<p>History 5240.001</p><p>The Art of War: Theory and History</p><p>Spring 2014</p><p>Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:50 p.m. in WH 262</p><p>Prof. Geoffrey Wawro University of North Texas, History Dept.</p><p>WH 341</p><p>Office phone – 940-891-6940, [email protected]</p><p>Office hours – Weds. 1:00-2:00 or by appointment.</p><p>DISABILITY STATEMENT: The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. Students are strongly encouraged to deliver letters of accommodation during faculty office hours or by appointment. Faculty members have the authority to ask students to discuss such letters during their designated office hours to protect the privacy of the student. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.</p><p>Course Description</p><p>To write sound military history you need to be conversant in the key theorists, whose ideas shape the way we regard and analyze war. You must also be able to recognize and appreciate shifts in the way military history is written. Thus, this course will consider the major theorists of war as well as some important, path-breaking military historians.</p><p>We will look at some of the principal military thinkers, like Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, Mahan, Corbett, Fuller and Liddell Hart.</p><p>Military historians must write in a critical, informed, insightful manner. Additionally, the most credible ones make use of archival documents. How has this vital skill and discipline evolved over the centuries? We will trace the development of serious military historiography from its first stunning expression -- Thucydides' Peloponnesian War -- to the present day. We will weigh the influence and approaches of key historians and theorists.</p><p>1 The readings course aims to provide graduate students with a clear vision of their field and surroundings. Where does the profession stand, and how -- intellectually -- did it arrive there? How have the best military historians written about past conflicts and their ramifications? How does military thought influence the analyses and narratives we write today?</p><p>Requirements</p><p>1. Class participation. All weekly readings will be introduced for roundtable discussion by two student presenters. Independent of each other, you will give your impressions of the work, place it in its theoretical and historical context (to the best of your ability), and offer what you think are the main points as well as a proposed structure for class discussion of the work. This class is a workshop, where we hack through the readings together. Weekly participation by ALL – not just the presenters -- is required.</p><p>2. A 25-30 page essay on military thought or military historiography. It must bear on one or more of the theorists and historians studied in this course, or a related topic on the theory or historiography of war. Choose a topic – in consultation with me – no later than Week 5, i.e. 2/12/14. Order all the ILL books you need immediately. I am leaving two open weeks – weeks 11 and 12 – for you to work intensively on the papers, so that you discover any gaps and have time to fill them before semester’s end.</p><p>Required Reading:</p><p>Sun Tzu, Art of War Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War Landmark Thucydides Clausewitz, On War Andrew J. Bacevich, The New American Militarism Andrew Bacevich, Washington Rules Wolfgang Schivelbusch, The Culture of Defeat Norman Dixon, On the Psychology of Military Incompetence A.T. Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 Julian S. Corbett, Principles of Maritime Strategy John Keegan, The Face of Battle S.L.A. Marshall, Men Against Fire Basil Liddell Hart, Strategy John Mearsheimer, Liddell Hart and the Weight of History Russell Weigley, The American Way of War Geoffrey Parker, The Military Revolution Victor Davis Hanson, Carnage and Culture Norman Davies, No Simple Victory</p><p>2 Week 1, 1/15/14 – Look at syllabus, introductions, talk about the course and requirements.</p><p>Week 2, 1/22/14 – Sun Tzu, Art of War, entire. Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian war, entire.</p><p>Direction: What does Sun Tzu consider: the object of war, the essential characteristics of war and strategy, the role of policy, the uses of intelligence, best way to treat an adversary, requirements of the commander, the difference between the direct and indirect approaches? Wawro is writing operational military history in a particular way. What does he discover about organization, command, tactics and the experience of battle?</p><p>Week 3, 1/29/14 -- Landmark Thucydides, Books 1-8, pp. 3-483, 549-54. Pay careful attention to book 1, origins of the war, pp. 3-85; book 2, outbreak of the war, Pericles’ funeral oration and policy, plague, pp. 89-128; book 3, revolt of the Mytilene, related debate and civil war in Corcyra, pp. 159-201; book 4, Athens’ success at Pylos, pp. 223-246, Brasidas in Thrace, pp. 263-272; Brasidas captures Amphipolis, pp. 279-85; book 5, Peace of Nicias, pp. 309-16, Athens- Argos alliance and battle of Mantinea, pp. 327-50; Melian Dialogue, pp. 350-57; book 6, launching of Sicilian Expedition, pp. 361-79; book 7, Athenian disaster, pp. 427-78; book 8, reaction to Athens’ defeat in Sicily, 481-3; epilogue, end of the war, 549-54.