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Military Strategy: A General Theory Of Power Control
by
J.C. Wylie
Wylie came to be interested in abstract theory gradually, through experience and observation during his naval career. Wylie's book, Military Strategy: A General Theory of Power Control, was clearly a product of his experience and his professional development as a naval officer. Looking back over his career, one can find in it the ideas and thought processes that led him to
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Oct 31, 2014
Ian Fleischmann
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review of another edition
Shelves:
military-thought
Interesting quick read. He talks about initiative indirectly in pages 88-94 including using Grant as an example. Wylie is specifically talking about control through the imposition of a "pattern of war" in which one has the advantage. If the conservator (attackee) is able to neutralize the initial control of the attacker, they enter a state of fluid equilibrium in which all other advantages of either side are cumulatively negligible until one side or the other resumes or alters the "pattern of wa
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Admiral Wylie writes about his theory of control...I think it is a little dated as his is clearly influenced by the events ongoing at the time of publication (1967), specifically Vietnam, and the ongoing cold-war. He does do a good job of breaking out control to maritime, air, land and the people (Mao type control)
It is a short read, about 110 pages. I recommend it for anyone interested in military strategy.
It is a short read, about 110 pages. I recommend it for anyone interested in military strategy.
A welcome respite from many of the traditional "legends" of military theory. That said, the reader pays for the simplicity in the depth of the theory.
Wylie posits that four broad strategic theories exist: continental (ground), naval/maritime, air and Mao (revolutionary). He says each is lacking due to the fact that they only apply in their narrow field. He sought to identify a more general theory of strategy that would apply across the gamut of warfare.
His ultimate conclusion was that military ...more
Wylie posits that four broad strategic theories exist: continental (ground), naval/maritime, air and Mao (revolutionary). He says each is lacking due to the fact that they only apply in their narrow field. He sought to identify a more general theory of strategy that would apply across the gamut of warfare.
His ultimate conclusion was that military ...more
A must read for military planners.
Wildly overrated, in my opinion. Most often cited "insight" is the duality between cumulative and sequential strategies, which isn't really a terribly novel way to look at the issue (ask Delbruck). Pithy in places and fair-minded, Wiley ultimately fails to accomplish the impossible task he sets himself: to come up with a "general theory of warfare" or strategy, a sort of positive doctrine for success in war. A fair survey, though.
Short but very perceptive look at overall strategy in regards to war. If only for his portrayal of the limited strategies of the different services this book would be worth a read. Also very perceptive about what was to come in terms of threats.
Awesome short book that, while perhaps a bit dated in some areas, serves as a great strategic primer.
Basic, but with some good insights here and there.
My review is here: http://zenpundit.com/?p=4086
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Rear Admiral Joseph Caldwell Wylie, Jr., USN, (March 3, 1911 – January 1, 1993) (called "J. C." Wylie or "Bill" Wylie), was an American strategic theorist, author, and US Naval officer. Wylie is best known for writing Military Strategy: A General Theory of Power Control.
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“There is a type of warfare in which the entire pattern is made up of a collection of lesser actions, but these lesser or individual actions are not sequentially interdependent. Each individual one is no more than a single statistic, an isolated plus or minus, in arriving at the final result.”
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