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The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age
The essential resource on military and political strategy and the making of the modern world
The New Makers of Modern Strategy is the next generation of the definitive work on strategy and the key figures who have shaped the theory and practice of war and statecraft throughout the centuries. Featuring entirely new entries by a who’s who of world-class scholars, this new edition provides global, comparative perspectives on strategic thought from antiquity to today, surveying both classical and current themes of strategy while devoting greater attention to the Cold War and post-9/11 eras. The contributors evaluate the timeless requirements of effective strategy while tracing the revolutionary changes that challenge the makers of strategy in the contemporary world. Amid intensifying global disorder, the study of strategy and its history has never been more relevant. The New Makers of Modern Strategy draws vital lessons from history’s most influential strategists, from Thucydides and Sun Zi to Clausewitz, Napoleon, Churchill, Mao, Ben-Gurion, Andrew Marshall, Xi Jinping, and Qassem Soleimani.
With contributions by Dmitry Adamsky, John Bew, Tami Davis Biddle, Hal Brands, Antulio J. Echevarria II, Elizabeth Economy, Charles Edel, Eric S. Edelman, Andrew Ehrhardt, Lawrence Freedman, John Lewis Gaddis, Francis J. Gavin, Christopher J. Griffin, Ahmed S. Hashim, Eric Helleiner, Wayne Wei-siang Hsieh, Seth G. Jones, Robert Kagan, Jonathan Kirshner, Matthew Kroenig, James Lacey, Guy Laron, Michael V. Leggiere, Margaret MacMillan, Tanvi Madan, Thomas G. Mahnken, Carter Malkasian, Daniel Marston, John H. Maurer, Walter Russell Mead, Michael Cotey Morgan, Mark Moyar, Williamson Murray, S.C.M. Paine, Sergey Radchenko, Iskander Rehman, Thomas Rid, Joshua Rovner, Priya Satia, Kori Schake, Matt J. Schumann, Brendan Simms, Jason K. Stearns, Hew Strachan, Sue Mi Terry, and Toshi Yoshihara.
The New Makers of Modern Strategy is the next generation of the definitive work on strategy and the key figures who have shaped the theory and practice of war and statecraft throughout the centuries. Featuring entirely new entries by a who’s who of world-class scholars, this new edition provides global, comparative perspectives on strategic thought from antiquity to today, surveying both classical and current themes of strategy while devoting greater attention to the Cold War and post-9/11 eras. The contributors evaluate the timeless requirements of effective strategy while tracing the revolutionary changes that challenge the makers of strategy in the contemporary world. Amid intensifying global disorder, the study of strategy and its history has never been more relevant. The New Makers of Modern Strategy draws vital lessons from history’s most influential strategists, from Thucydides and Sun Zi to Clausewitz, Napoleon, Churchill, Mao, Ben-Gurion, Andrew Marshall, Xi Jinping, and Qassem Soleimani.
With contributions by Dmitry Adamsky, John Bew, Tami Davis Biddle, Hal Brands, Antulio J. Echevarria II, Elizabeth Economy, Charles Edel, Eric S. Edelman, Andrew Ehrhardt, Lawrence Freedman, John Lewis Gaddis, Francis J. Gavin, Christopher J. Griffin, Ahmed S. Hashim, Eric Helleiner, Wayne Wei-siang Hsieh, Seth G. Jones, Robert Kagan, Jonathan Kirshner, Matthew Kroenig, James Lacey, Guy Laron, Michael V. Leggiere, Margaret MacMillan, Tanvi Madan, Thomas G. Mahnken, Carter Malkasian, Daniel Marston, John H. Maurer, Walter Russell Mead, Michael Cotey Morgan, Mark Moyar, Williamson Murray, S.C.M. Paine, Sergey Radchenko, Iskander Rehman, Thomas Rid, Joshua Rovner, Priya Satia, Kori Schake, Matt J. Schumann, Brendan Simms, Jason K. Stearns, Hew Strachan, Sue Mi Terry, and Toshi Yoshihara.
1168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2023
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July 14, 2023
"The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age" is a comprehensive and thought-provoking anthology edited by Peter Paret, Gordon A. Craig, and Felix Gilbert. It follows in the footsteps of its 1986-published predecessor, "Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age," (edited by none other than Clausewitz's "On War" translator Peter Paret), but with a keen focus on the evolving landscape of warfare and the strategic challenges brought about by the digital age.
