Product Description
Intelligence operations face the challenging task of predicting the shape of future wars. This task is hindered by their limited ability to warn of peacetime foreign military innovation. Using formerly classified sources--in particular, the reports of military attachés and other diplomat-officers--Thomas G. Mahnken sheds light on the shadowy world of U.S. intelligence-gathering, tracing how America learned of military developments in Japan, Germany, and Great Britain in the period between the two world wars.

The interwar period witnessed both a considerable shift in the balance of power in Europe and Asia and the emergence of new ways of war, such as carrier aviation, amphibious operations, and combined-arms armored warfare. American attempts to follow these developments, Mahnken says, illustrate the problems that intelligence organizations face in their efforts to bridge the gulf between prewar expectations and wartime reality. He finds three reasons for intelligence's relative lack of success: intelligence agencies are more inclined to monitor established weapons systems than to search for new ones; their attention is more likely to focus on technology and doctrine already demonstrated in combat; and they have more success identifying innovation in areas their own country is testing.

Uncovering Ways of War substantially revises the perception of how American intelligence performed prior to World War II. Mahnken challenges the assumption that intelligence regarding foreign militaries had little influence on the development of U.S. weapons and doctrine. Finally, he explains the obstacles these agencies must still negotiate as they seek to understand foreign efforts to exploit the information revolution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Uncoverinng the Ways of Military Attaches
In the period between WWI and WWII the U.S. Army and Navy struggled to maintain their military capabilities in the face of drastic budget cuts, manpower limitations, and, in the case of the Navy, treaty limitations.This book fills an important gap in the story of this struggle in its account of the efforts by the Office of Naval Intelligence (est. 1882) and the army's Military Intelligence Division to track military developments, especially technical innovations of selected countries. The most important countries singled out for such attention were Japan, Germany, and the UK. The U.S. largely chose to ignore the Soviet Union in this period.

That the both the Army and the Navy were able to acquire reasonably good intelligence on both Japanese and German technical innovations and military doctrine was do primarily to an extremely effective military attaché system supplemented especially in the case of Japan by Communication Intelligence (COMINT). Again especially in the case of Japan the intelligence that was gathered was often ignored or otherwise discounted by senior officers who allowed their own mindsets and ethnocentrism to override good information. As always intelligence is only as good as the system it serves.

To understand the drivers in this period of both U.S. intelligence programs and military innovations, this reader would recommend that these books should be read as well: Military Innovation in the Interwar Period (Cambridge University Press 1996); Fast Tanks and Heavy Bombers (Cornell University 1998); and Agents of Innovation (Naval Institute Press 2008).These readings will flesh out the background for the activities this book so well describes.

An in-depth look at inter-war military intelligence.
Most historians have given the pre-World War II U.S. intelligence community a rough time. It is portrayed as primitive, secondary, and lacking influence.The author works to dismiss many of these perceptions.

By using hundreds of original documents culled from the national archives the author's attempts to paint a picture of inter-war intelligence that was more comprehensive and insightful then often given credit far.The book is very tightly structured as the author moves from covering the analysis of Japan, Germany and England. Each chapter has a pre-view and a review that sums up what has been said.The use of original sources is first rate, the author obviously spend hundreds of hours sifting through old intelligence documents. The only down side is the book tends to read a bit dry in parts, but everything is well cited.

The author makes a convincing case that the military services each had a robust intelligence collections system based on their attaché corps.What the author does not touch on is how there was little strategic intelligence above the military services and that the military services rarely ever worked together to paint a common picture of potential threats.The U.S. entered World War II without a strategic intelligence capability to conduct collection or analysis.

If you are looking for a description of the inter-war attaché system, this work can not be beaten.

An important book
Part scholarly history, part political science and part policy document, Thomas Mahnken's "Uncovering Ways of War" - one of the latest editions in Cornell's distinguished Studies in Security Affairs series - is an important book for two distinct but related reasons: one historical, the other practical.

From an historical perspective, Mahnken makes a significant contribution by convincingly arguing that US military intelligence was much more competent and effective in the period between the two world wars than has previously been asserted by some of the most respected scholars in strategic studies.With an impressive attention to detail and exhaustive primary research, Mahnken demonstrates that the US attaché corps was better funded, better manned and better managed than most other major powers during that time.And far from being the career backwater it has often been depicted as, he shows that most of the officers assigned to the attaché corps were quite skilled and more than competent at their mission, with many of the services' top talents - such as Spruance, Halsey, Pershing, and March - having served in their ranks.Finally, and most importantly, Mahnken concludes that military intelligence was, on balance, successful in identifying, analyzing and correctly assessing the implications of new technology and innovative doctrine.For instance, Japanese amphibious vehicle design directly influenced the Marine Corps development of a similar craft, while German combined arms armored doctrine was recognized as revolutionary far before the Wehrmacht's stunning victories in 1939-1940.In short, the notion that the US armed forces were poorly informed on the dramatic changes to military equipment and operations that had developed since the First World War needs to be fundamentally reassessed in light of the findings clearly laid-out in this book.

