scholars as to what constitutes the american way of war. Weigley covers american military history from the revolutionary war to the vietnam war, showing that since the civil war the us has preferred the strategy of annihilation over both the napoleonic strategy of the decisive battle followed by lee in the civil war and the strategy of attrition, pursued by washington in the revolutionary war. The term american way of war was mentioned for a first time in early 1970s with the publication of the american way of war written by russel weigley who examined the key political and military figures from george washington to robert mcnamara and their approaches to the war. The american way of war paperback january 1, 1973 by russell f.

These debates and the accepted validity of apparently. Weigleys seminal 1973 book, the american way of war. Similarly, weigleys critique of national defense policy in the american way of warjust as those in liddell harts and uptons worksoften has been appropriated by political ideologues. Weigley explores the ever evolving role of the military in an ever changing world, using history as the guideline to establish his facts. A history of united states military strategy and policy 9780253280299 by weigley, russell f. He wrote that the american way of war seeks on the pursuit. This is one of the best books about the civil war to be written in a very long time. Weigley asserted the existence of a distinctive american preference for wars of annihilation and thereby opened one of the most enduring and fruitful debates in the field. Although only explicitly discussed by weigley as a policy during our internal indian wars, you could if sufficiently immoral consider the possible subsets of an annihilation policy like racial, ethnic, cultural, or religious. With this renewed confidence in what military historian russell weigley called the american way of war massive firepower, high technology, total victory washington is now seriously.

The american way of war is a powerful analysis of the historical foundation of the american militarys quest for total victory, which was laid during the civil war and reigned supreme during world war ii. Echevarria ii serious study of the american approach to waging war began in the early 1970s with the publication of russell weigleys the american way of war. Weigleys the american way of war, perhaps no other work continues to exert such a profound influence on the study of american military history. Foreign policy and the american way of life michael lind the postpowell doctrine. These include works by russell weigley, max boot, and brian linn. Examining how war was thought about and practiced by. Weigley in the american way of war, the pioneering work published in 1973, first described an american way of war, arguing it consisted of a unique american methodology. This war was the last nail in the coffin of the vietnam syndrome. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Unfortunately, the new american way of war seems headed for the same trap that snared both the weigley and boot versions of the traditional one, that isit appears geared to fight wars as if. Interest in the american way of war may well have begun in earnest in 1973 with weigleys landmark work. A history of united states military strategy and policy weigley, russell f the wars of the united states series. The american way of war a companion to american military. Weigley believed the american civil war of 1861 to 1865 marked a revolutionary break with the nations traditional military methods. The book was originally published as a special issue of. The american way of warfare a monograph by major chad m.

A history of united states military strategy and policy, new york. But it is mainly a military history and a brilliant one. Weigley, 9780253280299, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. This book covers the american way of war through the second half of this century, and illustrates how u. A military and political history, 18611865, by russell f. A history of united states military strategy and policy reprint of ed. A history of united states military strategy and policy came out in 1973, the year the united states called it quits in vietnam. Format book edition indiana university press paperback ed.