The book's most notable strength (let alone length, at 1200 pages!) lies in its breadth of coverage. It spans several millennia, exploring the strategies of prominent historical figures such as Alexander the Great, Sun Tzu, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Winston Churchill. Moreover, it examines the theories and practices of contemporary strategists like Henry Kissinger and Colin Gray, providing a balanced blend of historical analysis and modern perspectives.
One of the book's key achievements is its ability to draw parallels between historical and modern strategic thought. The authors of each of the 45 essays effectively demonstrate the enduring nature of certain strategic principles, highlighting the ways in which ancient and classical strategists continue to inform contemporary military thinking. For example, some discuss how Sun Tzu's emphasis on understanding the enemy and exploiting their weaknesses remains relevant in today's asymmetric warfare scenarios. Furthermore, the book shines a light on the changing nature of warfare in the digital age. It explores how technological advancements, such as cyber warfare and unmanned aerial vehicles, have transformed the strategic landscape. This focus on the digital age is a notable departure from its predecessor, which primarily examined the strategic dynamics of the nuclear age. By including these discussions, the book successfully captures the complexities and challenges of warfare in the twenty-first century.
While "The New Makers of Modern Strategy" offers an impressive breadth of coverage, some readers may find its depth lacking--hard for me to say that given its overall length. My reason for this is that the book primarily consists of condensed essays, limiting the level of analysis and detail provided on each strategist and their ideas. While this approach allows for a wide range of contributors and topics, it occasionally leaves the reader wanting a more in-depth exploration of certain subjects.
Moreover, the book's organization could be improved. The chapters are arranged thematically rather than chronologically, which can occasionally lead to a disjointed reading experience. This structure makes it challenging to track the evolution of strategic thought over time--a strategist's best companion for comparison--particularly for readers less familiar with the subject matter. A clearer timeline or a more coherent narrative thread would have enhanced the book's overall flow and readability, in my humble opinion.
In terms of comparison with its predecessor, "Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age,"--a book I still have and use, and marked up by highlighter, underlines, and dog-eared pages--the two books have distinct focuses and strengths. While the 1986 volume delves deep into the strategic theories that emerged during the nuclear age, the new anthology takes a broader approach, incorporating insights from across history and connecting them to the digital age.
Both books offer valuable contributions to the study of military strategy. "Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age" remains an indispensable resource for understanding the strategic challenges of the twentieth century, particularly in relation to nuclear weapons and the Cold War. On the other hand, "The New Makers of Modern Strategy" is a timely and relevant addition, addressing the strategic landscape of the twenty-first century and the impact of technology on warfare. This is not even to mention the very first edition of this work, published in 1943, called "Makers of Modern Strategy: Military Thought from Machiavelli to Hitler," and edited by Edward Meade Earle--which was also the quintessential volume for budding strategists of that era.
"The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age" is a commendable anthology providing a wide-ranging exploration of strategic thought throughout history. By drawing connections between the past and the present, the book highlights the enduring relevance of certain strategic principles while addressing the unique challenges posed by the digital age. While it may lack depth in some areas and would benefit from improved organization, it offers valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners of military strategy. When compared to its predecessor, it stands as a worthy companion, extending the analysis of strategic thought to encompass the complexities of contemporary warfare, and will also, like its 1986 predecessor, become required reading in various forms for all military professionals attending various levels of career professional military education.
The book's most notable strength (let alone length, at 1200 pages!) lies in its breadth of coverage. It spans several millennia, exploring the strategies of prominent historical figures such as Alexander the Great, Sun Tzu, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Winston Churchill. Moreover, it examines the theories and practices of contemporary strategists like Henry Kissinger and Colin Gray, providing a balanced blend of historical analysis and modern perspectives.
One of the book's key achievements is its ability to draw parallels between historical and modern strategic thought. The authors of each of the 45 essays effectively demonstrate the enduring nature of certain strategic principles, highlighting the ways in which ancient and classical strategists continue to inform contemporary military thinking. For example, some discuss how Sun Tzu's emphasis on understanding the enemy and exploiting their weaknesses remains relevant in today's asymmetric warfare scenarios. Furthermore, the book shines a light on the changing nature of warfare in the digital age. It explores how technological advancements, such as cyber warfare and unmanned aerial vehicles, have transformed the strategic landscape. This focus on the digital age is a notable departure from its predecessor, which primarily examined the strategic dynamics of the nuclear age. By including these discussions, the book successfully captures the complexities and challenges of warfare in the twenty-first century.
