Chapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Chapter 1: Introduction: The Template of Mars Chapter 3 Chapter 2: Superior Weapons and Technology Entrepreneurship Chapter 4 Chapter 3: Superior Discipline Chapter 5 Chapter 4: Sustained But Controlled Ruthlessness Chapter 6 Chapter 5: Receptivity to Military and Integrative Innovation Chapter 7 Chapter 6: The Ability and Willingness to Protect Capital from People and Rulers Chapter 8 Chapter 7: The Centrality of Superior Will Chapter 9 Chapter 8: The Belief There Will Always Be Another War Chapter 10 Chapter 9: Applying the Template: A Battle Chapter 11 Chapter 10: Applying the Template: A War Chapter 12 Footnotes
Christian P. Potholm, II is professor of government at Bowdoin College.
Potholm provides case studies from ancient battles to today
demonstrating the implementation of . . . seven factors for
success.
*Bowdoin Campus News*
Christian Potholm has written an imaginative, controversial book on
the fundamental nature of human conflict that deserves the most
serious attention from scholars as well as students of war.
*Williamson Murray, professor emeritus, Ohio State University, and
senior fellow at the Institute of Defense Analysis*
Brilliant. Chris Potholm's Winning at War provides an objective and
analytical framework on understanding war for the policymaker, the
war fighter, and the layman alike. He brilliantly weaves a complex
subject into a very understandable tale.
*Claude Berube, professor at the US Naval Academy*
Chris Potholm’s seminal Winning at War is an innovative approach to
objectively analyzing mankind’s most destructive method of policy
making—war. A disciplined application of the seven keys to military
victory he so compellingly articulates can assist future political
leaders, policy makers, and military planners avoid the sad and
costly mistakes of the past. A brilliant contribution to the noble
effort to help mankind avoid the dreadful pain of warfare.
*Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces
Southern Europe, Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe,
2001-2004*
In this brilliant, provocative book, Dr. Christian Potholm reveals
his obsession with war—not to glorify warfare or warrior-hood—but
to understand what factors have proven indispensable in leading to
success on history's battlefields. This book is a must read for our
military and political leaders—and for a citizenry that needs to
know whether our leaders have properly prepared our nation for
success in war when diplomacy fails.
*William S. Cohen, U.S. defense secretary, 1997-2001*
WINNING AT WAR is Maine scholar Christian Potholm's incisive and
provocative treatise on the seven keys to winning wars throughout
history.... This is a book about how and why states win or lose
wars. From the outset, Potholm does not attempt to justify the
morality of war, just as he does not glorify or endorse war;
rather, he seeks to understand success in war. Potholm's
presentation is clear and fascinating. He offers seven key elements
as essential components for successfully waging and winning
wars.... He discusses each element using historical examples, from
the Romans, Mongols and Zulus to the American Civil War, the
Vietnam War and the Iraqi insurgency.
*Morning Sentinel*
Potholm's knowledge of military history, from the general staff to
the handiwork of the battlefield, is impressive. . . . The reader
is shown Napolean and the usual suspects as models, but Potholm
also explores far-flung fields and different cultures.
*The Portland Press Herald*
A clever and thoughtful book about how and why states win or lose
wars. Author Christian P. Potholm does not attempt to justify the
morality of war; he seeks to understand success in war.
*Military Officer*
This exceptionally well-written work focuses on how to achieve
victory in war when diplomacy is unable to prevent human conflict
and warfare. Potholm presents an in-depth analysis of what he
describes as seven key variables to military success throughout
history....This is an outstanding book, its narrative clear, its
research solid, and its conclusions sound. It is a fine piece of
scholarship and essential reading for policy makers, scholars, and
military leaders.
*Proceedings*
In an interesting look at the separate factors that determine
success at war, Potholm has defined what he calls a “template of
Mars”, which is composed of seven variables: technology; sustained
ruthlessness; discipline; receptivity to innovation; protection of
military capital from civilians and rulers; the centrality of
superior will; and, the belief that there will always be another
war. This is the framework on which one can understand war, what it
takes to be successful at war and to determine whether or not the
leadership has properly prepared the country for success in war
when all else fails. Some of these variables are well known:
technology, discipline, ruthlessness, innovation and a centrality
or unity of superior will have been part and parcel of the practice
of successful warfare for centuries. Two of the variables of the
template, protection of military capital and the belief that there
will always be another war are innovative and somewhat
controversial. Potholm takes these “7 Keys to Victory” and applies
them across the spectrum of military history. He illuminates each
of his variables to specific events. To use just two examples:
protection of capital resulting in a victory for the Athenians at
the Battle of Salamis in 480BC; and the belief that there will
always be another war was actually what made a Hun a Hun and
contributed to their success at conquest. An interesting and
stimulating read.
*The Past In Review*
Winning at War is the product of over forty years of academic
inquiry into the nature of war by Christian Potholm, a professor of
government at Bowdoin College. He proposes that throughout history
there have been seven keys to military victory....Potholm’s work
deserves our attention because of his distinguished
credentials....Potholm draws his conclusions from a comprehensive
survey of military history of over 2,500 years, being candid about
his inclusion of non-Western examples in the analysis.
*Naval War College Review*
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