From a practical perspective, "Uncovering Ways of War" makes a critical examination of the US intelligence agencies' "mixed record" during the interwar period and looks for clues to help uncover how and why the attaches succeeded in some cases and failed in others.For example, why was US intelligence able to accurately (and independently) track and assess British and German armored warfare doctrine, yet completely miss other important innovations such as the British development of radar and German advances in rocketry?Mahnken concludes that intelligence organizations are severely handicapped in their ability to detect concepts that have been ignored or already rejected by their own militaries or have yet to be employed successfully in combat or realistic war game maneuvers.However, when it comes to concepts or technologies that their parent services are actively pursuing, the intelligence apparatus has a remarkable track record of success.

As someone with an education and passion for strategic studies who has spent most of their career in strategy and analysis positions in a Fortune 500 software company, this book appealed to me on both a personal and professional level.The interwar period has long been recognized as the ultimate case study in the rapid and discontinuous change that can occur when military forces meld new technology into new organizations with an entirely new way of fighting.The fact that Mahnken has made such a dramatic and credible revision to the history of a period that has been so thoroughly researched is laudable and, indeed, impressive.As a practitioner of competitive strategy and analysis, I can attest to the fact that many of the insights the author uncovers are directly applicable to the private sector.The time-cycles in industry - especially information technology - are dramatically shorter and the nature and gravity of the competition is, needless to say, quite different; however, the framework of theorizing, experimenting and implementing new concepts or technologies is very similar.It is unfortunate that most people in strategy and analysis roles in industry avoid or are completely ignorant of books like this and others ("The Tet Offensive: Intelligence Failure in War" by James Wirtz is another excellent and highly relevant work in the Cornell series that is well worth reading).There is much to be learned from the experience - both positive and negative - of government and military intelligence and planning agencies throughout history as "Uncovering Ways of War" lucidly demonstrates.

Understanding Successes & Failures in Military Intelligence
What constitutes success and failures in military intelligence (M.I.), and why do military intelligence agencies succeed and why fail?These questions come to light in the public most often when there are apparently blatant intelligence failures, such as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the nuclear programs of India or Pakistan, and most recently and painfully, the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

"Uncovering Ways of War" addresses these and other questions by using the context of the interwar period (generally considered the twenty-year stretch, 1919 to 1939. between the two world wars) and builds a series of case studies that describe U.S. military intelligence efforts to study and learn from Japanese, German and British military experimentation and innovation.

The case study approach that the book uses is a wonderful device for demonstrating both the good and sometimes poor performances of the U.S. military intelligence system.It highlights the adept work of a number of military attaches (who collectively were the strength of U.S. intelligence capabilities at that time) whose professionalism provided the United States with insights that contributed significantly to some of the concepts of operation that helped win the war (e.g., learning from Japanese amphibious operations shaped USMC concepts.)"Uncovering Ways of War" also highlights how institutional deficiencies can limit the effectiveness of military intelligence activities.For example, there was little institutional impetus for the United States regarding Germany's ballistic missile development, British use of radar and Japanese night time naval surface warfare concepts.The case study approach highlighting these "intelligence failures" gets the point across behind the old intelligence addage: "I can't tell you about things that you don't ask about," meaning that institutional preferences for certain things lead to other things being overlooked.

Subtly, the book describes for the reader how the military intelligence process works.Some of it is detective work - what you don't see is sometimes more important that what you do see.Another important task is sleuthing: piecing together the information that you have and don't have and assessing the possible outcomes.Some of it is flat-out spying; others is just "networking" amongst peers while abroad.The hardest part of learning about M.I. is how some activities fail and others succeed comes through to the reader in discussion of how the U.S. military institutionally processed the information received.In some areas, the U.S. had an inclination to learn and adapt based on what foreign militaries were doing because those areas tended to be ones in which the United States believed to be important to future warfare.In areas in which the U.S. tended to have limited success or perhaps outright failure, these areas were deemed of lesser importance.Mahnken correctly avoids addressing the question that naturally follows, which is "how do or should militaries determine which attempts at innovation are important and which are not?", but instead highlights the crux of the matter: the determinant of success or failure depends on the ability of the perceiving institution to adapt to changes in warfare. ... Read more

Product Description
The French Foreign Legion is one of the most famous fighting organizations in the world, jealously guarding a reputation that dates back to the 1830s. This strikingly illustrated review of the French Foreign Legion today utilizes modern color photos of legionnaires in training and on maneuvers in France, where they are now based. Readers will witness the mechanized infantry, engineering, armored cavalry, and paratrooper units that are among the modern French army's most valuable assets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

FFL Operations 1990-2000
Excellent book on Fr. For. Legion Operation.The pictures and narratives are worth the price of the book. Yves Debay has done a great job on this book.Highly recommend it to any and all FFL admirers.

