Imagining Future War : The West's Technological Revolution and Visions of Wars to come, 1880 to 1914
Author | : | Antulio J. Echevarria II |
Year of Publication | : | 2009 |
ISBN - 13 | : | 9780275987251 |
Edition | : | First |
Language | : | English |
Binding | : | Hardcover |
Subject | : | Warfare |
About the Book :
Rapid and momentous technological changes at the turn of the
20th century forced military professionals and educated civilians to envision
the future of war and warfare, especially during an age where nations found
themselves aggressively competing for dominance on the world stage. Antulio J.
Echevarria II offers a comparative study of these predictions to assess who got
it right and why. He concludes that professionals were particularly adept at
predicting the warfare of the immediate future by framing their discussions in
terms of solving tactical problems, but they were much less successful at
thinking of the long-term. Unburdened by the necessity of strategic problem-solving,
educated amateurs were allowed more flexibility to imagine the long term future
of warfare, and, at times, proved to be remarkably accurate.
Echevarria organizes his study by comparing visions of future wars on land, at
sea, undersea, and in air. In each instance professionals and amateurs had
their own distinctive imaginings. Among the notable speculators included in
this book are science fiction author H.G. Wells and military theorist Ivan
Bloch.
About Author :
Antulio J. Echevarria II is Director of Research at the Army War College and the former Director of National Security Affairs at the Strategic Studies Institute. From 1998 to 2000 he was the speechwriter for the Army Chief of Staff. He is the author of numerous articles in Military History Quarterly, Joint Forces Quarterly, Army History, Parameters, Air & Space Power Journal, Marine Corps Gazette, Naval War College Review, Naval Institute Proceedings, Journal of Strategic Studies, Military Review, and others.