Activity Instructions/ Details
This assignment is a continuation of your course-long Comparative National Security Project. In your first paper for this project, you introduced your selected country and explored its major national security challenges. In this assignment, you will focus on comparative military power. Be sure to consult the research guide Download research guidefor resources as you research different aspects of national power and national security for your chosen country.
For this assignment, you will write an essay of approximately 3 pages (approximately 750 words). In your paper, please address the following questions:
- Describe the military capabilities of your chosen country. How is its military organized, and does it have land, air, sea, space, and cyber forces? Does it possess nuclear warheads or other significant unconventional capabilities?
- What is the geographic reach of this military? For example, would you consider it focused mainly on homeland protection, or is it also a regional or global force?
- What is the domestic industrial base for the military in your chosen country, and is this military dependent on any foreign suppliers?
- What is the decision process for the use of militarized force in your chosen country? Is decision-making authority vested in a democratic body, such as a legislature, or a democratically elected leader? Do military leaders answer to civilian leadership, or is the military a significant political, even partisan, force within your chosen country?
Compose a 750-word (approx.) country selection paper.
Your APA-formatted research country selection paper should include the following:
- A title page
- A well-developed introductory paragraph
- Describe the military capabilities of your chosen country and what interests you about it.
- Answers to the questions above
- With appropriate in-line citations. Your answers should be grounded in scholarly course resources.
- A concise concluding paragraph
- References list
- An APA-formatted list of all sources consulted in the preparation of the strategic options paper.
Note that 750 words is approximately 3 pages of double-spaced 12-point font text. References and title pages do not count towards word requirements.
Read
- Module Notes: Military power and the masters of war
- Von Clausewitz, C., Paret, P., & Howard, M. E. (2008). On war. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press: pp. 75-99Links to an external site., 148-150Links to an external site., 370-371Links to an external site., 479-487Links to an external site., 585-597Links to an external site., 605-612Links to an external site..
- Levy, J. (2017). Clausewitz and people’s warLinks to an external site.. Journal of Strategic Studies, 40(3): 450-456.
- Tzu, Sun. (510 BC). The art of warLinks to an external site.. (Skim for points of interest and comparison only.)
- Strand, H., Rustad, S., Urdal, H. & Nygård, H. M. (2019). Trends in armed conflict, 1946–2018Links to an external site., Conflict Trends, 3. Oslo: PRIO.
- McNerney, M. et al. (2018). National will to fight: Why some states keep fighting and others don’tLinks to an external site.. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, ix-xviii, 1-18, 37-57.
View
- C-SPAN BookTV. (2011, December 2). Jon Sumida, “Decoding Clausewitz”Links to an external site.. [Video, 10:46 minutes].
- Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs. Nuclear warfare simulation – Plan ALinks to an external site. [Video, 4 minutes]
Optional
- Atran S. (2011, May 3). The Sacred Rules of WarLinks to an external site. by Scott Atran. The National Interest.
- Correlates of War Project. (2016). National Material CapabilitiesLinks to an external site. (v.6.0)
- U.S. Department of Defense. (2020). Summary of the Irregular Warfare Annex to the National Defense Strategy.Links to an external site.
- O’Rourke, R. (2021, Oct. 7). Renewed Great Power Competition: Implications for Defense—Issues for CongressLinks to an external site.. CRS Report R43838. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service, pp.1-19 (rest optional)
- Paret, P., Howard, M., and Brodie, B. (2008). Introductory EssaysLinks to an external site.. In On War.Links to an external site. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
- Kuo, Li-Sheng. (2007). Sun Tzu’s War Theory in the 21st Century.Links to an external site. U.S. Army War College Strategy Research Project. Unpublished MS.
Review Policy and War Research Sites:
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (London)Links to an external site.; and its annual The Military Balance publication, detailing military capabilities (Also review 2021 version)Download Also review 2021 version)
- GWU National Security ArchiveLinks to an external site.
- Modern War Institute at West PointLinks to an external site.
- Center for Naval AnalysesLinks to an external site.
- Center for Security StudiesLinks to an external site.. Swiss security research clearinghouse site.
- Center for Strategic and International Studies. Global Threats and Regional Stability.Links to an external site.
- Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Defense and Security topics.Links to an external site.
- Harvard U. Belfer CenterLinks to an external site.
- War on the RocksLinks to an external site. (interesting site for opinion and analysis pieces with good resource links)
- Center for a New American Security. (nd). Future of Warfare site.Links to an external site.
- The Strategy BridgeLinks to an external site. (interesting site for some opinion pieces)