FFL Operations 1990-2000
Great book, Yves Debay presents a fact filled description of the current FFL operations...Great pictures also. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs on April 1, 2010. The length of the article is 6050 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Foreign policy and support for terrorist groups.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)(Report)
Author: Kenneth Katzman
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: April 1, 2010
Publisher: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs
Page: NA

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs on February 1, 2010. The length of the article is 2031 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Military relationship.(Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990: U.S. Policy)(Report)
Author: Shirley A. Kan
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: February 1, 2010
Publisher: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs
Page: NA

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs on February 1, 2010. The length of the article is 3042 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Foreign investment, CFIUS, and homeland security: an overview.(Congressional Research Service)(Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States)(Report)
Author: James K. Jackson
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: February 1, 2010
Publisher: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs
Page: NA

Article Type: Report

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description

Over the past 60 years, the U.S. armed forces have created a web of military bases all over the world, from Australia to Iceland to Saudi Arabia. This is the aspect of military service that the majority of soldiers know and remember. Interaction between U.S. personnel and local populations is almost a given, and it is inevitable that the American and host communities will influence each other in numerous ways. This book looks at the history and impact of American military communities overseas. It discusses how U.S. bases affected economic and political life in the host communities, how host societies shape the profile and activities of military communities, and what happens when relations break down.

Through case studies of communities around the world, Baker shows that the U.S. armed forces have had a surprisingly large impact both positive and negative on the affairs of many (but not all) host societies, including economic revitalization, cultural change, and, sometimes, tragic social consequences. In not a few cases, the U.S. military presence has become politically controversial on a national level. On the other hand, many host nations have successfully circumscribed the activities of military communities, rendering their potentially disruptive presence almost invisible.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Real Eye-Opener
If you've ever wondered what people living near those U.S. bases overseas think about the American soldiers in their midst, look no further. This book tells the real story of the social and political impact of American military bases throughout the world.It's a story that most Americans don't have a clue about, but we should.The Sept. 11 attacks occurred in part because of the "defilement" of Saudi Arabia by infidel U.S. soldiers.

Baker starts with a nice overview of the development of the modern military from the beginnings of the nation until World War II, when the United States became a global power.She describes the creation of the global base system after the war, and talks about the inevitable opposition that developed in the 1960s.She then devotes chapters to specific nations or regions: Germany, Panama, the Philippines, Japan (Okinawa), South Korea, and the Middle East.
I was amazed at the impact U.S. military bases have had in various parts of the world.In Panama, there were huge and bloody riots after American students on a base disrespected the Panamanian flag.In Okinawa, the rape of a young girl by three American servicemen provoked years of organized protest against the bases.In the Philippines and South Korea, opponents objected to the disgusting camptowns, where thousands of young women worked as prostitutes.For the past five decades, the U.S. military presence overseas has been a source of irritation and anger from all kinds of people, especially in poorer areas where brothels and bars surround the bases.
On the other hand, Americans and American military communities have done a lot of good.First of all by protecting civilians from hostile neighbors, as in South Korea.American servicemembers have gotten to know their neighbors, resulting in thousands of marriages and generations of bicultural children.The military has helped out in countless natural disasters, created ties with civilian communities, and generally been the face of America for millions.

Unlike other writers on this subject, Baker doesn't have an axe to grind.She doesn't portray the overseas military presence as an unmitigated blight, nor does she dismiss all criticism of the bases.She says in the introduction that any judgment on the impact of overseas military bases has to take into account the purpose for which they have been established.That is, if the bases exist to defend against an imminent military threat, then the problems they bring are a small price to pay.If, however, the threat is exaggerated or distorted by political partisanship, then the impact of the bases is an injustice.This makes a heck of a lot of sense, and is more than most scholars will admit.

This book is clearly written, with interesting information and anecdotes that will sometimes shock and sometimes amaze you.I highly recommend it.
... Read more

Product Description
According to the Department of Defense's 2004 Base Structure Report, the United States officially maintains 860 overseas military installations and another 115 on noncontinental U.S. territories. Over the last fifteen years the Department of Defense has been moving from a few large-footprint bases to smaller and much more numerous bases across the globe. This so-called lily-pad strategy, designed to allow high-speed reactions to military emergencies anywhere in the world, has provoked significant debate in military circles and sometimes-fierce contention within the polity of the host countries.

