Creating Military Power: The Sources of Military Effectiveness

by Risa Brooks (editor), Elizabeth A. Stanley (Editor)

Creating Military Power examines how societies, cultures, political structures, and the global environment affect countries' military organizations. Unlike most analyses of countries' military power, which focus on material and basic resources--such as the size of populations, technological and industrial base, and GNP--this volume takes a more expansive view. The study's overarching argument is that states' global environments and the particularities of their cultures, social structures, and political institutions often affect how they organize and prepare for war, and ultimately impact their effectiveness in battle. The creation of military power is only partially dependent on states' basic material and human assets. Wealth, technology, and human capital certainly matter for a country's ability to create military power, but equally important are the ways a state uses those resources, and this often depends on the political and social environment in which military activity takes place.

Genres: Nonfiction

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 9, 2007

Reviews

[Eleanore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few excellent chapters and a useful recast of framework for this largely unexamined subject in defense policy.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy and thought provoking read. A series of case studies examine the intangibles of military power.

[Patrick Van Hoeserlande]

Good and new insights into creating military power. Stresses on other factors than state of the art materiel.