While "The New Makers of Modern Strategy" offers an impressive breadth of coverage, some readers may find its depth lacking--hard for me to say that given its overall length. My reason for this is that the book primarily consists of condensed essays, limiting the level of analysis and detail provided on each strategist and their ideas. While this approach allows for a wide range of contributors and topics, it occasionally leaves the reader wanting a more in-depth exploration of certain subjects.
Moreover, the book's organization could be improved. The chapters are arranged thematically rather than chronologically, which can occasionally lead to a disjointed reading experience. This structure makes it challenging to track the evolution of strategic thought over time--a strategist's best companion for comparison--particularly for readers less familiar with the subject matter. A clearer timeline or a more coherent narrative thread would have enhanced the book's overall flow and readability, in my humble opinion.
In terms of comparison with its predecessor, "Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age,"--a book I still have and use, and marked up by highlighter, underlines, and dog-eared pages--the two books have distinct focuses and strengths. While the 1986 volume delves deep into the strategic theories that emerged during the nuclear age, the new anthology takes a broader approach, incorporating insights from across history and connecting them to the digital age.
Both books offer valuable contributions to the study of military strategy. "Makers of Modern Strategy from Machiavelli to the Nuclear Age" remains an indispensable resource for understanding the strategic challenges of the twentieth century, particularly in relation to nuclear weapons and the Cold War. On the other hand, "The New Makers of Modern Strategy" is a timely and relevant addition, addressing the strategic landscape of the twenty-first century and the impact of technology on warfare. This is not even to mention the very first edition of this work, published in 1943, called "Makers of Modern Strategy: Military Thought from Machiavelli to Hitler," and edited by Edward Meade Earle--which was also the quintessential volume for budding strategists of that era.
"The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age" is a commendable anthology providing a wide-ranging exploration of strategic thought throughout history. By drawing connections between the past and the present, the book highlights the enduring relevance of certain strategic principles while addressing the unique challenges posed by the digital age. While it may lack depth in some areas and would benefit from improved organization, it offers valuable insights for both scholars and practitioners of military strategy. When compared to its predecessor, it stands as a worthy companion, extending the analysis of strategic thought to encompass the complexities of contemporary warfare, and will also, like its 1986 predecessor, become required reading in various forms for all military professionals attending various levels of career professional military education.
April 24, 2025
At last and just in time to give a bit of meaning to the current state of the world.
October 18, 2023
B: The New Makers of Modern Strategy: From the Ancient World to the Digital Age—I wish I had read this as part of my introduction to history course in college or just thirty-three years ago when I was discussing strategy and tactics with fellow officers on the Joint Staff after the 1st Gulf War. This is a textbook for both budding strategists and historians. But don’t take this as a light read, at over 1,100 pages I started reading it in July and finished today (with a brief break in early September for a vacation trip).
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August 9, 2025Tiems, kurie iš tiesų giliai domisi strategija. Vadovėlinis tipas.
January 25, 2025
First book on strategy I read and wow what and introduction. So many names of great thinkers/people I never knew.
September 22, 2024
Required reading for school… sigh
February 23, 2025
Exquisite, Classic, Enduring!!!
There is no substitute for strategy. Without strategy action is random and devoid of direction; power and advantage are squandered rather than deployed to good effect. But strategy is both complex and simple. The concept - what it is, what it encompasses and how it is pursued has been the perennial debate.
Edward Earle Mead conceived "Makers of Modern Strategy" in 1943, during the worst moments of history's' worst war. Conflict raged across the globe and the setting lent an extraordinary urgency by underscoring that the study of strategy had become a matter of life or death for the remaining liberal world.
The contributors of that first collection sought to promote a better understanding of strategy by tracing its evolution of military thought. Mead's volume of 20 chapters and an epilogue by noted scholars also meant to emphasize a critical point - that a country's fate depended far more than tactical excellence in combat.
The volume drove home the points made during the interwar period - that strategy was not just the providence of military commanders. it was also the providence of economists, politicians, statesmen and historians. The book demonstrates - illustrates - how an immersion in history could produce a richer and more rigorous engagement with the concepts of strategy and dynamics of war and peace.