In Base Politics, Alexander Cooley examines how domestic politics in different host countries, especially in periods of democratic transition, affect the status of U.S. bases and the degree to which the U.S. military has become a part of their local and national landscapes. Drawing on exhaustive field research in different host nations across East Asia and Southern Europe, as well as the new postcommunist base hosts in the Black Sea and Central Asia, Cooley offers an original and provocative account of how and why politicians in host countries contest or accept the presence of the U.S. military on their territory.

Overseas bases, Cooley shows, are not merely installations that serve a military purpose. For host governments and citizens, U.S. bases are also concrete institutions and embodiments of U.S. power, identity, and diplomacy. Analyzing the degree to which overseas bases become enmeshed in local political agendas and interests, Base Politics will be required reading for anyone interested in understanding the extent--and limits--of America's overseas military influence. ... Read more

Product Description
The transatlantic relationship is under serious strain.The end of the Cold War, Europe’s continuing integration, and the new array of threats confronting the West have led Americans and Europeans alike to question the durability and utility of the Atlantic alliance.The transatlantic rift that opened over the war in Iraq significantly intensified these concerns.

This Task Force, established by the Council on Foreign Relations, examines the sources of recent tensions between the United States and Europe and lays out an agenda for renewing the Atlantic partnership.Led by Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, the former secretary of state and national security adviser, and current chairman of Kissinger Associates, Inc., and Dr. Lawrence H. Summers, the former secretary of the treasury and current president of Harvard University, the Task Force concludes that the United States and Europe should take advantage of their compatible interests and complementary capabilities to guard and extend the values and principles that continue to define the Atlantic community and to meet threats to their common purpose.

The Task Force, directed by Council Senior Fellow and Director of European Studies Charles A. Kupchan, makes specific recommendations for bridging the transatlantic divide, such as reaching agreement on new "rules of the road" governing the use of military force; forging a common policy toward irresponsible states; increasing cooperation through multilateral institutions; developing a common approach to the greater Middle East; adapting NATO to new geopolitical realities; and liberalizing and expanding the global economy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Role of the transatlantic factor in the new centrury
Renewing the Atlantic Partnership is is an excelent and practical report that emphasizes the responsibility of the Western countries towards the rest of the world at a juncture when both time and space have compressed so much. No doubt, the West and, for that matter, the Atlantic countries have been the engine behind the revolutionary changes in almost every aspect of human life. Consequently, they have a responsibility to resolve problems that arise as a sequel to the administration of such Western initiatives and ideas in shaping the Oriental minds.

The report is down-to-earth and does not divine any easy solution but seeks to consummate the gains while relying on tested methods of the commendable role played so far by the transatlantic alliance, multilateral institutions, spread of democratic ideas, the force component that can be provided by the NATO, joint approaches to solve conflicts and economic problems.

Predictably, a report like this can't be expected to contain new and untried methods. It is here that the integrity of the authors lie.

Gautam Maitra
Author of 'Tracing the Eagle's Orbit: Illuminating Insights into Major US Foreign Policies since Independence'.

... Read more

Product Description
Decorated war hero Captain Joey R. Czerinski of the United States Galactic Foreign Legion faces even more challenges as the Arthropodan Empire ramps up its plans to take control of the prized planet, New Colorado. Double-crossing friends and adversaries on both sides, out to make a buck, put the Legion at the mercy of spider forces whose careful planning and military strategies seem to ensure Arthropoda will gain control over more territory in a campaign of silent invasion.

As the situation deteriorates for the human occupation, Czerinski realizes he can’t trust anyone, not even his past business partner and constant cohort in mischief, Lieutenant Manny Lopez. The wolves are literally at the door, and Czerinski finds himself backed into a corner, wondering what he can possibly do to save the day and restore the Legion’s control of planet New Colorado. With the odds against him, maybe the only thing Czerinski can do is take a dive and throw the fight – literally.

Nothing’s a sure thing, especially in war – except that through all the ups and downs and continual serendipitous surprises, this ongoing satirical, politically incorrect, sweeping military space opera is sure to entertain.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

If you've read this far...keep reading
More politically incorrect goodness here!If you liked the first two books, this one is just as good.I already downloaded book 4! Lol.These books are the equivalent to Quentin Tarrantino Grindhouse cinema's.Cheap laughs and entertainment! ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2006. The length of the article is 16433 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: France: factors shaping foreign policy, and issues in U.S.-French relations.
Author: Paul Gallis
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: May 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Thomson Gale on April 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2958 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: U.S. foreign aid to the Palestinians.(CRS Report for Congress)
Author: Paul Morro
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: April 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 7277 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: U.S. and coalition military operations in Afghanistan: issues for Congress.
Author: Andrew Feickert
Publication: Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs (Report)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more