The Strategy Bridge
Strategic Culture, Ideology, and Military Strategy with Jeremy Black
Dec 7, 2020
In this engaging conversation, Jeremy Black, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Exeter and author of “Military Strategy: A Global History,” explores the intricate relationship between strategic culture and military strategy. He discusses how political factors shape military decision-making and critiques the Eurocentric bias in existing literature. Black emphasizes the need to recognize the historical evolution of military strategy and the disconnect between theorists and practitioners. He also highlights the significance of ideology in shaping national interests and military responses.
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Quick takeaways
- Strategic culture significantly influences military strategy, emphasizing localized norms over rigid theoretical frameworks in various geopolitical contexts.
- Ideology shapes strategic decisions by defining success and failure in warfare, affecting casualty tolerance and military choices across different cultures.
Deep dives
The Role of Strategic Culture
Strategic culture is an essential concept in understanding military strategy as it emphasizes the implicit assumptions that strategic actors hold within their specific political and institutional contexts. These beliefs shape the nature of strategic thought and actions far more than the abstract theories proposed by established scholars. For example, Black argues that military leaders in different regions operate based on localized norms and experiences rather than rigid frameworks espoused by strategic theorists like Clausewitz. Thus, recognizing strategic culture is crucial to grasping how countries formulate their strategies in response to unique geopolitical situations.
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