This first volume set an academic standard and established strategic studies as a modern academic field
The second edition of Makers of Modern Strategy, edited by Peter Paret with assistance from Gordan Craig and Felix Guilbert was published in 1986, and it was no less an instant classic at publication. it contained five sections broken out into 28 chapters. It delved deeply in Clausewitz, Nuclear War, the violence of insurgency and the historical development of American Strategy
Both volumes of Makers of Modern Strategy were and remain classics that still provide insights.
This latest edition, edited by Hal Brands continues the legacy started by Edward Earle Mead in 1942/1943.
it is composed of 45 chapters and the essays are written, as in past volumes, by the most the notable and scholarly heavy weights in the field - many names will be highly recognizable to the avid reader of military science and history. Within each of these exquisitely written essays, the authors represent an effort to convey the enduring realities of strategy. the book is broken out into five sections. Section 1 begins with Foundations and Founders and consists of 10 chapters. Subsequent sections cover Strategy in the Age of Great Power Rivalry-8 chapters; the Age of Global War - 8 chapters; Strategy in a Bipolar Era - 8 chapters and finally Strategy in the Post-Cold War World- 11 chapters. Taken collectively, the book contains examples of both failed and successful strategies.
The authors do not always agree on key issues, episodes, or individuals but the themes are cross-cutting with the history it relates.
I highly recommend this book and if you can get your hands on the other previous editions, i would suggest that too.
There is no substitute for strategy. Without strategy action is random and devoid of direction; power and advantage are squandered rather than deployed to good effect. But strategy is both complex and simple. The concept - what it is, what it encompasses and how it is pursued has been the perennial debate.
Edward Earle Mead conceived "Makers of Modern Strategy" in 1943, during the worst moments of history's' worst war. Conflict raged across the globe and the setting lent an extraordinary urgency by underscoring that the study of strategy had become a matter of life or death for the remaining liberal world.
The contributors of that first collection sought to promote a better understanding of strategy by tracing its evolution of military thought. Mead's volume of 20 chapters and an epilogue by noted scholars also meant to emphasize a critical point - that a country's fate depended far more than tactical excellence in combat.
The volume drove home the points made during the interwar period - that strategy was not just the providence of military commanders. it was also the providence of economists, politicians, statesmen and historians. The book demonstrates - illustrates - how an immersion in history could produce a richer and more rigorous engagement with the concepts of strategy and dynamics of war and peace.
This first volume set an academic standard and established strategic studies as a modern academic field
The second edition of Makers of Modern Strategy, edited by Peter Paret with assistance from Gordan Craig and Felix Guilbert was published in 1986, and it was no less an instant classic at publication. it contained five sections broken out into 28 chapters. It delved deeply in Clausewitz, Nuclear War, the violence of insurgency and the historical development of American Strategy
Both volumes of Makers of Modern Strategy were and remain classics that still provide insights.
This latest edition, edited by Hal Brands continues the legacy started by Edward Earle Mead in 1942/1943.
it is composed of 45 chapters and the essays are written, as in past volumes, by the most the notable and scholarly heavy weights in the field - many names will be highly recognizable to the avid reader of military science and history. Within each of these exquisitely written essays, the authors represent an effort to convey the enduring realities of strategy. the book is broken out into five sections. Section 1 begins with Foundations and Founders and consists of 10 chapters. Subsequent sections cover Strategy in the Age of Great Power Rivalry-8 chapters; the Age of Global War - 8 chapters; Strategy in a Bipolar Era - 8 chapters and finally Strategy in the Post-Cold War World- 11 chapters. Taken collectively, the book contains examples of both failed and successful strategies.
The authors do not always agree on key issues, episodes, or individuals but the themes are cross-cutting with the history it relates.
I highly recommend this book and if you can get your hands on the other previous editions, i would suggest that too.
April 27, 2025
I bought it with great enthusiasm because i have the previous one "Makers of Modern strategy by EARL". However this turned out to be a disappointment. Seems like it was makers of anglo-american strategy rather than a global or "modern strategy". Having a fair amount of knowledge in history and colonialism(specially indian) I was extremely disappointed how the author(s) brushed off colonialism as something not to be mentioned. If the belligerent was anglo-american it would just be due to the force of nature and if the belligerent was not anglo-american they were the pure evil. How does the imperial trade routes and colonial institutions affected the approach of "colonized" was simply ignored. The very first chapter talks about institutions that helped Rome withstand carthagian attacks, suddenly institutions disappear and wishes take over. It gets confusing when the author is quoting something that he wished was true rather than quoting original source or its explanation. Felt pretty disappointed, I still have to read 10 chapters but i guess they are as good as the journey so far.