</p><p>Direction: This is the earliest intelligent, “professional” critique of war and politics in Western literature. The characters and city states described are largely forgotten today. Do not read this as a work of ancient history; rather, read it to pull out the universal questions and problems that vex statesmen, general officers and nations at war. Bear in mind these essential words of Thucydides written in 400 BC: “I shall be satisfied if my words are judged useful by those who desire a clear understanding of the events which occurred in the past and which will occur again, in much the same way, in the future, human nature being what it is.” </p><p>Week 4, 2/5/14 -- Clausewitz, On War, Paret, Howard and Brodie intros, pp. 3-58. Clausewitz prefaces, 61-71. Book 1, “On the Nature of War,” pp. 75-123; Book 2, “On the Theory of War, Chaps. 2-3, pp. 133-150, Chaps. 5-6, pp. 156-74. Book 3, Chaps. 1, 3, 8-11, 14, 16-17, i.e. pages 177-82, 184-5, 194-211, 213, 216-20. Book 4, Chap 11, pp. 258-62. Book 5, chap. 3, pp. 282-4. Book 6, Chaps. 1, 5, 23, 27, i.e. pp. 357-59, 370-71, 456-59, 484-87. Book 7, chaps. 2-5, 22, pp. 524-28, 566-73. Book 8, pp. 577-637. </p><p>TOTAL CLAUSEWITZ = 209 pages plus intros and guide to reading.</p><p>Direction: Clausewitz stresses the primacy of policy in waging war. “War is a continuation of policy by other means” – “Policy will permeate all military operations.” But, “the political aim is not a tyrant” and “policy will not extend its influence to operational details.” Here we have the essence of civil-military relations. How does Clausewitz compare with Sun Tzu? Is there a constant and proper relationship between the uniformed military and civilian decision-makers? Clausewitz’s key concepts are: “the culminating point of victory,” the “center of gravity,” and the “need to be strong at the decisive point.” Are these strategic as well as operational concepts? Are they universal in their application? Clausewitz speaks of limited and unlimited war. How are they different? Why are most wars waged with less than total effort? </p><p>3 Week 5, 2/12/14 -- The New American Militarism. Andrew Bacevich, The New American Militarism and Andrew Bacevich, Washington Rules. </p><p>Direction: With Thucydides, Sun Tzu and Clausewitz fresh in our minds, what do these two books tell us about contemporary American strategy, culture and leadership?</p><p>Week 6, 2/19/14—Wolfgang Schivelbusch, The Culture of Defeat, entire.</p><p>Direction: History is proverbially written by the victors, but what happens to the losers? How do societies cope with defeat? How do they rise from the ashes, as it were, and shake off the humiliation and scars of defeat? Is there a discernible “culture of defeat” shared by beaten states, or at least the three considered here (France, Germany and the C.S.A.)? </p><p>Week 7, 2/26/14 – Norman Dixon, On the Psychology of Military Incompetence, entire. </p><p>Direction: How does the “social psychology” of military organizations affect performance, promotion and command? </p><p>Week 8, 3/5/14 – Mahan vs. Corbett. Mahan, Influence of Sea Power, Intro, Chapters 1, 9-11, 13-14. Julian Corbett, Principles of Maritime Strategy, entire.</p><p>Direction: Mahan’s book in 1890 was an international sensation. It persuaded great and middle powers all over the world to invest heavily in warships, bases and empires. Why? What is the theory of this book? How is history deployed to support it? What is Corbett’s critique of Mahan? What is “sea power” in his view?</p><p>Week 9, 3/12/14 – SPRING BREAK.</p><p>Week 10, 3/19/14 – Men against fire. John Keegan, The Face of Battle. S.L.A. Marshall, Men against Fire. </p><p>Direction: Different men with different agendas attacking the same question: how are men able to face death and mutilation? What are their respective methods, evidence and conclusions? “Slam” Marshall’s book was shocking. It derived from actual interviews with demobilized American World War II veterans on their way home from Europe and the Pacific. What was Marshall’s investigative method? What did he discover? What did he teach us about men in combat? What is Keegan’s method? His findings?</p><p>Week 11, 3/26/14 – NO CLASS. Work on papers. </p><p>Week 12, 4/02/14 – NO CLASS. Work on papers.</p><p>Week 13, 4/09/14 -- Liddell Hart's "strategy of the indirect approach." Liddell Hart, Strategy, entire. John Mearsheimer, Liddell Hart and the Weight of History, entire.</p><p>Direction: Liddell Hart has a distinct view of modern warfare, and qualifies as an original theorist. He works through the centuries – from the ancients to the moderns -- but has some unchanging military ideas and observations. What are they? How does Mearsheimer modify our view of Liddell Hart and his ideas?</p><p>4 Week 14, 4/16/14 -- “Ways of war”: Russell F. Weigley, The American Way of War, entire. </p><p>Direction: Can we speak of an American “way of war?” How does Weigley define and analyze it?</p><p>Week 15, 4/23/14 – The Western Military Revolution: Geoffrey Parker, The Military Revolution: Military Innovation and the Rise of the West, 1500-1800. Victor Davis Hanson, Carnage and Culture.</p><p>Direction: Well before the Industrial Revolution, the Europeans developed the military techniques that enabled them to dominate the world until the 20th century. What is Parker’s argument? What were the big European changes and did they comprise a “revolution?” What is his evidence? What is/was controversial about this book? What is Hanson’s argument?</p><p>Week 16, 4/30/14 -- Rethinking World War II. Norman Davies, No Simple Victory, entire. </p><p>Direction: Where does our “understanding” of wars come from? How can we be so terribly wrong? </p><p>All papers due by Wednesday April 30 in class. Bring me a hard copy and send a soft copy to my email, [email protected]</p><p>5</p>