November 17, 2024
I highly recommend The New Makers of Modern Strategy as an excellent primer on strategy as a discipline of study for anyone interested in geopolitical history. The book is really a compendium of thematically connected short essays each offering an independent case study of a specific historical figure or time period. With only a few exceptions, I found most chapters substantive and interesting, though I’ll also note that almost all of them assume a basic contextual familiarity that I did not always have—certain chapters focusing on earlier European history or post-decolonization Africa were harder for me to follow. But the nice thing about the book’s structure is that it allows readers to tackle each chapter in any order, or even skip over a few as needed. In fact, I put the whole thing down for over half a year but still found it easy to pick back up without feeling any sort of disconnect. The New Makers of Modern Strategy is therefore surprisingly approachable despite its breadth and heftiness. It won’t make you an expert on anything, but it’ll point you in the right direction.
October 7, 2025
This is an extensive and fairly comprehensive about the ways that both tactical and grander strategy have changed (or stayed more or less the same) over its history. This book is extensive and it felt a little daunting to read it, but it painted a clear picture and was an excellent overview.
I agree with the reviews that state that this book was not necessarily comprehensive and is somewhat dismissive of huge factors that shape the histories and perspectives of nations outside of the West (such as colonialism's impact). I understand that writing a book about the entire history of humanity is a tall order and so some topics may go underserved, I just wish that they could be open about it!
I agree with the reviews that state that this book was not necessarily comprehensive and is somewhat dismissive of huge factors that shape the histories and perspectives of nations outside of the West (such as colonialism's impact). I understand that writing a book about the entire history of humanity is a tall order and so some topics may go underserved, I just wish that they could be open about it!
November 21, 2025
The New Makers of Modern Strategy is an expansive, rigorously assembled, and globally informed examination of strategic thought from antiquity to the digital age. With contributions from leading historians, political scientists, and defense scholars, it bridges classical theory with contemporary geopolitical challenges, offering clarity on how strategy evolves and why its fundamentals endure. It’s a definitive, deeply relevant resource for understanding war, statecraft, and the thinkers who shaped the modern world.
May 8, 2023
proud that this generation of scholars could live up to the extremely high standards of the series
fascinating to read alongside the past two editions to compare how this edition's preoccupation of China compares to the past two (the Cold War and WWII respectively) as well as what this edition can do with a less Eurocentric selection of topics
fascinating to read alongside the past two editions to compare how this edition's preoccupation of China compares to the past two (the Cold War and WWII respectively) as well as what this edition can do with a less Eurocentric selection of topics
February 28, 2023
Great book! Particularly, the introduction by Hal Brands, chapters by Walter Russell Mead, Iskander Rehman, S.C.M.Paine, Robert Kagan, Thomas G. Mahnken, Lawrence Freedman, Joshua Rovner, Williamson Murray, and Thomas Rid.
October 28, 2023
third
The second edition was a Long time mainstay of the US Army Command and General Staff reading assignments for class. This third edition is updated to reflect new information and an expanded understanding of the concept conflict.
The second edition was a Long time mainstay of the US Army Command and General Staff reading assignments for class. This third edition is updated to reflect new information and an expanded understanding of the concept conflict.
May 8, 2024
It`s better to read the previous installments of the Makers. In this edition, they sacrificed depth to fad and many chapters are superfluous. Some chapters are decent, like the one by Lawrence Freedman, but all felt rushed.
March 28, 2025
An excellent book, but man it took me a while to get completely through it. There were certainly some chapters that appealed to me less, but others were so full of interesting information that I couldn't put down the book.
I am likely to pick this up again and reread selective chapters.
I am likely to pick this up again and reread selective chapters.
December 30, 2023
An exceptional springboard for further education on a plethora of aspects of geopolitics.
December 17, 2025
A must read for any interested in the subject.
January 1, 2025
A primer for those interested in the broader aspects of strategy (military or otherwise). For sure, many of them are not easy reads, so the chapters addressing foundational thinkers (Thucydides, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, Jomini, Clausewitz, and Mahan) stand out as intellectual anchor points.
November 13, 2025
This updated compendium reframes centuries of strategic thinking through the lens of cyber, AI and great‑power competition - providing defense and government leaders a bridge from historic case‑studies to the technological battlefield of today.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews